Irish Mythology - Tumblr Posts
Does anyone know how long the legend of Cú Chulainn is? I believe it came before the Arthurian legends, right?
Culann: your damn nephew eat my shoe!
Conchobar: but it's you who told him to be your dog
Culann: not literally! what's wrong with him?
Conchobar: he is a good boy
Cu Chulainn: *bark at the postman*
Conchobar: I feel a little nauseous
Cu Chulainn: maybe you're pregnant
Conchobar:
Conchobar: I don't know who's the most idiot - you assuming it or me almost having a heart attack
guardian entering the room: sir there is Connacht army at our gates
Cu Chulainn:
Conchobar: fuck
Okay so I have a question for people who went to Irish Primary schools wtf was the name of the puppet that thought us Gaeilge in senior infants, I need to know for purely scientific reasons and google is being a lil bitch. He was a lil guy with kinda curly ginger hair and maybe a stripped shirt that the teacher would pull out. I'm just gonna tag a bunch of random Irish stuff and hope someone knows.
A couple pieces I made for a zine that will accompany the very cool "Folkgore" enamel pin collection (check it out!!)
The Dullahan is a headless rider from Irish folklore, and the Aosaginohi is a yokai in the form of a glowing night heron
The Morrígan
“Thou hast no power against me," said Cúchulainn. "I have power indeed," said the woman; "it is at the guarding of thy death that I am; and I shall be," said she. The Cattle-Raid of Regamna, from the Yellow Book of Lecan
The Morrígan is depicted in the Irish cycles as a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the wife* of the Dagda, and a goddess ruling over the spheres of fate, death, war, and land. She is often associated with ravens, crows, and heifers, whose forms she takes.
Name & Epithets: Morrígan, Morrígu, Mórrígan (Middle Irish— “Great Queen”), Mór-Ríoghain (Modern Irish)
Role as a Goddess of War
The Morrígan is seen in the Cycles as bringing victory in war, or foretelling death in battle. In the Cath Mage Tuired, which describes how the Tuatha Dé Danann overthrew the tyrannical Fomorians, she proclaims the victory of the gods over their enemy and foretells the end of the world. In the Ulster Cycle, she is the sometimes-patron, sometimes-enemy of the hero Cúchulainn, whose death she prophesies after he offends her, and then reminded of his fate by taking the form of an old woman washing his bloodied clothes in a creek.
Role as a Sovereignty Goddess
Sovereignty goddesses in Irish tradition represent the land itself, and thus marriage to one creates a legitimate rule or guardianship over that land. In Early Medieval Ireland (and perhaps before), a king’s coronation would include a symbolic marriage to the land, thereby granting himself power and legitimacy. The Morrígan is one such sovereignty goddess, or at least perceived as one by the 12th Century, as the Book of Invasions names her the sister of Ériu, Banba, and Fódla, personifications of Ireland married to each of her three kings.
Role as a Triplicate Goddess
The Morrígan is inconsistently referred to as one of three or a combination of three figures. In the Mythological cycle, she is named as the sister of Badb (’crow’), a war goddess, and Macha, a land goddess. Together, they are called the three Morrígna. Macha is also the name of several other figures, and Badb appears barely distinguishable from the Morrígan. Whatever the case, the names appear less like the archetypal ‘Maiden, Mother, Crone’, and more like simply different aspects of the goddess given different titles, as is common in Irish religion.
*Marriage with the Dagda
The fact of her “marriage” with the Dagda is contentious but well-supported by the texts we have access to. One of her best-known stories from the Cath Mage Tuired is the Dagda’s pact with her before the battle against the Formorians. This part of the text is often mistranslated as the Dagda meeting her [for the first time] at a certain point in the year, when really a perhaps more accurate translation would be “On this day [near Samhain] the Dagda met her yearly.” Additionally, the “union” described between her and the Dagda does not appear to be purely sexual. The word used, ‘oentaith’ is difficult to translate but probably also refers to a general agreement/pact [dil.ie/33541], not unlike a modern marriage. Additionally, as a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a ceremonial marriage to a sovereignty and agricultural goddess such as the Morrígan would be appropriate for the Dagda and make sense to an early Irish audience.
My UPG with the Morrígan
Recommended reading + Sources
Cath Mage Tuired [Translation] [Original]
Book of Invasions
The Cattle-Raid of Regamna
𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖌𝖆𝖓 ; 𝖌𝖔𝖉𝖉𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖜𝖆𝖗, 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍, 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖈𝖍𝖈𝖗𝖆𝖋𝖙⚰️
[please reblog or like if you saved]
cr. artists of photos
As a european and a mythology lover this is the most amazing thing i ever seen
Types Of People- European Mythology
norse mythology: storytelling while travelling, amber jewellery, sea salt, the friend who can fight and laugh in the same day, understanding the depth of nature, joke fighting, independence, reading the stars at night, adrenaline in your bones and blood.
greek mythology: mediterranean blue, orange zest, architecture, the friend who loves psychology and philosophy, linen, singing to the nymphs in the river, clear blue water, talking about life from marble steps, romantic but traditional.
etruscan mythology: copper jewellery, worn out leather sandals, bow and arrow, the friend who fights for equal rights, orienteering, wise eyes, finishing things before others, memories, simple sculpture running your fingers against bark.
scottish mythology: mist and fog, worn down stones, whirlpools, the friend who is firm and can withstand the storm, weathered stone, wild winds and seas, holding someone to your chest, the protector, strong voice, winter storms.
irish mythology: tolling of bells, brooches, lost combs, the friend who tells stories of times before, smiling eyes, knowing the history, writing in a journal, doodling, discussing features of mythical creatures, free laughter, autumn nights.
roman mythology: imperial purple, the prince by machiavelli, a crown of golden laurel, the friend who excels at politics and history, cunning smirks, warm but will probably run the world, marble busts, looping your arm with theirs, strong hand gestures.
slavic mythology: first winters frost, fear, the friend who understands the difference between good and evil, birch trees, listening to animal calls, embroidery, crackling fires, roast nuts, far away looks, weathered voices, strong body movements.
hungarian mythology: camping, lying against the grass, the friend who travels and is their own home, horse riding, tracing the stars and sun, burning embers on a fire, crows, leather, painted patterns, knowing your identity, walking strong.
“Scratch a bit at the thin topsoil of Irish Catholicism,” the saying goes, “and you soon come to the solid bedrock of Irish paganism.”... paganism and Catholicism in Ireland are joined twins that can not be separated. They are not opposites, as archaeologist Proinsias MacCana has pointed out, for in Ireland pagan ways and beliefs formed an “extraordinary symbiosis.” ...paganism and Christianity in Ireland need each other to live.
Patricia Monaghan, The Red-Haired Girl from the Bog: The Landscape of Celtic Myth and Spirit
We are accustomed to distinguish the supernatural from the natural. The barrier between the two domains is not, indeed, always impenetrable: the Homeric gods sometimes fight in the ranks of human armies, and a hero may force the gates of Hades and visit the empire of the dead. But the chasm is there nonetheless, and we are made aware of it by feeling of wonder or horror aroused by this violation of established order. The Celts knew nothing of this, if we are entitled to judge their attitude from Irish tradition. Here there is continuity, in space and in time, between what we call our world and the other world–or worlds. Some peoples, such as the Romans, think of their myths historically; the Irish think of their history mythologically; and so, too, of their geography. […] The supernatural and the natural penetrate and continue each other, and constant communication beteen them ensures their organic unity. Hence it is easier to describe the mythological world of the Celts than to define it, for definition implies a contrast.
- Celtic Gods and Heroes byMarie-Louise Sjeostedt, translated by Myles Dillon, page 1. (via nicstoirm)
so i’ve been reading up on my irish mythology for a possible post-trk fic i have a chapter written of but am still v much developing and i was thinking conflict etc. and it struck me that while the fandom sees all those sleeping cows at the barns and thinks about ronan lynch’s soft farmer potential, when you think about magic + cows in irish myth, cows are literally the whole cause of the epic mythological war that dominates the ulster cycle - the táin bó cúailnge (which translates to the cattle raid of cooley). like fantastical/magical cows are the helen of troy of irish legends i stg and in my mind niall lynch, being the obnoxiously showy fucker that he was, who we know was knowledgable when it came to irish folklore as he passed it on to his sons, is the sort of guy i can see creating this dream herd of cows and deciding to dream himself his own super magical bulls, pulling donn cúailnge and finnbhennach out of his dreams and back into life aka the two bulls queen meadhbh & king ailill mac máta of connacht throw down over. like i now think of these cows ronan has grazing, and how the gangsey view them in this idyllic way, and then the complete chaos their existence could actually instigate
You’re extremely welcome - happy to help anyone with their Irish/Celtic Mythology needs to the best of my abilities/knowledge!
Teaching myself celtic mythology (pt. 3)
An amazing person has just helped me.
Thank you so much @ravenslynch
You are awesome.
CDTH SPOILERS will tag also but just so you’re warned
The use of the word Fenian in CDTH is so jarring to me. Like I’m sure she’s trying to invoke Fenian in the sense of a member of the Irish mythological Fianna ? But like... it’s unavoidably political as a word ?
I could delve into a better explanation of this but I’m currently in a doctor’s waiting room so have this Wikipedia explanation of the term.
Being associated with Boudicca as an organisation makes it weirder that it’s being used and isn’t political to me. (There are probably a host of reasons why Boudicca as a figure could also complicate this further, but I just mean in the barest sense of it being a shady dangerous group, not that they appear to be even remotely paramilitary in nature, which also adds to the weirdness)
I mean lbr here is a man who must have memories of being from Belfast during the Troubles as evidenced by his shared past with Niall discussed in Chapter 64:
And calls himself the New Fenian apolitically ? As a henchman of this group ?? So odd.
I mean the term even has specific American history too.
I just don’t think any of the reasoning behind this will touch upon any of the connotations/history of this in itself - I mean that’s absolutely not the point of CDTH, nor do I particularly think it should be. So just... why ? Is it just that it sounds like a cool rebel name ? If so that surely would be shrouded in the actual historical rebellion it’s linked to ? Being from Belfast when Niall would have been there, there is no way he’d be ignorant of the word or immune to its connotations, he wouldn’t use it without those being considerations, and I don’t know why he’d particularly want to in this context regardless of political leaning. Therefore: very strange.
Like generally when people are talking about the Fianna even you wouldn’t say “Fionn mac Cumhaill was a Fenian” you’d say he was a leader of the Fianna? Diarmuid Ua Duibhne - solider or member of the Fianna. Calling them Fenian would be weird. It’s still an extremely recognisable term today.
Anyway this is my off the cuff rambling as a confused Irish reader.
not to shill on main but
for all your good cow needs
CDTH SPOILERS will tag also but just so you’re warned
The use of the word Fenian in CDTH is so jarring to me. Like I’m sure she’s trying to invoke Fenian in the sense of a member of the Irish mythological Fianna ? But like... it’s unavoidably political as a word ?
I could delve into a better explanation of this but I’m currently in a doctor’s waiting room so have this Wikipedia explanation of the term.
Being associated with Boudicca as an organisation makes it weirder that it’s being used and isn’t political to me. (There are probably a host of reasons why Boudicca as a figure could also complicate this further, but I just mean in the barest sense of it being a shady dangerous group, not that they appear to be even remotely paramilitary in nature, which also adds to the weirdness)
I mean lbr here is a man who must have memories of being from Belfast during the Troubles as evidenced by his shared past with Niall discussed in Chapter 64:
And calls himself the New Fenian apolitically ? As a henchman of this group ?? So odd.
I mean the term even has specific American history too.
I just don’t think any of the reasoning behind this will touch upon any of the connotations/history of this in itself - I mean that’s absolutely not the point of CDTH, nor do I particularly think it should be. So just... why ? Is it just that it sounds like a cool rebel name ? If so that surely would be shrouded in the actual historical rebellion it’s linked to ? Being from Belfast when Niall would have been there, there is no way he’d be ignorant of the word or immune to its connotations, he wouldn’t use it without those being considerations, and I don’t know why he’d particularly want to in this context regardless of political leaning. Therefore: very strange.
Like generally when people are talking about the Fianna even you wouldn’t say “Fionn mac Cumhaill was a Fenian” you’d say he was a leader of the Fianna? Diarmuid Ua Duibhne - solider or member of the Fianna. Calling them Fenian would be weird. It’s still an extremely recognisable term today.
Anyway this is my off the cuff rambling as a confused Irish reader.
Bit of a long story...
My name is Finn, and I named myself after the giant Finn McCool in Irish mythology. He created the Giant's Causeway.
Full myth from the Giants Causeway Tour website.
Here's the link if you want to read more.
https://www.thegiantscausewaytour.com/the-giants-causeway-story/#:~:text=The%20Myth,hurling%20them%20into%20the%20sea.
As legend has it, Northern Ireland was once home to a giant named Finn McCool (also called Fionn Mac Cumhaill). When another giant – Benandonner, across the Irish Sea in Scotland – threatened Ireland, Finn retaliated by tearing up great chunks of the Antrim coastline and hurling them into the sea. The newly-created path – the Giant’s Causeway – paved a route over the sea for Finn to reach Benandonner.
However, this turns out to be a bad idea as Benandonner is a massive giant, much bigger than Finn! In order to save himself, Finn retreats to Ireland and is disguised as a baby by his quick-thinking wife. When Benandonner arrives, he sees Finn disguised as a baby and realises that if a mere baby is that big, the father must be far larger than Benandonner himself!
Following this realisation, Benandonner rushes back to Scotland, tearing away as much of the Causeway as he can in his haste to put as much distance between Ireland and himself as possible. And thus, the myth of the Giant’s Causeway was born.
normalize asking 'who gave it to you?' after complimenting someone's name
