Glossary & Site Index

Mythological Divine Son of Danu and Bilé. He is father of the gods, as Eochaidh Ollathair 'father of all'. The Dagda's harp calls forth summer and winter; his cauldron provides limitless food.

High King of Ireland from AD405. Famous for his request of the Druids of Rath Archaill to prophesy his future at Samhain. Dathi held a feast at Tara at Beltaine.

Divine Maiden of Tochmarc Étaíne. The ageless Étaíne is wooed by Oengus the Macc Óc, Echu Airem and Mider. For Mider she meets him over three nights on 'the hill above the house'.

Hero of the Fennian tales of Ireland. He was gained the 'three arts' of prophesy, divination and incantation at Beltaine after partaking of the Salmon of Knowledge.

Formalised quarterly celebrations marking the progress of the seasons. Two major feasts marking Summer (Beltaine/ Calan Mai) and Winter (Samhain/Calan Gaeaf) are ancient.

Winter. Welsh Gaeaf; Gaulish Giammon. The season extending from Samhain to Beltaine, November to May, the second half of the Irish year in Fennian legend and of the Celtic calendar.

Magical hill above the court of Pwyll upon which the high-born receive wounds and blows or else see a wonder. Over three consecutive nights Pwyll met the Goddess Rhiannon.

Mythological rival of Pwyll for the hand of Rhiannon. For her hand, Pwyll must endure three annual trials winning her hand and producing a child on May eve.

Mythological Divine Son of Branwen. After their rescue from Ireland the boy Gwern is held precariously in the flames of a bonfire akin to known Beltaine customs.

Mythological Divine Son of Rhiannon. He is born on May Eve and fostered to Teyrnon Twryf Liant and his wife, from whom he gained the name Golden Hair. He gains the name Pryderi.

Mythological Father of Rhiannon. His name means 'Summery', 'the Old Summer'. At the court of Hefeydd is produced a bag of plenty that cannot be filled.

The Celtic springtime feast. Held on February eve, it has the meaning of 'washing' in the sense of purifying. The feast of St Brigid retains much of the pagan Celtic imagery; Oimelc.

The Celtic high-summer feast. Held on August eve by the god Lug it precedes the harvest. Known best from Ireland, the festival was anciently held in Gaul at Lugdunum.

Mythological stories of the Divine Son. Welsh compilations of the White Book of Rhydderch (1325) and the Red Book of Hergest (1400) are redactions of earlier mythological material.

Mythological Divine Son of the Great Queen and Great King. Found in Culhwch & Olwen. Identified with Pryderi and other mythological sons: Mac Óc (Ireland) and Maponos (Gaul).

King of the Sidhe. Mider woos the Tripartite Goddess maiden Étaíne. His name means 'to judge'. He met Étaíne three nights upon 'a hill above the house'.

Mythological Divine Mother. She is the Tripartite Goddess, the Great Queen, mother of Mabon. Identified with the Matronae of Gaul and the River Marne.

Protagonist of a Connacht samhain tale, Echtra Nerai 'The Adventure of Nera' where the Underworld is entered near the court of Ailill and Medb; an epitome of samhain horror tales.

Mythological Daughter of Ysbaddaden. The Tripartite Goddess as maiden is here named 'White Track' for the flowers she invokes. For her hand the great tale of Culhwch is told.

Head of Annwyn. Pwyll woos the Tripartite Goddess maiden Rhiannon. His name means 'sense, judgement'. His name in Irish is Ciall and in Gaulish is Ciallos, the intercalary month.

Mythological mother of Pryderi, she is an expression of Modron. As maiden Pwyll woos her and as mother she names her son. Her name means Great Queen.

Great Queen, a term hypothesised by etymology containing the derivations leading to Rhiannon and Morrigan, both containing the element Ri- denoting royal.

Embodiment of the three arts which establish a poet in his prerogative. Residents of the Well about which grow the Hazels of Wisdom. Symbols of Beltaine.

Summer. Welsh Haf; Gaulish Samon. The season extending from Beltaine to Samhain, May to November, the first half of the Irish year in Fennian legend and of the Celtic calendar.

Festival at the start of the Celtic winter, Shamhna, the eve of November, hence Calan Gaeaf in Wales. Derived from samani meaning assembly held at sam-fuin, the end of summer.

Great King. In the Mabinogi of Pwyll, Teyrnon fosters Rhiannon's child. As the hypothetical name Tigernonos shows, he may represent the Great Father.

Celtic deities of Ireland, the Tribe of Danu the Creatrix and Mother of the Gods. Their arrival in Eire at Beltaine was marked by the invocation of the land by Amergin.

Father of Olwen, the Chief Giant is destined to lose his life once her hand is obtained. He lays seemingly impossible tasks before Culhwch in a bid to prevail.