NAME Babal
GENDER M
SYMBOL double fires of Beltainn
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY herder
TYPE cowherd
CULTURE Partholean tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Partholon
REMARKS Babal was a follower of Partholon, fought in the
battle of Magh Ibha against the Fomorians and was credited
with having brought the first cattle to Ireland.
NAME Bachorbladhra
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY druid
TYPE educational advisor
CULTURE Partholean tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Partholon
REMARKS Bachorbladhra was a follower of Partholon and
after the battle of Magh Ibha against the Fomorians, he
initiated the system of fosterage which was the beginning
of the Irish educational system.
NAME Baco
EPITHET Baco the Boar
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of animal fertility
CULTURE Gallic - Sequani / Lingones / Mandubii
COUNTRY France
REGION Saône-et-Loire
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Seine
SITES Chalon-sur-Saône
AGE Iron
DATES BC 12th-8th c / BC 6th c / BC 5th c / BC 1st c
RELATIVES Luso (son)
SEE ALSO Luso
REMARKS Baco the boar god was venerated at Chalon-sur-
Saône by the Mandubii and Lingones tribes who were settled
on the upper Seine by BC 6th century.
It is also possible that Baco was venerated by the
early Ligurians or the Sequani tribe who were settled in
the area between BC 12th-8th century. Baco was still
venerated in BC 1st century when Gaul was conquered by
Rome.
NAME Badbh Catha
EPITHET Goddess of Destruction / Battle Raven
ALTERNATIVE Badhbh / Badbh / Badb {baav, badhv, bive} / Bodb
GENDER F
SYMBOL raven (prophetic) / hooded crow
CATEGORY deity / warrior / filidh
TYPE chariot goddess / war goddess (Fear) / sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo / Dublin
TERRITORY Connacht / Mide
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh) / Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura) /
Ath Cliath / Gairech & Irgairech / Gabhra
(Gowra)
ACCESSORIES chariot and horse
RELATIVES Ernmas (mother); Delbaeth (father); Neto
(half-brother/consort); Macha, Danu and Elcmar
(sisters); Fiachu, Olloman and Indui (brothers);
Eire, Fodhla and Banbha (half-sisters); Corpre
Crom (half-brother/nephew); Glonn, Gnim and
Coscar (half-brother); Fea and Nemhain (nieces);
Etain (grandmother); Etarlam and Oghma
(grandfathers); Magog, Iarbonel, Ordan and Net
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Nemtuir
SEE ALSO Banbha / Conaire / Da Derga / Daghda /
Danu /
Delbaeth / Eire / Elcmar / Ernmas
/ Etain / Fea
/ Fiachu / Fodhla / Iarbonel / Indui
/ Macha /
Magog / Nemhain / Net / Neto / Nuadha / Oghma /
Olloman / Ordan / Oscar
REMARKS Badbh Catha, daughter of Ernmas, daughter of
Etarlam, son of Ordan was a warrior woman of the Danann.
Badbh was slain by the Fomorian, Nemtuir the Red, during
the battle of north Moytura.
After her death she became one of the 5 war goddesses
(moon phases) of Ireland: Badbh, Macha, Fea, Nemhain and
Danu (The Morrighan). Each goddess had her own area of
expertise and when mortals went to war the goddesses had to
be appeased.
As a goddess Badbh was described as a red woman with
red eyebrows and wearing a red cloak that hung to the
ground. Badbh's sexual character (life) was the link
between her role as a war goddess (death) and a mother
goddess (birth). Battlefields were called The Gardens of
Badbh.
On the evening of the destruction at Da Derga's Hostel
a crone arrived at the door of the room where Conaire, high
chieftain of Ireland, was resting, and asked to be let in.
Conaire had a geis about allowing the entrance of a single
woman after nightfall and when he asked the ancient hag who
she was, she recited a long list of names and Badbh was one
of them.
During the night on the eve of the battle of Gairech &
Irgairech, Badbh arrived and from the darkness of the field
between the two camps she recited the deeds of death and
destruction that would happen on the following day.
Badbh was a washer-woman cleaning the blood from the
clothing of those who would die in the battle of Gabhra
when Oscar passed by with his warriors. She told Oscar
that the prime champion of the Fianna would die in the
battle.
NAME Baile mac Buain
GENDER M
SYMBOL yew tree
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / son of the Ri Ruirech
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS Boyne / Magh mBreg
SITES Rosnare / Traigh mBaile (Baile's stand)
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 1st c
RELATIVES Buan (father)
SEE ALSO Aillinn / Art Aenfer
REMARKS Baile mac Buain was the son of the head
chieftain of Ulster. He was madly in love with Aillinn,
grand-daughter of the head chieftain of Leinster.
Unluckily, the two provinces were at war and their meeting
was disapproved of.
The young couple arranged a tryst at Rosnare on Magh
mBreg by the bank of the Boyne. On the way to the meeting,
Baile had his warriors make camp. An apparition arrived at
supernatural speed and informed Baile that Aillinn had died
from grief when she had been kept from their rendezvous.
Baile's reaction to news was to take poison himself, not
wanting to live without his chosen love. He was buried at
Traigh mBaile (Baile's Stand) and from his grave grew a yew
tree. The bards of Ulster cut a branch from the tree and
carved his sad story in Ogham.
Two hundred years later Art Aenfer, the high chieftain
of Ireland, ordered the druids of Ulster to bring the ogham
sticks to Tara on the eve of Samhain.
NAME Bairrfind
EPITHET White Head
ALTERNATIVE Barrann / Barren
GENDER F
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE champion
CULTURE Amazon
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Fermanagh / Monaghan / Tyrone
TERRITORY Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Corco Duibne
SITES Dun na mBarc / Sliabh Beatha (Bith's mountain)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 21st c
RELATIVES Bith (consort)
SEE ALSO Cessair
REMARKS When Cessair and her Amazons landed in Ireland
at Dun na mBarc in Corco Duibne in the ancient province of
Munster, they divided into 3 groups.
The battle champion Bairrfind (Barrann) led her
warriors Selba, Della, Duba, Dos, Fothar, Traigia,
Nera,
Banda, Tamall, Tama, Nathra, Leos, Fodord,
Dos, Clos, Las
and curly-haired Bith (world), father of Cessair, to the
north of Ireland. Slievebeagh (Sliabh Beatha) in Ulster
was Bith's burial site.
NAME Baithis of Britain
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Dublin
TERRITORY Leinster / Mide
LANDMARKS Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
ACCESSORIES three enneads (3x9) warriors
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Conaire Mor / Da Derga / Donn Desa /
Ingcel
REMARKS The sons of Baithis were described as handsome
men with blond hair and wearing mantles with white hoods
and red tufts. They wore black capes with iron fibulas on
their mantles. They carried long black swords with sharp
edges, and scallop-edged shields. Each son was a chieftain
of an ennead (3x9) of raiders fighting for Conaire, the
high chieftain of Ireland. During the battle of Ath Cliath
on the Liffey-plain they would kill a warrior each on their
first foray.
NAME Balor
EPITHET Of the Evil Eye
ALTERNATIVE Balar / Balor {bah-lorr} / Balor mac Doit /
Baloir / Balur
GENDER M
SYMBOL 1 eye / D (oak) / bull
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE god of night / champion / head chieftain
CULTURE Fomorii / Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Donegal
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Tory Island (Tor Innis - island of towers) /
Tor Mor / Tory Sound / Plain of Towers (Magh
Tuireadh)
SITES Crystal Tower / Carn Hui Neit (died)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (North Moytura)
ACCESSORIES his evil eye could kill (catapult)
RELATIVES Dot (father); Buarainech (mother); Ceithlenn
(wife); Ethniu (daughter); Beluid and Bhain
(sons); Conn Crodha (brother); Net
(grandfather); Lugh (grandson)
ENEMIES Cian / Lugh
SEE ALSO Birog / Ceithlenn / Cian / Ethniu / Lugh /
Manannan / Nuadha / Samhain
REMARKS Balor, son of Dot, son of Net was also the son
of Buarainech. This gave him a mixed bloodline of the
Danann and the Fomorii. Balor was their head chieftain and
champion of the Fomorii at the time when the Danann were
subject to the Fomorii.
Balor was a powerful warrior with a supernatural eye
that could kill hundreds with its power. Once when he was
young his father's druids were making a powerful potion, he
leaned over the cauldron and the fumes settled in his eye.
The Fomorian filidh had prophesied that Balor would be
killed by a grandchild. In fear for his life, Balor
imprisoned his daughter Ethniu in a Crystal Tower on the
Tor Mor headlands of Tory Island under the care of 12
matrons.
Balor had heard of a enchanted cow that was owned by
Cian of the Danann. He disguised himself as a small red-
headed boy and approached Cian's brother who was looking
after the cow. He tricked Samhain into giving him the
cow's halter and led it off to Tory Island. In revenge,
Cian persuaded the Danann filidh Birog to smuggle him into
the tower of Ethniu, and under a magic spell he mated with
Balor's daughter. When Eithniu gave birth to triplets,
Balor sent them to the ocean as sacrifices. The filidh
Birog rescued one of the babies and brought it to Manannan
to be fostered. The boy grew to be Lugh Lam Fhada.
When the Fomorii sent their tax collectors to the
Danann, only nine returned alive. Balor readied his
warriors and the second battle of Magh Tuireadh began.
During the battle, Balor killed Nuadha and as he was about
to raise the lid of his eye, a feat that took 4 warriors,
Lugh of the Long Arm threw a shot from his sling and
knocked out the eye of Balor which caused such havoc that
28 Fomorian warriors unlucky enough to be nearby died.
Balor died not die immediately and later engaged in combat
with Lugh at Carn Hui Neit. When Balor lost the combat to
his grandson he tried to trick him by telling Lugh that he
should hold his head over his own thereby receiving his
powers. Lugh rests the head of Balor on a stone and the
poison splits the stone.
The battle between the Fomorii and the Danann was
fought on summer solstice. Balor was Baal the bull, sun
god of the D (oak) or waxing half of the year and Lugh was
the lynx, the sun god who killed him and ruled the T
(holly) or waning half of the year. The death of Balor saw
the power in Ireland shift from the Fomorii to the Danann.
NAME Banba
ALTERNATIVE Banbha / Balbo
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity / warrior
TYPE earth goddess
CULTURE Amazon
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
SITES Tul Tuinde (The Island of Banba of the Women)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 21st c
SEE ALSO Cessair / Ladra
REMARKS When Cessair and her Amazons landed in Ireland
at Dun na mBarc in Corco Duibne in the ancient province of
Munster, they divided into 3 groups. Banba was chieftain
over Bona, Allbor, Ail, Gothiam, German, Aithne, Inde,
Rogairg, Raindi, Iacor, Ain, Rind, Easpa, Sinde, Samall and
the male navigator, Ladra.
Banba escaped death from the Deluge of Ireland when
she took refuge on the top of Tul Tuinde. The mountain
later became known as The Island of Banba of the Women.
The book of Druim Snechta records that Banba and not
Cessair was the leader of 3 shiploads of women (3x50) and
three men who arrived in Ireland.
At the end of 40 years
they all died from disease in one week and Ireland lay
barren for another 200 years.
NAME Banban
EPITHET Little Boar
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / hosteller / chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
SITES hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 6th c
ENEMIES Aedh Dubh
SEE ALSO Aedh Dubh / Diarmuid mac Cearbhail
REMARKS Banban invited Diarmuid, the high chieftain of
Ireland, to his hostel for a feast. The piglets they ate
were cut from the womb of their mother just before they
were to be born and the ale was from the second harvest
supplied from a single seed.
Banban offerred his daughter to Diarmuid for the night
because his wife had not accompanied him. She told
Diarmuid that the night-shirt she was offering him was made
from one flax seed and the mantle was made from the wool of
a single sheep. Diarmuid remembered the filidh's prophecy
and ran from the room, only to be stabbed by Aedh Dubh.
NAME Banbha
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE earth goddess / fertility goddess of death
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Kerry / Westmeath
TERRITORY Munster
LANDMARKS Corco Duibne / Dingle Peninsula
SITES Slieve Mis (Sliabh Mish)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Ernmas (mother); Fiachu (father/half-brother);
Fodhla and Eire (sisters); Macha, Danu, Badbh
and Elcmar (half-sisters); Neto, Olloman, Indui,
Glonn, Gnim and Coscar (half-brothers); Iucharba
and MacCuill (consorts); Ordan and Net
(ancestors)
SEE ALSO Amhairghin / Badbh / Danu / Eire / Elcmar /
Ernmas / Fiachu / Fodhla / Indui / Macha /
MacCuill / Net / Neto / Olloman / Ordan
REMARKS Banbha, goddess of death, mated with Iucharba
and MacCuill of the Danann to insure the fertility of their
animals and crops and the prosperity of the Danann tribe.
Banbha was one of the 3 fertility goddesses of Ireland.
Banbha met the invading Milesian (Goidel) at Slieve
Mis (Sliab Mish) on the Dingle Peninsula in West Munster.
She told them that their invasion was not right, but when
Amhairghin told her it was out of necessity she then asked
them a favor. Banbha asked that the island would be called
after her. Her name became a poetic name for Ireland.
NAME Banna
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY servant
TYPE court cupbearer to Conaire (Ard Righ Eirinn)
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath / Dublin
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg / Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Conaire Mor / Da Derga / Donn Desa /
Ingcel
REMARKS Banna (drop), Uanan (froth), Broen (rain), Delt,
Drucht (dew) and Dathen were the 6 cupbearers of Conaire,
the high chieftain of Ireland. They all had long blond
hair and wore green mantles fastened with tin brooches.
Many died at their hands but because they were of the
Danann, they escaped the destruction at Da Derga's Hostel.
NAME Baruch
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / Red Branch champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS river Moyle
CENTERS Dun Baruch (Baruch's fortress)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
SEE ALSO Buinn / Conchobar mac Nessa / Deirdre / Ferghus
mac Roig / Fiacha / Illann Ilarchless / Naoise /
Usna
REMARKS Baruch was a Red Branch champion of Ulster.
Conchobar persuaded him to invite Ferghus to a feast on his
return from Scotland with Deirdre, Naoise and his brothers.
Ferghus had to accept the offer from Baruch because of a
geis that would not allow him to refuse a feast. He turned
over the protection of the sons of Usna and Deirdre to his
own sons Illann, Buinn and Fiacha.
EPITHET The Lunatic
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Gailioin
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
RELATIVES Magach (mother); Doiche (father); Anluan, Cet,
Doche, En, MacCorb and Scandal (brothers); Maga
(sister); Ailill (nephew)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Picts / Ulster
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Anluan / Cet mac Magach / Doche
macMagach / En / MacCorb / Maga Muresc / Magach
of Connacht / Medbh / Scandal
REMARKS Bascell contributed battle-line warriors to
fight for Medbh and Ailill during their raid for the Dun
Bull of Cualnge.
NAME Basto
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Lusitani tribe
COUNTRY Portugal
TERRITORY Terras de Basto
SITES Cabeceiras de Basto
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd c
ENEMIES Rome
REMARKS There is a carved sculpture of the warrior
chieftain Basto in the town of Cabeceiras de Basto in
Portugal.
NAME Bathanattos
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Gallic - Scordisci tribe
COUNTRY Yugoslavia
LANDMARKS Shar-Dagh / Danube
CENTERS Belgrade (Singidunum)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 265
SEE ALSO Brennus
REMARKS Around BC 265, Bathanattos led a portion of
Brennus's warrior force to an area north of Macedonia
between the Shar-Dagh (Mons Scordus) and the Danube rivers.
They called their tribe the Scordisci and their center
Singidunum (Belgrade).
NAME Be Chuille
ALTERNATIVE Uhe Culde (A Sorceress)
GENDER F
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY filidh / farmer
TYPE sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (North Moytura)
RELATIVES Danu (mother); Adair, Airgden, Barrand, Boann,
Be Thete, Be Find and Dianann (half-sisters);
Brénos, Iucharbra, Iuchar, Daghda and Mechi
(half-brothers); Delbaeth (grandfather); Ernmas
(grandmother); Magog, Iarbonel, Ordan and Net
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Fomorii / Carman
SEE ALSO Brénos / Be Find / Carman / Daghda / Delbaeth /
Dianann / Danu / Ernmas / Iarbonel / Lugh
/
Magog / Net / Ordan
REMARKS Be Chuille daughter of Danu, daughter of Ernmas,
daughter of Etarlam, son of Ordan was a powerful sorcerer
of the Danann. She assured Lugh that when the battle
between her people and the Fomorii began at north Moytura,
she and Dianann would make the enemy warriors believe that
the trees, stones, and sods of earth were attacking
warriors.
Be Chuille died a druid's death during the battle of
north Moytura when she was attacked by grey air demons
(Carman and her sons).
NAME Be Find
EPITHET Fair Woman
ALTERNATIVE Befind / Etain Echrade
GENDER F
SYMBOL mayfly
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY deity / rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE goddess of love and reincarnation
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster / Mide / The Otherworld - Magh nInis
(Plain of Meadows)
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES Sidhe Brugh na Boyna
CENTERS Sidhe Ban Find
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Danu (mother); Ailill of Echraidhe (father);
Midhir (consort); Adair, Airgden, Barrand,
Boann, Be Chuille, Be Thete and Dianann (half-
sisters); Daghda, Brénos, Iucharbra, Iuchar and
Mechi (half-brothers); Magog, Iarbonel, Ordan
and Net (ancestors)
ENEMIES Fuamnach
SEE ALSO Ailill of Echraidhe / Anghus mac Og / Be Chuille
/ Boann / Brénos / Daghda / Danu / Dianann
/
Etain Echraidhe / Etar / Fuamnach / Iarbonel /
Magog / Midhir / Net / Ordan
REMARKS Be Find, daughter of Danu, daughter of Ernmas,
daughter of Etarlam, son of Ordan was considered the most
beautiful maiden in Ireland. She lived with her father,
Ailill of Echraidhe, at the Sidhe Ban Find on Magh nInis.
Be Find was wooed by the love god Anghus mac Og for his
foster-father Midhir. The cost of the wooing was the
clearing of 12 forests, the creating of 9 plains, the
development of 12 rivers to drain the plains and a bride
price of her weight in both gold and silver.
When Anghus brought Be Find to Sidhe Brugh na Boyna on
Magh mBreg in Mide to meet Midhir, they stayed for a year
enjoying the benefits of their new marriage. Be Find and
Midhir then went to his raith at Bri Leith where she met
Midhir's first wife Fuamnach. Fuamnach was courteous until
she had Be Find alone and then accused her of occupying the
seat of a good woman.
Fuamnach used her sorcery to turn Be Find into a
puddle of blood, which time turned into a maggot, then into
a scarlet fly the size of a human head. The sound of her
wings was more pleasant than the sound of the pipes, harps
or horns. The scent from her body would stop hunger and
her eyes shone in the dark like the lights of precious
stones.
Midhir fell in love with her and she followed him
wherever he went until Fuamnach, becoming jealous of the
love Midhir had for a fly, used sorcery to call up a wind.
The wind blew Be Find around for 7 years until she was
rescued by Anghus. He put her into his arbor with all its
sweet-smelling herbs. Here she regained her health and was
happy again until Fuamnach discovered her presence and
caused another wind which blew her 1012 years into the
future where she landed in a golden cup of wine held by the
wife of Etar. Etar's wife drank her wine with the mayfly
in it, became pregnant and bore a daughter who was named
Etain Echraidhe.
NAME Beag
EPITHET The Small
GENDER F
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE sorcerer - guardian of a sacred spring
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
SEE ALSO Fionn mac Cumhaill
REMARKS Beag and her 3 daughters guarded a sacred spring
where some claim Fionn mac Cumhaill gained his wisdom.
NAME Bealcu
ALTERNATIVE Bealcu {bay-al-koo}
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES 3 sons
ENEMIES Conall
SEE ALSO Cet mac Magach / Conall Cernacht
REMARKS Bealcu found the Ulster warrior Conall Cernacht
dying from a wound he had received in a combat with Cet.
Conall asked Bealcu to kill him so that no one would be
able to say that he died by the hand of only one Connacht
warrior. Bealcu said he would not kill a warrior who was
nearly dead but would take him to his raith and cure him so
they could fight in single combat.
Bealcu's three sons were worried that Conall would
beat their father in a fair fight and plotted to kill him.
Conall found out and tricked the boys into killing their
own father instead, then collected their heads and headed
for home, victorious again.
NAME Beann
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior / son of the Ri Ruirech
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide / Danann / Clanna Beann
(Beantraighe)
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster / Munster / Leinster
SITES Bantry, Cork / Bantry, Wexford
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Conchobar (father); Fedlimid (half-sister); Cu
Chulainn, Fiachna, Findchad, Naoise, Conall,
Cormac Condloinges, Cuscraid Menn, Fiachu,
Fiachna, Follomain, Glas, Mane, Conaing,
Diarmait, Furbude and Fiachra (half-brothers)
SEE ALSO Conall Cernacht / Conchobar / Cormac Condloinges
/ Cu Chulainn / Cuscraid Menn / Diarmait mac
Conchobar / Fedlimid Nocruthach / Fiachna /
Fiachra / Fiachu / Findchad / Follomain /
Furbude Fer Bend / Glas / Naoise
REMARKS Beann, a young son of Conchobar, the head
chieftain of Ulster, led his followers to new lands in the
south of Ireland. The clan split up, one group settling in
the area now known as Bantry in Cork and the other group
settling in the area of Bantry, Wexford. Both groups kept
his name for their clan.
NAME Beara
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
COUNTRY Spain / Ireland
LANDMARKS Eibhear (Ebro) / Bantry Bay
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd c
RELATIVES Eoghan Mor (husband); Conaire, Ailill and Tadhg
(sons)
SEE ALSO Ailill Olomn / Conaire Coem / Eoghan Mor / Tadhg
mac Nuadat
REMARKS Beara was the daughter of an important chieftain
in Spain. It had been prophesied that if she went to the
Eibhear river on a particular night, she would find a
salmon with silver scales. She went on the designated
night and met Eoghan, a warrior dressed in scale armor.
They were married and sailed to Ireland, landing at Bantry
Bay.
NAME Bebhionn
ALTERNATIVE Vivionn
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE giant
CULTURE Amazon
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Land of Women (Tir na mBan)
SITES Ridge of the Dead Woman
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Treon (mother)
ENEMIES Aeda
SEE ALSO Aeda / Fionn mac Cumhaill
REMARKS Bebhionn was an Otherworld giant who was known
for her beauty. She fled her homeland because she did not
want to marry Aeda to whom she had been promised in an
arranged marriage. Bebhionn was described as a beautiful
giant with wavy golden hair arranged in 7 braids. On her
head she had a gilded helmet that was inlaid with jewels
and on her fingers she had large solid gold rings.
Bebhionn landed in the territory of the Fianna of
Leinster and asked Fionn for protection. Aeda, who had
chased after her, landed his boat and threw his spear,
mortally wounding her.
Before she died she gave her wealth to the Fianna. The
Fianna raised an ogham stone over her grave and the site
became known as The Ridge of the Dead Woman.
NAME Bebo
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE wife of Iubdan (Ri Ruirech)
CULTURE Elfin (Fay Folk)
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Faylinn (Pond of the Fay)
SITES Dun Rury in Ulster
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Iubdan (husband); Fergus mac Leti (consort)
SEE ALSO Aed / Eisirt / Fergus mac Leti / Iubdan
REMARKS When Eisirt the court bard returned to Faylinn
with Aed the giant, he put Bebo's husband Iubdan under a
geis to go to Ulster to the fortress of Fergus mac Leti and
taste the head chieftain's porridge.
Bebo went with Iubdan across the water to Ulster. Her
husband, not being a brave leader, decided to sneak into
the fortress, taste the porridge and retreat before
daybreak. When they found the porridge pot, Iubdan stood
on his horse to reach the rim of the pot, pulled himself up
and then fell into the porridge.
Bebo and Iubdan were then caught and held captive,
although they were treated well. During their captivity,
Bebo seduced Fergus, but he became hesitant when he
realized his penis was 4 fists long and Bebo herself was
only 3 fists high. Bebo assured Fergus that being an Elfin
woman, she could absorb it.
NAME Bec mac De
GENDER M
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE seer
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 6th c
SEE ALSO Aedh Dubh / Banban / Diarmuid mac Cearbhail
REMARKS Bec mac De was a filidh at Tara. When Diarmuid
the high chieftain of Ireland asked him how he would die,
he prophesied a triple death of stabbing, suffocation and
fire. This would happen while he was eating a sow that had
never been farrowed, washing it down with ale brewed from
one grain of corn while he was wearing a shirt grown from a
single flax seed and a mantle from the wool of a single
sheep. All this was to happen at the house of Banban, and
his death would be initiated by Aedh Dubh, a clansman of
Flann.
NAME Becuma Cneisgel
EPITHET Of the Fair Skin
GENDER F
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Land of Promise (Tir Tairngire)
/ Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd-3rd c
RELATIVES Gaiar and Conn (consorts)
ENEMIES Art
SEE ALSO Art Aenfer / Conn Cetchathach / Delbchaem /
Manannan
REMARKS Becuma Cneisgel was a sorcerer who was driven
out of the Land of Promise in The Otherworld for having an
affair with Gaiar, a young son of Manannan. She used her
talents to persuade Conn Cetchathach, the high chieftain of
Ireland, to take her in as his concubine.
Becuma tried to seduce Conn's son Art but he refused
her. In revenge she used an invisible helper to cheat him
at a game of fidchell. As punishment for losing, she
placed a geis on him to go the Land of Wonder and retrieve
Delbchaem, the daughter of an evil and powerful couple.
While Becuma was the consort of Conn, the goddess of
Ireland deserted him and crops failed, the rivers were
without fish and the herds became smaller. The druids
called for the sacrifice of a son of a virgin but they
substituted a cow. Meanwhile Art returned from The
Otherworld after accomplishing his quest and expelled
Becuma from Ireland.
NAME Bedwyr
ALTERNATIVE Bedivere / Bedwyr {bed-weer}
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE battle-line
CULTURE Cymry (tribes that fight side by side)
COUNTRY Wales / England / Ireland
REGION Gwent
LANDMARKS River Usk
CENTERS Caerleon-on-Usk (Kaerusk)
AGE Post-Roman
DATES AD 6th c
ACCESSORIES supernatural spear
SEE ALSO Arthur / Cei / Culhwch
REMARKS Bedwyr was a follower of Arthur and the fastest
runner of his time. Even though he had only one arm he was
faster than any three warriors in battle. The magic of his
spear was such that for every thrust it would inflict nine
wounds.
Bedwyr was one of the three fairest males of the
Island at that time. Because of his talents, he was chosen
by Arthur to accompany Culhwch and he was never afraid of
Cei's adventures.
NAME Beissirissa
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sky goddess
CULTURE Aquitani - Bigerriones tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul / Aquitanica
LANDMARKS Pyrenees
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c
REMARKS Beissirissa was a sky goddess of the Bigerriones
tribe in Aquitanica, southern France. During BC 1st
century she was still venerated at a site in the Pyrenees.
NAME Belatu-Cadros
EPITHET Destroyer of Enemies / Comely in Slaughter
ALTERNATIVE Beletucardus / Belatu-Cados
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE war god / sun god
CULTURE Pictish - Britantes
COUNTRY England / Wales
REGION Yorkshire / Cumbria
LANDMARKS Hadrian's Wall
SITES Carvoran / Netherby / Plumpton Wall /
Carlisle / Burgh-by-Sands
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 13th c / AD 407
REMARKS Belatu-Cadros was a war god who was venerated at
many sites in the territory of the Brigantes. He was also
considered a sun god for the waning half of the year. They
were an ancient tribe of the Pictish culture who arrived in
England in BC 13th century and were still there when the
Romans left in AD 407.
NAME Belenos
EPITHET The Brilliant / The Shining
ALTERNATIVE Bel {Baal} (Lord) / Beal / Beel / Bela /
Belenose / Belenus / Beli / Belos /
Belenos /
Bile / Heracles / Hercules /
Malios
GENDER M
SYMBOL bull / D / oak club / 2 fires / sunwheel /
phallic stones / 2 hounds
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun god of health and fertility
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Austria / Belgium / Canada / England / France /
Ireland / Italy / Morocco / Netherlands /
Portugal / Scotland / Spain / United States /
Wales
REGION California / Wyoming / Alberta / Ontario /
Michigan / Vermont
TERRITORY Gaul / Aquitanica / Alps / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Gates of Baal
SITES Toulouse / Stonehenge / Nîmes / Venice / Rimini
/ Marseilles / Clermont-Ferrand / Burgundy /
Sainte-Sabine
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 3rd millenium / BC 13th c / BC 800 / BC 106
ACCESSORIES Cun O Bel (the hounds of Belenos)
RELATIVES Zeus (father), Alcmene (mother); Galatea
(wife); Galates, Celtus and Illyrius (sons)
SEE ALSO Galatea / Galates / Zeus
REMARKS The Celtic god Belenos derived from the ancient
Babylonian god Baal of BC 3rd millenium. In the ancient
Celtic mythology he is also referred to as Heracles and was
a son of Zeus by Alcmene. From BC 13th century, the
Phoenicians helped spread the veneration of Baal the sun
god through their many trading posts along the
Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. The 12 Labors of
Heracles were symbolic of the 12 signs of the Zodiac during
a sun cycle.
The veneration of Belenos as the sun god was practiced
throughout the Celtic world. Ancient sites with ogham
inscriptions dedicated to him have been found in Europe and
even in North America. One site in America was dated to BC
800 and demonstrates the sea powers of the roving Celts.
Belenos was the sun god of the waxing half of the
year. He was born during the winter solstice and reached
maturity at Beltainn, when he mated with the earth goddess
who awakened in March. He was represented by the bull in
the animal world and the oak tree, which was the symbol of
the letter D, in the tree alphabet. During the summer
solstice when the sun is at its fullest, the bull is
overpowered by the lynx, who is the god of the waning half
of the sun year.
The Celts believed death came before birth and
sacrificed malefactors to the cleansing fires of Belenos.
The Beltainn festival was around the 6th of May, halfway
between the equinox and the solstice.
The strait of Gibraltar was known as the altar of
Belenos, the pillars being Abyla in Morocco and Mount Calpe
in Spain, one of emerald and the other of gold. Tablets
found at Marseilles described changes made by the priests
at the temple of Baal for the offering of sacrifices. The
points of land at Calais and Dover were also known as the
Pillars of Belenos and large fires burned there during the
festival. Stonehenge was known as Belenos's seal.
A dedication in ogham writing at Mystery Hill in New
Hampshire was written in Iberian characters to the Celtic
or Phoenician god Bel {Baal}. A gem found at Nîmes with
the figure of an ancient man and star symbols was dedicated
to Belenos in Greek letters. The holy spring at Sainte-
Sabine in Burgundy had many stone reliefs portraying the
sacrifice of babies and children. The Volcae Tectosages
from the Toulouse region sacrificed gold and silver objects
into the lake in honor of Belenos. In BC 106 when the
Romans conquered the area, Servilius Caepio robbed the lake
of 110,000 lbs (50,000 kg) of gold and 100,000 lbs (45,000
kg) of silver.
EPITHET Beli the Great
ALTERNATIVE Belis / Heli
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior / Brenin
TYPE sun god / god of death / father of all deities
and mortals / chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Belgae - Catuvellauni tribe
COUNTRY France / England
REGION Oxfordshire / Hertfordshire
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Marne / Thames
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c (ruled 40 years)
RELATIVES Digueillus (father); Mynogan (mother); Penarddun
(sister); Lludd, Cassubellaunos, Nynniaw and
Llevelys (sons); Capoir (grandfather)
SEE ALSO Cassubellaunos / Llevelys / Lludd / Nynniaw /
Penarddun
REMARKS Beli Mawr was the head chieftain of the powerful
Catuvellauni tribe of the Belgae culture. Warriors of the
tribe migrated from Gaul to Lloegr where they settled
around present-day Essex and Hertfordshire. The Belgae
were lowland farmers in search of more land.
NAME Belinos
ALTERNATIVE Belinus
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Rix
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Briton - Trinovantes tribe
COUNTRY England / Wales / Scotland
TERRITORY Lloegr / Cambria / Albainn
LANDMARKS Thames
CENTERS Trinovantum (London) / Kaerusc / Billingate
AGE Iron
DATES BC 4th c / BC 390 (laid waste to Rome)
ACCESSORIES golden urn
RELATIVES Dyvnwal (father); Conwenna (mother); Gurguit
(son); Brennius (brother)
ENEMIES Brennius / Rome
SEE ALSO Brennius / Conwenna / Dyvnwal Moelmud / Gurguit
REMARKS When Dynwal the high chieftain of Britain died,
his two sons Belinos and Brennius began to fight for
control of the territory. The tribes intervened and
appointed Belinos as the high chieftain and and Brennius as
head chieftain of Albainn, a territory that then stretched
from the Humber river to the northern tip of present-day
Scotland.
Trouble started when Brennius married a daughter of a
powerful chieftain of Gaul without consulting Belinos who
was the head chieftain. This was a direct insult and
Belinos seized the territory of Albainn in retaliation. The
brothers fought a number of battles until in the end their
mother intervened and the brothers agreed to form an
alliance.
Belinos took his army to the continent, joined with
his brother's troops, crossed the Alps and attacked Rome in
BC 390. Belinos returned home with his spoils but Brennius
remained in Rome. Before Belinos died, he built Kaerusk on
the Usk river and a gateway (Billingate) at Trinovantum
("of the Trinovantes") where his ashes were buried in a
golden urn.
NAME Belisama
EPITHET Most Brillant / Like the Flame
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE healer goddess of the fire and forge
CULTURE Pictish - Cornovii and Brigantes tribes
COUNTRY England
REGION Lancashire
TERRITORY Lloegr
LANDMARKS Mersey
SITES thermal spring
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 13th c / BC 9th c / AD 407
REMARKS Belisama was a fire goddess who was venerated at
a thermal spring around the Mersey river. The two tribes
of the area were the Brigantes, who may have settled as
early as BC 13th century, and the Cornovii, who settled
around BC 9th century. Belisama was still being venerated
after the Romans left in AD 407.
NAME Bellovesus
EPITHET He Who Can Kill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Gallic - Bituriges & Insubres tribes
COUNTRY France / Italy
TERRITORY Gaul / Cisalpine
LANDMARKS Loire / Alps
CENTERS Bourges / Milan
AGE Iron
DATES BC 4th c / BC 391
RELATIVES Ambicatus (uncle); Segovesus (brother)
SEE ALSO Ambicatus / Elitovius / Segovesus
REMARKS In BC 391 Bellovesus was sent by his uncle
Ambicatus to conquer new lands and relieve the burden on
overpopulated Gaul. Bellovesus and his brother Segovesus
had the pick of the young male and female warriors of the
Bituriges confederation to lead away. They were most
likely armed with weapons of the La Tène I period.
The druids divined the directions the two brothers
were to follow. Bellovesus led his followers, mostly
warriors of the Insubres tribe, across the Alps of southern
France and into northern Italy.
Bellovesus also helped a chieftain named Elitovius
lead his warriors across the Alps and into northern Italy.
Once there the warriors conquered a territory from the
Etruscans and settled Milan.
NAME Beoan
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
CULTURE Nemedian tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Wexford
TERRITORY Leinster
LANDMARKS Wexford Harbour / Bannow Bay
SITES Camross
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th-18th c
BATTLES Cnamros (died)
RELATIVES Starn (father); Macha (mother); Erglan, Mathach
and Iardacht (sons); Semeon (brother); Nemhedh
(grandfather); Magog (ancestor)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Conann mac Faeboir / Erglan / Macha / Magog /
Nemhedh / Semeon / Starn
REMARKS Beoan son of Starn, son of Nemhedh, was a
warrior of the Nemedian. He died by the hand of Conann mac
Faeboir during the battle of Cnamros (Camross). The battle
took place near Taghmon in Co. Wexford between Wexford
Harbour and Bannow Bay in old Leinster.
NAME Beothach
EPITHET Father of the Danann
ALTERNATIVE Bethach / Bethaig
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Nemedian tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Donegal
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS Uisneach / Tory Island (island of towers) /
Boyne river
SITES Conann's Tower (Tuir Chonaind)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th-18th c
BATTLES Magh Ceitne
RELATIVES Iarbonel (father); Meda (mother); Ibath (son);
Semul (brother); Nemhedh (grandfather); Magog
(ancestor)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Britan Mael / Conann mac Faeboir / Iarbonel /
Ibath / Morc mac Deiled / Nemhedh / Semul
REMARKS Beothach, son of Iarbonel son of Nemhedh,
participated in the attack against Tuir Chonaind (Conann's
Tower), the Fomorii stronghold on Tor Innis (Tory Island).
After the capture of the tower, Beothach was one of the
30 Nemedian to survive the mutual slaughter when a Fomorii
fleet of 3x20 ships arrived under the leadership of Morc
mac Deiled.
After the battle of Magh Ceitne, Fergus divided
Ireland into 3 provinces with Beothach, Semeon and Britin
Mael as their 3 chieftains. Using Uisneach as the hub of
the island, Beothach's territory was defined on the rim of
the island by Tory Island and the mouth of the Boyne river.
Beothach died of the plague but his 10 wives lived on, the
last one dying 23 years later. He died 2 years after
Britan at Inis Fail (Inis Fallen) in Lough Leane near
Killarney in Co. Kerry, old Munster.
NAME Bergusia
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE goddess of fire and prosperity
CULTURE Gallic - Mandubii tribe
COUNTRY France
REGION Côte d'Or
TERRITORY Gaul
CENTERS Alesia (Alise Ste Reine)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c / BC 1st c
RELATIVES Ucuetis (consort)
SEE ALSO Ucuetis
REMARKS Bergusia was a fire goddess of the Mandubii
tribe who was venerated with the blacksmith deity Ucuetis.
The Mandubii tribe conquered the area from the Sequani in
BC 6th century and were still there when the Romans
conquered Gaul in BC 1st century.
EPITHET The Strong and Raging
ALTERNATIVE Bile {bee-leh} (Strong Tree)
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Artabri tribe
COUNTRY Spain
REGION Galicia
CENTERS Brigantia (A Corunna)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th c
RELATIVES Bregon (father); Golamh (son); Brego, Bladh,
Fuad, Murthemne, Cualgne, Cuala, Eibleo, Nar and
Ith (brothers); Tea (niece); Daire Doimthech
(nephew); Airioch Feabhruadh, Donn, Eber,
Amhairghin, Colptha, Ir, Eremon and Arannan
(grandsons); Odba and Dil (granddaughters);
Brath (grandfather); Rifath Scot (ancestor)
SEE ALSO Amhairghin / Arannan / Brath / Bladh / Bregon /
Colptha / Donn / Eber / Eremon / Fuad / Golamh /
Ir / Ith / Odba / Rifath Scot / Tea
REMARKS Bile son of Bregon was the grandson of Brath The
Victorious and a descendant of Rifath Scot. He became the
head chieftain of the Artabri tribe in Galicia and was the
father of Golamh.
NAME Bile
EPITHET Sacred Tree
ALTERNATIVE Bile {bee-leh}
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of death and fertility
CULTURE Danann ? Goidel ?
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Land of the Dead (Tir na
Mairbh)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Danu (consort)
SEE ALSO Danu
REMARKS Bile was a consort of Danu and was considered to
be the father of deities and humans. He gathered the souls
of mankind and led them to The Otherworld when they died.
NAME Bind
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY bard
TYPE champion piper
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Dublin
TERRITORY Munster / Mide
LANDMARKS Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
CENTERS Sidhe Breg
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
ACCESSORIES four-note bagpipes
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Conaire Mor / Da Derga / Donn Desa / Fer Rogen /
Ingcel
REMARKS Fer Rogen described the pipers Bind, Ciallglind,
Cumall, Deichrind, Dibe, Nibe, Rianbind, Robind and Umall
as the 9 best pipers in the world. They came from Sidhe
Breg in Munster and fought on the side of the high
chieftain during the battle of Ath Cliath because they
thought Conaire was a noble person.
The 9 pipers all had blond hair, wore colored mantles
covered with speckles (sequins) and carried ornamented
bagpipes of four notes.
NAME Biobal
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY artisan
TYPE goldsmith
CULTURE Partholean tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th-18th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Partholon
REMARKS Biobal was a follower of Partholon and after the
battle of Magh Ibha he introduced gold-working to Ireland.
NAME Birderg
ALTERNATIVE Birrderg
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / son of a chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Dublin
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
RELATIVES Ruan (father)
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Conaire Mor / Da Derga / Donn Desa /
Ingcel /
Mal / Munremar mac Gerrcend
REMARKS Birderg was a son of the chieftain Ruan and at
the battle of Ath Cliath on Magh Liffey he fought on the
side of Conaire, the high chieftain of Ireland. Birderg
shared a room with his two friends Mal and Munremar.
Birderg was described as a brown man with a head of
curly brown hair and thick ankles and limbs. He carried a
black shield with gold animal decoration, an ivory-hilted
sword, and a 5-barbed javelin. He wore thick ankle
bracelets and a dark cloak with red speckles.
Birderg and his two friends performed a trick of
throwing their swords into the air and then the scabbards
and by the time they caught them the swords would be in the
scabbards. Then they would throw their scabbards into the
air and then their swords and by the time they fell the
scabbards would have sheafed the swords.
Many of the invading raiders fell before the swords of
this trio and they themselves escaped the destruction at Da
Derga's Hostel.
NAME Birog
GENDER F
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
LANDMARKS Tory Island (Tor Innis - island of towers)
SITES Crystal Tower
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
SEE ALSO Balor / Cian / Ethniu / Manannan
REMARKS Birog was a filidh who helped Cian to gain
access to the Crystal Tower on Tory Island. Balor, the
Fomorian ruler, had his daughter Ethniu imprisoned there so
that she could not have the child that was prophesied would
kill him.
Ethniu eventually gave birth to triplets which Balor
then sacrificed to the sea. Birog rescued one of the
babies and took it to Manannan to be fostered.
NAME Bituitus
ALTERNATIVE Bituitis
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Belgae - Arverni tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd c / BC 122
ACCESSORIES silver chariot
RELATIVES Commius (son); Lovernios (father)
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Lovernios
REMARKS Because the Celts had attacked the Greek city of
Marseilles in BC 154 and again in BC 125, the Romans used
this as an excuse to invade southern France and make it a
province. The chieftains of the Salyes took refuge among
the Allobroges, so the Romans attacked them.
Bituitus was chieftain of the Arverni tribe and they
were allies of the Allobroges. In BC 122 he raised a force
of 20,000 warriors to fight the Romans but lost. Bituitus
and his son Commius were made prisoners of Rome by the
senate and their territory became a part of the Roman
territory of Province. As a prisoner, Bituitus rode in a
silver chariot and was dressed in multi-colored clothing.
NAME Bla Briugas
ALTERNATIVE Blai Briuge / Blai Briugu
GENDER M
CATEGORY hosteller
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster / Temuir na hArdda
CENTERS Hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Temuir Luachra
RELATIVES Fiachne (father); Brig Bretach (consort); Cu
Chulainn (foster-son)
ENEMIES Celtchair
SEE ALSO Brig Bretach / Celtchair macUthechar / Cromm
Deroil / Cu Chulainn
REMARKS Bla Briugas was a hosteller who asked for and
was granted fosterage of Setanta (Cu Chulainn). He claimed
that it was he who had called the warriors of Ireland
together and entertained them for a week. He also boosted
their morale, supported them and listened to their
problems.
Bla claimed that if he were appointed as one of Cu
Chulainn's foster-fathers, the lad would never be destroyed
by neglect or contempt. He would teach him self-esteem and
help him develop confidence in himself.
Bla Briugas was with Cu Chulainn on his crazy drunken
ride which ended up at Temair Luachra in the territory of
Munster. Cromm Deroil described him as he approached the
raith as a man whose hair was just beginning to gray. He
wore a multicolored cloak with golden thread, a golden
bracelet on each arm, a golden ring on each finger and
carried weapons with gold decorations. He rode in a hooded
chariot with 9 chariots preceding him, 9 chariots behind
him and 9 chariots to either side. Bla was killed by
Celtchair when he was caught having an affair with
Celtchair's wife.
ALTERNATIVE Blad
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel (Milesian) - Artabri tribe
COUNTRY Spain / Ireland
REGION Galicia / Laois / Meath / Donegal
TERRITORY Leinster
LANDMARKS Sliabh Bladhma (Bladh's Mountain)
SITES Teltown (Tailltenn)
CENTERS Brigantia (A Corunna)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 15th c
BATTLES Sliabh Mish / Taillcenn / Druim Lighean
RELATIVES Bregon (father); Bile, Brego, Fuad, Murthemne,
Cualgne, Cuala, Eibleo, Nar and Ith (brothers);
Brath (grandfather); Rifath Scot (ancestor)
ENEMIES Danann
SEE ALSO Bile / Colptha / Fuad / Ith / Rifath Scot
REMARKS Bladh son of Bregon was a Goidel warrior who was
honored for his bravery during the invasion of Ireland by
having Slievebloom (Sliabh Bladhma), one of the 12
chieftain mountains, named after him.
NAME Bladud
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Rix
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain of Britain
CULTURE Goidel - Coritani tribe
COUNTRY England / Wales / Scotland
TERRITORY Lloegr / Cambria / Albainn
SITES Caer Troia (Town of Troy) present-day Ilford /
Kaerbadum (Bath)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 9th c (ruled 20 years) / BC 876 ca. (died)
ACCESSORIES wings
RELATIVES Rud Hud Hudibras (father); Leir (son)
SEE ALSO Leir / Rud Hud Hudibras / Sul
REMARKS Bladud was a leper and he dedicated the hot
springs of Bath to Sul and lit perpetual fires to her. He
encouraged necromancy as a form of divination and tried to
fly using wings he made himself. His first flight was a
failure and he crashed into the temple of the sun god,
killing himself.
NAME Blathnat
EPITHET Little Flower
ALTERNATIVE Blanid / Blathnad
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Kerry
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Isle of Man (Inis Fer Falga) /
West Munster
LANDMARKS Sliabh Mish (Slieve Mis) / Dingle Peninsula /
Corco Duibne
CENTERS Cathair Chonroi - Caherconree (stone fort of
CuRoi)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Mend (father); CuRoi (husband); Lugaid (son)
ENEMIES Fer Cerdne
SEE ALSO Bricriu / CuRoi macDaire / Cu Chulainn / Fer
Cerdne / Lugaid mac Curoi
REMARKS Blathnat was the daughter of the chieftain of
Inis Fer Falga (present-day Isle of Man). She was captured
as part of the booty in a raid by CuRoi and Cu Chulainn and
other warriors. Both CuRoi and Cu Chulainn fell in love
with her and quarrelled. CuRoi won and buried Cu Chulainn
up to his shoulders and cut off his hair. Then with
Blathnat he escaped to his fortress Cathair Chonroi at
Slieve Mis (Sliabh Mish) on the Dingle Peninsula in
Munster.
During Bricriu's Feast when Cu Chulainn, Conall and
Loeghaire were trying to prove who was the top hero of
Ireland, they came to CuRoi's fortress looking for advice.
CuRoi was in Scythia fighting and had instructed Blathnat
to see to their needs while he was gone. She was to wash
their feet, give them drinks and supply them with excellent
beds.
The fortress was built so that no one could find the
entrance. Later, Cu Chulainn came looking for a way in to
rescue Blathnat who had fallen in love with him. Blathnat
helped him by pouring milk into a stream that ran through
the fortress, thus allowing Cu Chulainn to find the way.
Once Cu Chulainn was inside the fortress he killed the
salmon which held CuRoi's soul, then he and Blathnat
escaped, taking prisoners with them. One of the prisoners
was CuRoi's bard Fer Cerdne. On the way, they stopped to
rest by some cliffs and Fer Cerdne saw a way to get revenge
for his master. He grabbed Blathnat and jumped over the
cliff to his death, taking her with him.
EPITHET Flower Face
ALTERNATIVE Blodeuedd {blod-ai-weth} / Blodeuwedd [Owl]
GENDER F
SYMBOL owl
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE flower child
COUNTRY Wales
TERRITORY Dinoding
CENTERS Mur Castell
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Llew Llaw Gyffes (husband); Gronw Pebyr
(consort)
ENEMIES Gwyddion
SEE ALSO Gronw Pebyr / Gwyddion / Llew Llaw Gyffes / Math
REMARKS Blodeuedd was a woman of no known race; she was
conjured from the flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet to
be the wife of Llew Llaw Gyffes. She was a woman of beauty
and charm, but proved to be treacherous.
When Blodeuedd and Llew Llaw Gyffes were first
married, she and Llew lived quite happily at Mur Castell
until one evening when Llew was away a young chieftain
arrived in their territory on a hunting trip.
Gronw Pebyr was a handsome young man and he and
Blodeuedd fell in love and began to plot a way of killing
Llew. This was not easy because Llew was protected by
supernatural forces. They devised a way whereby Blodeuedd
would extract the information from him on the pretense of
concern.
When Blodeuedd found out that Llew could only be
killed with a spear that was produced in a certain way, she
told Gronw who began work on the spear. A year later when
the spear was finished, Blodeuedd tricked Llew into
demonstrating a vulnerable position. Llew stood under the
roof of the bath house with one foot on the back of a he-
goat and the other on the edge of the tub (cauldron) while
wrapped in a towel. Gronw came out of hiding and threw the
spear through him. As Llew began to fall he changed into
an eagle and flew away to die.
Unluckily for Blodeudd and Gronw, Gwyddion found his
son and brought him back to health. Llew then killed Gronw
in single combat and Gwyddion turned Blodeudd into an owl
so she would always be harrassed by other birds and never
know the sun again.
NAME Boann
EPITHET Of the White Cow / Cow Finder
ALTERNATIVE Boand / Boann {baw'-un} / Boanna / Boind /
Bouvindea
GENDER F
SYMBOL cow
CATEGORY deity
TYPE river goddess / goddess of fertility and youth
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Kildare
TERRITORY Leinster / Mide / The Otherworld
LANDMARKS Boyne River / Hill of Carbury / Magh mBreg
SITES Segais Well (died)
CENTERS Sidhe Nectain / Sidhe Brugh na Boyna
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
ACCESSORIES Dabilla (lap dog)
BATTLES Segais Well
RELATIVES Danu (mother); Delbaed (father); Elcmar
(husband); Uaithne and Nechtan (consorts);
Daghda (half-brother/consort); Anghus, Goltrade,
Gentrade, and Suantrade (sons); Brénos,
Iucharbra, Iuchar and Mechi (half-brothers);
Adair, Airgden, Barrand, Be Chuille, Be Find,
Dianann and Be Thete (half-sisters); Delbaeth
and Eladu (grandfathers); Magog, Iarbonel, Net
and Ordan (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Anghus mac Og / Be Chuille / Be Find / Brénos /
Daghda / Danu / Delbaeth / Dianann / Eladu
/
Elcmar / Iarbonel / Magog / Midhir / Nechtan /
Net / Ordan / Suantrade / Uaithne
REMARKS Boann, daughter of Danu, daughter of Ernmas,
daughter of Etarlam, son of Ordan was also daughter of
Delbaed, son of Eladu, son of Delbach, son of Net. When
Daghda took Boann as his consort he sent her husband Elcmar
away on a mission, copulated with Boann, then stopped the
sun for 9 months while Boann gave birth to Anghus. Boann
gave the boy his name when she said that young was the son
conceived in the morning and born before the end of the
same day "Son of Youth" (Mac Ind Og) . When Elcmar
returned, it seemed to him as if only one day had passed.
Anghus was given to Midhir as a foster-son.
Boann was a consort to Uaithne and bore him 3 sons:
Goltrade, Gentrade, and Suantrade. She was also a consort
to Nechtan who was the guardian of Segais Well at Sidhe
Nectain which was situated at the present-day Hill of
Carbury in county Kildare in the ancient province of
Leinster. There was a geis that allowed no one but Nechtan
and his 3 cup-bearers to approach the well of inspiration.
During a battle at Segais Well, Boann died when she
circled the spring 3 times in a left-hand circle which was
a geis on all sacred springs. The water began to froth and
boil, then a gusher swept her away as it flowed north
across the land and became the Boyne river.
NAME Bodb Dearg
EPITHET The Chieftain God / Bodb the Red
ALTERNATIVE Bodb {bohv, bov} / Bovdh
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / 9th Ri Ruirech
TYPE head chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Tipperary
TERRITORY East Munster
LANDMARKS Suir
CENTERS Sidhe ar Femuin (Sidhe of Femen Plain)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES Danann Civil War
RELATIVES Eochu Garb (father); Artrach and Aedh (sons);
Scal Balb and Namadach (brothers); Aoife, Aebh
and Arbha (foster-daughters); Bress (great-
grandfather); Magog, Iarbonel, Ordan and Net
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Midhir
SEE ALSO Aebh / Anghus mac Og / Ailill of Aran / Aoife /
Bress / Caer Ibormeith / Daghda / Fionnbharr /
Fruich / Iarbonel / Ilbhreach / Lir / Magog /
Midhir / Net / Ochall Ochne / Ordan / Rucht
Chnint
REMARKS Bodb Dearg was the son of Eochu Garb, son of Dui
Temen (Duach of Temen) daughter of Bress, son of Eladu, son
of Delbach, son of Net. He was the chieftain of the
Munster Danann and resided at Sidhe ar Femuin which was
located near the Suir river.
Bodb Dearg had a supernatural swineherd called Fruich
whom he had to dismiss because he had allowed the boars to
suffer when he became involved in a battle with Rucht
Chnint, the swineherd for Ochall Ochne.
After the Danann were defeated by the Goidel, Daghda
appointed Bodb Dearg to the position of head chieftain of
the Danann, an appointment that caused a civil war. The
main chieftains involved in the war were Bodb Dearg,
Ilbhreach, Lir, Midhir, Ochall Ochne and Fionnbharr.
After the civil war was over, Bodb Dearg married two
of his foster-daughters to Lir, bringing the two chieftains
closer together.
Bodb Dearg was responsible for searching Ireland for a
year before he finally found Caer Ibormeith, the girl whose
missing identity was causing Anghus a wasting sickness.
NAME Bole
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY servant / guard
TYPE guardians of Conaire (Ard Righ Eirinn)
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath / Dublin
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg / Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
RELATIVES son of Maffer Toll
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Conaire / Da Derga / Donn Desa / Ingcel /
Root
REMARKS Bole and his brother Root stood on either side
of Conaire, the high chieftain of Ireland, as his personal
protection. They both carried long pointed swords and
curved shields. During the destruction at Da Derga's
Hostel, they wore red kilts and mantles fastened with
silver fibulas.
NAME Bolgios
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Belgae
COUNTRY France / Yugoslavia / Macedonia
REGION Balkan Peninsula
TERRITORY Gaul / Illyria
SITES Monastir
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 281
ENEMIES Greeks
SEE ALSO Acichorius / Brennus / Cerethrios
REMARKS The chieftain Bolgios led his warriors across
Illyria while a chieftain named Cerethrios led his warriors
down the eastern side through Bulgaria and Brennus and
Acichorius led a large force of Celtic warriors down the
center of the Balkan Peninsula. The force of Celts entered
Macedonia around Monastir in BC 281 and captured the
Macedonian leader Ptolemy Ceraunos, then sacrificed him.
NAME Bormana
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE water and healer goddess
CULTURE Gallic - Vocontii tribe
COUNTRY France
REGION Drome
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Drome river
SITES thermal spring at Saint-Vulbas
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 12th c
RELATIVES Borvo (consort)
SEE ALSO Borvo
REMARKS Bormana was a goddess of a thermal spring at
Saint-Vulbas in the territory of the Vocontii tribe. The
god Borvo was sometimes her consort.
NAME Borvo
EPITHET Bubbling Water / That Which Bubbles
ALTERNATIVE Bormo / Bormanos
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE water and healer god
CULTURE Gallic - AEdui, Lingones and Sequani tribes
COUNTRY France
REGION Haute-Marne / Nievre / Drome
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Marne / Meuse / Saône / Drome / Isère
SITES Bourbonne-les-Bains / Entrains
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 12th-8th c / BC 9th c / BC 7th c
ACCESSORIES drinking goblet / purse / plate of fruit
RELATIVES Damona and Bormana (consorts)
SEE ALSO Bormana / Damona
REMARKS Borvo was the consort of a number of goddesses
associated with hot springs in a large territory occupied
by the AEdui, Lingones and Sequani tribes from the Bronze
Age.
The Sequani and the AEdui considered themselves
descendants of the Trojan (Goidel) and were related to the
Lingones by blood and the Sequani settled the area between
BC 12th and 8th century the AEdui in BC 9th century and the
Lingones in BC 7th century.
NAME Boudicca
EPITHET Victorious
ALTERNATIVE Boudicca {bo-deek-ka}, Boudica, Boudiga, Buadach
(Irish), Buddogal (Welsh), Boucca (godlike
spirit)
GENDER F
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Briton - Iceni tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION East Anglia (Norfolk area)
TERRITORY Lloegr
SITES Colchester (fort of Camulos) / London
(Londinium) and St Albans (Verulamium).
AGE Iron
DATES AD 1st c / AD 61 (died)
ACCESSORIES javelin / war chariot
RELATIVES Prasutagus (husband); 2 daughters
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Andrasta / Camulos / Prasutagus
REMARKS Boudicca was described as a tall woman with a
harsh voice and a thick head of shocking red hair that fell
to her hips. She wore a large golden torc around her neck
and a green cloak fastened with a gold clasp over a tunic
of nine colors. During her battle frenzy, Boudicca's face
became so contorted she was terrifying to look at. Before
an upcoming battle she would release a hare for the purpose
of divination.
In AD 59 Boudicca's husband Prasutagus died, leaving
half of his holdings to Rome and the other half to his
daughters. The government of Rome decided that the Iceni
should begin to pay taxes similar to other tribes under
their thumb. The Romans were also upset about Boudicca
being elected head chieftain of the Iceni, and the
government confiscated the legacy that Prasutagus had left
to his daughters. When the Iceni became angry over this,
Roman soldiers were sent to the camp, Boudicca was flogged
at the stake and her daughters were raped.
The Iceni tribe revolted and with the help of warriors
from the Trinovantes tribe they burnt Camulodun
(Colchester) to the ground and sacrificed the survivors to
the war goddess Andrasta. Boudicca then led the Iceni and
Trinovantes warriors against Londinium (London) and
Verulamium (St Albans).
A legion from north Wales defeated her in a battle at
Mancetter near Nuneaton in 61 AD. (The reason for this
defeat is not quite obvious and there are a number of
theories as to why. An interesting thesis is put forward
by Dr. Anne Ross in The Life and Death of a Druidic
Prince.) Boudicca committed suicide and the tribe was
subjected to further atrocities by the Romans.
In 1902, a Romanized sculpture of Boudicca and her
daughters was erected on Westminster Bridge in the town she
hated so much. The sculpture does little to convey the
true character of this great Celtic warrior.
EPITHET Of the Sea / Bran the Blessed
ALTERNATIVE Bran (raven), Vron, Fran, Bendigeidfran,
Bendigeid Vran {ben-dig'-id vrahn'} (Bran the
Blessed), Bran mab Ywerydd (Son of the
Atlantic)
GENDER M
SYMBOL alder / club / ravens (prophetic)
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE sun god / giant / horse warrior / head
chieftain
CULTURE Goidel / Danann
COUNTRY Wales
REGION Gwynedd {gwin-eth} / Clwyd {clud}
TERRITORY Gwynedd / The Otherworld
LANDMARKS Liffey river / Magh Liffey
SITES Town of the Hurdle Ford (Baile Atha Cliath) /
Kaerlud (Caer Lludd) / Island of Gwales
CENTERS Harlech / Caer Seiont
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
ACCESSORIES club / cauldron
RELATIVES Llyr (father); Iwerydd (mother); Caradawg (son);
Branwen (sister); Manawyddan (half-brother)
ENEMIES Matholwch / Evnissyen
SEE ALSO Beli Mawr / Branwen / Caradawg / Da Derga /
Evnissyen / Iweridd / Llassar Llaes / Llyr /
Manawyddan / Matholwch / Penarddun / Pryderi /
Rhiannon / Taliesin
REMARKS Bran ap Llyr was at the time the most powerful
chieftain in Britain. His raith was at Harlech in Gwynedd
and one day, while he and his brother Manawyddan were
sitting on a large rock looking out to sea, 13 swiftly-
moving ships appeared on the horizon. When the ships
entered the harbor, Bran could see a man holding a shield
upside down in the sign of peace.
The flotilla belonged to Matholwych, the high
chieftain of Ireland. He had sailed to Wales to ask for
the hand of Bran's sister Branwen. After a night of
drinking and feasting, Bran gave his consent for the
marriage to take place. The couple were married at
Aberffraw and the feast was held in tents because Bran was
too large to fit in an ordinary house.
The following day Evnissyen, a half-brother to
Manawyddan, realized that he had not been informed of the
marriage of the most important of the three goddesses of
Britain nor had he been asked his opinion. In anger,
Evnissyen disfigured the horses that were a gift from Bran
to Matholwych.
The high chieftain of Ireland was angered and confused
at this insult and was about to put to sea when Manawyddan
arrived and informed him what had happened. He said that
Bran would substitute horses of equal quality and in
addition, as a sign of good spirit, would give Matholwych a
silver staff as tall as himself and a golden plate the size
of his face. Bran apologized that he could not kill
Evnissyen because his mother was the daughter of Beli Mawr
of the Catuvellauni tribe.
Seeing that Matholwych was still upset at the insult
he had received, Bran offered to give him a supernatural
cauldron as well. The cauldron had the the ability of
bringing dead warriors back to life and they would lack
only speech. Matholwych knew that the cauldron came from
the Lake of the Cauldron in Ireland, and Bran told him that
he received it from Llassar Llaes. Matholwych was now
satisfied that he was justly reimbursed for his insult and
he and his new bride left for Ireland.
A year later, Branwen gave birth to a boy that would
help tie the two peoples together. Everything went
smoothly until one day, when Bran was at Caer Seiont in
Arvon, a small starling landed on his shoulder. Bran saw
that it was carrying a note from Branwen. When Bran
learned that his sister was being mistreated by Matholwych,
he raised a huge army of the warriors of Britain and left
for Ireland. The warriors used alder dye to paint their
faces red. Bran left his son Caradawg and 7 other
chieftains (The Seven Horsemen) to watch over Britain.
Bran, being a warrior of giant stature, waded through
the water to Ireland carrying his giant club. When they
reached Ireland and were to cross the Liffey, Bran said
"let he who is a chief be a bridge" and then lay down
across the river and hurdles were placed upon him so that
the soldiers could cross on his back. (This is a reference
to Bran representing the wood of the alder tree.) The town
that eventually was built on the site became known as the
Town of the Hurdle Ford (Baile Atha Cliath, a part of
present-day Dublin).
At first, peaceful negotiations were attempted and the
opposing warriors had a feast in a specially-prepared house
large enough for Bran. Negotiations were proceeding when
Evnissyen became upset and grabbed the son of Branwen and
Matholwych and threw him into the fire.
The battle that followed was fierce and the Irish were
winning with the help of the supernatural cauldron, until
Evnissyen destroyed it. The tide of battle then changed:
the Irish were destroyed, but all that remained of Bran's
army were 7 warriors. The seven that escaped with Bran
were Pryderi, Manawyddan, Glinyeu son of Taran, Taliesin,
Ynawag, Gruddyeu son of Muryel and Heilyn son of Gwynn Hen
(the Ancient).
Bran had been wounded by a poisoned spear, so he bid
the 7 surviving heroes to cut off his head and carry it to
White Hill in London, facing Gaul as a talisman to ward off
plague. On the way they spent 7 years at Harlech (The
Feasting in Harlech) with Rhiannon and her enchanted
singing birds (The Singing of the Birds of Rhiannon) and 80
years on the Island of Gwales in Pembrokeshire (Penvro - The
Assembly of the Noble Head).
All that time, Bran's head provided his companions
with good company and conversation. The Hall at Gwales had
three doors; two were always open but the one that faced
Cornwall and Aber Henvelyn were kept closed. One day
Heilyn son of Gwyn Hen opened the door that faced Cornwall,
and the enchantment left them. They then went on their way
to Caer Lludd (London) where they buried Bran's head at the
present Tower of London where the ravens are still called
the ancestors of Bran.
This battle in Ireland was most likely the British
version of the Irish story of the Destruction at Da Derga's
Hostel at Ath Cliath on the Magh Liffey.
NAME Bran mac Febail
ALTERNATIVE Bran mac Febal
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / mariner
TYPE adventurer
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
SITES The Otherworld - Land of Women (Tir na mBan)
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 7th c
RELATIVES son of Febhal
SEE ALSO Manannan
REMARKS Bran was enchanted by a beautiful woman who sang
him to sleep and left him with a silver branch of an apple
tree bearing white flowers. On the second day she visited
him at night and sang a beautiful ballad about her home in
Tir na mBan (Land of Women) on the Island of Joy.
Bran resolved to visit her, so the next day he, 3
foster-brothers and 3x9 warriors set sail to The
Otherworld. They met Manannan on his way to begat a son by
the goddess of the Dal nAraide. Bran brought the ship to
land on the "Island of Joy" and had to leave one man there.
They then sailed onward to "The Land of Women". When the
ship closed in on the shore, Bran saw the beautiful woman
who had come to fetch him and his warriors.
Bran and his crew stayed what seem to be a year before
they became restless and wanted to return to their friends
and family in Ireland. The goddess warned them that they
had actually been away for centuries and not to set foot on
Ireland or the time would affect them.
When Bran and his crew finally reached Ireland, one
man jumped over the side and as he touched dry land he
turned to dust. Bran wrote the story of their adventure on
ogham wands and cast them ashore, then sailed off into the
unknown. The narrative draws a map for navigators similar
to the tales of Jason and the Argonauts and Odysseus.
NAME Brandubh
EPITHET Black Raven
GENDER M
SYMBOL raven
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Carlow
TERRITORY Leinster
CENTERS Dinn Rig
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 7th c / AD 604 (died)
BATTLES Dun Bolg (end of the Boramha Tribute)
RELATIVES Eochaidh (father); Feildem (mother)
ENEMIES Aedh
SEE ALSO Aedh mac Ainmireach / Eochaidh of Leinster /
Feildem / Mongan / Ron Cerr / Tuathal
Teachtmhair
REMARKS Brandubh was the head chieftain of Leinster. He
fell in love with Dubh Lacha, the wife of his friend Mongan
mac Fiachna Finn, and acquired her by trickery, but lost
her again when Mongan used his supernatural skills to win
her back.
Brandubh was tired of the crippling Boramha Tribute
(cattle counting) that had been placed upon the people of
Leinster by Tuathal Teachtmhair in AD 2nd century. Brandubh
decided to fight the high chieftain of Ireland, Aedh mac
Ainmereach. He devised a plan to hide some warriors within
the baskets on the wagons being carried to the high
chieftain as part of the tribute.
He asked for a warrior to spy for him at the raith of
the high chieftain, promising a reward of land and a place
at the high chieftain's table if successful. Ron Cerr
volunteered to disguise himself as a leper and enter the
raith, delivering the message to Aedh that the provisions
were to be there by that night.
The plan went well and the next day Ron Cerr brought
the head of the high chieftain to him and the news that his
warriors had defeated the high chieftain's troops. This
was the battle of Dun Bolg and the end of the Boramha
Tribute on the province of Leinster.
EPITHET White Raven / White Breasts / White Rage /
Of the Sorrow
ALTERNATIVE Branwen {bran'-wen}, Bronwen
GENDER F
SYMBOL raven (prophetic) / weasel / Sovereign
CATEGORY deity / rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE triple goddess (death/birth/life)
CULTURE Goidel / Danann
COUNTRY Wales / Ireland
REGION Gwynedd {Gwin-eth} / Clwyd {clud}
TERRITORY Gwynedd
LANDMARKS Alaw river
SITES Ynys Branwen
CENTERS Harlech
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
ACCESSORIES starling
RELATIVES Llyr (father); Iwerydd (mother); Matholwch
(husband); Gwern (son); Bran (brother);
Manawyddan (half-brother)
ENEMIES Evnissyen
SEE ALSO Bran ap Llyr / Evnissyen / Iwerydd / Llyr /
Manawyddan / Matholwych
REMARKS Branwen was one of the three goddesses of the
Britain and temporarily united Britain and Ireland when she
married Matholwych, the high chieftain of Ireland.
For the first year, Branwen was happy at Tara and gave
away many presents of jewels and gold when she and her
husband entertained the nobles of the country. After a
year a son was born and he was named Gwern (alder).
In the second year, nobles of the court began to speak
against her, reminding Matholwch of the insult that he had
received at the court of her brother Bran. As a result,
Branwen was forced to suffer the toil of a cook where she
was daily slapped about by the butcher. In secret, Branwen
raised a young starling, and when it understood what she
wanted it to do, it flew to her brother Bran to tell him of
the sorry condition to which she was being subjected.
When her husband the high chieftain of Ireland heard
that Bran was raising an army to invade Ireland, Branwen
was restored to her position and was consulted on the
building of a great feasting hall of a scale that would
hold Bran's great stature.
When Bran and his warriors arrived, they were treated
to a feast in the hall and the sovereignty of Ireland was
conferred to Gwern and all seemed to be peaceful until
Evnissyen grabbed the boy and threw him into the fire.
A great battle followed which saw the death of most of
the warriors of Ireland and Britain. Branwen's brother
Bran was hit with a poisoned arrow and he commanded that
they cut off his head and take it with them.
When they reached Anglesey (Ynys Mon), Branwen could
not endure any more sadness and committed suicide. She was
taken to Aberffaw (Aber Alaw) and buried in a four-sided
grave on the banks of the Alaw. The site was called Ynys
Branwen. In AD 1813 a funeral urn was discovered and
inside were her burnt bones and ashes.
EPITHET The Victorious
ALTERNATIVE Bratha
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ukraine / Russia / Spain
REGION Crimean Peninsula / Galicia
LANDMARKS Azov Sea / Black Sea / Bosporus / Dardanelles /
Agean / Mediterranean / Pamphylian / Tyre /
Crete / Corfu / Cephalonia / Ionic Sea / Sicily
/ Tyrrehenian / Sardinia / Corsica / Balearic
Sea / Strait of Gibraltar / Cordova ? / Atlantic
/ Pyrenees
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th c
RELATIVES Death (father); Bregon (son); Lamfind and
Rifath Scot (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Bregon / Lamfind / Rifath Scot
REMARKS Brath, son of Death and descendant of Rifath
Scot, traced his ancestry back to Eastern Albania
(Dagestan), a territory situated north of the Caucasus on
the Caspian Sea. His people had travelled west under the
leadership of Lamfind to the Euxine River (Strait of Kerch)
and across the Rhipaean Mountain and settled at the Maeotic
Marshes (Azov Sea). Unlike the rest of the north coast of
the Black Sea, the Crimean peninsula is relatively warm in
winter.
When Brath became a chieftain he led 4 ships with a
crew of 14 (16) couples and 6 servants in each. His 3
chieftains were Ucce and Occe, sons of Allot, and Mantan
son of Caicher.
The Goidels left the Maeotic Marshes (Azov Sea) on a
trading expedition which took them to the long straits of
the Torrian Sea (Bosporus?) to the Hellespont (Dardanelles)
and into the Macedonian Gulf (Aegean), the Pamphylian Gulf
south of Turkey, past the island of Tyre then to the island
of Crete.
From there they travelled to the islands of Corcyra
(Corfu) and Cephallenia (Cephalonia) in the Ionic Sea, then
returned to the island of Crete. When they left Crete the
second time they voyaged to the shore of the Pelorians
(Messina) of Sicily through the Torrian Sea (Tyrrhenian)
(passing the top of Mount Etna) to Sardinia and Corsica.
The Goidels then sailed back to the island of Sardis
(Sardinia) then onto the Balearic Sea and into the strait
of Gibraltar. Here they visited the Strong Islands and
passed the pillars of Hercules (Gates of Baal) Calpe and
Abyla to the swamp of Coir (Cordova ?). They then ventured
into the Atlantic and northward along the coast of Portugal
to the Pyrenees of northern Spain. After 54 battles they
conquered a territory but plague broke out and many of
their followers died. Here in their new territory Brath
sired a son called Bregon.
NAME Brea
ALTERNATIVE Breoga
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY warrior / druid
TYPE champion / artificer / master smith / architect
CULTURE Partholean tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
RELATIVES Senboth (father); Partholon (grandfather); Magog
(ancestor)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Magog / Partholon / Senboth
REMARKS Brea son of Senboth, son of Partholon fought
against the Fomorii in the battle of Magh Ibha. Brea was a
master smith who constructed the first cauldron in Ireland.
He was a champion warrior and developed the idea of using
single combat to settle conflicts. He also constructed the
first house.
NAME Brea
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Drommanna Breg
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 15th c
RELATIVES Belgan (father)
ENEMIES Goidel
SEE ALSO Grici / Gulban / Redg Rotbel / Tindell
REMARKS After the defeat of the Danann, the Goidels
divided Ireland into 5 provinces. The Danann left 5
warriors in each of the five provinces to cause as much
trouble for the Goidel as possible. In the province of
Ulster they left Brea, Redg, Grici, Gulban and Tindell,
with Brea in the area of Drommanna Breg.
NAME Brecan
ALTERNATIVE Bhrecain
GENDER M
SYMBOL whirlpool
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain / mariner
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
LANDMARKS Jura / Scarba / Rathlinn Island
SITES Brecan's Cauldron (Coire Bhrecain)
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 5th c
RELATIVES Niall Noighiallach (grandfather)
SEE ALSO Niall Noighiallach
REMARKS Brecan was in command of fifty ships which were
on their way to Albainn (Scotland/northern England) when
the fleet was destroyed by a massive whirlpool between the
islands of Jura and Scarba near the island of Rathlinn. The
whirlpool became known as Brecan's Cauldron (Coire
Bhrecain) and Corryvreckan.
NAME Breg
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity / filifh
TYPE triple goddess / sorcerer
CULTURE Fomorii / Fir Domnann tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Indech (father); Dagdha (consort); Meng and
Mebal (half-sisters); Omna, Goll, Irgol and
Octriallach (half-brothers); Domnu
(grandmother); Beelzebub (ancestor)
SEE ALSO Dagdha / Domnu / Indech / Octriallach
REMARKS Breg, daughter Indech, son of Domnu the goddess
of the Fir Domnann tribe. Breg was a sorcerer and a triple
goddess of Ireland, she was a beautiful girl with a good
figure and wore her hair in tresses. Breg sometimes went
under the names Mebal and Meng who were also known as her
sisters. The plain of Breg (Magh mBreg) was named after
her.
Breg met Daghda coming from a meeting at the camp of
her father and the Fomorians. He was dressed as a fool
with a short tunic that only reached his buttocks, a hood
and cape which only came to his elbows and boots made of
horsehide with the hair side out. Daghda dragged his
forked club on wheels and his long penis was uncovered. He
was moving very slowly because his stomach was enormous.
Breg blocked Daghda's way and made fun of him then she
threw him to the ground. Breg demanded that Daghda carry
her on his back to the camp of her father's. Daghda
refused because he had a geis not carry anyone unless they
knew his name. Breg beat him until his bowels emptied onto
the ground. He then told her his name. This time she
called him Fer Benn Bruach Brogaill Broumide Cerbad Caic
Rolaig Builc Labair Cerrce Di Brig Oldathair Boith Athgen
mBethai Brightere Tri Carboid Roth Rimaire Roig Scotbe
Obthe Olaithbe and jumped on his back revealing her curly
pubic hair. They had intercourse and she promised to
destroy 1/9 of the Fomorii by singing spells and executing
the deadly art of the wand against them.
EPITHET Of The Combats / Of the Shouts of Valorous Deeds
ALTERNATIVE Bregoin / Breogan
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Artabro tribe
COUNTRY Spain
REGION Galicia
LANDMARKS Tower of Hercules
SITES Tor Breogain (Tower of Breogan)
CENTERS Brigantia (A Corunna)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th c
RELATIVES Brath (father); Bile, Brego, Bladh, Fuad,
Murthemne, Cualgne, Cuala, Eibleo, Nar and Ith
(sons); Golamh and Lugaid (grandsons); Eremon
(great-grandson); Tea (great-granddaughter);
Rifath Scot (ancestor)
ENEMIES Danann
SEE ALSO Bile / Bladh / Brath / Eremon / Faud / Golamh /
Ith / Rifath Scot / Tea
REMARKS Bregon was the son of Brath and a descendant of
Rifath Scot. Bregon founded the center Brigantia (A
Corunna) and here he built a tower to Baal which became
known as Tor Breogain, a place of learning.
Much later during Roman times the Tower of Hercules
was built on the same site and can be seen today. A
Corunna became the center for the Artabri tribe and Bregon
was the head chieftain, followed by his son Bile.
NAME Brennius
ALTERNATIVE Brennios
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin / war leader
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Briton - Trinovantes tribe
COUNTRY England / Scotland
TERRITORY Albainn / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Humber / Brenner Pass
SITES Rome
AGE Iron
DATES BC 4th c / BC 391 / BC 390 (laid waste to Rome)
RELATIVES Dyvnwal (father); Conwenna (mother); Belinos
(brother); Gurguit Barbtruc (nephew)
ENEMIES Belinos / Rome
SEE ALSO Belinos / Conwenna / Dyvnwal Moelmud / Gurguit
Barbtruc
REMARKS When Brennius's father died, he and his brother
went to war, backed by different factions that wanted their
man on the seat of power. Finally it was settled that
Belinos, who was the older, would be the Brenin with
control of Lloegr (England), Cornwall and Cambria and
Brennius would be the head chieftain of Albainn, which
stretched from the Humber to Caithness, and be subject to
his brother.
The two brothers fought many battles against each
other before they finally joined forces and crossed Gaul to
northern Italy. During the battle of Clusium (Chiusi) in
BC 391, the Celts and Romans were allied against the
Etruscans. The Celts then recognized Romans fighting
alongside the Etruscans. They discontinued the siege and
appealed to Rome for satisfaction for their treachery but
were ignored. The war cry "We are bound for Rome" went
out, and so intense was their purpose that they never
stopped to plunder along the way. They annihiliated the
Roman army near the river Allia.
Belinos then returned with his warriors to Britain but
Brennius stayed in Rome. Brennius and his warriors
ransacked the city for a year until the senate of Rome
agreed to pay them a fine of 1000 pounds of gold for their
treachery of fighting alongside the Etruscans. When the
Romans complained at the unjustness of the scales, Brennius
threw his sword on the counter-weight and said "Woe to the
vanquished!"
NAME Brennus
ALTERNATIVE Brennos
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE horse warrior / head chieftain / war leader
CULTURE Gallic
COUNTRY Austria / Hungary / Yugoslavia / Macedonia /
Greece / Turkey
TERRITORY Noricum / Pannonia / Illyricum
LANDMARKS Haemos
SITES Delphi / Istanbul (Byzantion) / Heracleia
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 281 / BC 280 / BC 279-278
SEE ALSO Acichorius / Bathanattos / Bolgios /
Cerethrios
/ Comantorios
REMARKS Brennus and Acichorius led a large force of
Gallic warriors from Austria, Hungary and former Yugoslavia
on a campaign into the southern Balkans. The army was
comprised of male and female warriors who were the
descendants of the followers of Bellovesus. The force
consisted of 20,000 horse warriors and 150,000 battle-line.
Each horse warrior had 2 servants and the triad was called
a Trimarkisia. They were most likely armed with weapons of
the La Tène II period. The central army was flanked by
Cerethrios and his force of warriors on the left and a
large army commanded by Bolgios on the right flank.
In BC 281, Brennus and Acichorius descended upon the
hillmen of Haemos in Macedonia. In BC 280 the army was
reinforced by Illyrian warriors and they destroyed the
Macedonian army that had rallied after the beating they had
received from Bolgios. The central army continued on into
Greece and raided the sanctuary of Delphi during the winter
of BC 279-278.
Brennus was wounded in battle and died from his wounds
and dysentery at Heracleia where Acichorius had waited for
him. The army then broke up, with (a portion following
Bathanattos to the north where they became known as the
Scordisci. Another group followed Comantorios to the
slopes of the Haemos. Acichorius led his warriors to the
wealthy port of Byzantion (Istanbul).
NAME Brénos
ALTERNATIVE Brian
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior
TYPE fertility god
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
LANDMARKS Magh Muirthemni
SITES Hill of Miodchaoinn
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Danu (mother/half-sister); Delbaeth (father);
Eire (consort); Iuchar and Iuchurba (brothers);
Macha, Badbh, Elmcar, Adair, Airgden, Barrand,
Boann, Be Thete, Be Find, Be Chuille and Dianann
(half-sisters); Fiachu, Olloman, Indui, Corpre
Crom, Daghda and Mechi (half-brothers); Magog,
Iarbonel, Ordan and Net (ancestors)
ENEMIES Cian / Lugh
SEE ALSO Badbh / Banbha / Be Chuille / Be Find / Boann /
Cian / Daghda / Danu / Delbaeth / Dianann
/ Eire
/ Elmcar / Fiachu / Fodhla /
Iarbonel / Indui /
Lugh / Macha / Magog / Miodchaoin / Net / Nuadha
/ Olloman / Ordan
REMARKS Brénos the son of Danu and Delbaeth was mated to
Eire, the fertility goddess of Ireland, to ensure that the
Danann continue a good relationship with the goddess.
Although he is often considered as one of three brothers he
was most likely one person, a triple god. Iuchar and
Iuchurba were referred to as brothers but were probably
poetic names for Brénos as Fodhla and Banbha were poetic
names for Eire.
There was a blood feud between the houses of Tuirill
Piccroe (Delbaeth) and the house of Cian. Delbaeth
(Tuirill Piccroe) was married to Etain daughter of
Diancecht and Cian was the son of Diancecht. One day,
while Brénos and his brothers were hunting on the plain of
Muirthemni, they spied Cian who then disappeared. They
suspected that he had changed himself into a wild boar and
had joined a herd which was rooting nearby.
Brénos suspected that one particular boar was Cian and
threw his spear at the boar, mortally wounding it. As it
turned out, it was Cian and he asked that he be allowed to
change back into a man before he died. Brénos agreed and
Cian changed back into a human, only to inform them that he
would now have to pay the blood fine of a man and not a
boar.
Brénos stoned Cian to death, burying him under a
cairn. Later when Lugh was searching for his father he
passed the cairn. The stones called out to him and told
him of the deed of the sons of Tuirill. Lugh went to
Nuadha, the head chieftain of the Danann, and demanded
justice. Delbaeth begged for mercy for his sons but Lugh
thought that they should be punished according to tradition
for their deed and he set them a list of accomplishments
they must complete if they were to live.
Under law, Brénos had to fulfill 8 tasks that Lugh
gave him. He must retrieve the two horses, Gaine and Rea,
from the chieftain of Sicily on the Tyrhennian Sea. The
horses were supernatural and could not be hurt by wounds,
waves or lightening. The supernatural javelin of red gold
which belonged to Asal must be secured. It would attack on
the command "Yew" and return on the command "Re-Yew" and no
intended victim could escape. He must acquire the sacred
boar from Duis (Tuis). Its hide was as large as that of 4
oxen and its supernatural properties would heal all wounds
and cure any sickness. Brènos must also capture the 6 (7)
supernatural boars from Essach (Easal) of the Golden
Pillars. Their secret was in their bones and if they were
not broken or gnawed upon the animals would survive their
own slaughter each day. The whelp from the chief smith of
Ioruath must be acquired because all water poured onto it
would turn into wine. The animal was said to be a hound by
night and a sheep during the day. Brénos must also bring
back the cooking spit of the women from sunken Inis
Fianchuibhe (Caire Cendfinne) between Ireland and Albainn.
The apples from the sunken orchard near Inis Fianchuibhe
(Caire Cendfinne) must be harvested. When this was all
accomplished the 3 sons of Tuirill must raise three shouts
on the hill of Miodchaoinn.
The sons of Tuirill accomplished the tasks, acquiring
the objects that Lugh needed for the upcoming war against
the Fomorii, but when they tried to raise three shouts on
the Hill of Miodchaoinn they were mortally wounded by
Miodchaoinn and his sons. Lugh refused to use the
supernatural boarskin to heal them, and they died.
NAME Bres
EPITHET Of Wise Utterance
ALTERNATIVE Bress
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY warrior / filidh
TYPE negotiator
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
ENEMIES Firbolg
SEE ALSO Sreng
REMARKS The Danann landed in Ireland during on the eve
of Beltainn. They chose Bres from the Brug of Banba to
negotiate with Sreng, the Firbolg representative, and
suggested that they divide Ireland between the two peoples.
The Firbolg rejected the idea and Bres was killed. The
death of Bres led to the first battle of Magh Tuireadh,
which was fought on the summer solstice.
NAME Bresal Etarlam
EPITHET Lord of the World
ALTERNATIVE Breasal / Bresal Echarlam mac Echdach Baethlaim
/ Bresal Etarlann
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior / filidh
TYPE god of the dead / champion / sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Island of the Dead or Island of
the Blessed (Hy-Breasail)
CENTERS Raith Oenach Bodbgnai
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
ACCESSORIES Barc Bresail (boat of Bresail)
RELATIVES Echtach (father); Fuamnach (foster-daughter);
Nuadha and Indui (brothers)
ENEMIES Anghus
SEE ALSO Anghus mac Og / Fuamnach / Midhir / Nuadha
REMARKS Bresal Etarlam, son of Echtach, son of Etarlam,
son of Ordan was a powerful filidh among the Danann and was
the foster-father of Fuamnach. He had instructed her in
sorcery at his raith Oenach Bodbgnai. When Fuamnach was
insulted by Midhir's taking another wife, she returned home
to her foster-father. Later, when Fuamnach interfered with
Anghus, he followed her to Oenach Bodbgnai (Aenach Bodbgna)
and there he killed both Fuamnach and Bresal.
Bresal's funeral pyre (Barc Bresail) was set adrift
and carried him west to an invisible island in the Atlantic
called Hy-Breasail (Island of the Dead or Island of the
Blessed). "Hy" suggests the presence of at least 1 yew
tree, the tree of death. It was said that every seven years
the island became visible but any person who looked at it
would die.
Some say it was a sunken island and others think it is
a mirage. One possibility is that it was the island of
Iona which was a sacred island with yew trees. Bresal's
ancestors came from the Hebrides.
NAME Bress
EPITHET The Handsome / Dutiful Son / Handsome Bres
ALTERNATIVE Bres / Bresi / Bresal Brathbemnech / Eochaid
Bres / Gormac / Pres
GENDER M
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY deity / warrior / 2nd Ri Ruirech
TYPE god of agriculture / head chieftain / traitor
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh) / Magh nInis
SITES Carn ui Neit
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th c / BC 18th c / BC 1713-1706 (Kings List)
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
RELATIVES Eire (mother); Eladu (father); Dui Temen
(daughter); Brighid (consort); Ruadan (son);
Daghda, Oghma, Elloth, and Delbaed (half-
brothers); Delbach (grandfather); Ernmas
(grandmother); Net and Etarlam (great-
grandfathers); Magog, Iarbonel and Ordan
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Danann / Cairbre / Lugh
SEE ALSO Brighid / Cairbre / Daghda / Eladu / Eire /
Ernmas / Iarbonel / Lugh / Magog / Miach / Net /
Nuadha / Oghma / Ordan / Ruadan
REMARKS Bress, the son of Eladu and Eire, grew at twice
the speed of an ordinary child so that by the time he was 7
he looked 14 years old. Bress was elected head chieftain
of the Danann after Nuadha had lost his arm. He was voted
in because of an excessive number of female votes. This
may be an indidation that their were numerous female
warriors of the Fomorii married into the Danann of Ireland.
The Danann accused him of being a stingy chieftain who
humiliated the Danann's most noble warriors. The warriors
complained that their knives were not greased and their
breath did not smell of ale. Bress appointed Dagdha to the
digging and building of a fort while Oghma was reduced to
fetching firewood. Bress's career as head chieftain of the
Danann was brought to an end when he received the bard
Cairbre. The bard was so angry at the shabby hospitality
he received, with poor food and a cold room, that he
composed the first satire recited in Ireland.
At this time the druid Miach attached a real hand to
Nuadha and after 7 years of abuse Bress was asked to step
aside as head chieftain of the Danann. In humiliation,
Bress fled to his mother and begged her to tell him who his
father was. Eire gave him his father's thumb ring and took
him to the hill where she had seen his father's ship
arrive. His father was Eladu and Bress left to find his
father's people with the intention of raising an army.
During the second battle of Magh Tuireadh, Bress
fought on the side of the Fomorii against his own people.
During a battle he received an ogham stick with
instructions but was so confused by it that he hesitated
and lost the battle. Bress was captured but his life was
spared after he gave the Danann the secret knowledge which
allowed their cows to yield milk continuously, the best
times to plow, sow and reap and how to have a harvest every
quarter.
Bress tried to deprive the Danann of Munster of the
milk from their cows. When Lugh found out, he used his
sorcery to make Bress live off milk that was not real milk
from cows that were not real cows. Bress finally died from
drinking bog water at Carn Hui Neit and was buried on Magh
nInis.
NAME Bricriu
EPITHET Poison Tongue (Nemhthenga) / Son of Discord (mac
Carbaid)
ALTERNATIVE Bricriu {brik-ru} / Briccriu {bric' roo} /
Nemthenga
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Fled Bricriu (Bricriu's Feast)
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE advisor / poet / trouble-maker
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster exile / cause of Connacht
LANDMARKS Dun Rudrige
SITES Temair Luachra / Plain of Aei / Cruachan /
Hostel (Bruidhean)
CENTERS Tech Midchuarta
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Temuir Luarcha / Mac Da Tho's / Cualnge Cattle
Raid / Gairech & Irgairech / Battle of Bulls
RELATIVES son of Carbad; Goll (brother)
ENEMIES himself
SEE ALSO Conall Cernacht / Cu Chulainn / CuRoi / Emer /
Ercol / Fedlimid Nocruthach / Lendabair /
Loeghaire / Mac Da Tho / Medbh / Sencha
REMARKS Bricriu son of Carbad was a filidh of Ulster who
had a sharp tongue and a great desire to cause trouble. He
was present during the drunken ride that ended in Temair
Luachra in West Munster.
During the feast of Mac Da Tho's Boar he suggested
that the boar should be carved by the best warrior present.
This eventually led to a battle between the warriors of
Ulster and Connacht.
When Bricriu finished his new home at Dun Rudrige he
called it Tech Midchuarta after the feasting hall of Tara.
It was a home that was unsurpassed in Ireland, built in a
circular design with 9 apartments between the outer wall
and the inner wall of the feasting hall. The wall at the
front of each apartment was 30 feet high and covered in
bronze. The oak pillars were so large that a team of oxen
had to haul each pillar to the site, then it required 7 of
the strongest people in Ulster to set them in place.
Bricriu had a special apartment built for Conchobar
the head chieftain of Ulster at the front of the building.
It was high above the other rooms and was decorated with
carbuncles of all colors, silver and gold so that it
reflected the firelight, making it as bright as day during
the long winter nights. This was surrounded by 12 other
apartments for his champion warriors of the Red Branch and
their spouses.
Bricriu built a chamber for his own private space with
windows so he could watch what was going on below in the
feasting hall. It was adorned with numerous hangings,
carvings and other decorations.
When Bricriu had furnished all the rooms with tartans,
blankets and quilts he began preparing the food for the
feast. He had a cauldron (large enough to hold 3 warriors)
filled with undiluted wine and a 7-year-old boar that was
fed only gruel, meal and fresh milk in spring time; sweet
milk and curds in the summer; nuts and wheat in the autumn
and meat and broth in the winter. Bricriu also prepared a
7-year-old calf that had eaten nothing but fresh milk,
herbs, heather, meadow grass, corn and twigs. He also had
100 wheat cakes made from honey and 1/4 bushel of wheat
each.
When all was ready he went to Emain Macha to invite
Conchobar, the champions and their spouses to his feast.
Conchobar agreed but the warriors refused, claiming that
Bricriu would cause trouble and the result would be more
dead warriors than there were live ones. Bricriu
threatened to turn the warriors against each other, fathers
against sons and mothers against daughters, and to sour the
milk of nursing mothers.
The chiefs and warriors of Ulster agreed to go to the
feast if Bricriu would give hostages and leave the house
under the protection of eight of their swordsmen before the
feast began so as not to cause trouble.
Bricriu agreed to this and stated that whoever would
have the champion's portion at his feast would have the
champion's portion for ever. When the warriors arrived,
Bricriu mentioned to Loeghaire that he should have the
hero's portion, then repeated the same suggestion to Conall
and to Cu Chulainn. He individually persuaded each of
their wives, Fedlimid Nocruthach, Lendabair and Emer, that
she was the most beautiful and intelligent and should
therefore enter the house first. This nearly caused the
destruction of his house and landed his wife and himself in
the rubbish heap when their chamber collapsed.
Loeghaire, Conall and Cu Chulainn were all convinced
that they deserved the hero's portion, and after much
fighting it was decided that they would ask Medbh of
Connacht to judge the champion. Medbh sent them to Ercol
and he tested them and decided on Cu Chulainn but the other
two refused his judgment. They then went to CuRoi
macDaire, chief of Munster. He also chose Cu Chulainn but
as usual the other two refused to believe this opinion.
The 3rd and final test came at Emain Macha when a
giant called The Terrible entered with an enormous axe and
proposed the following: the hero candidate would cut off
the giant's head and allow the giant to do the same to him
on the following evening.
Loeghaire went first, but after he cut off the giant's
head, the giant picked it up again and without a word left
the fortress, carrying his head in one hand and the axe in
the other. The following night the giant reappeared (with
his head attached) looking for Loeghaire, who was so
surprised to see the giant whole again that he ran away.
Conall refused the offer from the giant, but when it
came to Cu Chulainn's turn he agreed and when it came to
his turn he laid his head upon the chopping block. The
giant brought the axe down with a terrible force but
avoided hitting Cu Chulainn's neck. He asked Cu Chulainn
to rise and declared that he was the undisputed champion of
Ulster.
During the feast at Mac Da Tho's, it was Bricriu who
suggested that the boar should be carved by the best
warrior present. This of course led to a major fight
between Connacht and Ulster.
During the war waged between Connacht and Ulster over
the Brown Bull, Bricriu was in exile in Connacht. He
missed the battle because he was recovering from a wound he
had received when Ferghus had lost his temper with him and
driven a gaming piece into his skull. When the warriors of
Connacht arrived back at Cruachan with the Brown Bull, they
all agreed that it should be Bricriu who judged the fight
between the brown and white bulls. The bulls stomped him
into the ground with their hooves.
NAME Bricta
ALTERNATIVE Brixia
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE water and healer goddess
CULTURE Gallic - Lingones tribe
COUNTRY France
REGION Haute-Saône
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Saône
SITES thermal spring at Luxeuil
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c
RELATIVES Luxovio (consort)
SEE ALSO Luxovio
REMARKS Bricta was a healing goddess of a thermal spring
at Luxeuil in the Haute-Saône Deptment of France. From BC
6th century on, this was the territory of the Lingones, a
tribe of the Gallic culture.
NAME Bridei
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE head chieftain of Picts of Albainn
CULTURE Pictish
COUNTRY Scotland / England
REGION Inverness
TERRITORY Albainn
CENTERS Inverness
AGE Post-Roman
DATES AD 554 / AD 584
RELATIVES Maelgwn (father); Rhun (brother)
REMARKS Bridei was the son of Maelgwn, head chieftain of
Wales. Bridei became a head chieftain in the highlands of
Scotland with his center at Inverness. He became a
powerful Pictish ruler who held the incoming Goidel, the
Dal Riada, at bay during his rule from AD 554 to AD 584. It
was during his rule though, that the new Roman religion
gained access to the Pictish territory.
NAME Bridei
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE head chieftain of the Picts of Albainn
CULTURE Pictish
COUNTRY Scotland / England
REGION Tayside
TERRITORY Albainn
SITES Dunnichen
AGE Post-Roman
DATES AD 7th c / AD 671-692 (head chieftain)
BATTLES Dunnichen Moss (Nechtansmere)
RELATIVES Bili (father)
ENEMIES Ecgfrith
REMARKS Bridei was the son of Bili, head chieftain of
the Britons of Strathclyde, with a center at Dumbarton.
Bridei's mother was a Pict and he came to power in AD 671
as the Angles of Northumbria were pushing northward.
Bridei fought numerous military campaigns and used the
strategy of an organized retreat to entice the enemy
farther into his own territory to swampy ground near the
fortress of Dunnichen. This tactic enabled him to win the
decisive battle of Dunnichen Moss (Nechtansmere) against
Ecgfrith, the Germani chieftain.
NAME Brig Bretach
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Celtchair (husband); Bla Briugas (consort)
SEE ALSO Bla Briugas / Celtchair macUthechar
REMARKS Brig Bretach was caught having an affair with
Bla Briugas. This started a string of events that ended
with the death of her consort and her husband.
NAME Brighid
EPITHET The Exalted One / The High One
ALTERNATIVE Braganca (Portuguese) / Bride / Brig /
Brigentis
/ Bridghid / Brig / Brigantia /
Briget / Brighde
/ Brighid (Gaelic) / Brigid /
Brigindo / Brigit
(Brythonic)
GENDER F
SYMBOL right-facing swastika / woad plant / blue / fire
/ rowan / cow
FESTIVAL Imbolic - Feile Brighde (fire feast)
CATEGORY deity / filidh
TYPE fire goddess / foster-mother to the newborn sun
/ triple goddess (divination/prophecy/wisdom)
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland / Portugal / Scotland / France / England
REGION Sligo / Louth / Grampian / Yorkshire
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh) / Bride's Well /
Brighid / Braint / Brent / Brege / Brigach
SITES Kildare / Fouchart / Corgarff / Braganca /
Mountgerald
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
ACCESSORIES perpetual fire / night whistle
RELATIVES Daghda (father); Bress (consort); Ruadan (son);
Adair and Aine (half-sisters); Aed, Cermat and
Anghus (half-brothers); Magog, Iarbonel, Ordan
and Net (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Aed Caem / Anghus mac Og / Bress / Cermat Milbel
/ Daghda / Iarbonel / Magog / Net / Ordan /
Ruadan
REMARKS Brighid, a daughter of Daghda, was a filidh of
the Danann and when she died she became the fire goddess
and the triple goddess of nourishment, prophecy and
knowledge. She was venerated by the filidh, healers,
leech-craft, poets, smiths (fire) and women in childbirth.
The right-facing swastika cross was the symbol of the
fire-goddess (the Cross of Brighid) and was used to protect
people and places against fire. The rowan tree was
important to Brighid and she was associated with the woad
plant (color blue) -- the color for a bride or earth
goddess. Brighid also invented a whistle so the Danann
could signal each other at night during the battle of north
Moytura. Brighid was also the first woman to keen over the
dead when her son was killed.
The goddess Brighid and her priestesses guarded a
perpetual fire that was surrounded by a hedge and was
exclusive to females. Brighid was born at sunrise neither
within or without a house and was fed on milk from a white
cow with red ears. She used to hang her cloak on the rays
of the sun, and when she was inside any house, it appeared
to the onlookers to be all ablaze with light.
There were many wells sacred to Brighid such as St
Bridget's Well in Sligo and Fouchart in Louth, both in
Ireland. Mountgerald and Bride's Well at Corgarff are both
in Scotland. Numerous rivers were named after her
including Brighid (Ireland), Braint (Wales), Brent
(England), Brege and Brigach (Germany). She was the
tutelary goddess of the Pictish Brigantes tribe who settled
in Britain and Ireland.
Brighid as the fire goddess is most important as the
nurturer of the sun and when the cows begin to lactate so
does she for the infant sun god.
NAME Britan Mael
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires) / Samhain (Night of
the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Nemedian tribe
COUNTRY Ireland / England
REGION Donegal / Cork / Devon
LANDMARKS Tory Island (island of towers) / Uisneach /
Belach Conglais
SITE Conann's Tower (Tuir Chonaind)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th-18th c
BATTLES Magh Ceitne
RELATIVES Fergus Lethderg (father); Eva (mother); Nemhedh
(grandfather); Magog (ancestor)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Conann mac Faeboir / Fergus Lethderg / Morc mac
Deiled / Magog / Nemhedh
REMARKS Britan Mael son of Fergus Lethderg, son of
Nemhedh, was a Nemedian warrior who participated in the
attack against Tuir Chonaind (Conann's Tower), the Fomorian
stronghold, on Tor Innis (Tory Island). After the capture
of the tower he was one of the 30 to survive the mutual
slaughter when they were attacked by 3x20 shipsloads of
Fomorian warriors led by Morc mac Deiled.
When the survivors returned to Ireland, Fergus divided
the island into 3 provinces. Using Uisneach as the hub of
the island Britan was the chieftain of the territory marked
on the rim of the island by Belach Conglais (Pass of The
Greyhound), a pass in the vicinity of Cork and Tory Island.
In time Britan Mael and his father led their people
away from Ireland to England where they settled in Moin
Conain where their descendants most likely became the Fir
Domnann of Devon.
NAME Britomartus
ALTERNATIVE Britomaros
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Gallic
COUNTRY France / Italy
TERRITORY Gaul / Cisalpine Gaul
LANDMARKS Alps / Mount Telamon
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 225
BATTLES Cape Telamon
ENEMIES Marcellus / Rome / Celts
SEE ALSO Aneroestus / Concolitanos
REMARKS Under the leadership of Aneroestus, Britomartus
and Concolitanus helped lead a Celtic army of 50,000
battle-line soldiers and 20,000 horse warriors and chariot
warriors over the Alps and into Cisalpine Gaul. Here they
met an army of Romans supported by warriors of the Cenomani
and Veneti tribes. The Celtic army was destroyed and
Britomartus was killed in single combat by a Roman officer.
NAME Briun
GENDER M
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
ACCESSORIES sling
RELATIVES Bethar (father)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Balor / Lugh
REMARKS Briun made the sling that Lugh used to put out
Balor's eye during the second battle of Magh Tuireadh.
NAME Brixianus
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sky god
CULTURE Gallic - Cenomani tribe
COUNTRY Italy
TERRITORY Cisalpine Gaul
LANDMARKS Adda and Adige rivers
CENTERS Brescia (Brixia)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 390
SEE ALSO Elitovios
REMARKS Brixianus was venerated by the Cenomani tribe
when they migrated to northern Italy in BC 390. The tribe
was led by the chieftain Elitovios and they settled between
the Adda and Adige rivers.
NAME Broen
GENDER M
CATEGORY warriors
TYPE chariot warrior
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES Imorach Smiromrach (Edge of the Marrow Bath)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
ACCESSORIES 5-pointed spears
RELATIVES Ri Caile (father); Brudni (brother)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Picts / Ulster
SEE ALSO Cethern macFintain
REMARKS Broen and Brudni were sons of Ri Caile
(chieftain of the woods). During the Cualnge cattle raid
they were described as huge dark brown youths with fair
faces and wearing golden diadems on their heads. They wore
green mantles held with silver pins and in their hands they
carried 5-pronged spears.
When Cethern made his famous attack on the warriors of
Connacht, the brothers thrust their spears together into
Cethern's gullet where the points met.
NAME Bruidne
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires) / summer solstice
CATEGORY druid
TYPE satirist
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
(died)
ENEMIES Firbolg / Octriallach
SEE ALSO Indech / Octriallach
REMARKS Bruidne, Crichinbel and Casmael were the 3
satirists of the Danann when they arrived in Ireland.
Bruidne and the female druid Casmael were killed by the
Firbolg warrior Olltriallach son of Indech during the
battle of north Moytura.
NAME Brute
ALTERNATIVE Brut / Brute {Broot} / Brutus {broo'-tus}
(Latin)
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel / Latin
COUNTRY Italy / England
REGION Devon
TERRITORY Lloegr
CENTERS Totnes in Devon / Caer Troia (town of Troy) at
Ilford (Ford of Ilium)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 12th-11th c / BC 1131 / BC 1096
RELATIVES Aeneas (grandfather); Lavinia (grandmother);
Silvius (father); Ignoge (wife); Locrinus,
Camber and Albanactus (sons); Ascanius (uncle)
ENEMIES Pandrasus / Goffar / Gogmagog
SEE ALSO Aeneas / Albanactus / Camber / Corineus / Goffar
/ Gogmagog / Locrinus
REMARKS Brute was born in present-day Italy. His father
was Silvius and his mother was a niece of Lavinia. A
soothsayer predicted that the wife of Silvius would give
birth to a boy who would cause the death of both of them.
True to the prediction, his mother died in childbirth
and he killed his father by accident while hunting. His
family drove him from Italy and while he was travelling in
the land of present-day Greece he met descendants of
Helenus who, like himself, were descendants of the Trojans.
There he became a mighty warrior and gained a following.
After numerous battles with Pandrasus of the Greeks, he
captured him and demanded his daughter, silver, gold, grain
and boats to take his people out of oppression.
They sailed from the Mediterranean into the Atlantic
where they came in contact with another group of Trojan
exiles under a chieftain called Corineus. Together they
fought Goffar the Pict in Gaul, then in BC 1131 they
invaded the Island of Britain and settled around Totnes in
Devon, 109 years after the fall of Troy.
At Totnes, they defended themselves against an attack
by local warriors led by a chieftain called Gogmagog. Brute
built another fort on the Thames river at present-day
Ilford (east of London) and called it Caer Troia.
His son Locrinus followed him as head chieftain. When
Brute died in BC 1096 after ruling for 23 years, he was
buried at Caer Troia in the land to which he had led his
people and helped conquer.
NAME Buan
ALTERNATIVE Buana
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Carlow
TERRITORY Leinster
SITES Hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Mac Da Tho's
RELATIVES Mac Da Tho (husband)
ENEMIES Athairne
SEE ALSO Athairne / Conchobar / Conall Cernacht / Mac Da
Tho
REMARKS Buan was a very smart woman and the wife of Mac
Da Tho. Together they operated a hostel in the extreme
south of county Carlow in the ancient province of Leinster.
When the head chieftains of Ulster and Connacht both wanted
Mac Da Tho's great hound Ailbe, it was Buan that came up
with the idea of inviting both groups to a feast so they
could fight over its possession. The idea worked and thus
she saved the hostel from destruction.
Later when the Ulster Ollamh, Athairne the Persistent
was travelling throughout Ireland, he stayed at their
hostel. That night he demanded that Buan sleep with him
but Mac Da Tho refused.
Athairne complained to Conchobar that Mac Da Tho had
broken the rules of hospitality and should be punished.
Conchobar sent Conall, who killed her husband in a fight.
He then offered his services to Buan but she preferred
suicide. The standing stone at her burial site read Uaig
Buana (Buana's grave).
NAME Buder
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / guard
TYPE one of the 12 guards of Tara
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath / Dublin
TERRITORY Buagnech / Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg / Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Art / Conaire / Da Derga / Donn Desa / Ingcel /
Lond / Trenfer
REMARKS Conaire, the high chieftain of Ireland, had 12
guardsmen of Tara protecting him at the battle of Ath
Cliath. They were described in groups of three as the 3
Londs, the 3 Arts, the 3 Buders and the 3 Trenfers of
Cuilenn.
The three Buders had yellow hair and wore blue kilts.
They were described as handsome, hardy and strongly-built.
They wore ivory-hilted swords and carried horse-rods in
their right hands.
NAME Buide
EPITHET The Yellow
ALTERNATIVE Buic
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES ford of Ath Bruidi (Ath Boy)
CENTERS Sliabh Culinn (Hollymount)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
ACCESSORIES blue mantle
RELATIVES son of Ban Blai (The White)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Picts / Ulster / Cu Chulainn
SEE ALSO Cu Chulainn / Forgemen
REMARKS Yellow-haired Buide was a chieftain and a member
of the inner circle of Connacht and his raith was at Slieve
Culinn (Sliabh Culinn). He and his 23 followers wore blue
mantles. They were herding the Brown Bull and 50 of his
heifers from Glenn na Samaisce (Heifers' Glen) when they
ran into Cu Chulainn who asked him where the cowherd
Forgemen was. When Bruide replied that he had been left
behind, Cu Chulainn knew he was dead.
Cu Chulainn challenged Buide to go to the ford to
exchange a throw of spears. Cu Chulainn threw a short
spear that pierced Buide's shield and heart, shattering 3
ribs on his backside. He died in Crich Roiss (the land of
Ross) at Ath Buidi. While Buide and Cu Chulainn were
fighting, the others drove off the bull and his heifers.
NAME Buinne
EPITHET The Ruthless / The Red
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / Red Branch champion / traitor
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide / Danann / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Ferghus mac Roig (father); Ness (mother ?);
Illann and Fiacha (brothers); Conchobar (half-
brother)
ENEMIES Conchobar
SEE ALSO Conchobar / Ferghus mac Roig / Fiacha / Grainne
/ Illann Ilarchless / Naoise / Ness
REMARKS Ferghus's sons Buinne, Illann and Fiacha were
put in charge of protecting Naoise, Grainne and entourage
after Ferghus had been tricked into attending a feast. The
group succeeded in reaching Ulster and were staying in the
Red Branch hostel when they were attacked by warriors loyal
to Conchobar.
Buinne and the defenders were holding their own,
hoping for Ferghus to come to their rescue, when Illann was
wounded. Conchobar offered Buinne a bribe in the form of
land of his own on the side of a mountain. Buinne ceased
fighting and accepted the land. He left the other to fend
for themselves and disgraced himself, his father and his
ancestors. Buinne's other brother Fiacha was killed
defending Naoise. The goddess turned against Buinne for
his treachery, causing Buinne's mountain to go barren and
become a wasteland.
NAME Bun
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE bodyguard for Ailill and Medbh
CULTURE Fianna
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES Imorach Smiromrach (Edge of the Marrow Bath)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
ENEMIES Cualnge / Picts / Ulster
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Cethern / Medbh
REMARKS Bun (Stump) and Mecconn (Root) were young
warriors of the Fianna and were the personal bodyguards of
Ailill and Medbh. During Cethern's last charge they threw
their spears at the same time, which crossed through
Cethern's heart.
NAME Busgosu
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of the forest
CULTURE Early Hallstatt - Astures / Ligurian - Dragani
COUNTRY Spain
REGION Asturias
LANDMARKS Picos de Europa
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c
REMARKS Busgosu was venerated in an area of Asturias
that was settled by the Early Hallstatt tribe the Astures
and maybe the Dragani tribe of the Ligurian culture. Both
settled the area in BC 6th century. The Ligurian people
were also early people of France.
NAME Buxenus
ALTERNATIVE Buxen
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of the box tree
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
REMARKS Buxenus was the god of the boxwood tree which
was important in the making of musical instruments.
NAME Byanu
EPITHET Mother of Heroes
ALTERNATIVE Byanu {Byonu, Byoni} / Beanu / Beann (Boan)
GENDER F
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY deity
TYPE Great Mother (fertility/abundance/prosperity)
COUNTRY Portugal / England / Canada / USA
REGION Alberta / Wyoming / Vermont
SITES Windmill Hill / Cedar Canyon / Writing-on-Stone
/ Prado da Rodela / Cavendish
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 1700
RELATIVES Mabon (son)
SEE ALSO Mabon
REMARKS An inscription in northern Portugal claims that
a spring at Prado da Rodela is sacred to Mabon and the
crags above to his mother Byanu. An amulet from Windmill
Hill in England was asking the mother-goddess for
protection.
In Alberta, Canada at Writing-on-Stone National Park,
there are two ogham inscriptions naming Byanu. Just south-
east of that site, in Cedar Canyon, Wyoming in the USA is
an inscription in ogham naming Mabon and Byanu.
In South Woodstock, Vermont in the USA there is an
altar with female genitalia engraved onto it and
accompanied by two phallic columns. One phallus stone has
four carvings on it. The first carving is of an erect
phallus, the second is intromission, the third is a
swelling uterus, and the fourth carving is of a growing
embryo attached by the umbilical cord. The name of the
mother goddess Byanu was inscribed in an ogham similar to
that of the Goidel Celts. Another inscription to the
goddess at Cavendish in Vermont asks for rain.