Myths and Legends of the Celts (Penguin Reference) (49 page)

Eithne Tháebfhota
(
ayn
-yě
th
IV
-ŏd-ă)
Wife of Cormac mac Airt.

Elatha mac Delbaith
(
al
-ă-ha,
el
-ath-ă mahk
dyel
-vath)
Fomorian king, father of Bres.

Elcmar
(
elk
-var)
Foster-father of Angus Óg.

Elphin, Elffin
(
elf
-ĭn)
Maladroit Welsh prince who finds the baby Taliesin.

Emain Ablach
[
Ir
. fortress of apples] (
ev
-in
ahv
-lahkh)
A pleasant otherworldly realm in Irish tradition, residence of Manannán mac Lir, possible refuge of the Tuatha Dé Danann; linguistic cognate of Arthurian Avalon.

Emain Macha
(
ev
-in
ma
-khă,
va
-khă;
Modlr
.
eyaw
-in,
aw
-in
ma
-khă)
Royal seat or capital of Ulster in the stories of the Ulster Cycle. Identified with the 18-acre hill fort in Co. Armagh known as Navan Fort.

Emer
(
ay
-ver,
ee
-měr)
Usual wife of Cúchulainn.

Eochaid Airem
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
;
ar
-rev,
ah
-rem)
Mortal
ard rí
of Ireland, paired for a while with Étaín.

Eochaid Bélbuide
[yellow mouth] (
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
byayl-
vuid-ě)
Nobleman murdered while under the protection of Fergus mac Léti.

Eochaid Feidlech
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
;
fayl
-ekh,
fe
th
-lekh)
Yet another husband ascribed to Étaín.

Eochaid, Echaid Iarlaithe
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
,
ekh
-a
th
yar
-lath-ě)
King Rónán’s fatherin-law.

Eochaid Inber
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
in
-věr)
Fearsome enemy of Labraid Luathlám.

Eochaid Iúil
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
yoo
-ĭl)
Otherworldly adversary of Labraid Luathlám.

Eochaid mac Eirc
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
mahk ayrk)
Generous king of the Fir Bolg; husband of Tailtiu.

Eochaid Ollathair
(
yohkh
-ee,
oh
-khee,
ekh
-i
th
ohl
-ă-thir)
Another name for the Dagda
.

Eógan Inbir
(ohn,
oh
-ěn,
eoh
γ-ăn
in
-vĭr)
Husband of Bé Chuma, cockolded by Gaidiar
.

Eógan mac Durthacht
(ohn,
oh
-ěn,
eoh
γ-ăn mahk
durth
-akht)
Retainer of Conchobar who kills Noise.

Eórann
(
oh
-rahn)
Wife of Suibne
.

Epona
(ay-
pohn
-ă)
Horse goddess of early Britain and Gaul
.

Erannán
(er-
ahn
-awn,
er
-ahn-
awn
)
Milesian sailor killed in the invasion of Ireland.

Erc
(ayrk)
Son of Cairbre Nia Fer who wreaks vengeance upon Cúchulainn.

Éremón
(
ayr
-ă-vohn)
Son of Mil Espáine who divides Ireland with his brother Éber.

Ériu
(
ayr
-ě,
ay
-roo)
Eponymous goddess of Ireland (Éire), selected from a trio of eponyms, including Banba and Fódla; also the mother of the hateful Bres.

Ernmass
(
ern
-vas)
Attributed mother of the trio of war goddesses, Badb, Macha and Mórrígan; also the mother of the divine eponyms of Ireland, Ériu, Banba, Fódla.

Esus
(
es
-ŭs)
A leading god of the ancient Gauls. His cult may have required human sacrifice.

Étaín
(
ay
-deen, ay-
deen
, ay-
th
oyn
)
Paragon of Irish beauty; the love object in
Tochmarc Étaíne
[The Wooing of Étaín].

Étar
(
ay
-tar,
ay
-dar)
A king of Ulster; his wife swallows Étaín in insect form.

Etarcomol
(
ed
-ar
kov
-ol)
Headstrong fosterson of Medb and Ailill, killed by Cúchulainn.

Eterscél
(
ed
-ir-skayl)
A king of Tara who marries the daughter resulting from Étaín’s daughter’s incest with her father, Eochaid Airem.

Ethal Anbúail
(
eth
-al
ahn
-vooĭl)
Connacht prince, father of Cáer.

Fachan
(
fahkh
-an)
Grotesque supernatural character in Scottish Gaelic folklore.

Failinis
(
fahl
-ĭn-ĭsh)
Puppy of King Iruad, sought by the sons of Tuireann.

Fálias
(
fah
-lee-ăs)
One of the four magical cities of the Tuatha Dé Danann, source of the Lia Fáil, the Stone of Destiny.

Fand
(fon, fown, fan)
Beautiful wife of Manannán mac Lir; has an extended affair with Cúchulainn.

Fedelm
(
fe
th
-elm
fed
-elm)
Mysterious prophetess who foresees ‘Crimson’ at the beginning of Medb’s campaign against Ulster.

Fedelm Noíchrothach
(
fe
th
-elm,
fed
-elm
noi
-khrith-ăkh)
Sometimes cited as the wife of Lóegaire. She is the wife of Cairbre Nia Fer when Cúchulainn has an affair with her in the
Táin Bó Cuailnge
.

Fedlimid
(
fe
th
-lee-mee
th
,
fel
-ĭ-mee,
fel
-lee-meed)
Chief poet of Ulster; father of Deirdre.

Femen
(
fev
-in)
Sídh
of Co. Tipperary, residence of Bodb Derg.

Féni
(
fayn
-ee)
The earliest free inhabitants of Ireland, thought to be the purest strain, ‘pure Gaels’.

Fenian Cycle
(
feen
-ee-ăn)
Third cycle of early Irish heroic literature, centring on Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Fenians
(
feen
-ee-ănz)
Alternative name for nineteenth-century Irish Republican Brotherhood, a revolutionary body.

Fénius Farsaid
(
fayn
-yus
far
-să)
Fanciful ancestor of the Irish, thought to have been present at the Tower of Babel. Grandfather of Goídel Glas.

fenodyree, phynodderree
, etc. (fen-
ohd
-ěr-ee,
fin
-ohd-ěr-ee)
Hairy-legged solitary fairy of the Isle of Man; also known as the uddereek.

Fer Caille
(fer
kahl
-yě)
Hooded, fearsome churl in Irish heroic narrative and in later folklore.

Fer Doirich
(fer
dor
-ěkh)
Druid who transforms Sadb into deer form.

Fer Gair, Fer Lí, Fer Rogain
(fer γar, fer lee, fer
ro
γ-an)
Foster-brothers of Conaire Mór who plunder the Irish countryside.

Fer Loga
(fer
lo
γ-ă)
Charioteer for Medb and Ailill.

Ferdia
(fer-
dee
-ă)
Murdered servant of Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Ferdiad
(fer-
dee
-ăd, fer-
dee
-ăth, fer-
dee
-ă
th
)
Friend of Cúchulainn who nonetheless duels with him in the climax of the
Táin Bó Cuailnge
.