Myths and Legends of the Celts (Penguin Reference) (55 page)

Rosmerta
(rohs-
mert
-ă)
Gaulish fertility goddess often linked with Apollo.

Ruad Rofhessa
(
roo
-ă
roh
-es-ă,
roo
-ă
th
rohs
-ă)
Another name for the Dagda.

Ruadchoin
(
roo
ă
th
-khon)
Brigands banished by Conaire Mór.

Rucht
[boar’s grunt] (rukht)
Swineherd whose squabble with his friend Friuch turns them both into bulls. Rucht becomes Finnbennach, the White-horned Bull of Connacht.

Sadb
(s
IV
,
soy
-ĭv)
The deer maiden, sleeps with Fionn mac Cumhaill to become the mother of Oisín.

Saingliu
See
Dubh Sainglenn
.

Sainrith mac Imaith
(
san
-rith makh
iv
-ahth)
Mother of the Macha who wins the footrace at Emain Macha.

Saint
See under Saint’s name,
Brendan
,
Brigid
,
Patrick
, etc.

Salmon of Knowledge
Swims in either the Boyne or Erne River. Fionn mac Cumhaill receives esoteric knowledge by touching the salmon with his thumb.

Samain
(
sow
-ĭn,
sa
-vĭn)
Celtic New Year, 1 November on modern calendar.

Samildánach
(
saw
-vil-
dawn
-ăkh,
sahv
-ĭl-
dahn
-ăkh)
‘Master of all the arts’, an epithet of Lug Lámfhota.

Santa Compaña
[Holy Company] (
sahn
-tă kohm-
pahn
-yă)
The Galician fairy procession.

Scáthach
(
skaw
-thakh,
skow
-hă)
Cúchulainn’s amazon-like teacher of martial arts, living on the Isle of Skye

Sceolang
(
skeeoh
-lahng,
shkeeoh
-lahng)
One of Fionn mac Cumhaill’s favoured dogs; the other is Bran.

Scota
(
skoh
-tă)
Daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt who gives her name to the Scoti in
Lebor Gabála Érenn
.

Scoti
(
skot
-ĭ)
Ancestors of the Irish who dwelt in Egypt, according to
Lebor Gabála Érenn
.

Scotia
(
skohsh
-ee-ă)
Roman name for Ireland, especially northern Ireland; after seventh century
AD
, Scotland
.

Scotti
(
skot
-tĭ)
One of several Roman names for the early Irish
.

Scythia
(
sith
-ee-ă,
si
th
-ee-ă)
A historical land north of the Black Sea, coextensive with Ukraine, an object of fanciful speculation on Celtic origins in early Ireland
.

Searbhán
(
shahr
-vawn)
Ugly churl who guards the rowanberries of Dubros
.

Ségda Sárlbraid
(
shayg
-
th
ă
sawrl
-vră)
Prince of the otherworldly realm of Tír Tairngire.

Sein
(sen)
Island off west coast of Brittany, home to pagan sisterhood.

Senach Siaborthe
(
shahn
-ahkh
shav
-orth-ě)
Otherwordly adversary of Labraid Luathlám.

Sencha mac Ailella
(
shahn
-khă,
shen
-hă mahk
al
-el-ă)
Conchobar’s chief judge, the usual peacemaker in the Ulster court.

Senchán Torpéist
(
shahn
-khawn
tor
-baysht)
Chief poet of Ireland, who copied down the
Táin Βó Cuailnge
from the dictation of the spirit of Fergus mac Róich.

Sequana
(se-
kwahn
-ă)
Gaulish healing goddess associated with the river Seine.

Sétanta
(
shay
-dan-dă)
Birth name of Cúchulainn.

Setantii
(say-
tahnt
-ee-ee)
A P-Celtic people of ancient northwest Britain.

Shannon
Principal river of Ireland, running north to south, dividing the island between east and west.

Sheela-na-gig
(
shee
-lă nă gig)
Possibly obscene medieval stone figure of woman exposing genitalia.

sídh
(shee, shee
th
)
Irish name for the distinctive, circular-topped man-made mounds found commonly in Ireland, thought to be routes to the otherworld; fairy mounds.

sínach
(
sheen
-akh)
Later generic name for the sea monster of Loch Rudraige, earlier known as
muirdris
.

Sirona
(sir-
ohn
-ă)
Gaulish healing goddess.

Sliab Fúait
[Slieve Fuad, mountain of the woods] (
shlee
-ăv
foo
-id)
Highest point in the Fews Mountains, Co. Armagh, with rich heroic associations.

Sliab na mBan
[Slievenamon, mountain of woman] (
shlee
-ăv nă
mahn
)
Mountain, 2,368 ft, 10 miles east of Cashel, Co. Tipperary, sometimes called ‘Ireland’s Parnassus’.

sluagh sídhe, slua sí
[fairy host];
sluagh/slua na marbh
[host of the dead] (
sloo
-ă shee;
mahr
-ěv)
Irish names for the fairy procession.

Snám Dá En
[Swim Two Birds] (snawv daw
ayn
)
Monastic site on the Shannon where Suibne once stopped.

Starn
(starn)
Nemedian ancestor of the Fir Bolg.

Sualtam mac Róich
(
soo
-al-dav mahk
roikh
)
Mortal stepfather of Cúchulainn.

Sucellus
(soo-
kel
-ŭs)
Gaulish divinity known as the ‘good striker’; cult partner of Nantosuelta.

Suibne Geilt
(
siv
-ně,
seev
-ně, suv-ně,
swiv
-ně, cf.
ang
.
swee
-nee; gelt)
‘Mad Sweeney’, cursed king who sits naked in trees.

Sulis
(
sool
-ees)
Ancient British healing goddess, worshipped at Bath.

taibhsear
(
t
I
-sher)
Scottish Gaelic term for seer or prophet.

Tailtiu
(
tal
-tyě,
t
I
l
-tyě,
tal
-too)
Fir Bolg queen, wife of Eochaid mac Eirc and foster-mother of Lug Lámfhota. An annual festival was established in her honour. The townland named for her, modern Teltown [
Ir
. Taillten], Co. Meath, is also the site of a battle between the Milesians and Tuatha Dé Danann.

Taliesin
(tal-ee-
es
-in)
Divine or divinely inspired poet of early Wales, often thought to be historical (sixth century). One of the two
cynfeirdd
[oldest poets] with Aneirin. Transformed from the servant Gwion Bach.

Tara
(
tar
-ă)
Hill in Co. Meath where the high king was crowned in pre-Norman conquest times. Cited as a capital in many early Irish narratives.

Taredd Wledig
(
tahr
-e
th
oo-
led
-ig)
Shadowy father of monster-boar Twrch Trwyth.

Tech Duinn
(tekh dun)
Rocky islet at the end of the Beare Peninsula, reputed home of Donn, and thus the realm of the dead.

Tech Moling
(tekh
mul
-ing)
Monastery of St Moling in Co. Carlow, now called St Mullin’s.

Tegid Foel
(
teg
-id voil)
Husband of Ceridwen who gives his name to Llyn Tegid, now known as Bala Lake.

teinm laida
[breaking open of the pith] (
ten
-ěm
lI
th
-ă)
A power of divination possessed by Fionn mac Cumhaill and others.

Temuir Luachra
(
tev
-ŭr
loo
-ăkh-ră)
Fictional residence of Munster kings, presumed in Co. Kerry.

Tethra
(
teth
-ră)
One of the most threatening of the demonic Fomorians.

Teutates
(tyoo-
taht
-es)
One of the three principal gods of ancient Gaul, according to Roman poet Lucan (first century
AD
), along with Taranis and Esus.