NAME Abandinus
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE river god
CULTURE Pictish / Briton - Iceni and Trinovantes tribes
COUNTRY England
REGION Cambridgeshire
TERRITORY Lloegr
LANDMARKS Ouse river
SITES Godmanchester
AGE Iron
DATES BC 13th
ACCESSORIES feathers / leaves
SEE ALSO Hu Gardarn
REMARKS The deity Abandinus was venerated in the
territories of the Iceni and Trinovantes tribes at
Godmanchester on the Ouse river.
The Iceni were one of the tribes that were led from
Turkey by Hu Gardarn and settled in England sometime around
BC 13th century. Abandinus may have its roots in the east.
Abana (Barada) was the name of an ancient river in Damascus
and Syria, the land of the Phoenicians.
Welsh mythology suggests that the Iceni were formed
from Tumulus-Urnfield warriors known as the Sea People who
were warring in the east as far south as Egypt.
NAME Abaris
ALTERNATIVE Abarui / Avarwy
GENDER M
CATEGORY druid
TYPE teacher
CULTURE Pictish / Briton - Abroi tribe
COUNTRY France / England
REGION Brittany / Cornwall
TERRITORY Gaul / Llydaw / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Loire
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c / BC 550 ca.
SEE ALSO Prydain
REMARKS Abaris claimed to have been a teacher of
Pythagoras. He was involved in the migration of the La
Tène A Pictish tribes led by Prydain. They sailed from the
Loire river in Llydaw (Brittany) to Cornwall in Lloegr
(England) where they settled and became known as the
Pretani (Britons).
NAME Abarta
EPITHET The Performer of Feats / Hard Servant (Giolla
Deacair)
GENDER M
CATEGORY filidh / chieftain
TYPE sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld / Leinster
SITES Raith Almu - Allen Hill
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
ACCESSORIES supernatural horse
RELATIVES Tasha (daughter); Fionn (son-in-law)
SEE ALSO Conan Maol / Faruach / Fionn mac Cumhaill /
Foltor / Liagan / Tasha
REMARKS Abarta was a filidh of the Danann from the
Otherworld who appeared suddenly one day at Raith Almu on
Allen Hill, the camp of Fionn mac Cumhaill and his Fianna.
He was in disguise and had with him a large mean-tempered
decrepit gray horse that derived its pleasure from
attacking the horses of the warriors.
Conan Maol tried to ride the horse but it would not
budge so 14 other warriors climbed on its back as well.
Abarta jumped on behind the warriors and the horse raced
off with Liagan holding on behind. No one could let go and
before they realized it they were prisoners in The
Otherworld.
With the aid of Faruach, a magician, and Foltor, the
best tracker in Ireland, Fionn and the rest of the Fianna
found their way to Abarta and their captured friends in The
Otherworld.
Abarta turned out to be a chieftain who needed help
from the Fianna in a war against a rival chieftain of the
Otherworld. Fionn and his warriors defeated the other
chieftain and, at the insistence of Conan, Abarta rewarded
the Fianna by sending 13 of his most beautiful women on the
gray horse with his beautiful daughter Tasha of the White
Arms holding its tail.
NAME Abartach
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
CULTURE Danann / Fomorii
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Lugh (father); Naas (mother); Helen (consort);
Sabrann (daughter); Ainnle (brother); Cian
(grandfather); Ethniu (grandmother); Esaire
(great-grandmother); Balor (great-grandfather);
Magog and Iarbonel (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Balor / Cian / Ethniu / Esaire / Helen /
Iarbonel / Lugh / Magog / Naas
REMARKS Abartach was a consort to Helen, daughter of
Leda and Tyndareus (Tyndarus), chieftain of Lacedaemon
which Iman Wilkens (Where Troy Once Stood) places in
southern Spain.
Helen's territory was (and still is) rich in the
highly-sought-after resources of copper, tin and silver,
and was strategically positioned on the gateway between the
Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Helen bore Abartach a
daughter called Sabrann. Sabrann then married Cail (The
100-wounder), son of Lugaid, son of Leda.
NAME Abcan
ALTERNATIVE Abcan mac Bicelmois / Abhean / Auhcan / Ebricc
GENDER M
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY bard (Poet of Lug)
TYPE musician / harper
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 supernatural harp
RELATIVES Bicfelmas (father); Etain (consort); Senbecc
(son); Diancecht (great-grandfather); Magog,
Iarbonel and Net (ancestors)
ENEMIES Fomorii / Anghus
SEE ALSO Anghus mac Og / Diancecht / Esaire / Etain /
Iarbonel / Magog / Midhir / Net
REMARKS Abcan, son of Bicfelmas, son of Cu, son of
Diancecht, son of Esaire, daughter of Net became the harper
for Lugh and accompanied him in the battle of north
Moytura. He raped Etain but was killed by Anghus mac Og in
the presence of Midhir.
NAME Abilus
GENDER M
SYMBOL snake
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of health
CULTURE Gallic - Sequani
COUNTRY France
REGION Côte d'Or / Haute-Marne
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Seine / Saône
SITES Arnay-le-Duc
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 12th c / AD 1st c
ACCESSORIES snakes
RELATIVES Damona (consort)
SEE ALSO Damona
REMARKS Abilus was a deity who was venerated by the sick
at a site at Arnay-le-Duc, Côte d'Or in France. He was
associated with the snake and was a consort of the goddess
Damona.
The site was in the territory of the Sequani who were
settled in the area by BC 12th century. The deity was
still being venerated in Roman times after AD 1st century
and a statue has survived.
NAME Abnoba
EPITHET The Divine Hunter
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE goddess of animal fertility
COUNTRY Germany
LANDMARKS Abnoba / Black Forest / Danube
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 1st c
REMARKS Abnoba gave her name to the mountain range in
Germany which contains the headwaters of the Danube. This
was an ancient Celtic territory until the Germani tribes
moved in during BC 1st century.
NAME Accasbel
ALTERNATIVE Beoir
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY steward / hosteller
CULTURE Partholean tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
CENTERS Accasbel's Hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Partholon
REMARKS Accasbel was the steward of Partholon, and after
the battle of Magh Ibha he constructed the first hostel
(Bruidhean) in Ireland.
NAME Acco
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE freedom fighter / head chieftain
CULTURE Gallic - Senones tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Seine / Loire
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 53 / BC 52
ENEMIES Caesar
SEE ALSO Vercingetorix
REMARKS Acco, the head chieftain of the Senones, refused
to give hostages to Caesar in BC 53. He became a war
leader for warriors of the Senones and Carnuti tribes.
Caesar, angered by this rebellious stance against Rome,
responded by marching into their territory with his legions
and demanding that the tribe turn over Acco to him. He
then executed him in a time-honored Roman fashion.
Caesar then demanded 100 Senones hostages to be held
by the AEdui tribe for the Romans. Acco's death helped
fuel the rebellion led by Vercingetorix in BC 52.
NAME Achilles
EPITHET The Ally (Aeacean)
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior / battle champion
CULTURE Goidel / Achaean
COUNTRY Holland / Beligum
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica / Argos / Pylos / Phthia
LANDMARKS Rhine Delta
SITES Troy (died)
CENTERS Schuring (Scuros)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
ACCESSORIES ship with oars / horses (Xanthus and Balius) /
shield with spiral motif
RELATIVES Zeus (great-grandfather); Aegina (great-
grandmother); Aeacus (grandfather); Peleus
(father); Thetis (mother); Briseis and Deidamia
(consort); Neoptolemus [Pyrrhus] (son); Galatea
and Amphitrite (aunts); Poseidon (uncle)
ENEMIES Trojans
SEE ALSO Agamemnon / Galatea / Hector / Penthesileia /
Poseidon / Odysseus / Priam / Zeus
REMARKS Achilles was the son of the sea-goddess Thetis
and grandson of Aeacus, eponymous ancestor of the Achaeans.
He was also the son of Peleus the Argonaut and his
territory was the islands at the mouth of the Rhine. He
was in command of 50 ships of his father's fleet and his
followers were called the Myrmidons (ants).
During a military campaign into the land of the
Trojans, the Achaeans destroyed a town of Troad and
captured several beautiful women. Out of these, Achilles
was presented with Briseis, a beautiful woman with whom he
fell in love.
In the early years of the war, he fought a single
combat with the Amazon warrior chieftain Penthesileia. At
the moment of her death, he looked into her eyes and was
overcome with love for her. Achilles felt great sorrow at
her passing and sang a lament at her funeral. Throughout
the 10 years of the Trojan war, Achilles sacked so many
cities of Troad that he struck fear into the Trojans more
than any other Achaean warrior.
For political reasons Achilles was forced to give up
Briseis to Agamemnon, his superior. Achilles, who was
described as a stubborn man with a volatile temper, pulled
his troops out of battle in retaliation. The war began to
go badly for the Achaeans so Patroclus, who was Achilles's
best friend, donned Achilles's armor, borrowed his chariot,
and led his troops into battle. As fate would have it, he
was killed by a Trojan named Hector, a son of Priam.
Achilles, hearing the news of his friend's death, went
into a battle frenzy and slaughtered masses of Trojan
warriors in revenge. When he found Hector, he chased him
3 times around the fort of Troy before killing him, then
dragged his body back to his camp where he circled the bier
of Patroclus. To further humiliate his enemies, he left
Hector's body for the dogs until the old head chieftain
Priam visited Achilles in his camp and begged him to return
the body of his son. Achilles obliged the chieftain.
Towards the end of the siege of Troy, Achilles was
killed by an arrow that hit him in the heel, the only place
that was unprotected by armor. The arrow was probably
poisonous, as he died from the wound. Achilles was buried
on the shores of the Hellespont (Netherlands). Odysseus
and Ajax fought over his armor. His son Neoptolemus killed
Priam, the Trojan chieftain, and abducted his daughter
Polyxena whom his father had loved. On the way home with
her, the god Achilles appeared and demanded the girl as a
sacrifice.
NAME Achtan
ALTERNATIVE Etain
GENDER F
CATEGORY righbean
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Olc Siche (father); Art (consort); Cormac
macAirt (son); Lugaidh (husband); Nia (son)
SEE ALSO Art Aenfer / Cormac mac Airt / Lugaidh mac Conn
/ Lugna / Nia / Olc Siche
REMARKS Achtan mated with the high chieftain of Ireland,
Art Aenfer, at the request of her father when Art had
stopped over on his way to battle. Art was killed during
the battle and never returned but he had forseen this and
had told Achtan that when her time was near she was to
hurry to the fortress of Lugna in Connacht where the child
was to be born and fostered.
When Achtan's time to give birth was near she
collected her necessities and with her maid set off to her
destination. As it was, the child was born on the way and
his birth was accompanied by flashes of lightning and claps
of thunder.
From his raith, Lugna saw the lightning and heard the
thunder and, knowing that his friend Art's child had been
born, set out to find mother and child. When he reached
their camp he was shocked to find only a distraught mother
and her maid, because the child had been taken away by a
wolf during the night.
Lugna knew his foster was still alive and sent his
warriors to search the area. A warrior named Grec found
the child in a cave among the whelps of a she-wolf. Grec
brought the boy and the litter of wolf cubs with him to the
fortress where he was reunited with his mother and was
given the name Cormac mac Airt as his father had wished.
Achtan then married Lugaidh mac Conn who was the son
of Art's brother. He had killed Art in battle and was now
the high chieftain of Ireland. Achtan paved the way for
her son Cormac to come to Tara as a foster of the high
chieftain.
NAME Acichorius
EPITHET Sister's Dog
ALTERNATIVE Cichorios
GENDER M
SYMBOL dog
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE war leader
COUNTRY France / Macedonia / Greece / Bulgaria / Turkey
TERRITORY Gaul / Illyria / Thrace / Paeonia
LANDMARKS Balkan Peninsula / Haemos
SITES Delphi / Istanbul (Byzantion)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 281 / BC 279-278
SEE ALSO Cerethrios / Bolgios / Brennus
REMARKS Celtic warriors invaded the Balkan Peninsula in
BC 3rd century with three armies that descended on Illyria,
Thrace and Macedonia.
Acichorius was second in command under Brennus and
they led a large force of 20,000 horse warriors and 150,000
battle-line into Paeonia where they spent a year fighting
the hillmen of Haemos. The Celtic army was reinforced with
Illyrian warriors and they then entered Macedonia and
continued on into Greece where they sacked the temple of
Delphi during the winter of BC 279-278.
The central force was flanked by two armies. The
eastern force was led by Cerethrios and the western by
Bolgios. The horse warriors were each accompanied by two
mounted servants and the trio were called a Trimarkisia.
After Brennus died from his wounds and dysentry, Acichorius
led the warriors to sack the wealthy port of Byzantion
(Istanbul).
NAME Addedormarus
ALTERNATIVE Addedormaros / Addepormarus
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Brenin
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Briton - Trinovantes tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION Essex / Suffolk
CENTERS Braughing / Colchester (fortress of Camulos)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 15
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Avarwy Mandubrad / Camulos / Dumnuvelaunus
REMARKS Addedormarus succeeded Avarwy Mandubrad as head
chieftain of the Trinovantes. In BC 15 he moved his tribal
headquarters from Braughing to Camulodun (Colchester). He
himself was followed by Avarwy's son Dumnuvelaunus as head
chieftain.
NAME Adiatunnus
ALTERNATIVE Adiatunnos
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE horse warrior / solduri
CULTURE Aquitani - Sontiati tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul / Aquitanica
LANDMARKS Garonne (Garumna) river
AGE Iron
DATES BC 56
ENEMIES Rome
REMARKS Adiatunnus was the chieftain who led the
Sontiati tribe against the invading Romans in BC 56. At
first he fought open battles using horse warriors and
soldiers of the battle-line, then he made the mistake of
moving into an oppidum and was put under siege.
The Aquitani were experienced tunnel diggers and tried
to escape by digging their way out but their plan was
discovered. Adiatunnus then sent envoys to the Romans to
discuss peace and during the negotiations he and his 600
soldurii tried to escape. The escape was a failure so they
sent hostages and surrendered.
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Rex
TYPE traitor / Roman-appointed head chieftain
CULTURE Belgae - Catuvellauni tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION Essex
CENTERS Colchester (fortress of Camulos)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 1st c / AD 43 (became Rex)
RELATIVES Cunobel (father); Togodumnos and Caratacus
(brothers)
ENEMIES Cunobel / Togodumnos / Caratacus
SEE ALSO Camulos / Caratacus / Cunobel /
Togodumnos
REMARKS Because of his pro-Roman stance, Adminius's
father exiled him from Catuvellauni territory. Adminius
then went straight to the Romans in Gaul. When the Romans
invaded southern England, Adminius was made a client king
of Rome with his center at Camulodun (fort of Camulos).
NAME Adna
EPITHET Ollamh
GENDER M
CATEGORY ollamh
TYPE chief poet to Ri Ruirech
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Neide (son)
SEE ALSO Conchobar / Neide
REMARKS Adna was the Ollamh (chief poet) of Ulster
during the time of Conchobar.
NAME Aebh
ALTERNATIVE Aobh
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Island of Aran / Tipperary
TERRITORY East Munster / Ulster
CENTERS Sidhe ar Femuin / Sidhe Fionnachaidh
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Ailill of Aran (father); Bodb Dearg (foster-
father); Lir (husband); Fionnula and Fiachra
(daughters); Aedh and Conn (sons); Aoife and
Arbha (sisters)
SEE ALSO Ailill of Aran / Aoife / Bodb Dearg / Fionnula /
Lir
REMARKS Aebh was the daughter of Ailill of Aran and was
fostered to Bodb Dearg along with her two sisters Aoife and
Arbha. One day, Lir came to visit Bodb Dearg at the Sidhe
ar Femuin. He was still depressed by the civil war that
had torn apart the Danann. Bodb Dearg suggested that Lir
should marry and proposed that he select one of his foster-
daughters who were of noble birth.
Lir chose Aebh because she was the oldest and he hoped
the wisest. Aebh and Lir were much in love and soon he was
a happy man again and the father of twins: a female child
named Fionnula and a male child called Aedh. Sometime
later Aebh died while giving birth to another set of twins.
They were Fiachra, a female, and Conn, a male.
NAME Aed
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} / AEda {ay'da} / Aedh (fire) / Aodh
GENDER M
CATEGORY bard
TYPE court dwarf to Fergus mac Leti
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Down
TERRITORY Ulster / The Otherworld - Faylinn (Pond of the
Fay)
CENTERS Dun Rury (Dundrum castle)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
SEE ALSO Eisirt / Fergus mac Leti / Iubdan
REMARKS Aed was a bard and the court dwarf to Fergus mac
Leti of Dun Rury (Dundrum castle) in the ancient province
of Ulster. Aed was informed one day that a royal bard was
at the gate demanding entrance to the fortress. He went to
the entrance and there was a man so small that Aed carried
him into the court on the palm of his hand.
Aed accompanied Eisirt when he returned to the court
of Iubdan at Faylinn in the Otherworld. When the Fay Folk
(Elfin) saw Aed they were terrified because they thought he
was a Fomorian giant.
NAME Aed Abrat
EPITHET The Eye of Fire
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} / AEda {ay'da} / Aedh (fire) / Aodh
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun god
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Magh Cruaich
CENTERS Oenach Fidgai
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Li Ban and Fand (daughters); Aeonghus mac Aedh
Abrat (son)
SEE ALSO Aeonghus mac Aedh Abrat / Fand / Li Ban
REMARKS Aed Abrat was a deity from Magh Cruaich (Mag
Cruath) in The Otherworld and had two daughters named Li
Ban and Fand and a son named Aeonghus.
NAME Aed Caem
EPITHET The sledgehammer (Ord)
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} / AEda {ay'da} / Aedh (fire) Coem /
Aodh
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Daghda (father); Anghus and Cermat (half-
brothers); Adair, Aine and Brighid (half-
sister); Magog, Iarbonel, Ordan and Net
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Corrchend the Fair
SEE ALSO Anghus mac Og / Brighid / Cermat Milbel /
Daghda / Iarbonel / Magog / Net / Ordan
REMARKS Aed Caem son of Daghda was slain by Corrchend
the Fair because Aed had violated his wife. Corrchend was
then forced to carry the body until a stone of suitable
size was found.
NAME Aeda
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} / AEda {ay'da} / Aedh (fire) / Aodh
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE giant
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Land of Giants (Tir na Fathach)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
ACCESSORIES red shield / large spear
SEE ALSO Bebhionn / Fionn
REMARKS The beautiful giantess Bebhionn, daughter of
Treon, had been betrothed to Aeda but refused to marry him.
She fled to Ireland to seek refuge with Fionn and the
Fianna.
Aeda followed after her in his ship and caught up to
her on the shore talking to Fionn and his warriors. He was
described as a handsome young man carrying a red shield and
a huge spear. He threw his spear at Bebhionn and mortally
wounded her. He then fled with the Fianna at his heels but
escaped to his ship and sailed away.
NAME Aedan
ALTERNATIVE Aedan {ay'dan}
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Leinster
AGE Iron
ENEMIES children of Mael Fhothartaig
SEE ALSO Mael Fhothartaig / Ronan
REMARKS The head chieftain of Leinster hired Aedan to
kill his son Mael for him. Aedan agreed to this and killed
Mael with a spear. Aedan was then killed by Mael's
children in revenge for the death of their father.
NAME Aedd Mawr
EPITHET Of the Lower Region
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior / Brenin
TYPE ancestral god / head chieftain
CULTURE Pictish - Trinovantes
COUNTRY France
REGION Brittany
TERRITORY Gaul / Llydaw
LANDMARKS Loire
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c
RELATIVES Prydain (son)
SEE ALSO Prydain
REMARKS Aedd Mawr was the head chieftain of the Pictish
tribes in Llydaw (Brittany) and his territory was around
the mouth of the Loire river. His son Prydain led warriors
from there to Lloegr (England) where they became known as
the Pretani (Britons).
NAME Aedh
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} / Aedh (fire) / Aeda / Aodh
GENDER M
SYMBOL raven
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Oriel (Airgialla)
ACCESSORIES shield - Dubhghiolla (Black Servant)
SEE ALSO Badbh Catha
REMARKS Aedh was the chieftain of Oriel and when he went
into combat the battle goddess Badbh was said to perch on
the rim of his shield in the form of a raven.
NAME Aedh Dubh
EPITHET Black Fire
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} Dub / Aedh (fire) / Aeda / Aodh
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior
TYPR chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel - Ui Néill / Danann / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Hostel of Banban
AGE Ui Nèill
DATES AD 6th c
RELATIVES Suibne (father); Flann (kinsman)
ENEMIES Diarmuid mac Cearbhail
SEE ALSO Banban / Bec Mac De / Diarmuid mac Cearbhail
REMARKS Aedh Dubh attacked the Bruidhean (Hostel) of
Banban looking for Diarmuid, the high chieftain of Ireland.
He was seeking revenge on behalf of his kinsman who had
been executed by the high chieftain of Ireland for having
an affair with his wife.
When Aedh Dubh found Diarmuid he stabbed him with his
spear. The wounded high chieftain managed to secure
himself in his room, so Aedh Dubh had his warriors set the
hostel on fire. Diarmuid tried to escape the blaze by
climbing into a vat of ale. Fortunately for Aedh Dubh, a
burning roof beam fell on Diarmuid and he drowned in the
vat. His death fulfilled a prophecy of his filidh Bec Mac
De.
NAME Aedh mac Ainmireach
ALTERNATIVE Aed {ed} / Aedh (fire) / Aeda / Aodh
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Ui Néill / Danann / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht / Leinster / Mide / Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 6th c / AD 542-565 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
BATTLES Dun Bolg
ACCESSORIES supernatural caul that protected him in battle /
Boramha Tribute (cattle counting)
RELATIVES Ainmire (father); Domnall, Mael-Coba, Garban and
Cumascach (sons); Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
ENEMIES Brandubh / Ron Cerr
SEE ALSO Brandubh / Domnall mac Aedh / Dubhdun / Eremon /
Ron Cerr / Tea
REMARKS Aedh mac Ainmireach son of Ainmire was a
descendant of Eremon and Tea and ruled Ireland as the high
chieftain for 28 years. While he was awaiting the arrival
of his tax from Leinster (Boramha Tribute), he was
approached by a leper who informed him that the head
chieftain of Leinster was sending his tribute by wagons and
they would be there by nightfall.
Aedh became suspicious of the story of the leper and
sent for Dubhdun, chieftain of Oriel, and had him place his
troops in preparation for a suprise attack from the
warriors of Leinster. They did this and when the wagons
arrived they checked the cargo, finding only salted meats,
grains and other such provisions included in the tax.
The guards led the wagons into the camp and as soon as
he had his chance the leper let the Leinster warriors out
of their hiding places in the wagons. The warriors of
Leinster then attacked the Clanna Conall and Clanna Owen
who protected the high chieftain of Ireland.
Aedh mac Ainmireach realized too late that he had been
tricked and was dragged from his horse by Ron Cerr, the
leper, who was raising his sword for the final blow that
took off his head.
NAME Aedh Ruad
ALTERNATIVE Aed Ruadh
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht / Leinster / Mide / Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 7th c / BC 671-650 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
RELATIVES Badarn (father); Macha (daughter); Cimbaeth and
Dithorba (cousins); Airgetmar (grandfather); Ir
(ancestor)
ENEMIES Lugaid Laigdech
SEE ALSO Airgetmar / Cimbaeth / Macha / Ir
REMARKS Aedh Ruad, son of Badarn, son of Airgetmar was a
descendant of Ir of the Milesian (Goidel). He and his
cousin Cimbaeth, head chieftain of Ulster, attacked Lugaid
Laigdech the high chieftain of Ireland, and Aedh killed him
in combat.
Aedh then ruled Ireland for 21 years with his cousin
Cimbaeth in Ulster and his other cousin Dithorba as the
head chieftain of the Fianna of Inis Fail ruling the south.
When Aedh died his position was taken by his cousin
Cimbaeth.
NAME Aeneas
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel / Trojan / Phoenician
COUNTRY England / Tunisia / Italy
REGION Cambridgeshire
TERRITORY Troad
LANDMARKS Wash
CENTERS Troy (Gogmagog Hills) / Carthage / Latium
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Dione (grandmother); Zeus (grandfather);
Aphrodite (mother); Anchises (father); Ascanius
[Iulus] (son); Dido (consort); Lavinia (wife);
Silvius (son); Brute (grandson); Iafeth
(ancestor)
ENEMIES Achaean / Danann
SEE ALSO Aphrodite / Brute / Iafeth / Virgil / Zeus
REMARKS Aeneas was a hero of the Trojan War who escaped
with his father and son after the defeat of his people.
Their ship became lost in a storm and he ended up in
Carthage, where he fell in love with Dido, the chieftain.
After a period of time Aeneas went to Latium in Italy.
There the chieftain Latinus promised him his daughter
Lavinia, but another local chieftain who was in love with
her declared war against him. The other suitor was finally
killed and Aeneas married Lavinia. He died in battle
against the Rutulians and was declared a god by the Latins.
His story was related by the Celtic writer Virgil under the
title of the Aeneid. Aeneas's great-grandson Brut led
warriors of the Trojan culture back to England 109 years
after the Trojan War ended and founded the center Caer
Troia (New Troy).
NAME Aengus mac Lamh Gabuid
ALTERNATIVE Oengus {Engus} / Oengus mac Lama Gabuid
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Mac Da Tho's
RELATIVES Lam Gabuid (father)
ENEMIES Cet
SEE ALSO Cet mac Magach / Mac Da Tho
REMARKS Aengus, a tall blond warrior of Ulster, arose
during the verbal battle for the hero's portion of Mac Da
Tho's boar and challenged the right of Cet of Connacht to
cut up the boar. Cet asked Aengus if he knew why his
father was called Lam Gabuid. The warriors of Connacht
demanded to know why.
Cet told them that one day while he was capturing wild
cattle in Ulster, Lam Gabuid threw a spear at him. Cet
caught the spear and threw it back, cutting off Lam
Gabuid's hand. That was how Aengus's father had acquired
his name. Aengus sat down.
NAME Aeonghus mac Aedh Abrat
ALTERNATIVE Oengus {Engus}
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY deity / bard
TYPE healer god / singer / messenger
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Magh Cruaich
SITES An Tete Brecc
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Aed Abrat (father); Fand and Li Ban (sisters)
SEE ALSO Aed Abrat / Conall Cernacht / Cu Chulainn / Emer
/ Fand / Ferghus mac Roig / Li Ban / Lugaid
Reoderg
REMARKS Aeonghus mac Aedh Abrat was a deity from Magh
Cruaich famed for his healing songs. One Samhain as Cu
Chulainn lay on his sick bed at An Tete Brecc, Aeonghus
appeared before him. Ferghus, Conall, Lugaid and Emer, who
surrounded his bed, watched as the god chanted healing
verses over Cu Chulainn, reviving him from his year-long
coma.
Aeonghus then told Cu Chulainn to return to the exact
spot on Magh Muirthemni where he had met the two women. Cu
Chulainn did this and he found the goddess Li Ban waiting
for him.
NAME Aericura
EPITHET Of the Underworld
ALTERNATIVE Aeracura / Herecura
GENDER F
SYMBOL dog
CATEGORY deity
TYPE moon goddess / fertility goddess
CULTURE Pictish - Brigantes tribe
COUNTRY Germany
REGION Wurttemberg
LANDMARKS Neckar
SITES mineral springs at Cannstadt / Sulzbach
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 13th c
ACCESSORIES key of white / blue / red
RELATIVES Aericuros, Dis and Sucellos (consorts)
SEE ALSO Aericuros / Dis / Sucellos
REMARKS The ancient goddess of the underworld
(subconscious) was venerated at Cannstadt, a place with
many mineral springs used for curing diseases of the throat
and nervous complaints. A stone from the town of Cannstadt
in Germany depicts her as a goddess of plenty, represented
by a basket of fruit. The first part of the name Aericura
may relate to basket (aero) or to copper (aereus).
Near the town of Ettlingen in the Baden-Wurttemberg
region, the goddess sits with a basket of fruit while her
partner unrolls the scroll of life. The god is accompanied
by a 3-headed dog and Aericura holds a key with the three
colors white, blue, and red symbol of the moon goddess
which is based on the corona of the moon.
In Sulzbach she was sometimes represented with
Sucellos. This was an ancient Celtic area until the
Germani tribes moved in during BC 1st century. The
Brigantes tribe was settled in this area by BC 13th century
with another branch of the tribe in England.
NAME Aericuros
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE fertility god
CULTURE Pictish - Brigantes tribe / Britons
COUNTRY England
REGION Northumberland
TERRITORY Lloegr
SITES Corbridge
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 13th c
RELATIVES Aericura (consort)
SEE ALSO Aericura
REMARKS Aericuros a Celtic fertility god was venerated
in the Northumberland area of England. This was the
territory of the Brigantes who settled in BC 13th century.
NAME Agamemnon
EPITHET Lord of Many Isles and Argos
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior / war leader
CULTURE Achaean / Danann / Mycenaean / Argives
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica / Argos
LANDMARKS Seine
SITES Troy
CENTERS Troyes (Mycenae)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
ACCESSORIES ship with oars
RELATIVES Atreus (father); Aerope (mother); Clytaemnestra
(wife); Iphigeneia and Electra (daughters);
Orestes (son); Chryseis and Cassandra
(consorts); Menelaus and Pleisthenes (brothers);
Helen (sister-in-law); Pelops (grandfather);
Hippodamia (grandmother); Thyestes (uncle)
ENEMIES Troy
SEE ALSO Achilles / Artio / Hector / Helen / Menelaus /
Priam
REMARKS In BC 13th century at the time of the Trojan
War, Agamemnon was the head chieftain of Argos (northern
France) and was made war leader for the Achaean armies. He
came from a very troubled family that had the curse of the
gods on them. He continued to aggravate the gods by
killing a stag that was sacred to Artio and in revenge she
becalmed the fleet he led to attack Troy. To appease the
goddess, he sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia. Artio then
spirited her away to the land of the Tauri where she
trained as a druid.
During a military campaign into the land of the
Trojans, the Achaeans destroyed a town of Troad and
captured several beautiful women. Out of these, Agamemnon
was presented with Chryseis, a daughter of a priest to the
sun god. During the 10th year of the war, a plague broke
out in a camp of the Achaeans. It was believed that the
plague was caused by the father of Chryseis in revenge for
his daughter's abduction, so the Achaean army persuaded
Agamemnon to return her to her people. Agamemnon then
demanded Briseis, Achilles's consort. Achilles withdrew
his troops in retaliation and the war began to go badly for
the Achaeans.
In an attempt to lure his best battle champion back to
the conflict, Agamennon offered Achilles 7 towns: Aipeia
(Eupen) east of Liège; Antheia (Anthée) west of Dinant;
Cardamyle (Karden) on the Moselle River; Enope (Enneptal)
on the Ruhr; Hire (Irrel) north of Luxembourg; Pedasus
(Pedenberg) north of Duisburg; and Pherae (Vervier) east of
Liège, all in the region of the lower Rhine.
A bribe of 7 towns, great quantities of wealth and
numerous women including Briseis still failed to bring back
Achilles. Then fate intervened and Achilles' best friend
Patroclus was killed by the battle champion Hector. This
drove Achilles into a battle rage and he helped swing the
tide of battle back to the Achaeans.
The war ended in favor of the Achaean, and a
victorious Agamemnon returned home with a new consort,
Cassandra, daughter of Priam. On his arrival he was
assassinated by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover.
Agamemnon's son, Orestes, revenged his murder.
NAME Agdistis
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE fertility goddess
CULTURE Belgae
COUNTRY France / Belgium / Netherlands
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c
REMARKS Agdistis was venerated as a fertility goddess in
the area since ancient times.
NAME Agrona
EPITHET Of the Slaughter
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE forerunner of death
CULTURE Battle Axe - Ordovices tribe
COUNTRY Wales
REGION Ceredigion
LANDMARKS Aeron river
AGE Chalcolithic / Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 3rd mill / AD 47
REMARKS Agrona was sometimes seen at the Aeron river
washing the clothing of those who were going to be killed
in an upcoming battle. This was the territory of the
Ordovices tribe, an ancient people who arriving in BC 3rd
millenium.
NAME Ai mac Ollamain
ALTERNATIVE Ai (poem) / Aoi
GENDER M
CATEGORY poet
TYPE popular poet
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Olloman (father); Ernmas (grandmother); Delbaeth
(grandfather); Fiachu (uncle); Magog, Iarbonel,
Net and Ordan (ancestors)
ENEMIES Eogan
SEE ALSO Delbaeth / Ernmas / Fiachu / Iarbonel / Magog /
Net / Oghma / Olloman / Ordan
REMARKS Ai the son of Olloman was a descendant of Net
and Ordan. When Ai mac Ollamain was born, his dwelling was
rocked by such great winds that the filidh predicted the
boy would become a great man. The chieftain wanted the boy
slain but the newborn child pleaded for his own life. He
was named "Ai" which means "poem" and grew to become a
famous poet. Ai and his uncle were killed by by Eogan of
Imbir Mor.
NAME Aideen
ALTERNATIVE Aidin
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Fianna - Clanna Baoisgne {Bascna}
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster
SITES Ben Edar (Howth)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c / AD 287 (died)
RELATIVES Oscar (husband); Oisin (father-in-law)
SEE ALSO Oisin / Oscar
REMARKS Aideen was the noble wife of the great Fianna
chieftain Oscar. When she heard that her husband had died
in battle, her sense of loss was so great that she
committed suicide. Oscar's father Oisin buried her under
an ogham stone on Ben Edar (Howth), the same stone under
which he himself would be buried a century later.
NAME Aife
EPITHET The Handsome / Greatest of Female Warriors
ALTERNATIVE Aifa {eefa, ee-fe} / Aife {eefe} / Aoife
{eef-ay}
GENDER F
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior / battle champion / combat
instructor
CULTURE Pictish
COUNTRY Scotland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Land of Shadow (Tir na Scath) /
Albainn
SITES Isle of Women (Oiléan na mBan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
ACCESSORIES chariot / horses
RELATIVES Airdgreme (father); Scathach (sister); Condlae
(son); Cu Chulainn (consort); Uathach (niece)
SEE ALSO Airdgreme / Condlae / Cu Chulainn / Ferdiad /
Scathach / Uathach
REMARKS Aife was the mightiest of female warriors and
lived in the Land of Shadow of The Otherworld on the Island
of Women. When Scathach and her warriors attacked Aife,
she killed many of her sister's best champions. Aife then
challenged her sister Scathach to single combat but before
she could answer, Cu Chulainn appeared and challenged Aife
to single combat.
Aife was a superior warrior to Cu Chulainn but he knew
that her greatest worry was her chariot and her horses. As
she was about to slay him he yelled for her to look to her
horses and when she turned he captured her.
In exchange for not killing her, he extracted three
promises from her. They were: that she and her sister
would make peace, that she would bear his child and that
she would train the child to be a mighty warrior. She
agreed to this arrangement and Cu Chulainn stayed and
trained with her until she bore him a son.
Cu Chulainn told her to name the child Condlae and
gave her his thumb ring. When the boy was old enough he
was to be given the ring and sent out into the world with
the geis that he was not to reveal his name to anyone
should they ask. Aife also trained Ferdiad, Cu Chulainn's
foster brother, and numerous other warriors.
NAME Aige
GENDER F
SYMBOL hind
CATEGORY character
COUNTRY Ireland
RELATIVES Broccaid mac Bric (father); Fafne (brother)
ENEMIES Meilge
REMARKS Aige was turned into a hind by a filidh under
orders from Meilge, the high chieftain of Ireland, because
she refused to marry him. He and his warriors then hunted,
killed and ate her.
Aige's brother Fafne was a poet and composed a satire
which raised 3 blotches on the face of Meilge. Fafne's act
was a serious offense because the high chieftain of Ireland
had to be without physical blemishes or disfigurations.
Fafne was captured and executed at the command of the high
chieftain.
NAME Ailbe
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Danann / Goidel / Pictish / Fianna - Clanna Ui
Tarsigh
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide / Leinster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES Allen Hill
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara / Raith Almu (Fort of Almain)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Cormac macAirt (father); Ethne (mother); Grainne
(sister); Cairbre and Celleach (brothers); Fionn
mac Cumhaill (consort); Art (grandfather);
Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Art Aenfer / Cairbre Lifechair / Celleach /
Cormac macAirt / Eremon / Fionn mac Cumhaill /
Grainne / Tea
REMARKS Ailbe, daughter of Cormac macAirt the high
chieftain of Ireland, fell in love with Fionn mac Cumhaill.
When she correctly answered a series of riddles, Fionn
invited her to live with him as a consort.
NAME Ailbhinn
ALTERNATIVE Alvin
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE battle-line / champion
CULTURE Danann / Goidel / Pictish / Fomorii / Fianna -
Clanna Ui Tarsigh
COUNTRY Ireland / Scotland
REGION Dublin
TERRITORY Leinster / The Otherworld - Lochlinners
LANDMARKS Hill of Howth
SITES Allen Hill / Dun Kincorry
CENTERS Raith Almu (Fort of Almain)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Fionn mac Cumhaill (father); Samhair and Cebha
(half-sisters); Aedh, Ailbhinn, Cairell, Daire,
Fergus Finnbheoil, Oisin and Raighne (half-
brothers)
ENEMIES Manus
SEE ALSO Ailbhinn / Cairell / Caoilte / Cebha / Daire /
Fergus Finnbheoil / Fionn mac Cumhaill / Goll /
Manus / Oisin / Samhair
REMARKS Ailbhinn and Caoilte and many of the Fianna's
best warriors were not invited to a feast given by Fionn at
Raith Almu. They were so insulted by this snub that they
decided to take their services elsewhere and sailed to the
territory of Lochlinners where they took service for a year
and a day with Manus, the head chieftain of the Red
Shields.
The wife of the head chieftain fell in love with
Ailbhinn and they all had to flee to escape her husband.
The warriors of the Fianna decided to head to their summer
hunting grounds and the head chieftain of Lochlinners
followed with nine of his chieftains and their warriors.
When Manus arrived at Dun Kincorry near the Hill of
Howth, his champion Erragon waded into the Fianna with his
sword. Ailbhinn was at the front of his warriors and he
and the son of Leirr as well as 30 other Fianna lost their
heads to the champion.
Finally Goll, champion of the Fianna, challenged
Erragon to combat. The two dragons of combat fought for 9
hours with mighty deeds and feats. In the end, Goll was
the victor.
NAME Ailell macMailchlo
EPITHET The Listener
ALTERNATIVE Ailill {al-il, al-ill, ayeleel, el'yill} /
Ailill Estech / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY filidh
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
RELATIVES Rudraige (father); Maelchod (mother); Sencha
(son); Congal Clairingnech, Bresal Bo-dibad,
Cass and Ross (brothers); Sitric (grandfather);
Ir (ancestors)
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
SEE ALSO Maelchod / Ir / Ross the Red / Rudraige / Sencha
macAilella
REMARKS Ailell macMailchlo's mother was a filidh and his
son Sencha macAilella was known as The Wise Counsellor and
the most respected filidh in Ulster. Ailell used his arts
during the Cualnge Cattle Raid.
NAME Ailill Agach
EPITHET Edge of Battle
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, al-ill,
ayeleel, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE sea raider
REGION Goidel - Eoghanachta tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Galway Bay / Arans
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 7th c
RELATIVES Maelduin (son)
SEE ALSO Maelduin
REMARKS Ailill was a chieftain of a sept of the
Eoghanachta tribe in Thomond of the Arans, 3 islands in
Galway Bay. During a raid on the mainland of Ireland they
camped by a church and he took advantage of one of the
women of the new religon. She gave birth to a beautiful
male child whom she named Maelduin who she then gave to her
sister to be raised as her own.
Ailill was killed by raiders, and when his son
finished training as a warrior he went off in search of his
father's killer.
NAME Ailill Aine
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / son of the Ard Righ Eirinn
CULTURE Goidel / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th
RELATIVES Laoghaire Loc (father); Labraid (son); Ugaine
Mor (grandfather); Cesair (grandmother);
Cobhthach (uncle); Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
ENEMIES Cobhthach
SEE ALSO Cesair / Cobhthach Coel / Eremon / Labraid
Loingsech / Laoghaire Loc / Tea / Ugaine Mor
REMARKS Ailill Aine was poisoned by his uncle Cobhthach
Coel in an attempt to get rid of any family members who
might have a right to the position of high chieftain of
Ireland.
NAME Ailill Anubhaill
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill Angubae
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES hill of Tara
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Find (father); Eochaidh Feidhleach and Eochaidh
Airemh (brothers); Etain Echraidhe (consort ?);
Etain Oig (daughter ?); Eremon and Tea
(ancestors)
SEE ALSO Eochaidh Airemh / Eochaidh Feidhleach / Etain
Echraidhe / Etain Oig / Eremon / Midhir / Tea
REMARKS Ailill, son of Find, son of Findlug, fell in
love with Etain Echraidhe, the wife of Eochaidh Airemh who
was his brother and the high chieftain of Ireland. The
frustration of not being able to consummate his love with
her brought about a wasting sickness.
When the high chieftain of Ireland left for his tour
of the five provinces of Ireland, Ailill was on his death
bed. Believing the end had come, he confided in Etain and
told of his love for her. Etain came each day and bathed
his face and hands and cut his meat and in 3x9 days he was
in good health again.
Now that Ailill was in better spirits he convinced
Etain to make a tryst on the hill of Tara the next day.
When the time came Ailill slept throughout the day and did
not wake until evening. They again made a tryst to meet on
the hill and again he slept throughout the day. The 3rd
appointment to meet went the same way. When they finally
discussed the matter, Etain told him that she had met him
each day on top of the hill and had spent the day with him.
It was then that Midhir, a deity of the Danann,
appeared and told her that he had taken on the likeness of
Ailill and had met with her on the hill. He had used his
gifts to make Ailill fall in love with Etain and now he
would reverse the process so that he would forget her.
NAME Ailill Dubhdedach
EPITHET Blacktoothed Ailill
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE giant / door guard
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Land of Wonder (Tir na Iontas)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Morgan (father); Coinchend (mother); Delbchaem
(sister)
ENEMIES Art Aenfer
SEE ALSO Art Aenfer / Coinchend / Delbchaem / Morgan
REMARKS Blacktoothed Ailill guarded the gates of the
family fortress on an island in the Land of Wonder.
Ailill could not be killed by any weapon and when Art
Aenfer came to the gates of the fortress, he was sharpening
his teeth on a pillar stone. Art killed him, gaining entry
to the fortress in his search for the beautiful Delbchaem.
NAME Ailill Find Miltenga
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / Red Branch champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
REMARKS Ailill Find Miltenga was a Red Branch champion
who fought for Ulster during the Cualnge Cattle Raid.
NAME Ailill Finn
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
RELATIVES Flidhais (wife)
SEE ALSO Flidhais
REMARKS Ailill Finn was a chariot-warrior of Connacht
and was married to Flidhais the chariot goddess. He was
killed during the Cualnge Cattle Raid.
EPITHET Ailill of Leinster
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Gailioin
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Carlow / Roscommon
TERRITORY Leinster / Connacht
LANDMARKS Magh Ai
SITES Hostel (Bruidhean)
CENTERS Dinn Rig / Raith Cruachain (Rathcroghan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Mac Da Tho's / Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech &
Irgairech
ACCESSORIES Finnbhenach (The White Horned Bull)
RELATIVES Maga Muresc (mother); Ross Ruad (father); Medbh
(wife); Andoe, Athramail, Gaib Uile, Mathramail,
Milscothach, Mingor, Morgor and Orlam (sons);
Finnabair and Sadb Sulbair (daughters); Finn and
Carbre (brothers); Ethne (consort); Furbaide
(son)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Pictland / Ulster / Ferghus / Conall
SEE ALSO Carbre Niafer / Cethern / Conall Cernacht /
Cuillius / Ethne / Ferghus mac Roig / Finn
macMata / Finnabair / Froech / Furbaide /
Mac Da
Tho / Maga Muresc / Mane / Medbh / Orlam / Ross
Ruad
REMARKS Ailill was born in Leinster, the son of Maga
Muresc and Ross Ruad. Ailill had rights to the leadership
of Connacht through his mother and grandmother. He was the
only suitor that Medbh, Sovereign of Ireland, would accept.
Medbh was the head chieftain of Connacht and her bride
price was a chariot worth 21 slave women, a wedding ring
the breadth of his face and made of red gold, silver bronze
the weight of his left forearm (shield arm), and noble
clothing for 12 men. Their union tied Leinster and
Connacht together.
Ailill was described as a tall red man wearing a
diadem of gold on his head. He carried a hammered sword
with a gold hilt in a scabbard of silver ornamented in
gold. Before the Cualnge Cattle Raid he called on his
uncles to help in the raid against Ulster. Cuillius was
his charioteer during the cattle raid.
Ailill congratulated himself on the Host of Connacht
having laid waste to Cualnge, Ulster, the land of the
Picts, from the end of summer until the beginning of
spring. They captured the women, children, horses and
herds, and he thought it was time to go to Raith Cruachain
on Magh Ai in Roscommon to await the upcoming battle. At
the end of the Cualnge Cattle Raid, Ailill made a 7-year
peace with Ulster.
Ailill killed Ferghus mac Roig while Ferghus was
swimming with Medbh, in revenge for having an affair with
his wife. Ailill's wife Medbh helped Conall Cernacht kill
Ailill on a Beltainn with a spear while he was swimming, in
revenge for his having killed Ferghus.
NAME Ailill Miltenga
EPITHET The Honey-tongued
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY chariot warrior / poet
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Mound of Slane in Mide
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech & Irgairech
RELATIVES son of Carba
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
SEE ALSO Athairne / Fer Chertnae / MacRoth
REMARKS During the Cualnge Cattle Raid, MacRoth
described a company of Ulster poets led by Fer Chertnae as
they arrived at the Mound of Slane in Mide. Ailill and
Athairne flanked their leader Fer Chertnae.
Ailill was described as a bright-faced youth wearing
purple boots and a reddish-gray mantle held with a silver
fibula. He carried a sword from his waist and his voice
was as sweet as that of a lute.
NAME Ailill of Aran
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Island of Aran
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Aebh, Aoife and Arbha (daughters)
SEE ALSO Aebh / Aoife / Bobd Dearg / Lir
REMARKS Ailill was the chieftain of the island of Aran
and he sent his three daughters Aebh, Aoife and Arbha to be
fostered by the Danann head chieftain Bodb Dearg at his
raith at Sidhe ar Femuin in East Munster. Two of his
daughters married the Danann chieftain Lir.
NAME Ailill of Echraidhe
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Oilill
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh nInis
CENTERS Sidhe Ban Find
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Danu (consort); Be Find (daughter)
SEE ALSO Anghus mac Og / Daghda / Midhir / Be Find
REMARKS Ailill of Echraidhe was the chieftain of the
Danann in Ulster. Anghus travelled to Sidhe Ban Find on
Magh nInis to obtain permission to woo his daughter Be Find
on behalf of Anghus's foster-father Midhir. Ailill said he
would allow the wooing if Anghus could complete three
tasks.
The first task was to clear 12 forests. Anghus with
the help of his father Daghda created the 9 plains of Magh
nDula, Magh nItha, Magh Lemna, Magh Li, Magh Line, Magh
Machae, Magh Muirthemni, Magh Techt and Magh Tochair in a
single night.
The next task was to create 12 rivers. Anghus agreed
to this task and with the help of his father again they
drained the newly-cleared plains creating the 8 rivers
Amnas, Bandai, Findi, Lochae, Nass, Oichen, Or and Samuir.
The third task was to provide a bride price of Be
Find's weight in both gold and silver. This was done and
Ailill allowed them to take Be Find to Sidhe Brugh na Boyna
on Magh mBreg and introduce her to Midhir.
NAME Ailill Olomn
EPITHET Bare Ear
ALTERNATIVE Ailbill / Ailell / Ailill {al-il, ayeleel,
al-ill, el'yill} / Ailill Aulum / Ailill Olamh /
Oilill Olom
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Eoganachata
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster / Leth Moga (The Half of Mug)
CENTERS Raith Cashel (Caisel)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd c
ACCESSORIES supernatural spear
RELATIVES Eoghan (father); Beara (mother); Cormac Cas
and Cian (sons); Conaire and Tadhg (brothers);
Eber (ancestor)
ENEMIES Aine na gClair
SEE ALSO Aine na gClair / Beara / Cian / Conaire Coem /
Cormac Cas / Eber / Eoghan Mor / Tadhg mac
Nuadat
REMARKS Ailill Olomn possessed a supernatural spear that
had 3 gessa against it. The spear should not be used
against a woman, its point should never strike a stone and
its tip should should never be straightened with the teeth.
Ailill desired the beautiful fertility goddess Aine na
gClair, and when she refused his advances he raped her. In
revenge, Aine cut off both of his ears which prohibited him
from remaining the head chieftain of Munster.
In a fit of anger at having his ears cut off, Ailill
threw his spear at Aine. The spear went straight through
her body and hit a rock. He then retrieved it and
unwittingly straightened the tip of the spear with his
teeth. He realized too late what he had done, as his sight
faded and his breath became foul.
NAME Aille Shnuadh-Gheal
EPITHET The Fair
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
BATTLES Cnoc-an-aire
RELATIVES Meargach (husband)
ENEMIES Oscar
SEE ALSO Conan Maol / Fionn mac Cumhaill / Meargach /
Oscar
REMARKS Aille the Fair was wife to Meargach of the Green
Spear. When her husband was killed in combat against Oscar
of the Fianna during the battle of Cnoc-an-aire, she swore
revenge.
Aille ordered her filidh Fer Gruadh (The Gray Man) to
capture Fionn and as many of the Fianna as he could. He
used a drug spell but Conan Maol freed them with the use of
trickery. When Oscar was freed, he killed the Gray Man and
soon after, Aille committed suicide.
NAME Aillen mac Midhna
ALTERNATIVE Aillen mac Midna
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES Cave of Cruachan / Raith Rig
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES son of Midhna
ENEMIES Fionn
SEE ALSO Cormac macAirt / Fionn mac Cumhaill / Goll mac
Morna
REMARKS For 23 years on the eve of Samhain, Aillen would
come forth from The Otherworld through the Cave of Cruachan
and lull the inhabitants of Tara to sleep with his
enchanting music. Then he would set the walls of the Raith
Rig alight and burn down fortress.
One year, a young Fionn mac Cumhaill decided to
investigate. When Samhain eve arrived, he kept himself
awake by pressing the point of his spear to his forehead.
Then when Aillen appeared before the walls of Tara, Fionn
killed him and cut off his head. In appreciation, the high
chieftain of Ireland, Cormac macAirt, replaced Goll with
Fionn as head of all the Fianna.
NAME Aillinn
ALTERNATIVE Ailinn
GENDER F
SYMBOL apple tree
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE grand-daughter of the Ri Ruireach
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Carlow
TERRITORY Leinster
LANDMARKS Boyne / Magh mBreg
SITES Rosnaree
CENTERS Dinn Rig
AGE Iron
DATES AD 1st c
RELATIVES Lewy Farriga (mother); Eoghan mac Dathi (father)
SEE ALSO Art Aenfer / Baile mac Buain
REMARKS Aillinn, grand-daughter of the head chieftain of
Leinster, was in love with Baile, son of the head chieftain
of Ulster, at a time when the two provinces were at war.
The couple made a tryst to meet at Rosnaree on Magh
mBreg by the bank of the Boyne. Just before Ailinn was to
leave for her secret meeting, an apparition told her that
Baile mac Buain had died on the way to meet his love.
Aillinn, her heart broken, took poison and died. In
time, an apple tree grew from her tomb and the poets of
Leinster cut a branch from the tree and told her story in
ogham. Two hundred years later on a Samhain eve, the high
chieftain of Ireland Art Aenfer would bring the two
together again.
NAME Aine na gClair
EPITHET Aine of the Sight / Of the Wisp
GENDER F
SYMBOL cliar (wisp)
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY deity / filidh
TYPE fertility and love goddess / seer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY West Munster
LANDMARKS Loch Guirr
SITES Cnoc Aine {knockainy}
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd c
ACCESSORIES Seer's ring
RELATIVES Donn of Uisneach (grandfather); Eogabail
(father)
ENEMIES Ailill Olomn
SEE ALSO Ailill Olomn / Eogabail
REMARKS Aine na gClair was the beautiful daughter of the
druid Eogabail. She was a fertility goddess who was raped
by Ailill Olomn when she spurned his attention. Aine took
revenge on Ailill by cutting off both his ears. The loss
of his ears meant that Ailill would never again be the head
chieftain of Munster because he was blemished. In anger he
killed her with his supernatural spear.
Aine was buried and her burial cairn became known as
Cnoc Aine (Aine's Hill) near Loch Guirr which is fed by
water from a sacred spring. It is said that she appears on
on the eve of summer solstice and mates with mortal men.
Devotees would gather on her hill on the eve of summer
solstice and light a need-fire. They would evoke Aine to
come amongst them and ask her to protect them against
sickness, ensure fertility and bring them good luck. From
the need-fire they would light their torches called cliars
(wisps) which were made by tying hay and straw to a pole
(broomstick) and spread out into their fields swinging
their torches in a circle over their crops and cattle.
One night she appeared among some of her female
devotees who had stayed late on her hill. She thanked them
for their devotion and allowed some to look through her
seer's ring at a group of people from The Otherworld who
also wanted to use the hill that night.
NAME Airdgeme
EPITHET Lord of Red Brightness / High Power
ALTERNATIVE Ard-Greimme
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun god
CULTURE Pictish
COUNTRY Scotland
TERRITORY Albainn / The Otherworld - Lethra
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Scathach and Aife (daughters); Uathach (grand-
daughter)
SEE ALSO Aife / Scathach / Uathach
REMARKS Airdgeme was the sun god of Lethra and his two
daughters and a grand-daughter were all battle champions
and instructors in the art of combat.
NAME Airgetmar
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht / Leinster / Mide / Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg / Oenach Aine
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 8th-7th / BC 718-688 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
BATTLES Brega
RELATIVES Sirlam (father); Badarn and Fintan (sons);
Cimbaeth and Aed Ruad (grandsons); Macha (great-
granddaughter); Ir (ancestor)
ENEMIES Ailill Finn / Fiachu / Dui Ladgrach
SEE ALSO Aed Ruad / Fodhla / Ir / Macha / Setna Airt
REMARKS Airgetmar, son of Sirlam, was a descendant of Ir
of the Milesian (Goidel) and became the 48th high chieftain
of Ireland.
Airgetmar had sided with Fiachu son of Dui Ladgrach
against the high chieftain Ailill Finn son of Art. They
killed the high chieftain but then they themselves fought
over the title at the battle of Brega. Fiachu was killed
in the battle but the descendants of Eremon rallied behind
Eochu, son of Ailill Finn and drove Airgetmar from Ireland.
Airgetmar remained in exile for 7 years until he made
peace with Dui Ladgrach son of Fiachra Tolgrach. They then
attacked the high chieftain, Eochu, and killed him at
Oenach Aine.
Airgetmar then reigned as high chieftain for 30 years
until he was killed by Dui Ladgrach who ruled for 10 years
until he was slain by Lugaid Laigdech who ruled for 7 years
until he was killed in combat by Aed Ruad, a grandson of
Airgetmar. Aed Ruad became the next high chieftain.
NAME Airmid
ALTERNATIVE Airmed / Airmedh / Airmeth
GENDER F
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY druid
TYPE physician (medicinal plants)
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh)
SITES Spring of Health
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
RELATIVES Diancecht (father); Miach, Ochttriuil, Cian, Cu
and Cethen (brothers); Etain (sister); Esaire
(grandmother); Net great-grandfather); Magog and
Iarbonel (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Cian / Diancecht / Esaire / Etain / Iarbonel /
Magog / Miach / Net
REMARKS Airmid, daughter of Diancecht, son of Esaire,
daughter of Net was a healer like her father and her
brother. She was, with her father, responsible for
guarding the sacred spring (Spring of Health) that could
raise the dead, mend the wounded and heal the sick. She
helped her brother Miach replace a porter's damaged eye
with that of a cat. The porter was awake in one eye during
the day and the other during the night.
When her father murdered her brother out of jealousy
of his talents, medicinal herbs grew up on his grave.
Airmid picked the herbs and laid them on her cloak in the
order in which they grew. When her father saw this he
threw them from the cloak so the secrets would remain his
alone.
NAME Aittit
ALTERNATIVE Aittit (Furze)
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE chief lampoonist to 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 sons of Sciath Foilt
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Conaire / Da Derga / Donn Desa / Ingcel
REMARKS Aittit (Furze), Draigen (Bramble) and Dris
(Thorn) were the 3 lampooners for Conaire, the high
chieftain of Ireland. During the battle of Ath Cliath on
Magh Liffey, each wore long gowns with red patterns and
blue mantles. All three carried arms and each killed a
warrior while defending the high chieftain.
NAME Alawn
GENDER M
CATEGORY vate
TYPE judge
CULTURE Pictish / Briton
COUNTRY France / England
REGION Brittany / Cornwall
TERRITORY Gaul / Llydaw / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Loire
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c / BC 550 ca.
SEE ALSO Dyvnwal / Gwron / Plennydd / Prydain
REMARKS Alawn was an ovate at the druidic center
established on Ynys Prydain (island of the Pretani) by
Plennydd. Alawn and Gwron developed the concept of usage
and privileges which became the customs of the bards of the
island of Britain.
This was during the time of Prydain and his son
Dyvnwal, when the Pictish warriors came from the Loire
river in Llydaw (Brittany) to Lloegr (England). Here they
became known as the Pretani (Britons).
NAME Albanactus
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Latin / Goidel - Coritani tribe
COUNTRY England / Scotland
REGION Humberside
TERRITORY Albainn
LANDMARKS Humber river / Caithness
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 11th c
RELATIVES Brute (father); Ignoge (mother); Locrinus and
Camber (brothers)
ENEMIES Humber
SEE ALSO Brute / Camber / Corineus / Gwendolen / Locrinus
/ Maddan
REMARKS Since Locrinus was the oldest of Brute's sons,
he was chosen as the high chieftain of their people. As
was tradition among the Celtic people, the other two
siblings and their followers went off in search of new
lands.
Albanactus and his people travelled to the north side
of the Humber river and conquered to Caithness in the
northern tip of Scotland.
A chieftain from the continent, landed near the mouth
of the Humber river with a force of warriors and Albanactus
was killed in the battle that followed. His brothers
arrived to late to save him but they did drive off the
invaders. Albanactus's name was given to the territory
which was called Albainn. Humber's name was given to the
river.
NAME Albina
GENDER F
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Amazon
COUNTRY England
AGE Bronze
REMARKS An Amazon chieftain named Albina landed on the
shores of England with 50 female warriors.
NAME Albiorix
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE mountain god
CULTURE Gallic - Tricastini
COUNTRY France
REGION Vaucluse
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Rhône / Durance
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c
REMARKS Albiorix was venerated in the territory of the
Tricastini tribe a people who settled the area in BC 6th
century.
NAME Alisanos
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE god of rocks
CULTURE Gallic - Mandubii tribe
COUNTRY France
REGION Côte d'Or
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Yonne / Seine / Aube
SITES Alesia (Alise Ste Reine)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c
REMARKS Alisanos was venerated as a god of rocks at
Alise Ste Reine (Alesia) a site in the territory of the
Mandubii tribe who were settled in the area since BC 6th
century.
NAME Allectus
ALTERNATIVE Allectos
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Pictish ?
COUNTRY Scotland / England
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c / AD 297
ENEMIES Rome
REMARKS Allectus fought against the armies of Emperor
Constantius I in AD 297.
EPITHET The Divine Plowman
ALTERNATIVE Amathaon
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / farmer
TYPE god of agriculture
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Wales
REGION Gwynedd {gwin-eth} / Clwyd {clud}
TERRITORY Gwynedd
CENTERS Harlech
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Don (mother); Arianrod (half-sister); Govannon
(brother); Gwyddion and Gilfaethwy (half-
brothers); Dylan and Llew (nephews)
SEE ALSO Arianrod / Culhwch / Don / Dylan Eil Ton /
Gilfaethwy / Govannon / Gwyddion ap Don /
Isbaddaden / Llew Llaw Gyffes
REMARKS Amaethon was of the family of Don. Six hundred
years after his death, Isbaddaden demanded that Culhwch get
Amaethon to plow, plant and harvest a field in one day.
Needless to say, Amaethon refused.
NAME Amargin
ALTERNATIVE Amargin {av-ar-ghin}
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE battle-line champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Mound of Slane in Mide
CENTERS Buas
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech & Irgairech
ACCESSORIES sword (Echtach) / fluted spear
RELATIVES Ecestsalach the Grimy (father)
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
SEE ALSO Ferghus mac Roig / MacRoth
REMARKS Amargin was a champion of the battle line from
Buas in the north of Ulster. As he arrived at the Mound of
slane in Mide, MacRoth described him to Ferghus.
His uniform consisted of a blue narrow-bordered cloth
next to his skin and over that was mail of silvered bronze
chain with sharp red-gold buttons that fastened it to his
chest. Over everything he wore a green cloak of many
shades, held with a gold fibula. A straight sword hung at
his side and he carried a shield with 5 gold circles and a
flaming red-fluted spear.
NAME Ambicatus
EPITHET He Who Gives Battle All Around / Lord of the
World (Biturix)
ALTERNATIVE Ambigatos
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Rix
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Gallic - Bituriges tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Loire / Indre / Creuse / Vienne
CENTERS Bourges (Avaricum)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 5th-4th c / BC 391
RELATIVES Bellovesus and Segovesus (nephews)
SEE ALSO Bellovesus / Segovesus
REMARKS Ambicatus became the high chieftain of a
confederation made up of the Aedui, Ambarri, Andes,
Arverni, Aulerci, Carnuti, Cenomani, Insubres,
Lingones and
Senones tribes. They were settled in central Gaul with
Avaricum (Bourges) as the main center.
In BC 391 Ambicatus initiated the idea of sending his
sister's sons and heirs (distaff) to lead some of the young
of the tribes in search of new lands to settle, as Gaul was
becoming crowded. He decided to let the omens signify who
was to go where.
NAME Ambiorix
EPITHET Chieftain of Both Sides
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin / Gwledig
TYPE horse warrior / head chieftain / war leader
CULTURE Belgae - Eburones tribe
COUNTRY Germany / France / Belgium / Netherlands
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Maas / Rhine
SITES Tongres (statue)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 54-50
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Catuvolcus / Indutiomarus
REMARKS Ambiorix held the position of head chieftain
jointly with the elderly Catavolcus. The tribal territory
was in the lowlands of present-day Netherlands, Belgium,
France and Germany. It was situated on both sides of the
Maas river and over to the Rhine river. During the winter
of BC 54, Caesar decided to winter his legions in the
territory of the Eburones and demanded that they be fed.
Indutiomarus, head chieftain of the Treveri,
encouraged Ambiorix and Catuvolcus to ready their warriors
for battle. The Eburones attacked a Roman camp, then sent
for someone to parley with the Romans and convince them
that all of Gaul was going to rise against them that
winter. Ambiorix convinced the Romans that he was indebted
to Caesar and that his tribe was small and insignificant so
he perferred not to fight with the Romans. Ambiorix
suggested they should march to a neighboring Roman camp
where it was safer.
The next day the Romans left their fort in a long line
overburdened with baggage. The Eburones waited along a
gorge until the Romans were within it, then attacked from
both ends and sides. They massacred the troops,
demonstrating to the rest of Gaul that there was a good
chance of escaping from the yoke of Roman oppression.
The Eburones success against the Romans encouraged the
Aduatuci, Nervii, Ceutrones, Grudii, Levaci,
Pleumoxii and
Geidumni tribes to rise up and attack Rome. Ambiorix
continued a guerrilla war against the Romans which cost
Caesar considerably in prestige, money, time and lives.
Caesar finally sent troops and German mercenaries into
his territory to burn the crops and huts, drive off the
cattle and generally lay waste to the countryside. Ambiorix
escaped with some of his horse warriors to the safety of
the Ardennes.
By BC 50 Caesar was desperate to catch Ambiorix who
had been making a fool of him for four years with his
guerrilla warfare. This time Caesar decided to destroy the
territory totally and kill the people, burn the remaining
dwellings and steal the cattle.
Ambiorix's guerrilla war on Rome was to prove to be
one of Caesar's greatest failures in Gaul.
ALTERNATIVE Amairgen / Amairgin / Amargin / Amergin /
Amerghin {am-org-in} / Amhairghen / Amhairgin /
Amirgen / Amorgen Glungel
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY hero / warrior / druid
TYPE chariot warrior / astronomer / judge /
counsellor / ambassador / poetic warrior
CULTURE Goidel (Milesian) / Egyptian - Artabri tribe
COUNTRY Egypt / Spain / Ireland
REGION Galicia / Kerry / Meath / Donegal
TERRITORY Munster / Mide
LANDMARKS Corco Duibne / Dingle Peninsula / Shannon
Estuary / Boyne Estuary / Magh mBreg
SITES Sliabh Mish (Slieve Mis) / Teltown (Tailltenn) /
Millmount Tower
CENTERS Brigantia (A Corunna)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 15th c
BATTLES Sliabh Mish / Taillcenn / Druim Lighean / Bile
Tened (died)
ACCESSORIES 3 sacred poems
RELATIVES Golamh (father); Scota (mother); Scena (wife);
Arannan, Eber, Eremon, Ir, Colptha (brothers);
Odba and Dil (half-sisters); Donn and Airioch
(half-brothers); Bile (grandfather/cousin);
Bregon (great-grandfather); Brego, Bladh, Fuad,
Murthemne, Cualgne, Cuala, Eibleo, Nar and Ith
(cousins); Rifath Scot (ancestor)
ENEMIES Danann / MacGreine / Eremon
SEE ALSO Arannan / Banbha / Bile / Bladh / Bregon /
Colptha / Daghda / Donn / Eber / Eire /
Eremon /
Fodhla / Fuad / Golamh / Ir / Ith / MacGreine /
Odba / Scena / Rifath Scot / Scota
REMARKS Amhairghin was born in Egypt to Scota, daughter
of the Pharaoh of Egypt, and Golamh, a Goidel mercenary. He
was the second child of a twin birth. After 8 years his
father quit Egypt and they sailed to the Goidel territory
in Galicia, northern Spain.
Amhairghin began his studies in Egypt and by the time
the Goidel invaded Ireland he was a powerful druid. The
head chieftain was Amhairghin's half-brother Donn and the
reason for the invasion was to take revenge on the Danann
for the killing of their cousin Ith. The Goidel arrived in
Ireland on Beltainn with a fleet of 36 ships, each with a
chieftain and his or her family and followers.
It had been prophesied that Ireland would be taken by
an invading force that made landfall at Inber Scene
(Shannon Estuary). The Milesian circled Ireland 3 times
but each time they came up to Inber Scene the Danann hid
the estuary with a low fog in the shape of a hog's back.
Amhairghin's powers were now strong enough to lift the fog
and the Goidel finally brought their ships into the
estuary. Here Amhairghin buried his wife Scena on the
bank. He then recited this poem:
I am an estuary into the sea.
I am a wave of the ocean.
I am the roar of the billows.
I am the stag of seven hines.
I am a hawk on a cliff.
I am a dewdrop in the sun.
I am a flower of beauty.
I am the wild boar of valor.
I am a salmon in a pool.
I am a lake on a plain.
I am the strength of the artificer.
I am a mountain of poetry.
I am a head full of fire.
Who is it that enlightens the assembly upon the mountain?
Who tells the ages of the moon?
Who shows the place where the sun goes to rest?
After winning a fierce battle at Slieve Mis (Sliabh
Mish) on the Dingle Peninsula, the landing party led by
Donn then went to Tara to negotiate with the 3 leaders of
the Danann. On the way they were met by the 3 goddesses of
Ireland: Banbha, Fodhla and Eire. Eire told Amhairghin
that the sons of Golamh would conquer Ireland and live
there forever if they would promise to call the island
after her. Her sisters' names would be used as poetic
reference for the island. Amhairghin agreed to this but
Donn insulted the goddesses.
The Goidel then continued on to Tara to negotiate with
the Danann. The Danann asked for three days to decide
whether they would fight or submit. Amhairghin made the
first judgment in Ireland by deciding that the sons of
Golamh and Breogan would retreat beyond the 9th wave (an
enchanted boundary).
The Danann conjured up fierce winds and Amhairghin
sent Arannan to the top of a mast to see if the storm was
above them as well. He fell from the rocking mast but
before he died on the deck he assured them that there was
no storm above them.
Amhairghin then knew it was a supernatural phenomenon
and called upon the triple goddess of Ireland and she
calmed the sea and lifted the fog. The Danann raised
another wind, catching Donn with his sails up, and his ship
was wrecked on Bull Island off Beara Peninsula. Amhairghin
calmed the seas again and this time the Goidel landed at
the estuary of the Boyne and prepared for their final
campaign in the conquest of Ireland. Amhairghin appointed
Eremon to the position of head chieftain.
The Goidel had brought with them their horses and
chariots and engaged the Danann at Tailltinn (Teltown) in
Meath and at Drum Lighean (Drumleene) in Donegal. During
the battle Amhairghin killed MacGreine, the head chieftain
of the Danann.
After the Goidel victory, Amhairghin negotiated for
his people while the Daghda negotiated for the Danann.
Ireland was divided in two: the Goidel would control what
was obvious and above the surface while the Danann would
have what was hidden and below the surface.
After the peace between the Goidel and the Danann had
been settled, Amhairghain decided against his twin Eber and
in favor of Eremon to rule the Goidel of Ireland. Eber
called together his followers and demanded that Ireland be
divided in half because he would not serve under his
brother Eremon.
Amhairghain divided the island and he himself stayed
with Eremon in the northern half of the island where he
built Tochar Inbhir Mhoir (the Great Causeway) in the
territory of the Ui Enechlais of Cualu or the causeway of
the Avoca Estuary at Arklow which has been identified with
Togher, Wicklow.
Before long Eber attacked Eremon but was killed in
combat. Amhairghin then divided the island into five
coiceda or provinces, developed the concept of the high
chieftain and made Tara the center. He then appointed
Eremon to be the first high chieftain of Ireland.
Amhairghin killed Caicher in combat at a site named
Cul Caichir, then he himself died when he was killed by his
brother Eremon in combat during the battle of Bile Tened in
the province of Mide. It is claimed that Amhairghin is
buried in the mound that now lies under the Millmount Tower
in Drogheda, Meath.
NAME Amorgen Iarngiunnach
ALTERNATIVE Amairgen / Amairgin / Amargin / Amergin
{am-org-in} / Amhairghen / Amhairgin / Amirgen
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / poet
TYPE chariot warrior / satirist
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
SITES Cave of Cruachan
CENTERS Raith Taltiu (Teltown)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
ACCESSORIES sharp tongue
RELATIVES Cass (father); Findchaem (wife); Fergna and Mess
Ded (sons); Conall Cernacht (step-son); Iliach
(brother); Athairne (foster-father); Cu Chulainn
(foster-son); Ir and Rudraige (ancestors)
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
SEE ALSO Athairne / Conall Cernacht / Cu Chulainn /
Fergna / Findchaem / Illiach / Ir / Ross the Red
/ Rudraige / Tailtiu
REMARKS Amorgen son of Cass had his raith at Tailltinn,
the ancient burial site of the goddess Tailtiu.
During an autumn when his foster-father Athairne was
visiting, Amorgen composed a poem advising against autumn
expeditions. He composed other poems suggesting that the
seasons of winter and spring were not good times for
voyaging either. When summer arrived, his poem referred to
that season as being the one most suitable for travel.
Amorgen proved himself a fighting man by slaying
Helen, the 3-headed supernatural creature, when it emerged
from the Cave of Cruachan, an entrance to The Otherworld.
He was also known for his bragging and satire, as many
warriors found out. He claimed that he should be allowed
to foster Cu Chulainn because he was a wise man advanced in
years, had good fortune and was an eloquent speaker, the
bane of every chariot-warrior.
When Conall arrived home from the Destruction at Da
Derga's Hostel on Magh Liffey, Amorgen accused him of being
a coward that he should live while the high chieftain of
Ireland was dead. However, when he was shown the red
wounds that Conall received, he sang his son's praise.
During the Cattle Raid of Cualnge, Amorgen was hunting
around Taltiu when he spied the warriors of the Host of
Connacht passing through. He threw rocks, clumps and sods
at them for 3 days and 3 nights, causing a great many
deaths as well as depression and sadness among the Host of
Connacht.
NAME Ancamna
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE healer goddess
CULTURE Belgae - Treveri tribe
COUNTRY Germany / Belgium / Luxembourg /
REGION Rhineland
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Ardennes Highlands / Moselle river
SITES curative spring at Mohn
CENTERS Trier
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 9th c / BC 1st c
RELATIVES Lenus and Smertrius (consorts)
SEE ALSO Lenus / Smertrius
REMARKS Ancamna was a goddess associated with healing.
She was venerated by the Treveri tribe at a sacred spring
at Mohn, near Trier. They settled in the area around BC
9th century and were still there after the Romans conquered
Gaul in BC 1st century.
NAME Andrasta
EPITHET Invincible One / Unconquerable / Powerful Bear
ALTERNATIVE Andraste / Andate / Ancasta / Andarta
GENDER F
SYMBOL bear
CATEGORY deity
TYPE war goddess of victory
CULTURE Briton - Iceni tribe / Gallic - Vocontii tribe
COUNTRY England / France
REGION Norfork
TERRITORY Gaul / Lloegr
LANDMARKS Rhône / Durance / Alps
AGE Iron
DATES BC 12th c / BC 1st c
SEE ALSO Boudicca
REMARKS Andrasta was a war goddess and was venerated by
the Vocontii tribe in Gaul and the Iceni tribe in England.
Both tribes were in existence in BC 12th century and were
linked with the Tumulus culture. In BC 1st century the
Iceni chieftain Boudicca sacrificed prisoners to Andrasta.
NAME Aneroestus
ALTERNATIVE Aneroestes
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / war leader
TYPE chariot warrior
COUNTRY Italy
TERRITORY Gaul / Cisalpine Gaul
LANDMARKS Mount Telamon
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 225
BATTLES Cape Telamon
ENEMIES Rome / Celts
SEE ALSO Britomartus / Concolitanus
REMARKS A large force of Gaulish warriors was led over
the Alps and into northern Italy by the three chieftains
Aneroestus, Britomarus and Concolitanos. The force
consisted of 50,000 battle-line soldiers and 20,000 horse
and chariot warriors. They were most likely carrying
weapons of the La Téne ll period.
When they descended into the Cisalpine territory, they
met an army of Romans supported by the Celtic Cenomani and
Veneti tribes. They fought north of Rome near the foot of
Mount Telamon around the cape of Telamon. The Roman army
consisted of all the Roman forces plus 20,000 Veneti and an
auxiliary force. The Celts had a devastating loss when
40,000 of their warriors died and 10,000 were taken
prisoner.
This was the first time the Romans had won a victory
over the Celts. Aneroestus escaped the massacre but he
committed suicide.
NAME Anghus mac Og
EPITHET The Love God / Young Lad (Ind Og) / Son of Youth
(mac Ind Og) / Son of the Two Youths (Mac in Da
Oc)
ALTERNATIVE Aenghus / Anghus {an'gus) / Angus / Aoenghus Og
/ Aonghus {AEneesh} / Aongus (unique force) /
Oenghus / Oengus {engus}
GENDER M
SYMBOL bird / swan
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE fertility and love god
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Mide / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES Sidhe Bri Leith / Lake of the Dragon's Mouth
(Loch Bel Dracon)
CENTERS Sidhe Brugh na Boyna {broo na boyna} (New
Grange)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
ACCESSORIES 4 birds that hovered about his head (4 kisses)
RELATIVES Daghda (father/uncle); Boann (mother/aunt); Caer
(wife); Aed Caem, Cermat Milbel, Goltrade,
Gentrade, and Suantrade (half-brothers); Aine
and Brighid (half-sisters); Eladu and Delbaed
(grandfathers); Danu (grandmother); Magog,
Iarbonel, Ordan and Net (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Aed Caem / Ailill of Echraide / Be Find / Boann
/ Bodb Dearg / Brighid / Caer Ibormeith / Cermat
Milbel / Dagdha / Danu / Diancecht / Eladu /
Elcmar / Fergne / Fuamnach / Iarbonel / Magog /
Midhir / Net / Suantrade / Triath / Ordan
REMARKS Anghus was the son of Daghda and Boan and was a
descendant of Ordan and Net. Mac in Da Oc (Anghus) was
conceived and born on the same day. This was done by his
father so that his mother's husband Elcmar would not find
out that his wife was having an affair. Daghda sent Elcmar
on a mission and then stopped the movement of the sun for 9
months so that Anghus could be born before he returned.
Midhir, who fostered many children of the Danann, was
appointed foster-father and Anghus was brought to his
sidhe. Anghus grew to become a handsome youth and was
always accompanied by 4 birds which hovered around his
head. One day on the playing field, Anghus was teased by
another foster named Triath about not knowing his
parentage. Anghus went to Midhir and demanded to know who
his mother and father were. Midhir told him that he was
the son of Daghda and Boann and took him to meet his
father. Anghus, who was now 9 years old, demanded land of
his own. Daghda told Anghus his intention was to give him
Sidhe Brugh na Boyna on the Boyne River but at the moment
the chieftain Elcmar was resident there.
Daghda suggested that he should go to Sidhe Brugh na
Boyna on Samhain when Elcmar would be armed with only a
forked stick of white hazel. He was to overpower Elcmar
and ransom his life in exchange for Anghus holding the
position of chieftain of Sidhe Brugh na Boyna for a day and
a night and that Daghda should judge the situation.
Anghus followed the instructions, and when Daghda
judged the dispute he ruled that Elcmar had valued his life
more than the land so he would lose the right to it. The
Daghda, being a fair leader, gave Elcmar new land in the
vicinity.
Sidhe Brugh na Boyna had a tumulus where the dead
heroes were buried. They were carried through a unicursal
maze and because of this, the sidhe was also called The
Spiral Castle. The fruit trees of the sidhe were always
full of fruit, a boar was always being roasted and the vat
of liquor never ran dry.
A year after Anghus had established himself at Brugh
na Boyna, he was visited by Midhir on Samhain. While
watching a game on the green, Midhir had his eye poked out
with a piece of holly, and because such a blemish in a
ruler was not allowed by the Danann, Anghus requested that
Diancecht replace it with another. While Midhir was
recuperating, he asked Anghus to woo him the most beautiful
maiden in Ireland. Eventually Anghus found Be Find, the
daughter of Ailill of Echraide, chieftain of the sidhes of
Ulster. Before he could bring her to Sidhe Brugh na Boyna
to meet Midhir, he and his father Daghda had to complete 3
tasks for Ailill. Anghus did this and the couple stayed at
Sidhe Brugh na Boyna with her for a year.
Anghus began to have a recurring dream of a beautiful
young girl playing a timpan. He began to waste away and
Fergne, the filidh, was sent to divine the cause of
Anghus's wasting sickness. Fergne sent for Boann and told
her she must locate the beautiful girl who was the center
of Anghus's dreams. She in turn called for Daghda to help
in the seach and he asked Bodb Dearg to search the island
for her. After 3 years of frantic searching, it was
discovered that the girl in question was Caer Ibormeith,
daughter of the chieftain of the Sidhe Uamuin.
Caer was a powerful filidh and spent every alternate
year in the form of a swan on Loch Bel Dracon. Anghus was
told to visit her at Samhain when she would be in her human
form. Anghus and Bodb Dearg went to Loch Bel Dracon and
saw 3x50 maidens linked together with a silver chain. The
girl of his dreams was taller than the rest by a head, wore
a silver neckring and was attached to the others by a
golden chain.
When Anghus asked her if she would come away with him
and be his bride, she agreed on the condition that Anghus
would let her assume the form of a swan every other year.
Anghus agreed to this and they then both changed into swans
and circled the lake 3 times before they flew away to Sidhe
Brugh na Boyna. There they circled the sidhe and sang a
song so sweet that the people of the sidhe slept for 3
days.
Anghus eventually killed Elcmar for his having slain
Midhir, his foster-father. Anghus himself drowned at the
mouth of the Boyne on a return trip from Albainn.
NAME Angus Gae-Aduath
EPITHET The Terrible Spear
ALTERNATIVE Aenghus / Anghus {an'gus) / Angus / Aonghus
{AEneesh} / Aongus (Unique Force) / Oenghus /
Oengus {engus}
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Desi tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c / AD 277
ACCESSORIES spear
ENEMIES Celleach / Cormac
SEE ALSO Cairbre / Celleach / Cormac macAirt / Eochaidh
Allmuir
REMARKS When Angus's niece was raped by Celleach, a son
of the high chieftain of Ireland, Angus took revenge by
killing him in the Great Hall at Tara. Celleach's father
Cormac macAirt tried to intervene on his behalf but lost an
eye to the butt of Angus's spear.
Cormac macAirt had to step down as high chieftain of
Ireland because a person with a disfigurement could not be
a chieftain. When Cormac's son Cairbre was made high
chieftain and he expelled the Desi tribe from Mide. Some
settled in Munster and Leinster while others, led by
Eochaidh Allmuir, settled in Wales.
NAME Angus macEirc
EPITHET The Great (Mor)
ALTERNATIVE Aenghus / Anghus {an'gus) / Angus / Aonghus
{AEneesh} / Aongus (Unique Force) / Oenghus /
Oengus {engus} / Oengus mar macEarca
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Dal Riada / Danann / Pictish / Scotti -
Clanna Angus
COUNTRY Ireland / Scotland
REGION Islay / Jura
TERRITORY Albainn / Cinel Angus
CENTERS Caill
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 5th-6th c
RELATIVES Earc (mother); Muiredach (father); Fergus, Loarn
and Muirchertach (brothers); Domangart (nephew);
Gabran (great-nephew); Eremon, Tea and Cairbre
Riada (ancestors)
ENEMIES Picts
SEE ALSO Cairbre Riada / Domangart / Eremon / Fergus
macEirc / Gabran / Loarn macEirc / Muirchertach
/ Muiredach / Tea
REMARKS Angus, son of Muiredach, son of Eogan, son of
Niall Noighiallach was a descendant of Eremon and Tea of
the Milesian invaders to Ireland.
Angus was the third son of Muiredach and chieftain of
the Clanna Angus. He led his people from Ireland to the
islands of Islay and Jura in Scotland which he conquered
from the Picts. His territory became known as Cinel Angus
and he became the 6th head chieftain of the Dal Riada tribe
after the death of his great-nephew Gabran. They became
known as the Scotti (Irish).
NAME Anind
ALTERNATIVE Annind
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY warrior
CULTURE Nemedian tribe
COUNTRY Turkey / Ireland
REGION Asia Minor
TERRITORY Phrygia (Mygdonia) / Munster / Connacht /
Ulster / Leinster
LANDMARKS Plateau of Phrygia / Black Sea / Cork Harbour /
Loch Ennell (Loch nAnnind)
SITES Great Island / Dun na Sciath (Fort of the
Shields)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th-18th c
BATTLES Ros Fraechain / Murbolg / Cnamros
RELATIVES Nemhedh (father); Cera (wife); Starn, Iarbonel
and Fergus (brothers); Magog (ancestor)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Cera / Fergus Lethderg / Iarbonel / Magog /
Nemhedh / Starn
REMARKS Anind son of Nemhedh was one of the 5 chieftains
who led his people from the Plateau of Phrygia of Turkey in
Asia Minor to Ireland.
Anind led his warriors to victory in the 3 battles of
Ros Fraechain in old Connacht, Murbolg in old Ulster and
the battle of Cnamros (Camross) in old Leinster.
When Anind died he was buried at Dun na Sciath (Fort
of Shields). This was after the 12th year of their landing
in Ireland. He was ejected from his grave by flooding
waters from Loch nAnnind (Loch Ennell). His Dun eventually
became a royal residence when Tara was abandoned.
EPITHET The Brilliant Light / Of the Great Spear
ALTERNATIVE Anluann / Anlon / Aulvan
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Gailioin
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES Hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Mac Da Tho's / Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech &
Irgairech / Da Choca's
RELATIVES Magach (mother); Doiche (father); Maga (sister);
Bascell, Cet, Doche, En, MacCorb and Scandal
(brothers); Ailill (nephew)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Picts / Ulster / Conall Cernacht
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Bascell / Conall Cernacht /
Cormac / Cet mac Magach / Da Choca / Doche
macMagach / En / Mac Da Tho / MacCorb / Maga
Muresc / Magach of Connacht / Medbh / Scandal
REMARKS Anluan fought for Medb and Ailill against Ulster
in the battle "Tain Bo Cualnge". He and his brother Cet
provided 3000 battle-line soldiers. When Cormac was killed
at Da Choca's Hostel, Anluan took his head to Athlone on
the Shannon to be buried.
During the challenge of the hero's portion in the
story of Mac da Tho's boar, his brother Cet was about to
carve the boar when Conall Cernacht challenged him. Cet
backed down but insinuated that if Anluan was there things
would be different, at which point Conall of the victories
produced Anluan's head. This was call for battle.
NAME Antarios
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE mercenary
CULTURE Gallic
COUNTRY Italy
REGION Sicily
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 241-237
BATTLES Mercenary Revolt
REMARKS Antarios was responsible for the mutiny of
Celtic mercenaries against Carthage during the first Punic
War.
NAME Antedios
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Briton - Iceni tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION East Anglia (Norfolk area)
TERRITORY Lloegr
AGE Iron
DATES AD 1st c / AD 25
REMARKS Antedios was a Celtic chieftain of the Iceni
tribe in AD 25.
NAME Aoibhell
EPITHET The Beautiful
ALTERNATIVE Aibell
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity / chieftain / bard
TYPE forerunner of death / harper
CULTURE Danann - Dal gCais (O'Brien clan)
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Clare
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Lough Derravaragh
CENTERS Sidhe Craig Liath
ACCESSORIES supernatural harp
RELATIVES Dubhlainn Ua Artigan (consort)
REMARKS Aoibhell ruled a sidhe in Connacht called Craig
Liath (gray rocks) a couple of miles north of Killaloe near
Lough Derravaragh (Lake Derg) in county Clare. Those that
heard her harp knew they would die soon.
She prophesied that Dubhlainn, her consort, would die
in an upcoming battle if he did not wear the cloak of
invisibility that she offerred him.
NAME Aoife
EPITHET Demon of the Air
ALTERNATIVE Aifa {eefa} / Aife {eefe} / Aoife {eef-ay}
GENDER F
SYMBOL Crane
FESTIVAL Fleadh Aise (Feast of Age)
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman) / filidh
TYPE sorcerer
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Island of Aran / Tipperary / Mayo
TERRITORY Munster
LANDMARKS Loch Derg / Sea of Moyle / Innis Gloire
CENTERS Sidhe ar Femuin / Sidhe Fionnchaidh
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
RELATIVES Ailill of Aran (father); Bodb Dearg (foster-
father); Aebh and Arbha (sisters); Lir
(husband); Fionnula, Aedh, Fiachra and Conn
(stepchildren)
SEE ALSO Aebh / Aedh / Ailill of Aran / Bodb Dearg / Conn
/ Fiachra / Fionnula / Lir
REMARKS Aoife was one of the three noble daughters of
Ailill of Aran. When they were of age they were fostered
to Bodb Dearg, head chieftain of the Danann. When Lir came
to choose a wife, he chose Aoife's older sister Aebh who
died in childbirth. Bodb Dearg insisted that Lir choose
another foster-daughter to be his second wife and mother to
his children. Lir agreed and he chose, Aoife, the next
oldest, to be his wife.
Aoife's life went well and at first she dearly loved
her sister's children and treated them as her own. As time
went on, though, she became jealous of the attention they
received from Lir and she slowly began to hate them.
On the way to attend the Feast of Age at the Sidhe ar
Femuin, she tried to get her charioteer to murder them. He
refused but in a fit of insanity she convinced them to
enter the water to wash so they would be clean for their
arrival at the sidhe. When they entered the water she
changed them into swans and condemned them to spend 300
years on Lough Derravaragh (Loch Derg), 300 years on the
Sea of Moyle between Ireland and Scotland and another 300
years on Innis Gloire off Erris Head in county Mayo. At
this future time, she told them, a northern chieftain will
take a southern wife who will ask to be given four swans
and you will be released.
When Bodb Dearg heard what had happened, he turned
Aoife into a crane (Demon of the Air) as punishment. Aoife
was killed while in the form of a crane and her skin, which
had magical properties, was used to make a satchel. Fifteen
centuries later it became the "The Crane Bag" of the Fianna
and was used to hold their wealth.
EPITHET Sea Foam
ALTERNATIVE Venus (Latin)
GENDER F
SYMBOL copper / goat / deer / dove / dog / rose /
myrtle
CATEGORY deity
TYPE goddess of love / fertility of nature
CULTURE Goidel / Trojan / Phoenician
COUNTRY England
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
ACCESSORIES girdle
RELATIVES Zeus (father); Dione (mother); Hephaistos, Ares,
Dionysus and Hermes (consorts/half-brothers);
Poseidon (consort/uncle), Adonis and Anchises
(consorts); Hermaphroditus, Aeneas, Phobos,
Deimos and Eros (sons); Artio, Hebe and Athena
(half-sisters); Aeacus, Apollo, Tantalus and
Belenos (half-brothers); Oceanus (grandfather);
Tethys (grandmother)
ENEMIES Achaeans
SEE ALSO Aeneas / Apollo / Ares / Artio / Athena /
Belenos / Helen / Hephaistos / Hermes /
Menelaus
/ Paris / Poseidon / Zeus
REMARKS Aphrodite was the daughter of Zeus and a sea
goddess named Dione who was a daughter of Tethys and
Oceanus. Aphrodite was a fertility goddess and her girdle
excited sexual desire in gods and humans alike.
Aphrodite supported the Trojans during the Trojan War
because she had been picked as the most beautiful of the
goddesses by Paris, who had been asked to judge the
contest. She had offered him the winning of the love of
the most beautiful woman in the world.
Aphrodite and Paris then set off to woo Helen, the
wife of Menelaus, head chieftain of the Achaeans. Aphrodite
used her skills to cause Helen to fall in love with Paris.
This was the excuse for the Trojan War, fought between the
Trojans and the Danann and their allies (Achaeans).
NAME Apollo
GENDER M
SYMBOL gold / bow / lyre
CATEGORY herder / deity
TYPE cowherd / god of disease / healing / prophecy
CULTURE Goidel / Trojan
COUNTRY England
REGION Cambridgeshire
TERRITORY Troad
LANDMARKS Mount Ida (Ditton Woods)
SITES Troy
AGE Bronze
DATES 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Leto (mother); Zeus (father); Asclepiu (son);
Artio (twin sister); Aphrodite, Hebe and Athena
(half-sisters); Aeacus, Ares, Hephaistos,
Belenos, Tantalus and Hermes (half-brothers);
Poseidon (uncle)
ENEMIES Achaeans
SEE ALSO Aphrodite / Artio / Ares / Athena / Belenos /
Hephaistos / Hermes / Paris / Poseidon / Zeus
REMARKS Apollo angered his father Zeus and was sent to
serve Laomedon, high chieftain of Troy and grandfather of
Paris. Laomedon appointed Apollo to tend his herd of
cattle on Mount Ida.
Apollo supported the Trojans during the Trojan War.
Homer did not associate him with the sun but referred to
him as a god of disease and healing. He also had the
ability to foretell the future.
Apollo was portrayed as a tall, handsome young man
holding a bow or a lyre. His statue at Amyclae was adorned
with a new coat every year that was woven by women. He was
venerated by athletes. It was no doubt Apollo who spread
disease throughout the Achaean camp during the Trojan war.
ALTERNATIVE Aranan / Arandan / Erannan / Erennan
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel (Milesian) / Egyptian - Artabri tribe
COUNTRY Egypt / Spain / Ireland
REGION Galicia / Kerry
LANDMARKS Imber Scena (burial site)
SITES Tor Breogain (Tower of Breogan)
CENTER Brigantia (A Corunna)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 15th c
RELATIVES Golamh (father); Scota (mother); Eremon, Eber,
Amhairghin, Ir, and Colptha (brothers); Odba and
Dil (half-sisters); Donn and Airioch Feabhruadh
(half-brothers); Bile (grandfather); Bregon
(great-grandfather); Brego, Bladh, Fuad,
Murthemne, Cualgne, Cuala, Eibleo, Nar and Ith
(cousins); Rifath Scot (ancestor)
ENEMIES Danann
SEE ALSO Amhairghin / Bile / Bladh / Bregon / Colptha /
Donn / Eber / Eremon / Fuad / Golamh / Ir / Ith
/ Scena / Rifath Scot / Scota / Odba
REMARKS Arannan was the last son born to Golamh and
Scota. He was born at the "Tor Breogain" (Tower of
Breogan) at A Corunna, Spain. During the Goidel invasion
of Ireland, Arannan was sent to the top of a mast by
Amhairghin to see if the storm was blowing above the ships.
When he reached the top of the mast, he realized that there
was no wind or fog. As he began to climb down he was
thrown from the mast as it shook in the wind, but before he
hit the deck he yelled that all was calm above.
When they made landfall he and Scena were buried on
the opposite side of the Shannon Estuary.
NAME Arausio
EPITHET The Orange
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun god
CULTURE Gallic - Cavares tribe / early Hallstatt
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Cevenne Mountains / Rhône
CENTERS Arausio
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 9th c
REMARKS Arausio was a local sun god who gave his name to
the town of Arausio in France. He was venerated in the
territory of the Cavares tribe who settled the area around
BC 9th century.
EPITHET Lord of the Underworld / Ruler of Hades
ALTERNATIVE Arawn {a-rown} (eloquence)
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior / Brenin
TYPE god of the dead / hunter god / head chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Wales / Isle of Man
REGION Dyfed
TERRITORY The Otherworld - The Underworld (Annwn) / Dyfed
SITES Glynn Cuch / Narberth (Gorsedd Arberth)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
ACCESSORIES cauldron / gray horse / hounds (Cwn Annwn)
RELATIVES Rhiannon (consort) / Pryderi (son)
ENEMIES Heveydd
SEE ALSO Amathaon / Gwyddion / Heveydd / Rhiannon /
Pryderi / Pwyll
REMARKS Arawn was a chieftain of Annwn {an-noon}, a
Brythonic name for Hades (land of the dead), which is
thought by many to have been the the Isle of Man.
One day Arawn was hunting with his dogs in the woods
of Glynn Cuch when the hounds began to run down a stag. All
of a sudden, another pack of hounds cut his off and
surrounded the stag. The owner of the other pack
approached him and as the two hunters confronted each other
over their dogs and the stag, Arawn found he was addressing
Pwyll, the Brenin of Dyfed. Pwyll apologized for his dog
and his own bad manners and offered to make amends.
Arawn seized the opportunity to explain a problem that
he was having with another chieftain of Annwn. The two
rival chieftains were of equal strength and fought a ritual
combat every year, but neither could beat the other. If
Pwyll would take on the form of Arawn and live in his
territory for one year he could fight the chieftain and
defeat him. Arawn would meanwhile take on Pwyll's form and
live in Dyfed for a year and it would become more
prosperous.
Pwyll, being a young chieftain, jumped at the chance
of adventure and agreed to the plan. Arawn then warned
Pwyll of the sorcery of the other chieftain Heveydd. Pwyll
was to hit him only one deadly blow and no more or Heveydd
would rise more powerful than before. Arawn then used his
talents so that each looked like the other. Arawn then
went to Gorsedd Hall which was Pwyll's home to spend the
year as Pwyll.
After the year was over, the two chieftains met again
at Glynn Cuch and Arawn used his talents to make each look
like himself again and they went back to their own
territories. Arawn was happy that Heveydd had been
eliminated and was suprised that Pwyll had not taken
advantage of his wife in the year that he had replaced him
as head of Annwn. The two chieftains remained good
friends, exchanging gifts, and both territories were the
better for the exchange.
Arawn also fought Gwyddion ap Don and Amathaon ap Don
during the battle of the trees. In time, Arawn became
associated with the land of the dead. The Cwn Annwn
(Hounds of Annwn) were considered the forerunners of death
who came at night to find the souls of the dead and lead
them to Annwn. They were white with red ears and were
leashed by a chain to a man with horns who was dressed in
dark gray and rode a dapple-gray horse.
NAME Arca Dubh
EPITHET Black Arky
ALTERNATIVE Arcai Dubh Iasgair
GENDER M
CATEGORY servant / fisherman
COUNTRY Ireland / Scotland
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd c
BATTLES Cnucha (Knock Castle)
ENEMIES Cumhal / Fionn
SEE ALSO Cumhal / Fionn mac Cumhaill
REMARKS After the battle of Cnucha, Arca Dubh came upon
Cumhal lying wounded on the ground. He told Cumhal he
would help him if they exchanged swords. Cumhal agreed and
when Arca Dubh got his hands on Cumhal's sword he stabbed
him in the back. Cumhal's own sword was the only weapon
that could cause his death.
When Fionn received his wisdom tooth, he perceived
that Arca Dubh had killed his father Cumhal. Arca Dubh was
fishing one day when Fionn came upon him and killed him
with his own fishing rod.
NAME Arduinna
EPITHET Of the Ardennes / Among the Oaks
ALTERNATIVE Ardu Enna
GENDER F
SYMBOL human riding a boar
CATEGORY deity
TYPE animal fertility / hunter
CULTURE Belgae - Treveri / Mediomatrices
COUNTRY Belgium / Luxembourg / Germany
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Ardennes highlands / Moselle river
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 9th c / BC 1st c
ACCESSORIES boar / knife
REMARKS Arduinna was the goddess of the forests of the
Ardennes highlands where it is dark and shadowy. She was
often protrayed riding on the back of a large boar,
sometimes holding a knife in her right hand.
A forest in the Ardennes was named Arduenna. The
Treveri and Mediomatrices tribes were settled in the
territory by BC 9th century.
NAME Ares
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior
TYPE god of war / chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel / Trojan
COUNTRY England
REGION Cambridgeshire
TERRITORY Troad / Thrace
LANDMARKS Wash
CENTERS Troy (Gogmagog Hills)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Hera (mother); Zeus (father); Aphrodite (half-
sister/consort); Hippolyta (daughter); Phobos,
Deimos and Eros (sons); Hebe (sister);
Hephaistos (brother); Athena and Artio (half-
sisters); Aeacus, Apollo, Belenos, Tantalus and
Hermes (half-brothers)
ENEMIES Achaean / Danann
SEE ALSO Aphrodite / Apollo / Artio / Athena / Belenos /
Hephaistos / Hera / Hermes / Zeus
REMARKS Ares, a son of Zeus and Hera, had a temple in
Thrace, an area of Troad. He had an affair with Aphrodite,
his brother Hephaistos's wife, but was discovered by his
brother. He also sired the Amazon chieftain Hippolyta who
was killed by Hercules (Belenos).
During the Trojan War, Ares fought on the side of the
Trojans and during a skirmish he was wounded by Athena and
Diomedes.
NAME Arganthonios
EPITHET The Silver King
ALTERNATIVE Arganthonion
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Tartessian / Goidel ?
COUNTRY Spain
REGION Andalucia / Murci
TERRITORY Tartessus (modern Guadalquivir valley)
LANDMARKS Guadiana / Guadalquivir / Odiel
CENTERS Seville (Tartessus)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 7th-6th c / BC 670-550
REMARKS Legends say that Arganthonios lived for 120
years and around BC 600 he ruled the territory of Tartessus
for 80 years. The center, also called Tartessus, was
situated around present-day Seville.
The valley was known for its concentration of silver
mines and Arganthonios became known as the Silver King. He
funded the Phocaean Greeks so that they could build a wall
to protect themselves from the Persians of Corsica. Arganto
is the Brythonic word for silver.
NAME Argentocoxos
EPITHET Silver Leg
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Pictish - Caledonian tribe
COUNTRY Scotland
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c / AD 210
ENEMIES Rome
REMARKS Argentocoxos represented the Picts when they
made a truce with the Romans in AD 210. Arganto is the
Brythonic word for silver.
EPITHET Silver Wheel / Silver Circle
ALTERNATIVE Aranrhod {ahr-yahn'-rawd} / Arianrhod {aree-an-
rod} / Aryanrhod / Goewin
GENDER F
SYMBOL moon corona (white / blue / red)
CATEGORY deity / ovate
TYPE moon goddess / seer / virgin footholder for Math
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Wales
REGION Gwynedd {gwin-eth} / Clwyd {clud}
TERRITORY Gwynedd / Arfon (Arvon)
SITES Puffin Island, SE of Anglesey
CENTERS Caer Dathl (Fort Dathal) at Caernarfon / Caer
Sidin
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Pebin (father); Don (mother); Llew Llaw Gyffes
and Dylan (sons); Math (uncle/foster-father);
Amaethon, Govannon, Gilfaethwy and Gwyddion
(half-brothers)
ENEMIES Gilfaethwy / Gwyddion
SEE ALSO Amaethon / Don / Dylan / Gilfaethwy / Goewin /
Govannon / Gwyddion ap Don / Llew Llaw Gyffes /
Math
REMARKS Arianrhod had the name Goewin at birth. She was
the daughter of Don and Pebin, of Dole Pebin in Arfon. She
was the virgin footholder for her uncle and foster-father
Math.
Arianrhod was raped by her brothers Gilfaethwy and
Gwyddion and gave birth to two children. The first-born
was named Dylan and belonged to Gilfaethwy and they left
the territory. The second-born was the son of Gwyddion,
and Goewin cursed him never to have a name, armor or a
wife. By use of trickery, Gwyddion caused her to name her
son Llew Llaw Gyffes and to supply him with armor. Her
foster-father conceived of a fitting punishment for the two
boys.
Goewin became a seer of the ovate, a priestess of the
moon and became known as the Silver Circle or Arianrhod.
Her home was Caer Sidin on Puffin Island, and the spiral
fortress was called the Cauldron of Inspiration.
The Corona Borealis constellation which is shaped like
half a circle was also called Caer Arianrod. Her symbol
was the Corona (crown) of the moon. This phenomenon
happens usually at full moon when the water vapor in the
earth's atmosphere creates two rings around the moon. The
inner ring is blue and the outer ring is red. From this
the colors white, blue and red are given to the moon
goddesses.
NAME Ariovist
GENDER M
CATEGORY druid
TYPE eye surgeon
CULTURE Briton
COUNTRY England
TERRITORY Lloegr
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd c
REMARKS Ariovist was a druid from an English tribe and
was known for his skill at eye surgery in BC 2nd century.
NAME Ariovistos
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE war leader
CULTURE Germani - Suebi tribe
COUNTRY Germany / France
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Rhine
SITES Admagetobriga
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 72-62 / BC 58
ENEMIES Sequani / Aedui / Caesar
REMARKS Ariovistos was a Brythonic-speaking Germani
chieftain of the Suebi tribe. He became involved in the
warring between the Sequani and the AEdui tribes sometime
between BC 72-62. The Sequani and Arverni hired him and
15,000 mercenary warriors from across the Rhine. The
combined force led by Ariovistos won, and he took one third
of the conquered territory for his own people.
The Gauls united against him and gave battle at
Admagetobriga, but lost. He forced them to give him
hostages and to pay tribute. Ariovistos had gone to the
Roman senate, gained recognition for his state and received
the title "Friend of the Roman People".
When Caesar invaded Gaul in BC 58, he considered
Ariovistus a threat and a friend of his enemies in the
senate back home in Rome. Ariovistus and Caesar both
wanted possession of Gaul. Caesar was given his excuse to
meddle when the Gaulish tribes who had brought Ariovistus
among themselves complained to Caesar that he was
dominating them.
Caesar provoked a fight with Ariovistos and sent 6
legions against him. Ariovistos made the mistake of
holding up in a fortress and was put under siege. He was
eventually forced to attack and being at the disadvantage
was driven across the Rhine into the Suebi territory where
Caesar was afraid to follow.
NAME Arminios
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Germani - Cherusci tribe
COUNTRY Germany
LANDMARKS Main / Barenau Forest (Osnabruck)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 53
ENEMIES Rome
REMARKS Arminios was responsible for ambushing 3 legions
of Romans in the Barenau Forest in BC 53.
NAME Arnemetia
EPITHET She Who Stands Before the Sacred Grove
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE healer goddess
CULTURE Pictish - Cornovii tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION Derbyshire
TERRITORY Lloegr
SITES Aquae Arnemetiae
CENTERS Buxton
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 9th c / AD 5th c
REMARKS Arnemetiae was venerated at a sacred spring
called Aquae Arnemetiae (waters of Arnemetia) at Buxton in
Derbyshire, England. This was the territory of the
Cornovii tribe who established themselves in Britain by BC
9th century and were still an identifiable tribe by AD 5th
century.
NAME Art
ALTERNATIVE Art (bear)
GENDER M
SYMBOL bear
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / guard
TYPE personal guard to 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
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Buder / Conaire / Da Derga / Donn Desa /
Ingcel
/ Lond / Trefers
REMARKS Conaire the high chieftain of Ireland had 12
personal guards. They were called the 3 Londs, the 3 Arts,
the 3 Buders and the 3 Trenfers of Cuilenn.
During the battle of Ath Cliath on Magh Liffey they
were described as handsome, hardy and well-built. The 12
guards had golden hair and wore blue kilts. They wore
ivory-hilted swords and carried horse-rods in their right
hands.
NAME Art Aenfer
EPITHET The Solitary / The Lonely
ALTERNATIVE Art (bear) / Art Aoinfhear / Oenfer
GENDER M
SYMBOL bear
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel / Danann / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht / Leinster / Mide / Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
SITES The Otherworld - Land of Wonder (Tir na Iontas)
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd c / AD 150-170 (Ard Righ - Kings
List)
BATTLES Mucrama
ACCESSORIES sword / ring / ceremonial clothing / Boramha
Tribute (cattle counting)
RELATIVES Conn Cetcathach (father); Medb Lethderg
(consort); Delbchaem (wife); Achtan (consort);
Cormac macAirt (son); Sadb (sister); Connla
(brother); Lugaidh (nephew); Becuma Cneisgel
(step-mother); Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
ENEMIES Lugaidh mac Conn / Ailill Dubhdedach
SEE ALSO Achtan / Ailill Dubhdedach / Aillinn / Baile mac
Buain / Becuma Cneisgel / Conn Cetcathach /
Connla / Cormac macAirt / Creide Firalaind /
Delbchaem / Eremon / Golamh / Lugaidh mac Conn /
Lugna / Medb Lethderg / Olc Siche / Sadb / Tea
REMARKS Art Aenfer was a son of Conn Cetcathach and a
descendant of Eremon and Tea. When he was still a young
man, his father took as his concubine Becuma Cneisgel, a
woman of The Otherworld. One day while she and Art were
playing fidchell, she won by cheating. As her prize, she
placed a geis on him that he must search until he found and
won the hand of Delbchaem in the Land of Wonder.
On his voyage to the Land of Wonder he came to an
island where was received by a seer named Creide Firalaind.
She said that she had been expecting him and gave Art a
detailed description of how he was to reach Delbchaem.
Art had to travel through rivers of ice, avoid giants
and monstrous toads, and was told he would have to drink
from one of two golden cups, one of which contained poison.
He had to kill Ailill Dubhdedach, a warrior who could not
be harmed by any weapon. At the end of his voyage he had
to depose of the parents of Delbchaem before he could
rescue her. When Art returned home with his new bride, he
expelled his step-mother.
One year when Art was high chieftain of Ireland, he
hosted a Samhain celebration. Historical poets came from
all the provinces of Ireland with their many talking staffs
(Tamhlorgaibh fileadh) to repeat the stories of old. Art
asked to see the staffs that told the sad but beautiful
stories of Aillinn of Leinster and Baile of Ulster. When
he held the two staffs in his hands they leaped together
and intertwined so as never to be parted again. Art
ordered that the entwined staffs of apple and yew branches
be kept in Tech Screpta, the library of Tara. The filidh
of old had prophesied that the couple would never meet in
life but would never be parted in death.
While preparing for a battle against his nephew
Lugaidh mac Conn, Art's filidh prophesied his death if he
were to participate. Despite this warning, he continued on
his way to meet his fate. On the way, he stayed the night
at the home of Olc Siche the smith. The smith asked Art if
he would mate with his daughter Achtan because he divined
that the child born would be special. The next morning
before Art went on his way to meet his fate he left his
ring, sword and ceremonial clothing for his son-to-be. He
also left instructions for Achtan to go to the raith of his
friend Lugna in Connacht where the child was to be born and
fostered, and to name him Cormac macAirt.
After 20 years as the high chieftain of Ireland, Art
Aenfer was slain by Lugaidh mac Conn during the battle of
Mucrama.
NAME Arthur
EPITHET The Bear of Cornwall
GENDER M
SYMBOL Bear
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Rix / Gwledig
TYPE horse warrior / high chieftain / war leader
CULTURE Cymry (tribes that fight side by side)
COUNTRY Wales / England / Scotland / Ireland / France
REGION Cornwall / Gwent
LANDMARKS River Usk
SITES Mont-Saint-Michel / Avalon (buried)
CENTERS Caerleon-on-Usk (Kaerusk)
AGE Post-Roman
DATES AD 6th c / AD 537 (died)
BATTLES Camluan
ACCESSORIES spears (Rhongomynyad and Ongomiant) / shield
(Wynebgwrthyucher - face of evening) sword
(Caledfwlch) / knife (Carnwennan) / ship
(Prydwen) / Cafall (dog)
RELATIVES Uther (father); Igerna (mother); Gwenhyvar
(wife); Gwyar (sister); Gwalchmai and Medrawt
(nephews); Culhwch (cousin); Aurelius (uncle);
Anne (aunt); Hoel (nephew)
ENEMIES Irish / Picts / Scots / Angles / Saxons / Jutes
/ Medrawt / Gwenhyvar
SEE ALSO Aurelius / Bedwyr / Cei / Culhwch / Gwalchmai /
Gwenhyvar / Gwyar / Hoel / Igerna /
Isbaddaden /
Medrawt / Rhitta Gawr / Tristan / Uther
REMARKS Arthur's father was Uther Pendragon and when he
was poisoned, Arthur at the age of 16 assumed the role of
war leader and high chieftain of Britain. Arthur had his
camp at Caerleon-on-Usk and immediately set about to bring
the invading Celtic and Germani tribes under his control.
Arthur married Gwenhyvar, a maiden from Cornwall who was
born to a Roman family.
After Arthur put the two islands of Britain and
Ireland under his control, he then marched on Gaul. He
fought a single combat with Frollo, a mighty Gaulish
chieftain. The battle became so furious that Arthur's
warrior heat caused his shield and sword to glow red. With
a mighty blow he cut Frollo's head in half. Frollo fell on
his back, drummed a tattoo on the ground with his heels
then died.
After nine years of warring in Gaul, Arthur returned
home and celebrated a feast at his camp Caerleon-on-Usk
(Kaerusk, the City of the Legions) on the river Usk in
Gwent, Wales. Rome sent Arthur a message demanding that he
come to Rome for the trouble he had caused them in the
Islands and Gaul. Officially, Britain was still under the
rule of Rome until AD 537. The common consensus among his
chieftains was to outfit an army and head to Rome. Arthur
left his nephew Medrawt and his own wife in charge of
Britain while he set sail for Gaul with an army of 183,000
warriors.
When they landed, they heard news that a giant had
seized Hoel's daughter and was holding her at present-day
Mont-Saint-Michel. Arthur, Cei and Bedwyr went off in
pursuit but were too late to save Helena. Arthur then
fought the club-wielding giant in single combat and brought
the giant's head back to camp. He thought that this had
been his toughest battle since he had fought the giant
Rhitta Gawr.
Arthur then sent his nephew Gwalchmai to negotiate
with the Romans. The negotiations ended in a skirmish,
followed by a number of battles which Arthur won. As
Arthur was preparing to winter in Gaul he received word
that his nephew Medrawt had taken control of Britain and
his wife had sided with him.
Arthur left Hoel in charge of the campaign in Gaul and
left for Britain with some of his troops. Numerous battles
followed until finally in single combat Medrawt was killed
and Arthur was mortally wounded. Arthur was taken to the
island of Avalon to die.
NAME Artio
EPITHET The Hunter
ALTERNATIVE Artemis
GENDER F
SYMBOL bear / silver fir
FESTIVAL winter solstice
CATEGORY deity
TYPE moon goddess / goddess of animal fertility
CULTURE Belgae - Treveri tribe / Urnfield-Hallstatt
COUNTRY German / Switzerland / Belgium / Luxembourg
REGION Rhineland
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Rhine
SITES Bollendorf near Trier / Muri near Berne
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 13th c / BC 9th c
ACCESSORIES bowl of berries / bow and arrows
RELATIVES Zeus (father); Leto (mother); Apollo (brother)
Aeacus, Ares, Aeacus, Hercules, Hermes and
Hephaistos (half-brothers); Aphrodite, Athena
and Hebe (half-sisters)
SEE ALSO Aphrodite / Apollo / Ares / Athena / Hephaistos
/ Hermes / Zeus
REMARKS Artio was a goddess of fertility and the hunt.
Under the name Artemis she was known in Bronze Age Europe
in BC 13th century. She often assumed the shape of a bear
in the woods and was associated with the moon, silver fir
and winter solstice. Sacrifices were always made to her
before a hunt. She was venerated near Trier by the Treveri
tribe who had settled the area by BC 9th century.
A Romanized sculpture from Muri near Berne,
Switzerland depicts a goddess with a cauldron of berries
facing a bear who is guarding a tree (honey?). Female
devotees offered their robes to cover her statues.
NAME Atepomaros
EPITHET The Great Horseman
ALTERNATIVE Atepomarus
GENDER M
SYMBOL horse
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun and healer god
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
SITES curative spring at Mauvières
REMARKS Atepomaros was a sun god who was venerated at a
curative spring in Mauvières, France.
NAME Athairne
EPITHET The Persistent / Ollamh
ALTERNATIVE Athirne
GENDER M
CATEGORY Ollamh
TYPE Master poet and satirist to Conchobar (Ri
Ruirech)
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Mound of Slane in Mide
CENTERS Ben Edar (Howth)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech & Irgairech
ACCESSORIES silver tongue
RELATIVES Amorgen (foster-son)
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
SEE ALSO Ailill Miltenga / Amorgen Iarngiunnach / Buan /
Conall Cernacht / Conchobar mac Nessa / Fer
Chertnae / Mac Da Tho / Neide
REMARKS Athairne became the master poet and satirist in
the province of Ulster and lived at Ben Edar. Athairne,
Neide, Fer Chertnae and Forchern compiled the "Breithe
Neimhidh" laws which were accepted as part of the "Brehon
Laws".
Once when Athairne made a trip throughout Ireland he
demanding of his hosts their wives and gifts from the
household. When visiting Luain, a one-eyed chieftain of
Connacht, he demanded his only eye. While he was at the
hostel of Mac Da Tho, he demanded the use of Buan, his
wife, and was refused.
Athairne insisted that Conchobar intervene because Mac
da Tho had broken the rules of hospitality. Conchobar sent
Conall to deal with the insult and he killed Mac Da Tho.
During the Cualnge Cattle Raid, MacRoth observed
Athairne in a group of poets of Ulster led by Fercerdne as
they approached the Mound of Slane in Mide. Athairne and
Ailill Miltenga flanked Fercerdne who was at the time the
Ollamh of Ulster. Athairne was described as a bright-faced
youth wearing a reddish-gray mantle held with a silver
fibula, and purple boots on his feet. He wore a bright-
hilted sword at his waist.
NAME Athena
EPITHET Of the Blue-Green Eyes / Of the Flashing Eyes
ALTERNATIVE Pallas Athena / Minerva (Latin)
GENDER F
SYMBOL eagle
CATEGORY deity / warrior
TYPE goddess of wisdom, war strategy and useful arts
CULTURE Achaean
COUNTRY England / Greece
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Rhine
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 1240 (defeat of Troy)
BATTLES Trojan War
RELATIVES Metis (mother); Zeus (father); Hephaistos
(consort/half-brother); Erechtheus (son); Artio,
Aphrodite and Hebe (half-sisters); Aeacus,
Apollo, Ares, Belenos, Tantalus and Hermes
(half-brothers)
ENEMIES Achilles / Odysseus
SEE ALSO Achilles / Apollo / Aphrodite / Ares / Artio /
Belenos / Hebe / Hephaistos / Hermes /
Odysseus
/ Zeus
REMARKS Athena father was Zeus and when he became the
chieftain of the Olympians he swallowed the Titan Metis who
was the goddess of wisdom. Metis bore a child winthin Zeus
and it gave him such a bad headache that he had his head
opened and out jumped Athena in full armour. She was a
tactical warrior and was venerated as the goddess of wisdom
and the arts of war and peace. She was always portrayed as
a well-armed warrior. She had the head of Medusa mounted
on the fron of her shield, a present for having helped
Perseus.
During the war between the Trojans and the Achaeans,
Athena supported the Achaeans, especially Achilles and
Odysseus. Statues of Athena were clothed in a robes that
were woven every 4th year.
NAME Atis
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Boii tribe
COUNTRY Italy
TERRITORY Cisalpine Gaul
LANDMARKS Alps
SITES Po Valley
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 299
SEE ALSO Galatos
REMARKS Atis and Galatos led warriors from their tribe
across the Alps and into Italy. They were not well
received by their own people and both chieftains were
killed in a battle in the Po Valley.
NAME Aurelius Ambroisius
EPITHET The Immortal (Ambrosius)
ALTERNATIVE Aurelianus Ambrosius / Emrys
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Rix / Gwledig
TYPE high chieftain / war leader
CULTURE Cymry (tribes that fight side by side)
COUNTRY England / Wales / France
REGION Devon / Brittany
AGE Post-Roman
DATES AD 5th c
RELATIVES Kustennin Vychan "Constantine the Small"
(father); Uther and Constans (brothers);
Anne (sister)
ENEMIES Vortigern / Hengist / Paschent
SEE ALSO Myrddin Wyllt / Uther / Vortigern
REMARKS When Aurelius's father died, he and his brother
Uther were too young to rule and their older brother was a
monk. The chieftain Vortigern became the most powerful of
the chieftains and he ruled England and Wales. Vortigern
considered Constans a threat and had him murdered.
Aurelius, Uther and Anne fled to Armorica where they were
raised to become powerful warriors and chieftains.
When Aurelius was ready, he landed in the area of
present-day Devon and assembled his forces at Totnes. He
then marched on Vortigern's fortress in Wales. They tried
siege machines but in the end it was fire that destroyed
the fort and Vortigern. With Vortigern out of the way,
Aurelius turned his forces on the tribes of Germani and
pushed them into the northern part of England where he gave
them leave to settle as long as they did not cause trouble.
Aurelius then sent his brother Uther on a mission to
Ireland to retrieve the giant stones so he could built a
monument for the Celtic warriors that had been murdered by
Hengist and his Saxons. While he was away, Paschent, a son
of Vortigern, landed in northern Briton with an army of
Germani but was beaten back to sea. Paschent then sailed
to Ireland and formed an alliance with the high chieftain
of Ireland. They put together a fleet of ships and sailed
to Britain once again and landed in Wales.
Aurelius became sick and when the Germani heard this
they sent a warrior disguised as a servant and he poisoned
Aurelius. Aurelius was buried within the Giant's Ring
which he had taken from Ireland and had reconstructed in
England by Myrddin.
NAME Avaros
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Celtiberian - Arevaci tribe
COUNTRY Spain
REGION Soria
LANDMARKS Duero river
CENTERS Numancia (Numantia)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd c / BC 134-133
BATTLES Siege of Numantia
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Rhetogenes
REMARKS Avaros was the head chieftain at the fortress of
Numantia (Numancia) on the Duero river near present-day
Soria. The fortress had been under Roman siege for 15
months and he tried to secure the assistance of other
tribes by sending a chieftain named Rhetogenes out of the
fortress in secret.
The tribes failed to rise up against the Romans so
Avaros began preparation for an unconditional surrender.
The Romans refused to negotiate. Numantia had required
60,000 Roman soldiers to contain the siege and had held up
their conquest of the Iberian peninsula by 20 years.
The people of Numantia knew that their condition was
hopeless so 20,000 men, women and children committed mass
suicide as a preference to submitting to Rome.
NAME Avarwy Mandubrad
EPITHET The Black Traitor
ALTERNATIVE Mandubracius (Latin)
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Brenin
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Briton - Trinovantes tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION Essex / Suffolk
TERRITORY Lloegr
CENTERS Braughing
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 54
RELATIVES Imanuentios (father); Dumnuvelaunus (son)
ENEMIES Cassubellaunos / Casseto
SEE ALSO Casseto / Cassubellaunos / Dumnuvelaunus /
Imanuentios
REMARKS Avarwy's father was killed by the Catuvellauni
chieftain Cassubellaunos, and Avarwy fled to Gaul and asked
Caesar for protection.
This was the excuse Caesar need to invade Britain and
in the summer of BC 54 he arrived with 800 ships carrying
five legions of Roman foot-soldiers and 2000 Gaulish horse
warriors.
Caesar killed Casseto, who was the Trinovantes anti-
Roman chieftain, and put Avarwy in his place, making him a
client king and the tribe a protectorate of Rome.
NAME Aveta
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE river goddess
CULTURE Belgae - Treveri tribe
COUNTRY Germany / Belgium / Luxembourg
REGION Rhineland
TERRITORY Gaul / Belgica
LANDMARKS Ardenne Highlands / Moselle river
SITES Trier
AGE Bronze / Iron
DATES BC 9th c / BC 1st
ACCESSORIES dog / berries / babies
REMARKS Aveta was a goddess of the Moselle rivers around
Trier which was a religious site in the territory of the
Treveri tribe. They had settled the area in BC 9th century
and were still there when Rome conquered Gaul in BC 1st
century. A sculpture from Roman times shows her with a
lap-dog, infants
and baskets of berries.