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the Aos Sí: Figures of Celtic Fae Lore

by Keziah

‘Aos sí’ is a term used to encompass a complex and powerful array of figures within Irish pagan theology and Celtic mythology, figures I sometimes refer to as the Otherworld Folk and Otherkin. You’ll hear them more commonly called the Sídhe, fairies/faeries/the fae, the Good Neighbors, the Folk, the Good Folk, daoine sídhe/daoine sìthe. There are, no doubt, countless terms and names used to mean the aos sí, and just as many theories as to who these figures are, where they come from, and what they do.

One of the most prevalent beliefs, which is mentioned in many Irish legends, is that the aos sí are (or are related to) the Tuatha dé Danann. Others have likened the aos sí to elves and faeries. In my opinion, it’s impossible to sum up who/what the aos sí are as the term could be applied to every kind of Otherworldly spirit and figure within the Celtic realm. I won’t be able to go over all of them within this piece (just for the sake of time), but I’ll do my best to go over a fair few of them.

What Does Aos Sí Mean?

The Irish term ‘aos sí’ (which is pronounced as aes [the ae sounding like a somewhat softer version of the ay in ‘way’] shee) means ‘the people from/of the mounds.’ These figures are more commonly referred to as sídhe nowadays, though sídhe/sí (sìth in Scots Gaelic) was once exclusively used to mean the burial mounds, tombs, and other such areas linked to the Otherworld that these figures were believed to reside beneath or within. The word has now come to bear two meanings, and its far better-known use is in reference to the figures themselves rather than the mounds with which they’re associated.

What Figures Are Classified as Aos Sí?

Bean Sídhe - Banshee

The term bean-sídhe (bean-sìth or ban-sìth in Scots Gaelic) means ‘faerie woman’ or ‘sídhe woman’ and therefore could (and once did) refer to any woman that hailed from the Otherworld. However, it’s now applied specifically to a spirit who heralds a forthcoming death, traditionally by way of blood-chilling wailing and moaning.

The banshee is usually described as having the appearance of either a withered hag or young woman of incomparable beauty. The former depiction has become the most recognized nowadays. The banshee is said to dress in either a white, gray, or black flowing robe or cloak and has a very pale white complexion with redness around the eyes from weeping so much. They’re usually described as having either heaps of black or fiery red hair. Some depictions tell of the banshee standing at an ‘inhumanly’ or ‘unnaturally’ tall height, others describe them as being of average human height, and still others portray the banshee as being short. On that, the Lady Wilde says in ‘Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland’ –

‘Though some accounts of her standing unnaturally tall are recorded, the majority of tales that describe her height state the banshee’s stature as short, anywhere between one foot and four feet. Her exceptional shortness often goes alongside the description of her as an old woman, though it may also be intended to emphasize her state as a fairy creature.’

In ‘the Memoirs of Ann, Lady Fanshawe’ an encounter that Lady Fanshawe had with a banshee is described –

‘There we stayed three nights, the first of which I was surprised at being laid in a chamber where, about one o’clock, I heard a voice that awaked me. I drew the curtain, and in the casement of the window I saw by the light of the moon a woman leaning into the window through the casement, in white, with red hair and ghastly complexion. She spake loud, and in a tone I never heard, thrice, “Ahone”; and then with a sigh more like wind than breath she vanishes, and to me her body looked more like a thick cloud than substance.’

Bean-Nighe - Washer at the Ford

'Les Lavandières de la Nuit' by Yan' Dargent; 1861

Bean-nighe is Scots Gaelic for ‘washerwoman’ and is used to describe a female wraith spirit or figure, often seen as a type of ban-sìth. In French lore, they’re known as les Lavandières (‘the Midnight Washerwomen’). She is another oracle of death, said to appear at the waterside of streams, rivers, or lakes to wash the bloodstained clothes of those soon to meet life’s end.

She is often described as being thin and frail-looking, dressed in green. Some lore states that she has webbed toes and red feet. Many believe the Washerwoman also has the power to impart great wisdom and secret knowledge to people, as well as the power to grant wishes if one dares to approach her and does so cautiously. However, others believe that approaching the Washerwoman and interrupting her work will result in her cursing you or injuring you by hitting you with her washing, which is said to strike so hard it can even break one’s bones. Some Irish and Scottish lore states that if you saw the Washerwoman before she saw you, you could ask her to foretell your future, as they have the gift of prophecy.

Though the bean-nighe are usually accepted as spirits and members of the Fae Folk, there are some other beliefs as to the origin of the Washerwomen. One such belief is that this is what becomes of the spirit of women who die prematurely during childbirth. Others say that to avoid becoming a bean-nighe after death, a woman must make sure that all her clothes have been washed and there was no dirty laundry left behind.

Most commonly the bean-nighe is associated with foretelling the deaths of warriors before battle, as she is apparently most often sighted at such times and with heaps of washing to do.

Dúlachán

The Irish dúlachán, dubhlachan, or dullahan, meaning 'the dark man,' is a male figure within the Fae Folk, a headless horseman whose steed is black as night. Some tales say he carries his head, face fixed with a horrifying grin, in his hand and some stories depict both the dúlachán and his steed as being headless. Other stories say he does not ride on horseback but drives the Death Coach – a black coach drawn by black horses (sometimes said to be headless themselves) that would go to collect the dead and take them from this realm to the Otherworld.

from Thomas Mayne Reid's 'the Headless Horseman;' 1865.

The dúlachán is said to use a whip made of bone, often described to be of human spine, and his clothes or cloak (or the covering of his coach bench in the version in which he drives the Death Coach) is allegedly made from human flesh.

It is said that the dúlachán riding by was a portend of one’s impending end; and sightings of the Death Coach are believed to foretell death. It is also believed that if the dúlachán utters someone’s name, they instantly die.

Ghillie Dubh

Ghillie Dubh or Ghillie Du is a figure from Scottish Highlands folklore, a faerie man believed to live (or to have lived) in a birch wood in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, within the area of Gairloch and Loch a Druing, where he is said to have been spotted in the latter part of the 18th century.

He is described as being of small stature, having messy dark hair, and wearing clothes of moss, leaves and grass. It’s generally said that he was quiet, good-natured, and gentle. One tale states that he rescued a local child that had wandered into the woods and gotten lost, took care of the child for the night, and escorted her safely home the next morning. Many who lived in the area claimed to have seen Ghillie Dubh.

Unfortunately, Ghillie Dubh has not been spotted since shortly after he rescued the local child, when the laird, Sir Hector Mackenzie of Gairloch, invited a group of hunters to track and shoot kind-hearted Ghillie Dubh. As the tale goes, though the group searched all night, they never found Ghillie Dubh, and Ghillie Dubh was never seen in the area again.

Clúrachán

A relative of the leprechaun, the clurichaun (or clúrachán) is a solitary member of the Fae Folk known for his love of the drink. He’s said to steal from wine cellars, taverns, pubs, and breweries and is particularly hard to rid from such establishments. Even if the owner of such a place moved locations, the clurichaun could simply hide away in a barrel cask and go along for the ride.

They’re said to wear red clothes and fine shoes, and to carry a magical purse or pouch. Some tales say that the purse never runs out of money and will always be full. Other stories say that the purse contains a single shilling that will always return to the purse no matter how or where it was spent. They’re also said to be guardians of hidden treasure.

from T.C. Croker's 'Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland;' 1825-1828

Such a figure has many names – the Cluricaune in County Cork, the Lugirgadaune in Tipperary, the Loughery Man in Ulster, and the Lurichaun or Luricaune in County Kerry.

Fear Dearg

The fear/fir dearg or far darrig (meaning ‘Red Man’ in Irish) is another faerie figure. These characters, sometimes called Rat Boys are most commonly described as being portly and hairy-skinned and having skinny tails and long snouts, like those of rats. Their preferred pastime is making mischief and pranking, though their idea of pranking is what mankind would see as horribly cruel, such as stealing babies and leaving changelings in their place.

Alp-Luachra - the Joint-Eater

The alp-luachra is a type of water sprite. Some lore describes it as being difficult to see or invisible, while other tales say that it could transform itself into a small newt and could be consumed when drinking water from a stream or spring. They would also wait for one to fall asleep beside such a water source, turn themselves into a newt, and then crawl stealthily into the mouth of the sleeping person.

If the alp-luachra was ingested one would suffer terrible stomach aches, hunger, and intestinal ailments, and they cannot put on weight.

To rid oneself of an alp-luachra, it is said one must eat an abundance of very salty food and take no water to wash it down or quench the thirst it will deliver. Some lore says that the alp-luachra will then fling itself from the sufferer’s body via the mouth. Other tales say that you must first lay down to sleep by a spring or stream. The alp-luachra will then crawl free from your mouth whilst you slumber. Otherwise, it will die of thirst in your body.

Cait-Sìth – the Faerie Cat

The Scottish cait-sìth or cat-sìth means ‘faerie cat’ and refers to a spectral figure that haunts the Scottish Highlands. It’s said to resemble a very large black cat with a white spot on its chest. Their size is said to be so big that they can be mistaken as being a large breed of dog.

It’s believed that when you spot a cait-sìth, it will arch its back and its hair will stand upright. It may also hiss or let out a low yowl. If that behavior isn’t enough to tell you to keep your distance, let this be – it is said that the cait-sìth has the power to take one’s soul. In fact, the belief that it is unlucky for a cat to pass over a corpse or recently filled grave is linked to the cait-sìth. In the Highlands, it was thought said cat may have been a cait-sìth in disguise, come to try and steal the soul of the deceased before any god could lay their claim.

It is also believed that the cait-sìth has the power to curse you and will do so if on Samhuinn night you do not leave a saucer of milk out for them as an offering. If you do, they’re said to bestow blessings upon the household.

While the name leads one to include this figure as being of the Fae Folk, there is some lore that states otherwise, saying that this spirit is actually a witch transfigured into the form of a cat.

Cù-Sìth – the Faerie Hound

The cù-sìth (Scots-Gaelic) or cú sídhe (Irish) is a faerie hound or Otherworldly hound. In Ireland, it’s said to dwell in cliffy, mountainous areas, where it can be found having made a den in the clefts of the rocks. In Scotland, they can be spotted in the Highland moors.

They’re described as being able to move in absolute silence, which aids them in hunting, something they’re said to be quite good at. When they do bark, they bark three times and the barks are exceptionally loud, so loud that they can be heard from miles and miles away. Those who hear the barks must reach safety by the third bark, else they will die of fear.

The cù-sìth is said to have a shaggy coat of fur, which is often described as being dark green in color, and they, like the cait-sìth, are much larger than their counterparts of our own realm. The cù-sìth has been described as being as big as a cow.

Ci Annwn

The above mentioned cù-sìth is not unlike the Welsh Ci Annwn (‘Hound of Annwn’). Annwn is the Welsh Otherworld, ruled over first by Arawn and later by Gwyn ap Nudd, the King of the Fair Folk.

The Ci Annwn (Cŵn Annwn when pluralized) is a huge, white spectral hound with red ears and is believed to be a portend of death. It’s said to see one, especially to see one headed your way, means that death is to come.

These dogs are said to hunt near and on the mountain Cader Idris/Cadair Idris in County Meirionnydd. If you’re in that area and you hear the howling of Annwn’s hounds, your death has been foretold.

the Tuatha dé Danann

Many people count the Tuatha dé Danann as a whole among the aos sí, some see specific members of the Tuatha dé Danann as befitting of the modern understanding and use of the term the Sídhe, and others would describe the Tuatha dé Danann as the forefathers of the aos sí, seeing the aos sí as descendants of this mighty tribe. There is so very much that we could explore with the Tuatha dé Danann, their ascendancy to power and their reign over Ireland, their rivals, their many deeds and adventures, but I promise I will write a separate piece dedicated to a more thorough look at the Tuath Dé. For this blog, I’m going to try and keep it short and sweet and give a general explanation and idea of who they are.

Tuatha dé Danann means ‘the People of Danu’ or ‘the Tribe of the Goddess Danu’ – Danu being an Irish ancestral goddess sometimes depicted as an earth goddess and sometimes associated with the goddess Anu. The Tuatha dé Danann are an incredibly powerful Irish tribe of deities. They’re also called the Tuath Dé, meaning ‘the Tribe of Gods’. Most commonly, they’re seen as gods and goddesses. Some, though, think them spirits, and others see them as mythological representations of ancient kings and queens of Ireland.

According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Tuatha dé Danann came to Ireland in dark clouds that moved over the land and descended upon Sliabh an Iarainn in Connacht. The ‘dark clouds’ are interpreted as describing the clouds of smoke that billowed up from the ships that the Tuatha dé Danann traveled to Ireland in, ships which, according to legend, the tribe set aflame in order to prevent themselves from being tempted to leave this land they had newly come to. Eventually they ascended to rule over Ireland, a reign that met its end after a lengthy conflict with the Milesians (who are often interpreted to represent the Celts, the Irish people, and the Christianization of Ireland or the establishment of a ‘post-pagan’ idea of Ireland).

The Tuatha dé Danann are said to now reside within and rule over the Otherworld, their agreed upon place of dwelling in the terms laid out in a treaty with the Milesians. The Tuath Dé are still known, however, to walk among the living and influence the lives and affairs of those within our own realm.

While I would love to describe and explore the individual members of the Tuatha dé Danann, I don’t want this section to become incredibly long and painfully out of balance with the rest of this piece. I’ll instead touch on a few figures perhaps most heavily associated with the Fae Folk or with the more modern understanding of the Sídhe.

Clíodhna

Heroine, goddess, and faerie queen.

Said to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

Goddess of beauty and love; patron goddess of County Cork.

Goddess of sovereignty in Munster.

Reigns as queen over all the faerie women of South Munster.

Has three birds whose magical songs have healing powers.

Served as banshee (foretelling the deaths of the members of the house and clan) to the MacCarthys.

Was the faerie lover of Ciabhán, John Fitzjames, Earl Gerald Fitzgerald, and Caomh.

Also called Clídna the Fair, Queen of the Banshees, the Faerie Queen, the Faerie Queen of Munster.

Badb

Ancient shape-shifting goddess, death-bringer, and war fury.

Goddess of war, battle, madness, death, and prophecy.

Associated with banshees.

Associated with the cry and song of crows.

Also called Badb Catha (‘the Battle Crow’).

Macha

Goddess of sovereignty of Ireland (particularly within Ulster), thus associated with the land, fertility, guardianship, and the selecting of kings.

Associated with horses.

Sometimes described as a goddess of war and battle.

Associated with warriors on horse-back or warriors who used chariots.

Considered a ‘faerie lover’ or ‘faerie wife’ in her tale with the farmer Cruinniuc.

Mór-Ríoghain or the Morrígan

One of the best-known and most revered (and feared) Irish goddesses.

A shape-shifting goddess of war, battle, death, victory, and fate.

She’s also seen as a goddess of magic and an oracle, and many magical practitioners devote themselves to the Morrígan or seek her matronage in their work.

Also called the Phantom Queen, the Death Queen, and the Great Queen.

Note: There is some debate surrounding the figures of Badb, Macha, and Mór-Ríoghain, which have been called as a collective trio the Three Mórrígna. Some see each as an individual goddess on her own, though related to one another as sisters. Then there are those who see the goddesses as being three sides of one goddess, an idea that has been popularized especially within Celtic Neopagan, Wiccan, and Neo-Druidic schools of thought.

Sources and Further Reading: ‘Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland’ – Wilde, Lady Jane ‘Beside the Fire: A Collection of Irish Gaelic Folk Stories’ – Hyde, Douglas ‘Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore’ – Monaghan, Patricia ‘the Great Queens: Irish Goddesses from the Morrígan to Cathleen Ní Houlihan’ – Clark, Rosalind ‘Gods and Fighting Men: the Story of the Tuatha De Danann and of  the Fianna of Ireland’ – Gregory, Lady Augusta the Irish Pagan School – www.irishpaganschool.com ‘Lebor Gabála Érenn: the Book of the Taking of Ireland’ -MacAlister, R.A. Stewart Lora O’Brien – www.loraobrien.ie ‘the Memoirs of Ann, Lady Fanshawe’ – Fanshawe, Herbert Charles