03 December 2015

Irish deities and their family connections

The following is a list of known deities of the ancient pre-Christian Irish, with as much as is known of the function and family connections.  It will be updated if there’s new info.

Following that list are three more, one of the mystic realms, one of the high kings of the Tuatha De Danaan, and one of the Treasures of Ireland.

Abarta, aka Giolla Decair (in human guise), a trickster deity, and in some tales the alter ego of Lugh Lamfada; associated with Fionn mac Cumhail
            Son of the ruler of Tir Tairngire

Abcann, dwarf poet and musician of the Tuatha De Danaan

Abhean mac Bec-Felmas, poet of Lugh Lamfada, harper of the Tuatha De Danaan

Achtland, mortal who married a man of the Tuatha De Danaan

Aesun, early god of a lost creation myth whose name means “to be”

Aillen mac Egobail, deity in Mag Mell, burned Tara every year at Samhain until the arrival of Fionn mac Cumhail
            Son of Egobal (Dagda)
            Brother of Aine and Fennen

Aine ni Egobail, goddess of summer, wealth, and sovereignty, midsummer
            Daughter of Egobal (Dagda)
            Sister of Aillen and Fennen

Airmid ni Dian Cecht, guardian of Dian Cecht’s secret well of healing
Sister of Miach, Etan, and Ochtriullach

Anann, aka The Morrigan, supreme goddess of war, goddess of fertility, cattle, and prosperity; Anann is her name, The Mor Rioghan, or “Great Queen”, is her title.  Sometimes portrayed as a trinity of Macha, Nemain, and Badb collectively as a single persona, other times these, along with Fea, are her companions of which she is first, making five in all.
            Daughter of Tuireann Delbaeth mac Ogma and Flidais Foltchain
            Mother, by Delbaeth, of Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba
            Mother of Glon, Gaim, and Coscar

Aobh ni Bodb Dearg
            Wife of Lir (1st)
            Sister of Aoife
            Mother of Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra, Conn of the Hundred Battles

Aoi mac Ollamain, a god of poetry

Aoife ni Ard Greimme
            Wife of Lir (2nd)
            Sister of Scathach

Aodh (Aed) mac Lir and Aobh Bodb Dearg, prince of the Daoine Sidhe and a god of the underworld
            Brother of Fionnuala, Fiachra, and Conn

Ard Greimme, a solar deity
            Father of Scatach and Aoife

Arden mac Flidais, cultivator hero

Badb Catha ni Ernmas, goddess of fury and battle cries
Wife of Neit

Banba ni Fiacha and Ernmas, goddess of the sovereignty of Ireland
Wife of Ether Mac Cuill
Sister of Eriu and Fodhla

Be Chuille ni Flidais, sorceress

Bechuma of the Fair Skin,
            Wife of Eogan Inbhir
            Lover of Gaidiar mac Manannan

Be Teite mac Flidais, cultivator hero

Beag, goddess of magic wells

Bebhinn, goddess of childbirth, goddess of the underworld
Sister of Boann

Bechuma of the Fair Skin, wife of Eogan Inbir

Beothach mac Iarbonel, progenitor of the Tuatha De Danaan

Birog, a druidess of the Tuatha de Danaan

Boann, goddess of the sovereignty of Leinster
            Wife of Nechtan
            Sister of Bebhinn

Bodb Dearg mac Dagda, 9th High King, king of the Sidhe of Munster
            Father of Aobh

Brea, minor god of the Tuatha de Danaan

Bres of the Fomorians, 2nd High King
            Son of Elatha of the Fomorians and Eriu ni Delbaeth
            Husband of Brigid and father of Ruadhan

Brian mac Tuireann and Danand ni Tuireann, a god of war & fertility
            Brother of Iuchar and Iucharba

Brigid ni Dagda, goddess of poetry, smithing, medicine, arts and crafts, cattle and other livestock, spring, and fire
            One of the trinities, Maiden-Mother-Crone, all named Brigid
            Wife of Bres of the Fomorians
            Mother of Ruadan
            Mother of Creidne, Luchtaine, and Giobhniu by Delbaeth mac Ogma

Bui ni Ruadri, wife of Lugh Lamfada
            Sister of Nas

Caer Ibormeith ni Ethal
            Wife of Oengus mac Ogma
            Foster mother of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne

Cailleach Beara, goddess of the sovereignty of Mumhan

Cairbre mac Ogma, satirist of the Tuatha de Danaan

Ce, ard druid of the Tuatha de Danaan

Cermait mac Dagda
            Father of Ethur Mac Cuill, Tether Mac Cecht, and Cether Mac Greinne

Cethe mac Dian Cecht
            Brother of Cian and Cethe

Cether Mac Greinne, joint 8th High King
            Husband of Eriu

Cian Scal Balb mac Dian Cecht, killed by the sons of Tuireann
            Husband of Ethniu
            Father of Lugh Lamfada
            Brother of Cu and Cethe

Cliodhna, goddess of beauty and the Otherworld, queen of the beansidhes of Deis Mumha

Conn mac Lir and Aobh Bodb Dearg, aka Conn of the Hundred Battles
            Brother of Fionnuala, Aodh, and Fiachra

Corchen, a snake goddess

Coscar, son of Ernmas

Creide, fairy queen of the Danu’s Mountains, or Paps of Anu
            Wife of Coll of the Fianna

Creidhe mac Delbaeth and Brigid ni Dagda, the goldsmith
            Brother of Luchtaine and Giobhniu

Crobh Dearg, goddess of the harvest

Crom Cruach, very ancient solar and fertility god

Cu mac Dian Cecht
            Brother of Cian and Cethe

Dagda mac Elatha and Ethniu, aka Eochaidh Ollathair, Egobal, Ruad Rofthesa, Samildanach, Cera, Fer Benn, Easal, Crom Eocha, and Ebron, 5th High King
            Brother of Ogma and Lir
            Father of Brigid, Bodb Dearg, Midir, Aine, Cermait, and Aillen

Danu, Mother Goddess of all the Irish deities

Delbaeth (see Tuireann)

Dian Cecht, the healer, god of medicine
            Father of Cian, Cu, and Cethe
            Father of Miach, Airmed, Etan, and Ochtriullach

Dianann ni Flidais, sorceress

Diarmuid ua Duibhne
            Foster son of Oengus Og
            Husband of Greinne

Donn (Duibhne) Firinne, lord of the dead, king of Cnoc Firinne (Knockfierna, Co. Limerick), father of the Irish race
            Father of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne

Ecne mac Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba, god of wisdom

Egobail (see Dagda)

Elcmar, chief steward for the Dagda

Eochaid mac Etarlam
            Father of Nuada

Eogan Inbir
            Husband of Bechuma of the Fair Skin

Ernmas, mother goddess
            Daughter of Etarlam son of Nuada
            Mother by Delbaeth mac Ogma of Fiacha, Indui, and Ollum
            Mother by Delbaeth of Badb, Macha, and Nemain (Morrigan)
            Mother by her son Fiacha of Eriu, Banba, and Fodhla
            Mother by Neto son of Indui of Glon, Gnim, and Coscar

Eriu ni Fiacha and Ernmas, goddess of the sovereignty of Ireland
            Wife of Cether Mac Greinne
            Sister of Banba and Fodhla

Etan mac Dian Cecht, poet
            Brother of Miach, Airmed, and Ochtriullach

Etarlam mac Nuada
            Husband of Ernmas

Ethal Anbuail, king of Sidhe Uamuin in Connachta

Ethniu ni Balor of the Formorians

Ethur Mac Cuill, joint 8th High King, husband of Banba

Fand ni Flidais, sea goddess
            Wife of Manannan
            Sister of Li Ban and Oengus

Fea ni Elcmar, goddess of hate, a war deity
            Wife of Nuada

Fennen mac Egobail
            Brother of Aillean and Aine

Fiacha mac Delbaeth, 7th High King
Father by his mother Ernmas of Eriu, Banba, and Fodhla

Fiachra mac Lir and and Aobh Bodb Dearg
            Brother of Fionnuala, Aodh, and Conn

Finvarra, high king of the Daoine Sidhe, king of the Daoine Sidhe of Connacht, of the Tuatha De Danaan of Connacht, and of the Dead, ruling from Knockma near Tuam in Co. Galway
            Husband of Uonaidh

Fionnuala ni Lir and Aoibh
            Sister of Aodh, Fiachra, and Conn

Fleachta, a moon goddess

Flidais Foltchain, shapeshifter, goddess of wild animals, woodlands, fertility
            Wife of Adamair the Ard-ri
            Mother of sons Arden and daughters Be Chuille and Danand
            Mother of Nia Segamain

Fodhla ni Fiacha and Ernmas, goddess of the sovereignty of Ireland
            Wife of Tether Mac Cecht
            Sister of Banba and Eriu

Fuamnach ni Beothach, witch, 1st wife of Midir

Gaidiar mac Manannan, a sea deity
            Lover of Bechuma of the Fair Skin

Glon, son of Ermmas

Gnim, son of Ernmas

Goibhniu mac Delbaeth and Brigid ni Dagda, the iron smith
            Brother of Creidne and Luchtaine

Grian, goddess of the sun

Iuchar mac Tuireann and Danand ni Tuireann, a god of war & fertility
            Brother of Brian and Iucharba

Iucharba mac Tuireann and Danand ni Tuireann, a god of war & fertility
            Brother of Iuchar and Brian

Labraid Luathlám ar Claideb, king of Mag Mell (one of the afterlifes)
            Husband to Li Ban ni Flidais

Len mac Ban Bolgach mac Bannach, craftsman of the sidhe of Bodb Dearg

Li Ban ni Flidais
            Wife of Labraid Luathlám ar Claideb
            Sister of Fand

Lir mac Dagda, sea god
            Husband of Aobh ni Bodb Dearg (1) and Aoife ni Ard Greimme (2)
            Father of Manannan, Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra, Conn of the Hundred Battles

Luchtaine mac Delbaeth and Brigid ni Dagda, the carpenter
            Brother of Creidne and Giobhniu

Lugh Lamfada mac Cian and Ethniu, aka Gilla Macair (in human form), 4th High King, god of arts and sciences
            Husband of Bui ni Ruadri (1) and Nas ni Ruadri (2)
            Father of Ibic and Ebliu

Macha ni Ernmas, war goddess of horses and of the sovereignty of Ulaidh

Manannan mac Lir, aka Orbsen Mac Alloid (in human form), 10th High King, god of the sea, drowned in Loch Orbsen/Corrib by Uillin ua Nuada

Medb, goddess of intoxication and of the sovereignty of Ol nEchmacht/Connacht

Medb Lethderg, goddess of the sovereignty of Tara

Miach mac Dian Cecht, physician god
            Brother of Airmed, Etan, and Ochtriullach

Midir mac Dagda
            Husband of Fuamach

Muireartach, sea battle goddess

Murigen, a lake goddess

Nas ni Ruadri
            Wife of Lugh Lamfada
            Sister of Bui
            Mother of Ibic and Ebliu

Nechtan
            Husband of Boann

Neit mac Indu
            Husbandof Badb

Nemain, goddess of the frenzied havoc of war
            Wife of Neit

Niamh ni Manannan and Fand, queen of Tir-nan-Og
            Lover of Oisin

Nuada Airgeatlamh mac Eochaid, 1st and 3rd High King
            Husband of Fea ni Elcmar
            Father of Etarlam

Ochtriullach mac Dian Cecht, healer god
            Brother of Miach, Airmed, and Etan

Oengus Og mac Dagda, god of youth and poetry, son of Dagda and Boann
            Husband of Caer ni Ethal
            Foster father of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne

Ogma mac Elatan (and Boann), inventor of the Ogham, god of writing and poetry
            Husband of Etain ni Diancecht
            Father of Tuireann Delbaeth

Olloman
            Father of Aoi

Ruad, a maiden goddess
            Connected to Abcan

Ruadan mac Bres (and Brigid)
            Attempted assassin of Goibhniu

Scatach ni Ard Greimme, battle goddess
            Sister of Aoife
            Mother of Uathach

Shoney, god of the North Sea

Sionainn, goddess of the River Shannon, queen of the well spirits
            Granddaughter of Lir

Tailtu, queen of the Fir Bolg
            Foster-mother of Lugh

Tether Mac Cecht, joint 8th High King
            Husband of Fodhla

Tuireann Delbaeth (“Delbha na Aodh”, “producer of fire”) mac Ogma*, aka Tuirill Bicreo (in human guise), 6th High King; god of thunder
            Son of Ogma and Etain ni Diancecht
            Husband of Ernmas
            Father by Ernmas of Anann, Macha, Badb, Nemain, Fiacha, Indui, and Ollum
            Father by Flidais Foltchain of Danand
            Father by his daughter Anann (or Morrigan) of Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba (gods of war & fertility)
            Father by Brigid ni Dagda (and Anann) of Creidne, Luchtaine, and Giobhniu
            Father by Eriu ni Fiacha of Bres

Before the rise of the O’Briens made it more convenient for them to claim Dalcassian roots, the Delbhna tribe of Central Ireland (later four clans in Connacht, three in Midhe, one in Laighin), claimed descent from Delbaeth mac Ogma.

*As Delbaeth, the myths and legends name him son of Ogma; as Tuireann, they name him son of Oengus.  From compiling all the stories together, it is clear the two are the same person.

Uathach ni Scathach, a battle goddess
            Lover of Cuchulain

Uillin ua Nuada
            Brother-in-law to Fionn Mac Cumhaill

He drowned Manannan Mac Lir in the lake which bears the name of the victim, Loch Orbsen (now Loch Corrib; one of Manannan’s namse in human form was Orbsen Mac Alloid) and gave his own name to the adjacent plain west of the lake as Magh Uillin, or Moycullen

Uonaidh, wife of Finvarra and queen of the Daoine Sidhe of Connacht

* * * * *

Abodes of the Tuatha De Danaan:
Tir-nan-Og
Emain Ablach
Mag Mell
Sidhe
Tír na mBeo
Uí Breasail
Tir Tairngire 

Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danaan:
1.      Lia Fail (Stone of Destiny)
2.      Sleg (Spear of) Lugh
3.      Cliamh (Sword of) Nuada
4.      Coire (Cauldron of) Dagda

High Kings of the Tuatha De Danaan:
1.      Nuada Airgeatlamh
2.      Bres
3.      Nuada Airgeatlam
4.      Lugh Lamfada
5.      Dagda, aka Eochaidh Ollathair
6.      Delbaeth mac Ogma, aka Tuireann
7.      Fiacha mac Delbath
8.      Cether Mac Greinne, Ethur Mac Cuill, Tether Mac Cecht
9.      Bodb Dearg mac Dagda
10.  Manannan mac Lir
11.  Finvarra, high king of the Daoine Sidhe from Cnoc Medha near Tuam

Goddesses of War and Battle
1. Anann, the Mor Righean
2. Macha
3. Nemain
4. Badb
5. Fea


Trinities of the Tuatha De Danaan
Macha-Nemain-Badb
Brigid-Brigid-Brigid (Maiden-Mother-Crone)
Creidne-Luchtaine-Giobhniu
Ethur Mac Cuill-Tether Mac Cecht-Cether Mac Greinne
Eriu-Banba-Fodhla
Brian-Iuchar-Iucharba


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