The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology. Although many of the manuscripts have failed to survive, and much more material was probably never committed to writing, there is enough remaining to enable the identification of four distinct, if overlapping, cycles: the Mythological Cycle, The Ulster Cycle, th ...

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Irish mythology - The sources Irish mythology - Mythological cycle
Irish mythology - Other important Tuatha Dé Danann figures
Irish mythology - Ulster cycle Irish mythology - Fenian cycle Irish mythology - Historical cycle Irish mythology - Other tales
Irish mythology - Adventures Irish mythology - Voyages Irish mythology - Folk tales

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Irish mythology, Irish mythology - The sources, Irish mythology - Mythological cycle, Irish mythology - Other important Tuatha Dé Danann figures, Irish mythology - Ulster cycle, Irish mythology - Fenian cycle, Irish mythology - Historical cycle, Irish mythology - Other tales, Irish mythology - Adventures, Irish mythology - Voyages, Irish mythology - Folk tales

Read more here: » Irish mythology: Encyclopedia II - Irish mythology - The sources

The Mythological Cycle, comprising stories of the former gods and origins of the Irish, is the least well preserved of the four cycles. The most important sources are the Metrical Dindshenchas or Lore of Places and the Lebor Gabála Érenn or Book of Invasions. Other manuscripts preserve such Mythological tales as The Dream of Aengus, The Wooing Of Étain and Cath Maige Tuireadh, The (second) Battle of Magh Tuireadh. One of the best known of all Irish stories, Oidheadh Clainne Lir, or The Tragedy o ...

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Irish mythology, Irish mythology - The sources, Irish mythology - Mythological cycle, Irish mythology - Other important Tuatha Dé Danann figures, Irish mythology - Ulster cycle, Irish mythology - Fenian cycle, Irish mythology - Historical cycle, Irish mythology - Other tales, Irish mythology - Adventures, Irish mythology - Voyages, Irish mythology - Folk tales

Read more here: » Irish mythology: Encyclopedia II - Irish mythology - Mythological cycle

It was part of the duty of the medieval Irish bards, or court poets, to record the history of the family and the genealogy of the king they served. This they did in poems that blended the mythological and the historical to a greater or lesser degree. The resulting stories form what has come to be known as the Historical Cycle, or more correctly Cycles, as there are a number of independent groupings. The kings that are covered range from the almost entirely mythological Labraid Loingsech, who became High King of Ireland around 431 BC t ...

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Irish mythology, Irish mythology - The sources, Irish mythology - Mythological cycle, Irish mythology - Other important Tuatha Dé Danann figures, Irish mythology - Ulster cycle, Irish mythology - Fenian cycle, Irish mythology - Historical cycle, Irish mythology - Other tales, Irish mythology - Adventures, Irish mythology - Voyages, Irish mythology - Folk tales

Read more here: » Irish mythology: Encyclopedia II - Irish mythology - Historical cycle

Like the Ulster Cycle, the Fenian Cycle is concerned with the deeds of Irish heroes. The stories of the Fenian Cycle appear to be set around the 3rd century and mainly in the provinces of Leinster and Munster. They differ from the other cycles in the strength of their links with the Irish-speaking community in Scotland and there are many extant Fenian texts from that country. They also differ from the Ulster Cycle in that the stories are told mainly in verse and that in tone they are nearer to the tradition of romance than the tradition of epic. The stories concern the doings of Fionn m ...

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Irish mythology, Irish mythology - The sources, Irish mythology - Mythological cycle, Irish mythology - Other important Tuatha Dé Danann figures, Irish mythology - Ulster cycle, Irish mythology - Fenian cycle, Irish mythology - Historical cycle, Irish mythology - Other tales, Irish mythology - Adventures, Irish mythology - Voyages, Irish mythology - Folk tales

Read more here: » Irish mythology: Encyclopedia II - Irish mythology - Fenian cycle

The Ulster Cycle is set around the beginning of the Christian era and most of the action takes place in the provinces of Ulster and Connacht. It consists of a group of heroic stories dealing with the lives of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, the great hero Cúchulainn, the son of Lug, and of their friends, lovers, and enemies. These are the Ulaid, or people of the North-Eastern corner of Ireland and the action of the stories centres round the royal court at Emain Macha, close to the modern city of Armagh. The Ulaid had close links with the Irish colony in Scotland, and part of Cà ...

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Irish mythology, Irish mythology - The sources, Irish mythology - Mythological cycle, Irish mythology - Other important Tuatha Dé Danann figures, Irish mythology - Ulster cycle, Irish mythology - Fenian cycle, Irish mythology - Historical cycle, Irish mythology - Other tales, Irish mythology - Adventures, Irish mythology - Voyages, Irish mythology - Folk tales

Read more here: » Irish mythology: Encyclopedia II - Irish mythology - Ulster cycle

Celtic mythology can be divided into a number of distinct, if related, subgroups, largely corresponding to the branches of the Celtic languages: Ancient Celtic Ancient Gaulish and British deities Goidelic Irish mythology Mythological Cycle Ulster Cycle Fenian cycle Historical Cycle Scottish mythology Manx mythology Insular Brythonic Welsh mythology Cornish mythology Breton mythology ...

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Celtic mythology, Celtic mythology - Historical sources, Celtic mythology - Julius Caesar’s comments on Celtic Religion and their significance, Celtic mythology - Branches of Celtic mythology, Celtic mythology - Celtic deities, Celtic mythology - The gods of the ancient Celts, Celtic mythology - The gods of Ireland, Celtic mythology - The gods of Wales, Celtic mythology - The Dagda, Celtic mythology - The Morrígan, Celtic mythology - Belenus, Celtic mythology - Lúgh/Lug, Celtic mythology - Other gods, Celtic mythology - Temples, Celtic mythology - Celtic worship, Celtic mythology - The druids, Celtic mythology - Significance of Prophecy in Druidic Ritual, Celtic mythology - Modern remnants, Celtic mythology - Druidism?, Celtic mythology - Books on Celtic Mythology

Read more here: » Celtic mythology: Encyclopedia II - Celtic mythology - Branches of Celtic mythology

In Irish mythology, Corb was one of the Fomorians. Other related archivesFomorians, Irish mythology

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In Irish mythology, Buarainech was the father of Balor, the King of the Fomorians. Other related archivesBalor, Fomorians, Irish mythology

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In Irish mythology, Alastir was the younger brother of Cormac mac Airt. Other related archivesCormac mac Airt, Irish mythology

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Amergin Athirne Blaí Briugu Briccriu Cairbre Cuanach Cathbad Celtchar Cethern mac Fintain Conall Cernach Conchobar mac Nessa Condere mac Echach Cruinniuc Cúchulainn Culann Cúscraid Dáire mac Fiachna Deichtine Deirdre Éogan mac Durthacht Fedlimid mac Daill Fergus mac Leti Folloman mac Conchobair Furbaide Ferbend Láeg Lóegaire Búadach Mugain Naoise Ness Sencha mac Ailella Sualtam Usnech Ailill mac Máta Bélchú Cet mac Mágach Ferdiad Findabair Fráech Maine Medb Nera Cormac Cond Longas Dubthach Dóelt ...

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Ulster Cycle - Characters
Ulster Cycle - Main Characters Ulster Cycle - Important Characters Ulster Cycle - Minor characters
Ulster Cycle - Narratives Ulster Cycle - Sources

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Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, the apparent religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. Among Celtic peoples in close contact with Rome, such as the Gauls and Celtiberians, their mythology did not survive the Roman empire, their subsequent conversion to Christianity, and the loss of their Celtic languages. Ironically it is through contemporary Roman and Christian sources that what we do know of their belie ...

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Celtic mythology - Historical sources
Celtic mythology - Julius Caesar’s comments on Celtic Religion and their significance
Celtic mythology - Branches of Celtic mythology Celtic mythology - Celtic deities
Celtic mythology - The gods of the ancient Celts Celtic mythology - The gods of Ireland Celtic mythology - The gods of Wales Celtic mythology - The Dagda Celtic mythology - The Morrígan Celtic mythology - Belenus Celtic mythology - Lúgh/Lug Celtic mythology - Other gods
Celtic mythology - Temples Celtic mythology - Celtic worship Celtic mythology - The druids
Celtic mythology - Significance of Prophecy in Druidic Ritual
Celtic mythology - Modern remnants
Celtic mythology - Druidism?

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In Irish mythology, Bronach was a goddess of cliffs and another manifestation of the Cailleach, or old woman. Her name means "Sorrow." Other related archivesIrish mythology

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Étain may refer to Étaín, a sun goddess, in early Irish mythology Étaín, was one of Ailill's daughters, supposedly with Medb, in Irish mythology Étain, a commune in the Meuse département, France Other related archivesAilill, France, Irish mythology, Medb, Meuse, commune, département, sun goddess, Étaín

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In Irish mythology, Bebhionn (Bébinn, Bé Finn) was a goddess of the underworld and of pleasure. She is the sister of Boann and the mother of the Connacht hero Fráech. Other related archivesBoann, Connacht, Fráech, Irish mythology, goddess, pleasure, underworld

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In Irish mythology, Bodb Dearg ("Bodb the Red") was a son of the Dagda and succeeded him as King of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He subsequently fathered many deities. Other related archivesDagda, Irish mythology, Tuatha Dé Danann

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In Irish mythology, the goddess Beag was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She was known for having a magic well. Other related archivesIrish mythology, Tuatha Dé Danann

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In Irish mythology, Aoi or Ai Mac Ollamain a god of poetry, and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Other related archivesIrish mythology, Tuatha Dé Danann

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The Choctaws are a Native American people originally from the southeast United States (Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana). In the nineteenth century, they were known as one of the "Five Civilized Tribes," so-called because they had integrated a number of cultural and technological "practices" of Europeans. The Choctaws are famous for their extreme generosity in providing famine relief during the Irish Potato Famine. Choctaw - Pre-history. Du Pratz, in his Hist. de La Louisiane (Paris, 1758) recounted that ...

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Choctaw - Pre-history Choctaw - Early history Choctaw - Treaties Choctaw - Irish famine aid Choctaw - Original Code Talkers Choctaw - Recent history Choctaw - Location Choctaw - Culture
Choctaw - Stickball
Choctaw - Great Choctaws Choctaw - Bibliography

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A geas (also geis, plural geasa) has two interpretations in Irish mythology and folklore. First, it is a vow or obligation placed upon a person (usually a hero, such as Cuchulainn) in Irish mythology. Traditionally, the doom of the hero comes about due to his violation of such geasa, usually by accident. Later, it took the aspect of a taboo or prohibition. A geas can also be compared with a curse. If someone placed under a geas breaks it, the inf ...

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