Myths and Legends of the Celts (Penguin Reference) (53 page)

Máel Fhothartaig
(mayl
oth
-ar-dagh)
Handsome son of king Rónán, killed by his father.

Maelgwn Gwynedd
(mil-goon
gwin
-
eth
)
Historical sixth-century Welsh king in whose reign the fanciful adventures of Taliesin take place.

Mag Dá Cheó
[
Ir
. plain of two mists] (magh, maγ,
Modlr
. moi; daw khyoh)
Actual plain in Co. Roscommon, south of Medb’s fortress of Cruachain.

Mag Mell
[
Ir
. pleasant plain] (magh, maγ,
Modlr
. moi; mel)
An otherworldly realm in Irish tradition, a possible refuge for the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Mag Muirtheimne
(magh, maγ,
mur
-hev-ně,
mur
-thev-ně)
Cúchulainn’s home territory, a plain occupying much of present-day Co. Louth.

Mag Rath
(magh, maγ,
Modlr
. moi; rath)
Scene of an Irish dynastic battle,
AD
637, where Suibne goes mad.

Mag Slécht
(magh,
Modlr
. moi shlaykht)
Plain in Co. Cavan, near present town of Ballymagauran thought to be site of worship of Crom Crúaich, perhaps a pagan idol.

Mag Tuired
(
ang
.
Moytura
). (magh, maγ,
Modlr
. moi;
tur
-e
th
)
Old Irish name for at least two expanses of flat land in northwestern Ireland; one was the site of the battle between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians in
Cath Maige Tuired
[The (Second) Battle of Mag Tuired].

Maignis
(moy-
nay
-ish)
One of many wives of Fionn mac Cumhaill, reported deceased before he seeks out Gráinne.

Maine
(
mah
-nyě,
mah
-ně)
Name borne by each of the seven sons of Medb and Ailill mac Máta.

Malaliach
(
mal
-ăl-yakh)
A Partholonian thought to have brewed the first ale in Ireland.

Manannán mac Lir
(mahn-
ahn
-awn,
mah
-naw-
nahn
mahk lir)
Principal sea-deity and otherworldly ruler in Irish tradition.

Manapii
(
mahn
-ap-ee-ee)
A P-Celtic people of ancient Gaul.

Manawydan
(mah-nah-
wud
-an)
Title character and protagonist of the Third Branch of the
Mabinogi
.

Manching
(
mahn
-ching)
Fortified protocity of the Vindelici people near what is today Ingolstadt, Bavaria. Its circular wall is four miles long.

Marie de France
Twelfth-century Anglo-Norman writer who introduced Breton
lai
.

Mark
King of Cornwall in the Arthurian legends, betrothed of Iseult
.

Math
(mahth)
King of Gwynedd, brother of Dôn, and a leading figure in the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi
.

Matholwch
(math-
ohl
-ookh)
The King of Ireland in the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi
.

Mathonwy
(mahth-
ohn
-wee)
Father of Math
.

Matrona
(mah-
trohn
-ă)
Gaulish goddess of the Marne River in what is now eastern France
.

Matroniae Aufuniae
(mah-
trohn
-eeay owf-
oon
-eeay)
Probably divine mother figures whose second-century icon survives in what is now Germany.

Medb
(mayv, me
th
v)
Vibrant warrior queen of Connacht (western Ireland) and a protagonist of the
Táin Bó Cuailnge
.

Mellifont Abbey
(
mel
-ǐ-font)
First Cistercian abbey in Ireland, founded 1142, 4.5 miles west-northwest of Drogheda, Co. Louth.

Men-an-Tol
[holed stone] (
men
-an-tol)
Annular standing stone at Morvah, Cornwall.

Menw
(
men
-oo)
Welsh member of King Arthur’s court, an illusionist.

Mercury, Gaulish
Name given by the Romans to the principal Gaulish divinity; probable name Lugus/Lugos.

Merlin
Arthurian sorcerer, anticipated by the Welsh Myrddin (G) wyllt.

Mes Buachalla
[cowherd’s fosterling] (mes boo-ahkh-
ahl
-ă)
Mother of Conaire Mór.

Miach
(
mee
-akh)
An Irish healing god, son of Dian Cécht.

Midac
(
mi
th
-ag)
Adversary of the Fianna Éireann from Lochlainn.

Mide
(
mee
th
-ě)
A kingdom of early Ireland, coextensive with Co. Meath and portions of neighbouring counties; it is named for the druid Mide, who lit the first fire at Uisnech.

Midir
(
mi
th
-ĭr,
mid
-ĭr,
mĭ
-yir, meer)
Lover of the beautiful Étaín, much to the anger of his jealous wife, Fuamnach.

Míl Espáine
(meel es-
pawn
-ě)
‘Soldier of Spain’, the leader of the Milesians, for whom they are named.

Milesians
(mil-
ees
-yanz)
The last and certainly mortal invaders of Ireland in
Lebor Gabála Érenn
; sometimes seen as synonymous with the early Gaelic people.

Miodhchaoin
(
mi
γ-kheen)
Chief who owns a hill in Lochlainn; the Sons of Tuireann have their most dangerous task here.

Mo Cháemóc
(mu
kh
IV
-ohg)
Disciple of St Patrick who baptizes the 900-year-old children of Lir.

Modron
(
mohd
-rawn)
Mother of Mabon in Welsh tradition, derived from the ancient goddess Matrona.

Moling, Mo Ling, St
(
mu
-ling)
One of the ‘Four Prophets of Ireland’, thought to have baptized mad Suibne.

Mongán
(
mong
-awn)
Historical early king in Ireland thought to have been sired by a liaison between his mortal mother, Caíntigern, and the sea god Manannán mac Lir. Sometimes thought to be a reincarnation of Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Mór Muman
(mohr
muv
-ăn, moon)
Early territorial goddess of Munster.

Morann
(mohr-
ahn
,
mur
-ăn)
Son of the usurper Cairbre Cinn-Chait who returns sovereignty to the Milesians.

Morfran
(
mohr
-vrahn)
Ugly son of Ceridwen.

Mórrígan
(
mohr
-ee-ghan,
mohr
-ĭ-γan,
mohr
-ee-ěn)
The ‘great queen’, goddess of war fury in early Ireland; often named with the definite article, ‘the Mórrígan’; one of the trio Mórrígna with Badb and Macha.

Mórrígna
(
mohr
-eegh-nă)
Collective name for the trio of war goddesses, Badb, Macha, Mórrígan.

Morvah
(
mor
-vah)
Archaeological site in western Cornwall, known for distinctive standing stones.

Morvarc’h
[horse of the sea] (
mohr
-vahrkh)
Gradlon’s mighty steed.

mouros
(
moh
-ros)
Galician fairy folk associated with hidden treasure.

Moytura
See
Mag Tuired
.

Mugain
(
mu
γ-ahn, moon,
moo
-gahn)
Lubricious wife of Conchobar mac Nessa, who bares her breasts to tempt Cúchulainn.

muirdris
(
mur
-drish)
Generic name for the sea monster of Loch Rudraige; later known as
sínach
.

Muirenn Muncháem
(
mir
-en
mun
-kh
IV
)
Mother of Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Murias
(
moor
-eeas)
One of the four magical cities of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Myrddin
(
G
)
wyllt
(
mir
th
-in [g]wi
ll
t)
Wild man of the woods in Welsh tradition, an anticipation of the Arthurian Merlin.

Naisi
Alternative spelling for Noise.

Nantosuelta
(
nahn
-tŏ-
swel
-tă)
Cult partner of the Gaulish divinity, Sucellus.