D, dair, oak in the Ogham alphabet.

Totem bird, the droen or

wren,colour dubh, black. June 10 to July 7. An attribute of
Di-ardaoin, also known as Thursday or Thor’s Day.

DÀ, two. The true name of the elder day “lord of hosts” of
the Gaels was probably Da, Do, or Don, who the Welsh called
Doon, the Cornishmen, Dou, and the Anglo-Saxons, Doom. A
very similar word is the Latin divus, deified one Resembling
Eng. da, dad and daddy. The Gaelic form corresponds with the
obsolete English word da, which is the current word for
two. In the Old Irish tongue the word could be masculine dá
or the feminine di. The same holds for Welsh where dau is
masculine and dwy feminine. In the Cornish form these
words were dou and diu. In the dead Brythonic tongue of the
English Celts it was daou and diou.

All of these words bear obvious relationship to the

Gaelic deo, breath, i.e. spirited, and dia, a god and the
Norse/Gaelic god Ve, the Wind . A very similar word is the
Latin divus, m., deified one, which is the Norse tiv and the
Anglo-Saxon twi. All of these forms point to the old
northern European god variously named Aod, Aoid, Aoidh
(pronounced somewhat like the English letter “k”). He is
also called Hu, Da or Dagda in Gaelic and Hues, Hess, Deus,
Dis, Twes, Tuis, Tues, Tyrr, Tyr or Ter in various Germanic
tongues. This god is still remembered in the English Tues-
day.

This linguistic exercise reveals a duo-partite

creator-god, who apparently knew how to represent himself
in male and female bodies, possibly in the interest of “self-
expression.” His male form, in Gaelic, is usually given as
Don, his female as Domnu, and the following which these
two energized forms created, embraced the so called House
of Don, within the undersea kingdom of Domhain.

The Norse and the Gaels preferred to speak of the

“one-god” obliquely calling him the Allfather, the Old Man,
the Old Boy, the Good (God) Fellow, or something of that ilk.
It was widely understood that calling upon the true name of
any god was a dangerous business since they were likely to
appear and were invariably annoyed by oaths or swearings
that were”in vain.” In Gaelic parts Don’s Day is still Di-
domnuich, which we call Sunday. The month of Damhar, or
October, is related, the word damh identifying an ox or stag;
the word damhair means rutting time. The ending air in
this last word indicates rank, thus, “The high-ox.” The
whole word can also be interpreted as “battle-ox,” or
“slaughtering ox.” The word Domhain is allied with this:
the second part mainnir, indicating a pen, fold or booth for
wild animals. An associate word is the Old Irish mendat, a
residence.

Two headed sculptures of Celtic origin have been

described as illustrating "the reciprocal relationship
between the human hero and his divine archetype", but they
may simply represent the twin gods Lugh/Nuada, who spoke
with one voice and were the co-creators of the world of
men. Nuada's name is similar to the Gaelic "nuadh" which is
exactly represented in the English word new. We have said
that Lugh is represented by a character named Llew in
Welsh myth, and Nuada has a similar counterpart in the
deity named Nudd or Lludd. Nudd is pictured on a bronze
plaque which was discovered by the Severn River in England.
He is show encircled by a halo and accompanied by spirits of
the air and water. We are reminded that this god was one of
three elementals, the others being Ler and Myrddyn. While
they belonged to th elemental triad, Lugh and Nuada were a
dynamic duo, Lugh carrying the spear which fought by itself
and Nuada the sword which slew its victim at first touch.
 Duality is a constant theme in the old Gaelic tales, it
being easily observed that many things come in pairs: day
and night, male and female, wet and dry, chaos and order,
and of course, good and evil. Even the all powerful Aithir or
Allfather was seen as having a split personality, his
destructive side being named Nathir, the one who is not the
father. His name persists in Gaelic in the word "nathair", a
snake or serpent, and anciently, a sea serpent. Lugh and
Nuada may represent similar aspects of the creator-god, the
former representing power rising and the latter power
falling.

Lugh and Nuada seem to have been more reflective

gods than theeir “father” The Dagda, or at least they were
individuals of slower passions. Gray Hugh , a senachie of
the Hebrides, said that Lugh Longarm meditated for a
thousand years before noticing the presence of his twin
brother Nuada (pronounced Noo-dah), The Horseman of the
Heavens. The two remind us of Loki and Thor, thunder and
lightning, individuals so close in being that one often spoke
the thoughts of the other. After an additional thousand
years of mutual consideration the two used their magic to
create "something not seen until then...fire." Easily bemused
they fell into contemplation of this novelty for another
thousand year span. At the end of that time they noticed
that the fire periodically ebbed and increased in intensity.
When the fire was up sparks were seen to come together
burst into powerful streamers of light and then fade as
their energies were lost.

Speaking as one mind with two voices the gods

decided to end the arbitrary length of day and night and to
create time and space. It was said that, "They made the
Creation round." After that they put limits on the
boundaries of chaos so that it might not affect their new-
born universe. Having divided light and darkness evenly,
Lugh approached the primal fire with a spear in hand. Like
the sword of Svrtr it was burst into a living flame filled
with the spirit of creation. See this fire held aloft, Nuada
struck at it with the sword "that needed only one blow to
put a finsih on a thing." Thus the stars were scattered to
the far corners of the Creation. The stars driven from its
point, Lugh lowered his spear with no more than a glow
continuing at its point. He gave the spear a shake and that
particle of light fell into space creating the sun for the
planet now called earth. One little glow remained and Lugh
shook this way to create the moon.

As they stood admiring their work they were

approached by Dag, the daughter of Lugh. Asked for her
opinion of their work the girl noted that any creatures
living in the new world be confined to places of perpetual
darkness or constant light since only half the planet was
illuminated in their static universe. Agreeing that this was
so, the co-workers seized the sphere in their hands and
began to rock it and jerk it until a motion was imparted to
all of the stars, moons and planets. When they were done,
Dag had to agree that the orbiting earth now received equal
light on all its surface as it orbited the sun.

The creators now decided to supply the earth with

things that grow. Dag was given charge of the greening of
the earth. Its first gardener, she selected green as the
colour for foilage noting that it was a perfect background
colour. She then assigned colours to the various crops, and
classified the various animal creations as they were
brought to life by the gods. It was Dag who created the
cauldron of the deep, "a large pot in which there was every
kind of food and provision for all existence and life." 1

DABHACH, a vat, a measure of land (one to four ploughshares

differing by locality), cf. dhabh, to deepen, to dig out, Eng.
tub allied with Germ. zuber, all from the root da, two as it
was, originally, a “two-eared” container (for liquor). This
is the mythological bragaful shaped in the form of an Old
Norse longship. Also, any gigantic woman. Identified as
Ossian’s wife, the protype of this kind was “big and burly”
When she was a crone annd blind, she fell out with her
husband (or the reverse). He threw the shin bone of a dead
animal at her but missed, thus the saying: “a throw or a
blow at a-venture.” See Da.

DA-CHORPACH, having two bodies, bi-corporal. The Gaels

believed that all men had dual spirits, one internal the other
external. Ther latter could briefly enflesh itself resulting
in situations where men or women were seen in two places
at the same time.

DÀ-CHAILLINN, the Double Caledons, northern Scotland in

the vicinity of the Grampian mountain range. Dà, two,
conferring with “double-god” Lugh. The region which the
Romans called Caledonia lies between the Grampians and
Strathearn. Because the north and south slopes of the
Grampians were within Caledonian territory, their
inhabitants were the Dicaledones or “double Caledonians.”

The associated forests was inhabited by every type of

bogey including “Mad” Merineal , or “Merlin,” who fought in
one of the last Celtic battles for Britain in 573 A.D.,
afterwards retiring to these woods where he lived in
intractable insanity. Tacitus says that these folk were
originally Brythonic rather than Gaelic-speakers. Galgacus,
“The Swordsman,” the first named Scottish hero, united the
Caledonians against Agricola in preparation for the battle
of Mons Graupius (84 A.D.) The Caledonians fought from
their traditional chariots but were unequal to the tight
tactics of the Roman foot-soldiers. By the fourth century
the Caledonians were assimilated into the Pictish nations
of the north. They became a part of the Scottish kingdom
when Pictish power declined in the ninth century. See
Chaillinn.

DÅ CHOC, DÄ CHOCA, DÅ COCA, coca, void, empty, hollow.

cocar, perfect; another Irish father-deity. He gave his name
to a hostel near the ford at Druim Airthir. When Cormac the
king came here he and his followers saw a woman at the
stream washing the cushions and harness from a chariot.
When she lowered her hands the water was seen to fill with
red blood. When she raised them again the water retreated
from the stream leaving it bone dry and easy to cross. The
king asked one of his servants to approach the woman
asking if this was an omen. She responded by taking a
druidic pose, standing on one leg with one eye closed. She
then chanted that she was washing the remains of the
doomed king. This was, of course, the Badb, the banshee of
royalty.

DÁ DEARGA, the Red One (God) of two aspects, the “Dark

One.” A Leinster chieftain who owned a hostel by the River
Dodder. King Conar Mor journeyed there in spite of ill omens
he saw on the way. The hostel was besieged by Ingcel, a
hostile Briton, who was assisted by the foster sons of the
king and the sons of the Connacht queen named Mebd. “The
Destruction of Da Dearga’s Hostel” is one of the great
Gaelic tales of a man-god fighting on in spite of impending
doom. See Dá. In Gaelic the words ruadh and dearg both carry
the meaning of the colour “red.” Additionally they suggest
“Strong, swift” or “turbulent.” In northern Britain this god
was Cocidius, which may have an equivalent in the Irish
deity Da Choc, sometimes represented as Coca. He
corresponds with the Dagda, who is also represented as
Ruad Rofhessa, the “Red One of Great Wisdom.” Sometimes
equated with the Roman god Mars.

DACHAIDH-FOGHAR, DHACHAIDH, harvest-home, "to bring in

before winter" is the general meaning. The ingathering of
the harvest; the time of harvest; the feast made at the time
of harvest; songs sung by reapers. This celebration is
widespread in Europe and very ancient in its beginnings.
Characteristic of allied rites is the preparation of a rude
animal or human image made from the last sheaf of grain.
Often decorated with flowers and ribbons, this relic was
brought in from the fields with the last load amidst much
shouting and singing. This image is variously known as the
harvest queen, harvest doll, kirn baby, kirn doll, kirn
maiden, old woman, old hag, etc. etc. This was regarded as
the spirit of the grain incarnate, a ghost which had to be
over-wintered for the preservation of the land and its
people. Quite often a human counterpart of the corn-doll
was appointed by lot and became superintendent of all the
rites of the season. These includes feasting dancing,
general merry-making and sexual exchanges. Lachlan Shaw
says that the harvest home was often absorbed into the
Samhain, “a solemnity of the country (Moray, Scotland)
being kept on the eve of the Feast of November, a
thanksgiving for the safe in-gathering of the produce of the
fields.” See Cernu.

DAG, deodh, everlasting, deoghail, the “suck-giver,” or

nurse-maid; the supplier of milk. A female version of the
Dagda. The daughter of Lugh and Mebd, mother to Eohgan and
Brideag. After Lugh and Nuada created the universe, Dag
realizing that the creator-gods intended to people the
planet they had created, noted that the earth was immobile
in space and that any residents of it would either live on
the sunlight side of the sphere in endless light, or on the
dark side, in perpetual night. At this suggestion, the
brothers shook their universe until its parts fell into
periodic movements, the earth wheeling about the sun, the
moon about the earth, and all rotating on their axes. It was
Dag who decorated the world: “She was in charge, making
the things to grow. On the grass she put green saying, “It is
the best background colour!” She placed miscellaneous
colours on the flowers, on the fruits and on the growth of
the fields. She classified the things that the boys created
as kind, generation, gender, social order, assimilation, all
according to their contained spirit, to their reasoning
power, and to the laws of nature. Male and female she
placed on land and sea and air as well as within these
elements. She made a large pot (the ocean), the coire mor,
“the great cauldron, which was always filled with every
kind of food and provision, so that no living thing would go
without provisions.” She is sometimes regarded as the
matriarch of the Milesian race, thus correspondent with
Scota.

DAGDA, daigeil, a firm or well-built man, of good aspect, a

“son of the day;” cf. daingean, strong, the patriarchal god of
the Gaels. da, two, having two aspects; deagh, good, worthy,
excellent, an indication that he was skilled in many things.
OIr. dag, the Latin, dexter, right-handed. Confers with the
Gaelic deaghad, living, a mortal. Also called Dago-devis,
the “two liar gods,” confers with Eochaid Oolathair, Aod and
Ruad Rofessa,the latter the patron of druidism. He rode the
black horse called Acein , “Ocean,” and was the alter-ego of
the creator-god known as Don.

Mr. Lewis Pence characterizes the Dagda as “the deity

of plenty, or fruits of the earth, the lord of the capacious
cauldron, which contained all manner of delicious things.”
The Dagda was a rustic, a great harpist, womanizer and
eater of porridge. He corresponds with the day-god Aod, as
a leader of men who came to Ireland with the invading
Tuatha daoine (people of the goddess Danu). His mate was
Danu but he also coupled with Boann and his daughter
Mhorrigan, among others. His chief additional offspring
were Brigit, the goddess of filial love and poetry; her male
counterpart Lugh; Ogma, the god of rhetoric; Aonghas Og, the
god of free-love and Midir, Lord of the Underworld.

Dagda is always pictured as carrying a huge "club", a

descriptive for his penis. It was said that Dagda could kill
his enemies with the nether reach of his club and “cure”
them with the inner reach. Like the god Loki, his dalliances
outside the home bore unfortunate fruit, in particular the
god Macha, a monster whose body carried nine heads. A
noted warrior in the successful campaign against the
Fomorian sea-giants,

Dagda is best remembered for his culinary feats. It

was thought that the mortal gods (and men) lost god-spirit
at every exhalation and excretion and that this loss could be
replaced, in some measure, through sexual contacts (energy
flowing from the weaker toward the more powerful deity).
This explains one of the Dagda's interests. It also explains
his preoccupation with oatmeal, for it was observed that
the earth was, itself, a spirit of great power. With the
assistance of the sun-god the earth was periodically
"impregnated" and bore children in the form of plants.
Animals fed upon plants thus replenishing their diminishing
stock of god-spirit. Gigantic appetites were once
considered a mark of god-hood or at least god-favour. Of all
the gods, the Dagda was the pre-eminent epicurean. Spying
on the Fomorians he was invited to eat with them, a feat
they thought would cost him his life: "They filled for him
his king's cauldron, five fists it was, five fists deep. And
into it went four-score gallons of new milk and a like
amount of meal and fat. Goats and sheep were added, and
swine flesh was put in and all boiled together into a
porridge. Then the Dagda took his spoon, the one big enough
to lay a man and a woman, and he ate. "Good food this," he
said. Afterwards, sleep came upon him and his belly bulged
bigger than any house-cauldron. Not easy was it for the
hero to move in this condition and unseemly was his apparel
from the drippings of fat. Great was the swelling of his
rump."

If his eating prowess was in question his sexuality

was not. Even after this enormous meal he managed to raise
the strength needed to seduce the daughter of a Fomorian
giant although the act was “not without difficulties.” The
maiden (Mhorrigan) was satisfied for she promised to undo
her father, “depriving him of the blood of his heart and the
kidney of his courage.”

Some claim that he took the throne of Ireland upon the

death of Lugh and that he was present at the defeat of the
Tuatha daoine at the hands of the invading Milesians. He
afterwards divided the sidh-mounds of Ireland among the
defeated people and retired from the kingship to nurse a
fatal battle wound. The Dagda greatly admired the
underground palace of Brugh na Boyne, but promised his
foster son Aonghas Og that he could spend a day and a night
there before moving to his own side-hill. The youngster
refused to leave his residence, and since the Dagda had not
specified which day and night was meant,he was forced to
relinquish title to that property. After his death, these
land-grants were redistributed by King Bodb Dearg (the Red
Crow) who swore Tuathan allegiance to the elder gods of
the sea. See Ruadh rosessa.
DAGDA MOR, same as above. Dagda the Great, the Large, the
Expansive, the Heroic. The Dagda Mor may have been one of
the Olathir's earliest attempts to organize primal matter.
The first mortal god, he seems to parallel the frost giant
Ymir, mor indicating anything of great size. It was said
that his spoon was of sufficient size to bed a normal-sized
man and woman, In the more northernly myths, after the
death of Ymir, the survivors of the giant kind were either
banished to Jotunnheim, the Land of the Big-Eaters, or to
Nifhelheim, and it is patent that An Domhain is the
equivalent of both Nifhelheim and the British Hades.

The Dagda was associated with the goddess Danu, or

Anu in the creation of a tribe known as the Tuatha daoine,
i.e. "the northern people of the god whose mother in Danu."
Their daughter was Bridd, or Brigit, and their sons: Lugh,
Nuada, Ogma and Midir. Several authors have noted that the
name Dagda confers with Good and Rolleston thought it
might be the equivalent of Doctus, which has the meaning of
wise. Katherine Scherman questions this interpretation of
Dagda noting that he was entitled "the Good" not because he
was morally upright but because he was "good" at
performing a wide variety of physical feats including sexual
marathons with a wide variety of women. It is noteworthy
that "dag" is a Gaelic word is for a sharp-pointed tool, in
particular a dagger (and currently a pistol). While Lugh
carried an irresistable sword much is made of the fact that
his father had "an invincible club so heavy that eight men
had to carry it and its track made the boundary-ditch for a
province." His main talent was surely procreation!

DAIBHIDH, DÀIDH, David, from which Clann Déibhiosdan.

Clan Davidson a branch of the Chattan confederacy. Ir.
dabhach, a vat, Germ. topf, Eng. tub, a unwieldy container
with two handles, a double-ended sailing vessel. Obs.
dobhar, water, cf. dub, deep, as seen in domhain, a place
with springs, a region deep in standing or flowing water.
Similar to iadh, to encompass, shut in, surround, a “locked
place.” This last word has been analyzed as rooted in Skr.
epi + dana, a lock. Macbain says that the first word is the G.
iar, west, while the last means “place,” a “western place.”
Thus travellers from, or to, the west.

Hence references, in English, to “Davy Jones’ Locker,”

usually taken to indicate the bottom of the ocean, but
perhaps pointing to some ancient real world in the western
ocean. “Jones” confers with the G. Iain, which ultimately
identifies the sun-god Aod, who travelled regularly from
east to west. “Locker” is identified with the “locked-god”
Lokki, the G. Lugh. It appears that this place confers with An
domhain, the “Beginning Place,” which had the “Cauldron of
Abundance” (sometimes referred to as a “spring” or
“fountain” at its exact centre. This was the well-spring of
god-spirit stolen by the land-people led by Dagda. This land
supposedly had the “dead” or “locked lands” as its
underworld. In Welsh legend it is patent that North America
was discovered by a Prince of Dyffyd, long before Columbus
set sail. Also seen as Davy Jona, Old Jonah or Old Davy, and
antiquely as Old Daw or Old Dawy. Perhaps from the Welsh,
who termed themselves the folk of their patriarch Dyffyd.
One of this kind was Madawag ap Owain Gwynedd, "the first
to discover Tir y Gorllewin, or America."

In1862 Mr. Hughes, a resident of Wales told the

writer George Borrow that, "Not many years ago his tomb
was discovered in America with an inscription in old Welsh,
saying: Here after sailing far, I Madoc lie, of Owain Gwynedd
lawful progeny; The verdant land had little charm for me;
From earliest youth I loved none save the dark-blue sea." If
Dyffyd map Owain was the discoverer of the New World, he
was also a typical “jonah,” for he received few material
rewards and is virtually unremembered in the history of
explorations. Confers with the Gaelic daibhir, poor + each,
horse; similar to the Anglo-Saxon adjective daeg, one who
burns while working by day, from the noun daeg or daw, day
+ eoh, horse, one who works like a horse. The latter word
confers with the masculine proper names Iain, Iona, Owen,
Jonah, John, Jack, Jacob, Jock and the feminine Joan, in
short “common folk.”
 Davy Jones corresponds somewhat with the West
Indian sea-spirit referred to as Taffy or Duffy. Words
derived from daw include dew, daub, daunt, dawn, dawdle
and dowdy. Obsolete forms are: daw, a lazy menial;
dawfish, the dogfish; dawk, to gash with a sharp object;
dawkin, a rustic, blockhead or simpleton; dawther, to
dither or engage in unproductive work; daver, to stagger or
wander in the mind. Also, dawk, to gash or slash. In eastern
North America, Davy Jones is still remembered as the sea-
going equivalent of the winter/death god Uller. "To come a
Davy on it", is an expression meaning, "to apply great
physical or psychological pressure to a task." This is
similar to other local expressions, notably, "To come a horn
on it" or "To give it the Devil!"

A favoured surname in Scotland since the reign of

David I (1084-1153). The Scots have an almost complete
monopoly on the use of feminine forms of this name, viz.
Davina, Davidina, Davida, sometimes seen diminished as
Vida and Vina. Apart from these, we have the somewhat
uncanny family names Daw, Dawe, Dawes and Dawson, which
originate in obsolete diminutives of the Gaelic. The Gaelic
form has also led to the surnames Day and Dey. See An
Domhain, Tir nan Og.

DAILGINN, DAILGIONN, dail+gin, delay + beget, a prediction.

A means of avoiding disaster. dailgneachd, prophecy,
foretelling.

DAILGNEACHD, prophetic vision, cf. tairgneachd (which, see).

DAIL SLEUCHDAIDH, the dale of prostration,” and we are not

usually speaking of the Christian god.

DÀIMH, relationship, affinity, kinship, kindness, tribe,

company. The root may be dom, house, honouring the
creator-god Don, (which, see). Obs. Troublesome because of
closeness, the Church, assent, free will, poet, learned man,
guest, stranger, man who helps himself in excess.
DÀIMASADH NAM BOC, dàimh + asaid, relationship + born;
nam, of; boc, a goat. Sexual activity, The Devil. Also, a
name given the Gaelic "Dance of the Goats." The Gaels were
often referred to, slightingly, as “the goat-men.” See boc,
boc-sithe, bochda, etc.

DAIMHLEAG, obs., a place of worship

DAIRE, mire. shit, Skr. dhara, a stream, seed. See entries

below. A substance used in the formulation of salves. Note
that the Gaelic deities were often pictured as shape-
changing cow-people.

DAIRE MAC FACHTNA. The owner of Donn, the Brown Bull of

Cuailgne. He refused Mebd’s request that his prize animal
provide stud-services for her herd of cattle, sparking the
Tain wars.

DAIREANN, dair+Anu, the “First Goddess of the Mire.” A

daughter of Boabd Dearg she became infatuated with Fionn
mac Cumhail and proposed that he should take her as his
sole wife for a year, promising her half his time thereafter.
When he refused she gave him a draught which created
insanity and caused the members of the Feinn to desert him.
The hero retired to the Glen of Madness and by nightfall had
recovered his senses. Daireann’s sister Sadb was the
mother of Fionn’s son Oisin. A side-form of the goddess
Mhorrigan.

DAIRINE. The youngest daughter of the High King Tuathal

Teachtmhair. Dairine’s older sister was married to Eochaid,
the king of Leinster. He represented her as being dead and
remarried the younger woman. At his fortress, the two
ladies stumbled upon one another and Tutahal, hearing of
this bigamy, went to war with Leinster and extracted from
them the infamous Boramha (which, see).

DAIR NA COILLE, The “Night of the Fecundation of Trees.”

The first night of the New Year in which the wind is
observed to shift and blow from the west. Dar, the one of
two, the two in one, dara, second, darach, oak-tree, the body
of a boat, an embodied reincarnate god; na coille, of the
forest. An alternate name for the Oge manie or “Hogamany”
celebration. See also Da.

DAIS. DOIS, a blockhead, mow of peat or corn, a pile of well-

seasoned fish, daiseachan, an unskilled rhymer. Similar to
Scot. dawsie, stupid and dase, stupify. Cf. ON. dasi, a lazy
fellow. From these the family name Daw or Dawe. Eng.
jackdaw, a simpleton. A Quarter-Day victim.

DAL, see next entry. A division or sept, a tribe or land

inherited by a tribe. Examples would include Dal Fiatach. a
kingdom in what is now County Down; Dal n Araidi, in the
vicinity of Loch Neagh and Dal Riada, which consisted of
County Antrim, Ireland and Argyllshire, Scotland. Confers
with dail, meeting, congress, friendship, nearness,
neighbourhood, interval.

DALBH, dalla, one of two components; the spiritual matter

of the universe; the substance of the sensate world, dalbh,
obs., a lie, contrivance. See Da and the next.

DALBHADH, DAMBHLAIDH, sorcery

DALL, blind, IIr. dull, Indo-European dhvl-no, Goth. dvals,

foolish, Eng. dull, Lat. fallo, dallag, a field shrew. See Dul
duna.

DALMAN, "The individual given charge of liquor in ancient

times." A waiter, butler or steward. From dalma, bold,
forward, obstinate. He had the right to withhold alcoholic
beverages at wakes and feasts. See above entries.

DAMHAIR, (dav-er), obs. give, grant, permit (sexual favours

amongst other things) rutting-time; damh, ox, steer. One of
the totem-animals of the god Lugh. This time was
coincident with the Samhuinn and Beultuinn.
DAMH SIA-CHASACH, the six-legged stag , damh, stag, ox,
Br. dawit, sheep, Latin dama, a deer. Allied is the English
tame and domestic. A “tame ox.”

Note that Odin, in the guise of a death-god, rode down

the northern wind on a six-legged horse. He corresponds
with the Gaelic god Lugh when he appears as the Nathair.
The cult of horned-beasts was widespread in Europe, and
among these we find the stag-god, Cernu, whose particular
totems are the ram-headed serpent and the stag. The stag
is regarded as “a solar-therapeutic” symbol dating from the
Bronze Age. The distribution of this anthropomorphic
figure was such that it might almost be regarded as the
national beast of ancient Britain. It appeared as a man-
beast and strangely mixed with a swan. Bronze Age
representations of a similar god are found in Gaul (France) .
There are stag images on bone and stone in both Ireland and
Scotland and the stag features prominently in folklore: Deer
frequently had the duty of enticing heroes to the Otherworld
and the transformation of humans into this form is
commonplace in Irish and Scottish traditions.

A three antlered stag is referred to in Agallamh na

Senurach. This was “the grey one of the three antlers.”
eventually killed by Caoilte one of the Feinn. Like the six-
legged stag, there are numerous three pronged animals
mentioned in British and Continental mythology: three-
antlered stags, three-horned bulls and boars being the most
common. Irish warriors are frequently noted as following a
supernatural stag to their own death. Thus Salbuide, a son
of the king of Munster chased down one of these revered
animals and thirty warriors, thirty attendants and thirty
deer hounds failed to return from the chase.

The jealous consort of King Aodh turned a hundred

Irishwomen into deer, and when their herder Donn failed to
“please” her turned him into a stag. Fionn hunted this stag
to death and the hinds were all subsequently killed. One of
Fionn’s numerous mates was turned into a doe by the Dark
Druid. She gave birth to the anthropomorphic Oisin. It was
sometimes said that Lugaid Laigde obtained his kinship
while at the hunt. His father Daire had been told that the
high-kingship would go to a man named Lugaid who ate the
flesh of a golden fawn. To give his offspring an equal
chance, Daire named all five of them Lugaid. All five ate the
flesh as required but later they became lost in a snowstorm.
Snowbound in a mountain-cabin with a horrific hag, only the
youngest consented to bed the lady. As he was having
intercourse she turned into a beautiful woman, the
sovereign-goddess of Ireland and his crown was assured.

The Cailleach bheurr was said to be the protectress of

wild deer, not unlike the Lochaber Deep Goddess. Then too,
the man named Coel was struck down while he had the
misfortune to be wandering about as a deer. Finally notice
that Saint Patrick and his missionaries were able to come
to Tara through enemy lines by magically “disguising”
themselves as a stag with herd. See next entry.

DAIMH CABRACH AGUS, NA TRI, the “Three-antlered Stag.”

Sometimes given as the animal that led the host of dead
spirits at the Yuletide. A totem for the tri-partite god Lugh.

DAIR, the pairing of cattle, rut, copulate; daireach, rutting,

copulating, breeding, bulling; bo-air, a cow at the rut.

DAIR-NA-COILLE. The first night of the New Year. Said to be

the time when the trees copulated.

DAIREANN, “Anu in Heat,”a daughter of Bobd Dearg. She fell

in love with Fionn mac Cumhail and asked him to be her
husband. When the hero refused she gave him a cup of liquid
which made him insane so that his friends deserted him.
Caoilte persuaded the Féinn to return to their leader at
dusk, after which the madness passed. Daireann’s sister
Sadb was the mother of Fionn’s son Oisin.

DAIRIREACH, a rattling noise, Eng. drone. The background

sound for moth-music, and the pipes. Equated with the
sounds made by disembodied spirits, human and otherwise.
DÀN, fate, Skr. dâ, to give; a poem, the arts, wise, bold.
After the goddess Danu, who governed the fates. See next
entry.

DANA, The Evil One, the Adversary of men and the gods,
Cromm; a dol thun na Dana, “He is going to Ruin.” Obs.
danair, stranger, foreigner, guest, dannadha, fatal. See next.
Danach, peetical, one who speaks in verse, a fatalist,
danalasdail, fated, predestined, danaich, an adventure.
Danndha, obs., fatal.

DANA, DANU, DANA, ANU, the goddess of fate or destiny;

Dana, the Evil One in Christian mythology; the Bafinn. Cf.
MIr. dan and Cy. dawn, a gift of the gods from Skr. da to give.
Danadail, fated, destined. Dannasdh, a dance, hopping ,
skipping, dannasdah-na-clag, dantatach, fatalism, poetry.
The “Morris Dance.” See Daireann. The female counterpart of
the Dagda. The matriarch of the race known as the Tuatha
daoine, the consort of Dagda. The ultimate mistress of
hearth and home and poetry, conferring with Bridd and the
Christian Saint Brigit. From her we have the Black Annis of
southern England, a Celtic witch-woman who inhabited
stagnant water and lured men to their death. Her Irish
residence was the "Paps of Anu", two breast-shaped
mountains in County Kerry, Ireland. She was considered a
resident of the Underworld, a fertility goddess, mother to
all the gods including the sons and daughters of the Dagda.
See Domnu. Infrequently Dana, The Evil One.

DANAIR, the high Dana, obs., a stranger, foreigner, guest.

Danara, obstinate, impudent, opinionated, forward, bold.

DAN-CLUICHE, a dramatic poem.

DAN-CRUITE, a lyric poem.

DAN-MOR, “great poem,” an epic poem.

DAN-DIRECH. An ancient Gaelic Irish poetical system in

which there is alliteration and rhyme within every line of
metre.

DANNA, dance, hop, skip, dannnasadh-deise, strathspey,

dannasadh-nanb-clag, a Morris Dance. Dannsair, a dancer.

DANTACHD, fatalism, poetry. See above entries.

DAOCH, horror, fright

DAOI, wicked, foolish; daoidh, wicked, foolish, perverse,

reprobate, rogue, fdoolish or vain man, wild beast; daolair, a
lazy man, niggard, dao, obstinate, the Germanic thor, foolish
after the actions of the god Thor. Daor, enslaved, dear,
daorach, intoxicated and thus kept tame. A descriptive for
Norsemen captured by the Gaels.

DAOINE FADA, the tall people, the fadas, fees, or fairies of

English mythology. The fates, corresponding with the Gaelic
befind. It was never said that the sidh or “side-hill people,”
were short, rather they were described as thin and of
extraordinary stature.

Thomas Keightley says the fayries, or fairies, are of

Celtic origin being the Breton korrigan who the Welsh of
Cornwall named the horridgwen and the Gaels the morganu
(which, see). He noted that the Roman writer Pomponius
Mela had said that "Sena in the British Sea (the English
Channel) is remarkable for an oracle of the Gallic (French-
British) god. Its priestesses, holy in perpetual virginity,
are said to be nine in number. They are called the
Gallicenae, and are thought to be endowed with singular
powers, so as to raise by their charms the winds and seas,
to turn themselves into what animals they will, to cure
wounds and diseases incurable by others, to know and
predict the future; but this they only do to navigators who
go thither purposely to consult them." (Gnomes Fairies
Elves and Other Little People, p. 420). The island in
question was anciently called Sena, and is now entitled
L'isle de Saints, just off the coast of Brest, France.
DAOINE MARA, the sea people, the sea trows or trolls. OIr.
gen. mora, “from the sea,” Eng. mere. Descendants of the
Tuatha daoine who accepted the sea-refuge offered by
Manann mac Ler when they were defeated by the Milesian
invaders of Ireland. They lived in undersea kingdoms but
could travel to the surface by donning “wet-suits.” In
Ireland it was said that sea-travel was accomplished by
using “hoods” which covered the face.

The mer or sea-women were mistresses of great

ocean redoubts. Their husbands, following the model set by
Ailill (the husband of Mebd), were slightly henpecked. They
preferred visitations at the surface to staying about the
house. They have been described as rugged in form sporting
seaweed green or black hair with a beard to match. They
were frequently seen on sea-shore cliffs and were
regarded, at worst as indifferent to men, and at best as a
benefactor. The Scottish version of the merman was
otherwise unremarkable but the merrows, although jovial in
character, were decidedly ugly in appearance having
varicose noses and pig-like eyes.

The sea-women were impeccable housewives, but the

absence of their husbands and the fact that they aged rather
rapidly, tended to make for poor marriages. The woman
were matronly with translucent skin and supple breasts
which they sometimes threw over their shoulders. They
were nevertheless attractive to men, and followed ships at
sea with sex on their mind. Having espied a particular
sailor a mer-woman would dog the ship wheedling, cajoling,
singing and calling after it for hundreds of miles. If the
sailor failed to react as expected the sea-hag sometimes
created a storm and washed him overboard, or arranged for
a shipwreck, after which she took him down to her bed in
the depths of the ocean. If satisfied with his performance,
she sometimes granted his freedom, returning him to shore
with an arm full of valuable presents. It she was greedy,
jealous or unsated by his love she sometimes kept him as a
permanent prisoner.

Everywhere in the northern world, the mermaid was

represented as an undependable ally. Fisherman have seen
her sitting on the sea where the mist hung close to the
surface. They also observed her driving herds of snow-
white cattle along the strands of small islands. At times
they claimed she came to the fisherman's fires, apparently
cold, shivering and shipwrecked. Those who understood her
nature ignored her pleas for assistance for she was known
to seduce and drown young men. Her appearance, at best,
indicated a serious storm in progress and ill fishing on the
banks. These beings were known to have a prophetic eye and
one of their kind prophesied the birth of Christian IV of
Denmark.
 The mhorrigan is hardly remembered in today's world,
but her people are still present: In the 1880's John Benson
of Lorneville, New Brunswick, Canada, was rumoured to have
a mermaid as his female parent. John was not aware of his
relationship with the sea-people although he told his girl-
friend Margot that he suspected mermaids were to be found
near the entrance of their harbour: "...when I come in late
(from fishing) , at low tide, just when it begins to set in, I
have heard the strangest baby-crying sounds out there..."

After the couple married, Margot was walking alone on

a September beach when she heard this same sound. She
too thought it must be a child and going to it across the
beach she came upon "a white face and two arms" lifted up
out of the foam. The sobbing half-woman in the tide cried
out: "You have taken my John, but I will have him back, my
child, my child."

That October, the off-shore fleet fished near Cape

Spenser and were caught in a northeast gale. That night six
of fifty Lorneville boats failed to return and one of these
was the blue-painted hull with the red streak, the boat
registered to John Benson. Margot and her infant son stayed
a few seasons at Lorneville until the boy followed a dead
tide down the beach. Coming back he said to his mother,
"Mummy, what is that noise, that singing way out there?"
He pointed at the distant sea streak. After that Margot
Benson found new home in an inland community.

Even more recently a ....

The O'Sullivans were not the only clan to cohabit with

the Fomorian remnant. The Murrays (sea kings) of the Isle
of Man counted themselves direct descendants of Manaun
Mac Ler, and minted coinage which showed the symbolic
device of this lord of the sea, three racing legs with a
common axis. This is till represented in the heraldry of
that independent "kingdom". It is noteworthy that John
Murray, ninth Lord Strange, and fourth Lord of Man & The
Isles, lived at Port-a-sidh, or Port-a-shee (literally sidh
music) while building Castle Mona.

Sutherland has had numerous reports of mermaid

sightings, including two of the "best authenticated on
record." On September 8, 1805, the Times published a letter
from William Munro, which read, in part,: ...in the course of
my walking on the shore at Sandside Bay...I was induced to
extend my walk to Sandside Head, when my attention was
arrested by the appearance of a figure resembling an
unclothed human female, sitting on a rock, and apparently in
the action of combing it hair." He first mistook the
creature for human until it dropped suddenly and finally into
the sea. The other, occured some several decades later
when Alexander Gunn was walking his dog along this same
beach on Sandwood Bay. About a half mile from the south
end, a spur of rock runs out into the sea. The dog showed a
marked nervousness on approaching this rock and Sandy
motioned him on with some difficulty. Twenty yards from
the water he discovered a mermaid on a ledge. The dog now
gave every evidence of terror and the mermaid stared
directly at the intruder who made a quick retreat. These
reports, and others, caused W.H. Murray to write in The
Companion Guide to the West Highlands of Scotland, (1969) :
"Sandlwood Bay is a corruption oof the Norse Sandvain,
meaning sand-water...The bay is rarely visited; few car-
owners are willing to walk eight miles there and back, least
of all on a rough road through dark bog. From this unbroken
solitude comes much of Sandwood's charm, and its value to
mermaids as a hauling out point."

Although the Maclarens of Achleskine are mostly

buried inside the Christian Kirk at Balquidder, they also
show a mermaid, crescent moon, and a galleon on their flag,
all potent symbols of earlier associations. Their mermaid
has the traditional comb and mirror in her hands. The
matrilinear royal house of the Picts included this same
sacred mirror and comb as well as a flowering crescent
(representing a brother-sister; husband-wife relationship
of the ruling monarchs)
DAOINE SIDH, (doonu shay), people of the side-hill, the
sighe, or sithe, remnants of the Tuatha daoine, Cy. dynion
mad, the warrior-wizards defeated by the Milesians. These
were people who preferred going underground rather than
retreating to the Otherworld in the west or the undersea
domains. Compare with above. See Tuatha daoine. See Fir
domnann. They were allied in work with the Fir bolg.

DAOLGAS, MIr. daol, fright, frightening. A son of Cairill. As

he lay dying his daughter gave him a parting kiss. The
eternal life-force sparked from his mouth to hers,
impregnating her with the child named Daolgas. Loss, or
transfer, of life force took place through the mouth or some
other body opening.

DAOR, dear, costly, scarce, enslaved, bound, imprisoned,

condemned, guilty, corrupted, slavish, deeply involved. See
next.

DAORACH, intoxication, drunkenness, cf. Scot. deray,

mirthful noise at a banquet, MEng. derai, disorder, a word
related to the Fr. desroi, in disarray. Plural daoraichean,
bouts of drunkenness, dubh-dhaorach, “black drunkenness,”
the highest degree of intoxication. In many of the Gaelic
countries drink was a prerequisite of religious rituals, and
was not much used at other times.

DAORMUNN, a dwarf, a miser, crumudgeon, niggard. Daor,

enslaved. Daorsa, bondage, captivity, famine, slavery.

DAR NA COILLE, dar is the northern form of uair, hour; na

coille, of the wood. More poetically transcribed by McNeill
as “the night of the fecundation of the tree.” Another name
for the Gaelic Oge manie or Scot. Hogamanadie. Having
reference to the retreat to the woods to “bring back holy
plants” and indulge in sexual activities. See Oge manie. The
gods were thought to rest in ancient trees, thus the woods
were thought to be capable of “inspiriting” men before and
during intercourse.

DARA SELLADH, AN, the “two sights," dara, second, the

other; selladh, sights, from seile, the placenta. So called
because this "gift" was considered bestowed on the "caul-
bearers", those born with the placental membrane, or "sack
of waters" in place over their heads. In antique times, it
was suggested that such births illustrated Fomorian, or
sea-giant bloodlines, making these individuals impervious
to death by drowning and death through fire. Another
physical remnant of these lines was thought seen in
children born with eyes of different colours which soon
merged into a single colour. Men and women with slightly
webbed fingers or toes, or with more than five fingers or
toes were implicated as were those with hairlines which
formed a "devil's peak (a point between the eyes). This was
also thought to be the lineage of people with scaly skin or
eyes harbouring under a single "Fomorian" eyebrow. The two
sights have been referred to as "prophetic vision" and there
are two types. Espionage from the past is known as
"foresight", while knowledge of the past is "hindsight". It
was held that all individuals possessed external
disembodied souls as a birthright. These "befinds" had the
ability to travel into the past or the future, and "gifted"
people could occasionally see through their eyes, thus
"overlooking" past or future events.

It was considered that the strength of the runner was

reflection of the spirit of his human. Those who had low
spirits were unlikely to perceive anything unusual in a
lifetime shared with their invisible companion. If the
runner attempted to communicate useful information
concerning either the past or the future, the average citizen
detected what should have been seen or heard as faint
"static", which took the form of hunches or feelings of
impending disaster.

Highly spirited people were identified by being born

with a caul, eyes of different colours, which melded into a
single colour before the first year; the "devil's peak" in
their hairline, a "cow-lick" or double-parts of the hair. The
devil's peak was a downward pointed triangle of hair
growing between the eyes. A cow-lick was any
unmanageable outgrowth of hair, which refused to lay flat
when combed. All these genetic-conditions were once
thought to relate the possessors to the magical sea-giants
of western Europe, cannibalistic shape-changers, who were
the overseers of the elfs and the sidh. These Fomors
(undersea-dwellers), or Vana, have become stand-ins for
Satan, the Hebrew Prince of Darkness, the antagonist of men
and God, or at best are now identified as "demons". Those
with powerful guardians were considered to be protected
against drowning, death by fire or lightning, and had some
capacity to see their runner. Creighton has noted that
babies born with the caul were subject to convulsions and
that these might be alleviated by giving it colt's tongue tea.
Aside from this minor inconvenience, there was the fact
that "caul-people" were subject to involuntary visions,
often centering around cataclysmic events, such as the
death of a loved one.

Creighton has questioned whether the ability to see

the past or future should be termed a "gift" since the gift-
bearer was emotionally entrapped in a vision and was
always left exhausted by the process. The gift has been
described as belonging to "the double sighted" since it was
observed in two dimensions, the ethereal past or future
being seen as an overlay on the present. Those with
foresight usually saw the events of their perception acted
out in every detail within a short time, but there are tales
of Maritimers who observed events many decades in the
future. Many individuals have had a single exposure to one
of the two sights, but there have been noted seers, who have
been able to summon their runners at will. While most
people observed events directly related to their own lives,
others saw panoramic visions of unrelated happenings from
the past or the future. In either case, it has been noticed
that the visions were of short duration, and could be pre-
empted by refusing to look directly at them.
 It was assumed that views of other times were
managed through the "second-soul" of the runner. If there
was an invisible humanoid counterpart for all living men
and women it was reasoned that it must have an
independent, or external soul, of its own. The internal soul,
in the body of a man, was suspected to be inextricably
linked with that of the runner, doppelganger, or shadow-
man, the death or damage done to one quickly reflecting on
the other. Men slept, fell into comas and died, and these
events were seen as the temporary, or permanent, absence
of the internal soul. Such disengagements were thought
dangerous since the wandering soul left the body the prey of
hostile disembodied spirits which might enter, as the soul
had left; through the nose, mouth, ears or any other body
opening. On the other hand, certain pagan magicians
deliberately united their internal soul with its external
counterpart and hid both in a safe place assuming this
would protect the body against death, which might not occur
without the loss of one of the souls. Visions were thought
to take place when the internal soul projected itself upon
the runner in either the past or the future. If the phenomena
lasted long it left the man or woman in a stage of minimal,
or soulless, disfunction. Some researchers have suggested
that witches were never physically present at sabatts,
their souls travelling through the air to distant gathering
places within disembodied spirit-guides, or runners. While
this occurred, their physical bodies may have been home in
bed.

The object of deliberate "running" was fortune-

telling, which the Anglo-Normans referred to as divination.
In some cases the "clairvoyant" observed events but there
were other possibilities: "There was a woman in Mira (Cape
Breton) who could see a funeral ahead of time, even
sometimes before the person had taken sick, and she knew
whose funeral it was. When it happened she would be
walking along the road and would be pushed to one side by
the crowd following the hearse..."
It is for this reason that Maritime Gaels avoided walking
the centre of country roads. "In such cases everybody (on
the road) might feel what was passing but only one could
see it. That one would tell the others to step to one side as
he did" and all would bow their heads or raise their hats in
respect for the dead.

What the runner felt was frequently relayed to the

human. Thus a Cape Bretoner might say, "I feel the itch of a
kiss (or a dram of whisky) today." Another might note an
itchy right palm, which was taken as an omen that he would
soon shake hands with a stranger. If the left palm reacted
to a future event, this meant that money would come to
hand. The quivering of the left eye in sympathy with that of
the shadow man indicated good news, but the left
foreshadowed bad news. A heating of the left ear was
another poor augury which suggested people were making
excuses for the person who suffered in this way.

In contrast to clairvoyance, men used to speak of

clairaudience, hearing sounds which had been, or were yet
to be: "On Cape Breton's north shore, tools have been heard
rattling before death just before they would be required to
make the coffin..." Men who had never seen their runner in
life were said destined to see and hear him immediately
prior to death. Occassionally, the shadow man appeared
briefly either going before or following his human. There
was no harm in this but when he turned, so that his face
was clearly seen, this was considered a certain indication
of immediate death. Further, a person due to die by violence
was often seen to have a bloodied
double, and banshee screams preceded his death. The
"gifted" often heard a shrill sound "like a bagpipe but within
the ear", and knew they might soon expect news of a death
in the village.

In other times, it was considered bad-mannered to

shut the door hastily, for fear of parting shadow men from
their humans. People who are extremely awkward are still
described as capable of "tripping over their own shadows."
This is now dismissed as a figure of speech, but those with
the two sights insisted that this actually happened. It was
the duty of runners to travel before their counterparts into
strange places to assess potential dangers: "And people
might hear a sound as if somebody were on the threshold.
(There was no one) hitting the door at all you understand;
there was no knock on the door, but you would hear the
stamping as if somebody put his foot on the threshold
though no one was there. And they would say, "It won't be
long before a stranger comes to the house. Did you hear that
footfall?" Infrequently, the doppelganger materialized as a
full-blooded double, explaining curious legends of people
being seen in two places at the same time. More often, the
shadow took the form of a totem animal which might cry at
the door for admittance; thus, in Cape Breton, a rooster
crowing at the threshold was considered to presage the
arrival of a stranger.

The forerunners who brought back sounds of the future

often prevented disaster: "At Jordon Falls the story is told
of a vessel that was supposed to sail out of Shelburne with
a crew of eighteen or twenty men. One Ephraim Doane was
lying in his berth when he heard the mainmast fall. He got
up to investigate and found the mainmast intact, so he took
this as a warning, and the vessel sailed to Boston without
him. It was December of 1888 and there was a great gale.
The ship was lost off New England with all hands...

Playful runners sometimes opened and swung on doors,

while others knocked violently on the inner or outer walls
of houses. Then there were the "knocky balls" of Maritime
Canada, invisible callers who came to announce a death. The
name is a corruption of the English knocky bohs (the latter
word corresponding with "boo", an interjection meant to
startle). This variety of runner always knocked three times
on the door: Harold G. Bond was fifteen years of age when
he hosted a friend name Ned Dixon at their farmstead on
Belleisle Bay, New Brunswick. His parents were in Saint
John attending his mother's brother, Charles Odell who was
hospitalized. The boys had been in bed an hour when theyu
heard theree sharp knocks, "the kind if you heard them at
your door, you'd say someone was in trouble." Half a minute
later this was repeated and then, a third time. "I looked
from the upstairs window - even took the screen off and
looked down -but there was nobody. Ned happened to glance
at his watch and said it was exactly eleven o'clock. Next
day, when my parents returned, we learned that Charlie
Odell had died at that hour." Significantly, such happenings
are still called "forerunners".

The runner had one other duty, and that was to supply
telescopic sight of present-day events for gifted
individuals. Sir Kay, the seneschal of King Arthur was
mentioned in the medieval romances as one of those who
could live for many hours under water, and observe the
activities of his enemies although they were many miles
distant. There have been numerous cases of people in our
provinces describing approaching visitors in great detail
before they actually knocked at the door, and these have
been taken as instances where distant scenes have been
viewed through the superior eyes of the runner.

When people died the internal soul was supposed to

leave. Some suggested it returned to the sea, the prime
source of all spirits; others said that it united with the
external soul and went to Valhalla, or Hell, or some other
appropriate afterworld. One departure has actually been
described: "Tancook Island, where the people are largely of
German descent, reported this amazing phenomenon, "When
Sebastian died, when his last breath came, the whole shape
of him came out his mouth like he was a young man, no
longer old and wrinkled, and it went out the door. Just
before he died, three little taps came to the door, just a
couple of minutes before...""

The "sight" has never been considered one of the "black

arts" and even in the hag-ridden seventeenth century
Christian ministers routinely investigated and recorded
occurrences without any suggestion that witchcraft was
involved. The English antiquarian John Aubrey and the
diarist Samuel Pepys were convinced that the phenomenon
was genuine, and even the cynical Samuel Johnson became
convinced that "the Sight" was a reality after his celebrated
journey to the Hebrides. In 1901, Dr. Keith Norman
Macdonald summarized the general view: "The narratives I
have collected are of a different complexion, and I can
vouch for them as far as they go, having known the actors in
them personally, and heard them relate them frequently, and
of the truth of which they had no doubt whatever.
Personally I do not hold any particular view regarding them
further than that I want more light before condemning such
an old belief, and so many otherwise inexplicable
narratives." (Celtic Monthly, 1901, p. 145). All the seers of
the past commonly said that they were afflicted rather than
"gifted" assome writers have suggested. Visions of other
times were normally accompanied by psychic storms which
left them nearly prostate with exhaustion. The luckiest
among them had single encounters, the visions usually being
a forerunner of a death in their family. Often the departed
made a brief appearance at the precise moment of his death
in some distant place. The more practised seers, such as
the Lady of Lawers and the Brahan Seer, had associations
with their befinds that allowed them to peer through the
curtain of time almost at will. For them, economic and
social events were revealed along with matters of more
personal significance. The "second sight" is not obsolete
although the "gift" now seems turned on matters such as the
location of murder victims. A.C. MacKerracher noted an
occurrence in the 1950's when he was visiting with "an
elderly relative" at Drishaig Hill overlooking Loch Aweside,
Scotland: "She was gazing out the window when she
exclaimed, "Look at that village there, and all those big
yellow digging machines on the hill, and all those men, and
those aircraft flying about." When I looked... I saw only
sheep grazing on a mist-covered mountain. My relative had
been dead several years when, in 1963, I looked out that
same window and saw the precise scene she had described.
How could she have foreseen the hurried encampment later
built beside her house, and the bulldozers and helicopters
and those gangs of men on Drishaig Hill when the Cruachan
hydro-electric scheme had not even been planned?" A
sceptic might dismiss this incident as a strange
coincidence, but there have been many prophetic visions at
every point in time. Rachel Cameron of Cragganour on Loch
Crannoch was an established seer by the year 1888 when a
holiday-reveller drowned in nearby Loch Awe. His body
could not be found and a journey was made to consult
Rachel. She had never been to Lake Awe, but pointed out the
place on a map where the body was eventually found.
Rachel's daughter, born in 1853, took her mother's name and
inherited "the gift." In 1900 she helped the English police
locate the body of a young boy who she "saw" murdered and
hidden beneath rocks in a quarry. Later to help locate a
drowning victim she sketched an odd looking bridge at the
place where a farmer lay beneath the waters, his body
pinned beneath a water-logged tree. A police officer
recognized the famous Wade Bridge at Abernathy and divers
found the corpse beneath the arches.

DARACH DUIL, the oak log which was central to the fire-
festivals, darach, oak, Latin larix, English larch and tree.
Maximus of Tyre noted that the Celts “venerated the oak as
a symbol of Zeus (Hues).” He also stated that the druids
routinely used the wood in their rites. The columns which
appear in Celtic iconography are usually taken to be stone
representations of oak-pillars, in which the powers of the
deity are displayed. Mortuary houses were formerly
constructed of this material, and oak boughs were
sometimes placed within burial chambers. One of the three
revered trees of ancient Ireland was Omna, “The Oak.” In
Welsh legend the oak as god is seen in the situation where
the god Lleu went into a venerable tree after his “death.” In
another tale he is pictured as appearing as an eagle perched
at the top of this same tree (as Odin is shown standing upon
the World-Tree). In Scandinavian mythology the oak tree is
sacred to Thor, who often took shore-leave in this form. At
the Yule, it was Thor rather than Odin who was evoked for a
prosperous year, and the ceremonial burning of a great oak
was seen as an actual sacrifice of the spirit of that god.
The raising of light from the log was thought to have the
additional benefit of expelling the spirits of darkness and
cold, thus terminating the long northern winter. Oak
continues as the traditional Yule-log in both Scotland and
England. In Scotland the oak Yule-log is identified with the
Cailleach, or “Winter Hag,” who is thought to control the
weather of winter and collect the souls of the dead at the
height of her season. Early in the Yule season, the head of
the house once went to the woods to procure fir-candles and
the stump of a dead oak, which he carved into the semblance
of a woman. This Cailleach was placed ceremoniously on the
peat hearth-fire at mid-winter, and the whole company
cracked appropriate (and inappropriate) jokes about her as
they watched the Yule “log” burn down. See Danu, Mebd,
Mhorrigan.

DARVA. Now named Lough Deravargh, County Westmeath,

Ireland. The lake in which the children of Ler were bathing
when Aife turned them into swans. They spent three hundred
years in this vicinity where they were visited annually by
the Tuatha daoine and the Milesians. The mere of this lake
eventually became a pagan festival site.

DASCHD, rage, madness, OIr. dasacht, insanity, AS. dwaes,

foolish, Scot. dawsie, the family name Daw or Dawe. A
Quarter-Day victim.

DA-SHELLADH, the two sights. See dara sealladh, above.

DA THEINE BHEALLTUINN, AN, the two Beltane Fires.

Probably symbolizing the duality of the sun-god Lugh. In
some places cattle were driven in the smoke between the
two fires to relieve them of illness in the coming year. The
two fires probably symbolized the duality of the god Da. See
above and below.

DATH, colour, dye, tinge, stain, dathail, well coloured,

propitiously coloured; dath-chlodhach, parti-coloured. In the
Gaelic world, colours are paired in their magical properties:
geal and ban; uaine and glas; buidhe and odhar; dreag and
ruadh, suggesting a range of intensities. Dugald MacFarlane
thought this might have represented colour-blindness
amongst our ancestorss. He mentions, particularly a
tendancy to confuse red and green: Thus the Gaels still
speak of gorm thalla a “ble hall,” i.e. “The sky,” in the same
terms as an tir ghorm sheibhteach, the “green mountain
land.” Gorm phreas is a “greeen bush” but gille guirmean is
a weed with a decidely blue look. The ghastly, ghostly,
shades of green are given as uaine, although it used to be
thought unluckly to actually name this colour. Sometimes
glas, or gray, is substituted, the exact meaning being
understood in context. This word is from the Norse glas,
from which we have the English glass, thus “green” as seen
in bottle glass.

Buidhe or “yellow” being a sun colour is propitious

and regarded as emblamatic of beauty. This has given rise to
latha-buidhe, a “yellow” or “lucky-day.” Buidheach,
“yellowed in the mind,” indicates satiation after favours
received; am buidheachas, the “yellowness” is requested in
blessing food.

Generally, dubh, or “black” is taken as indicating a

mystery. Thus, an dubh fhocal, the black word-puzzle,” my
late-wife’s crytograms. The expression dubh-leus, “black-
light” seems impossible but has to be considered in terms
of the first light seen after a storm. A grandson’s grandson
may be fionn-ogha, “a fair grandson,” if the relationship is
apparennt, or dubh-ogha, if less so! We also note dubh-
bhron, “deep sorrow,” and dubh-leann, “black-brewing” too
much concentration on the bad aspects of one’s life. Of
course, old “Nicky-ben” is also known as Domhnull-dubh,
“Black Donald.”

Dearg is a vivid red; ruadh is decidely subdued. Thus

Rob Ruadh, “Rob Roy.” Dearg may represent intensity
without making reference to the colour red, thus dearg-
ruisgte, “stark naked.”

DATHI, NATHI. The last pagan king of Ireland. Dathi’s reign

began in in 405 A.D. At which time the Strathclyde region of
Scotland was harried to signalize his ascent. Saint Patrick
may have been among the captives taken from Britain to
Ireland as a result of similar mainland raids. Patrick wrote
at this time: “I went ino captivity in Ireland with thousands
of persons...and we departed away fromn God and kept not
his commandments, and were noit obedient to our priests...”
The final outcome of this act was the overthrown of
paganism in all of Britain.

DE, DA, Day. God. See dedad and next. The Celts were never
organized into a unified nation, but were rather a language
group of great physical, social and political diversity. Their
gods and goddesses had features in common, but all were
localized. At the top of the hierarchy of deities there was
usually a father-figure, who was sometimes considered
their ancestor, but always their protector. He took
responsibility for turning back enemies, averting plagues
and famines, and ensuring a bountiful harvest of men,
animals and crops. Since this last ritual involved sex by
example, he required a nearly equal female cohort. In some
parts of old Ireland the male "Father of the Day" was Dagda.
His mate was usually identified as Danu, or Dana, the
forbearer of the Tuatha daoine, literally the people of Danu.
The Dagda wielded "an invincible club", described as "so
heavy eight men had to carry it." This "club" was not only a
weapon but a symbol of his sexual appetite, as was "the
good striker" carried by his Gaullish counterpart, the god
Sucellos. The names of the dieties hardly mattered, but
their bi-annual Beltane and Samhainn performances were
considered necessary to the fertility of the land and its
creatures. Like the "giants" Loki and Angurboda, Morrigan
and The Dagda once mated with fearful result: They coupled
with bodies spanning the River Boyne and created the
creature known as Mecha, a dragon with ice for a heart.

DEACAIR, obs. the high god, preently: abstruse, difficult,

hard, sad, mournful, surly, gloomy, sorry, wonderful,
strange, rare, Powerful, Terrible, Abstracted, thorny, sore.
But deachair, obs., bright, glittering; dechadair, dictator,
teacher, doctor.
DEAGH, good, OIr. deg or dag, after the creator-goddess Dag,
a daughter of the Dagda. Cy. da, Gaul. Dago-, the “good” one.
Allied with the Lat. dexter, right-handed. Gaelic deas, south,
right. The superlative of this word is maith. See Da. The old
nominative case was daig, the genitive dega, thus the
modern word. Daig was the word for “fire” and corresponds
with the G. Aod. The former is less often used as a family or
personal name than the latter. Dundee is based on Dun
Deagh, the “good (well-build, enspirited) fortress.

DEALAN, DEALANACH, lightning. MIr. tene-gelain, originally

lightning, now the “will o’ the wisp; tene-gelan, firefly.
The means by which the gods came to earth. Mistletoe found
growing on the oak was particularly valued as a cure for
disease and it was noted that it tended to flourish where a
venerable tree had been opened up to the spores of this
parasitic plant by a lightning strike. Notice that the
mistletoe does not favour the oak, occurring more often on
the poplar, the willow, the lime, the pear and the apple tree.
Thus “oak-bane mistletoe” was particularly sought by the
druids because of its powerful magical properties. Lightning
is associated with the G. Tar, who is the Gaullish Taranis
and the Teutonic Thor. At least one Celtic altar shows a god
of this ilk bearing a wheel in one hand (the sun) and a
lightning bolt in the other. Serpents are equated with this
god and are considered to epitomize lightning. Thus there is,
at Vaison, France, a representation of “Jupiter” bearing a
wheel in one hand. An eagle stands at his feet while a
serpent emerges from a nearby oak-tree.

DEALAN-DÉ, the lightning stick of god. “God’s fire.” The

sun-god was sometimes aroused by whirling this lighted
stick in the air. By extension, a butterfly. Notice deannal, to
stir, conflict from deann, haste, speed, a metathetical
formation of the first word. See Da.

DEALG, pin, skewer. The means of binding wandering spirits

to the earth. New pins were required and usually in a mystic
number. In practise a pin could be driven into a footprint to
ensure that the “wanderer” was “nailed to the ground.” Pins
of iron or steel were, by their nature, anathema to the
Tuatha daoine.

DEAMHAN, a demon, OIR. demon, from the Latin daemon from

the Greek. a spirit gifted upon men by the gods at birth.
This creature had proclivities for good and evil but either
force could be restrained by the will of the host soul. Thus
reference is made to "the daemon of Socrates." See bafinn.

DEALM, the state of endlessness; the true condition of time

according to druidic tradition. It was their theory that
“everything goeth in ane circle,” and that the endless
repetition of similar events, involving similar
personalities, was the usual state of things outside chaos.

DEAMAI, obs. a demon. obs. deamh, wicked. Having a

deficiency. Obs. demharruin, a mystery.

DEMHAN, demon, devil, evil spirit, human bent on mischief,

demhan-eolas, demonology, deamhanaidh. devilish,
designing, wicked, malicious.

DEANNAL, conflict, to stir, from deann, haste, speed. See

dealan, lightning.

DEARC, an empty eye-hole, a cave, a lizard, an “eye-pit.”

Many of the sea-giants were one-eyed or eyeless, a birth
defect which has returned to plague our civilizations.
Doctors now call this condition anophthalmis, “without
eyes.” Those so afflicted also lack an optic nerve. The
defect is now thought to occur once in 4,500 births.
Although the condition was once rare there are now clusters
of children born with this defect in both Britain and North
America. In earlier times such children were credited with
possessing the “two sights,” abilities to see into the past
and future, in recompense for their lack of contact with
their present environment. See famhair.

DEARG, vivid red; ruadh is used for those reds which are of
low saturation and intensity. This word also used to denote
intensity without reference to colour, thus dearg ruisgte,
“stark naked.” Air a’ dheargadh air m’inntinn, “reddened
upon my mide, similar to the English “burned in memory..”
An dearg, “the red-one” meaning a fallow deer. See fear
dearg.

DEARHNAGAN, a hand-cake. The Quarter Day bannocks were

not considered ritually correct unless fashioned in the hand
rather than being mixed in containers.

DEAS, right, south, clever, OIr. dess, MBr. dehou, the Lat.
dexter from which dexterous. Deasbud, dispute (presumably
with left-handers). The standard condition of decent
Christian men. As an adjective, ready, alert, quick-witted,
intelligent, trim, handsome, dheas-bhriathrach, eloquent,
glib. Note tha mi deas, “I am ready” is the same as “I am
right-handed.” Deas-fhoeal, a “right-handed word” or
repartee. Deas chainnt, one with right-handed speech or
eloquent. Deise, well tailored clothing, trim, neat wear. See
next entry.

DEASALT, sunward, to the right, Latin dexter, Skr. daksinas.

All Christian rites from the mixing of liquids to dancing
were required to turn “sunwards.” Thus: dol deiseal mu
charn, the procession of men about sacrificial cairns
following a sunward course, “the observance of this rule
was supposed tp propitiate the deities and procure luck.
Hence deiseal, lucky. There are many instances in folklore
where it is taboo to follow anything short of the “right-
handed way.” In Atlantic Canada fishermen still refrain
from turning their ships “against the sun” fearing bad luck.

DEAS-GHNATH, a rite, a religious observance, deas, right,

south; gnathes, arable land under cultivation. See above
entries. A proper Christian religious act.

DEAS-LAMH, the right-hand (way). When the Celt took his

bearings at morning rites he faced the east and the rising
Sun. Consequently his right hand was at the “south” or deas.
Every propitious event was thought to fly up from that
quarter. If anything was awkwardly executed it was always
tuathal or “northward. Mhen a Gael mis-swallows it is
chaidh e tuathal, “it went northward (down the windpipe).”
It was thus held that deiseil air gach ni, “the sunward
course with everything” was necessary to good order and
fortune. At the birth of a child burning peat was taken up
and the mother went deas-lamh, in a right-handed circle,
seven times about the cradle. This was performed at
morning and night until a Christian baptism was formalized.
To ensure a safe passage for the soul a thread coloured like
blood was tied about the infant’s wrist and a Bible placed
nearby.

DEATACH, smoke, vapour, steam, exhalation, fumes, smoke

on the point of kindling a flame, volatile gas. These
phenomena were all seen as enspired by the spirits. In
earlier times cattle were led through the smoke of the
quarter-day fgires, and men jumped through the fumes. Thus
the saying when one has extreme good luck: “He has had a
good toss in the smoke!”

DECHDAIR, those who “dictate,” an ancient tribe in Easter

Ross. Eir., dech, good, noble, best, noblest. But dechlach,
hard, difficult. Oghamic Ir. Deccaddas. Also seen as Decheti,
Decceti, Deceti. L. Decantae. Said from briganti, which
confers with the Brigante tribe. Oir. Dech, best, most noble.
See Bridd and next.

DECHTIRE or Dectera. The daughter of the druid Cathbad and

Maga, a daughter of the love-god Aonghas. A half-sister to
Conchobhar mac Nessa and the mother of the Ulster hero
Cúchullain. Her sisters were Findchaem and Elbha. At her
wedding feast to the Ulster chieftain Sualtaim mac Roth, a
fly flew into her drink and she accidently consumed it.
Thrust into a deep sleep she “dreamed” of the god Lugh. He
commanded her to take fifty handmaidens and flee with him
into the western Otherworld. Three years later a flock of
birds appeared near Emain Macha and the Ulster warriors
followed them to the River Boyne. At nightfall the birds
shape-changed into Dechtire and her missing maidens. They
had with them a new born child, said to be the son of
Dechtire and the sun-god. Sualtaim accepted the child
Sétana as his legitimate heir, and he eventually became the
Ulster hero known as Cúchullain (which, see).

DEDAD or DEIDAD, Degad. deid, obs., care, submission. The

founder of a military elite in Munster. The southern
equivalent of the Red Branch.

DEIGH, ice, Ir. oighear, snow, leac-oighear, ice, OIr. aig, gen.
ega, Cy. ia, Cor. icy, Bry. yen, cold, N. jaki, a piece of ice,
jokull, iceberg, AS. gicel, the Eng. icicle, i.e. is-gicel. Lat.
izas, a lump of ice.

DEIL, an axle, sharp pointed iron rod, a mare, cow’s udder,

two year sow or pig, two, double; deilchead, ill, bad, sad;
deiltre, druidic idols, any school for magic.

DEIRDRE NIC CRUITNIGH, DEIDRI, DERDRIU, DEIRDRE, Deirdre

daughter of the Britons, (deer-dree), deoradh + driug,
stranger + portent, often nicknamed Deirdre of the Sorrows.

The daughter of Felim mac Dall, a chieftain at Ulster

she received a very unsettling birth-horoscope. King
Conchobhar mac Nessa’s warriors who were visiting the
Ulster king wanted to put the child to death, but the king
saved the child by making her his ward. When the time came
for her marriage to the aging high-king Deirdre sought out a
young warrior named Naoise, who some say was her the
companion of her youthful years spent in Alba. He was the
son of Usna, a hero of the Red Branch. Accompanied by her
two brothers the maiden eloped to Alba. There the three men
took service with Cruithne, the king of that land, and for a
while the newly-weds lived peacefully at Glen Etibhe.

The bitter mac Nessa pretended to forgive Naoise and

invited him to return to the Irish court. Homesick he did so
under a promise of protection from the Ulster hero Fergus
mac Roth. Fergus was diverted by a geis, or taboo, so that
Deirdre’s company arrived at Emain Macha under the
protection of Fergus’s two sons. Conchobar ordered his
warriors to attack the hostel of the Red Branch where the
four were housed and all were slain excepting Deirdre, who
was forced to marry the king.

An unwilling wife, she tried Conchobhar’s patience so

that he gave her, at last, to a lieutenant. Before she could be
bedded she jumped from his chariot and killed herself. From
her grave there grew a pine tree, and from Naoise’s a second
tree. The branches of the two eventually intertwined and no
amount of brushwork could cut them apart.

This tragedy caused Ferghas to side with the south

when Ulster fought against Connaught province. Deirdre
“daughter of the Picts.” A first century A.D. princess who
fled the Ulster king Conchobar and mated with Naosi, a
member of Clann Uisna, who were named after the day-god
Aod also called Uis or Huis.. These men were followed all
over Pictdom by the forces of the Ulster king until they
escaped to a far kingdom in the western ocean. Conchobar
eventually extended these men and their followers a full
and complete pardon, but when they returned to Emain
Macha, he arranged their deaths and took back his bride.
Unfortunately, Deridre had no smiles or small talk for him
and after a year, he sought to punish her by making her the
slave of one of his lieutenants.

On her way to this new sorrow, the lady leaped from

the chariot in which she was being driven, and killed herself
upon a roadside rock. As the hero Ferdiad had given his
word that the Uisna could come back to Ireland without
retaliation, he joined the south when it decided to war with
Conchobar and the kingdom of Ulster. As the “House of
Hugh” consisted of Firbolgs, these men, who came to
northern Ireland under Naoise, also slipped across the
border to oppose the north when it fought against the
notorious Queen Mebd. See Diarmuid and following items.

DEIR, Saint Anthony’s Fire, static electricity on the rigging

of ships at sea. Considered a favourable omen. Also the the
disease known as shingles.

DEIRE, obs. The Deep, The Abysss, a pool. Diereadh, end,

conclusion, an extremnity, deireas, injury, harm, hurt, loss,
calamity, defect, etc.

DEIS-DÉ, DEIS-DA, from deas, right; a sanctuary, god’s-pew.

stopping place, to halt. literally, the “God’s right-hand.” A
Christian church. The place in a child’s game where a person
cannot be tagged. See following.

DEISE, clothing, EIr. the suiting of a chieftain. Proper

“right-handed” coverings.

DEISEIL, southward, sun-ward, to the right; from deas +

seal, right + turning. "Another important matter is that of
direction. Everything should be done deisel, i.e., sunwards
(in the Christian theology). When a child is choking, say
"deisel," possibly part of some old invocation." (Celtic
Monthly, p. 163). The Gaelic “houses of healing” were built
in the round, and care was taken to move within them in the
“correct direction.” See deas and desalt.

DELA. The patriarch whose five sons led the successful

Firbolg invasion of Ireland.

DELABÁBETH. The son of Ethinn and Aonghas Og, the father

of Éire, Banba and Fohla by the goddess Éirinn.

DELABÁBETH MAC CAS, the seventh druid in line from Aillill

Ollamh. He and his five sons were banished from Ireland but
before his departure he went to the cairn of Fiachu and
kindled a druidic fire upon it. At this the stones burst and
gave vent to five “streams of fire.” After him we have
deilbaed, “fire-shaped,” more literally, a “split cluster.”
His descendants were termed the Delvin and from them
Delvin in County Westmeath takes its name.

DELBCHAEM, “Fair-shaped.” The daughter of Mongan, king of

the Land of Wonder by his wife Coinchend. She was kept
imprisoned by her parents in a tower set on a high pillar
within the sea. Art, son of Conn, quested after her, slew her
parents, rescued her and brought her to Ireland.

DELCHLISS. The spear owned by Cúchullain. Earlier on, a

charioteer’s goad made of split wood.

DELGA. A Fomorian chieftain, the father to Morc. He built the

Irish fortress known as Dun Dealgan (Dundalk) which
eventually became the fortress of Cúchullain.

DEMNA. The birth name of Cúchullain. who was also called

Setanta..

DEO, DEOS, breath, air, vital spark, ray of light, vision, place
where a stream meets the sea, Cy. dwdy, natural, MHGer..
getwas, ghost, perhaps from Greek, deos, god. See deas. In
all pagan religions it was held that life forms which moves,
or grew in size, shared breath given them by the creator-
god, the spirit of life imparted to men through the Bafinn.
This is the MHG. getwâs, our ghost. The word confers with
god, thus deis-dé, “god’s right hand,” deo, a place of
sanctuary. In all pagan religions it was held that life forms
which moved, or grew, shared the breath of the creator-god,
the more powerful beings having greater mobility and a
better supply of the "breath of life". The partial loss of this
"ghost" or "spirit" resulted in illness and the final breath
ended in death. Note the relationship with De or Da.

DEOIR, Dewar, also Deòireach, Dóire, from deòradh,

“parading after God,” a pilgrim. A wayfarer, a man without
a country. Traditional keepers of the magic staffs of the old
gods and the Christian saints. The relics of gods or saints
were kept by the dewars in a shrine or in a covered location.
Oaths were taken over the relic, and for this purpose they
were sometimes paraded about the countryside. Thus the
developement of dewar to indicate a much travelled person.
The relic itself was also termed deoradh and was once
thought of as a portion of godhead.
DEON, from deo, or vice-versa. Also seen as Deathan. A
river-goddess based on ECelt. Devona, related to EG. devos, a
god. Thus Aberdeen, the aber of Deon. Eng, Don. Earlier
Aberdeen is actually represented as Abberdeon. The English
form is parallel linguistically. In OW Devona was Duion. The
rivers Don, Done and Dee are often found in Britain and many
are paired reflecting the dual nature of this divinity who
resembles Domnu, the ocean-queen of the Gaels.

DEÒRADH, an alien, a stranger, an exile. From this the name

Dewar. deoradh De, an exile of god, one on a sacred
pilgrimage seeking God, but more antiquely, the gods. See
above.

DERBHORGILL. Alternately Derbforgaille. A daughter of a

king of Lochlann (Scotland). She was left on a beach for the
Fomorians in lieu of tribute money. Cúchullain slew her
Fomorian tormentors and she fell in love with him. She
turned herself into a swan and followed him home to
Ireland. Loghaire, his charioteer nearly killed her with a
sling and stone. Cúchullain restored her top life by sucking
the stone from the wound, but the mixing of blood and saliva
was considered to make people of one blood, and the woman
was forbidden by law to marry her hero. This being the case,
Cúchullain gave her to Laoghaire as a bride.

DERBRENN. The first love of Aonghas Og. Her six foster-

children were turned into pigs by their mother.

DERC CORRA MAC H’UI DAIGHRE, a descendant of the

“Flashing One,” a being from the Otherworld who travelled
by leaps and bounds: “One day as Fionn was in the wood he
saw a man in the treetops, a blackbird on his right shoulder,
carrying a bronze vessel in his left. In the vessel was
water, and in the water a skittish trout. And this man was
seen taking and cracking nuts, always feeding a half to the
blackbird. Likewise he produced apples giving a portion to a
stag that stood nearby... And his followers asked who the
tree-man was for no one could see his face as he was
hooded.” Since this man-of-the-woods was the “Peaked Red
One,”he is automatically associated with the Tuatha daoine
and the Otherworld. He may well be Nuada, the “Cloud-
maker” or Taranis, the “Thunderer,” who like the “Flashing
One” was noted for the speed of his coming and going. Like
Cernu he was a warder of animals.

DERC FEOIRNE. The “Cheese Hoard,” a cave at Dunmore,

County Kilkenny, Ireland. Here dwelt Luchtigern, a great
“cat” eventually slain by the female champion of Leinster.
See cat.

DEOSTADH, "the mainstay of the gods," evaluation of the

crafts. A judgement of worth: deo, breath; stadh, a stay, a
supporting rope. See deas and deos. "Many a time I heard Mor
and the other old weavers judging the quality of the
bleaching and weaving of linen. The word they used for
evaluation was "deostath...” when they judged the worth
that would be placed against labour that would be called
"deost." (The Hebridean Connection, p. 71).

DÉSI. Sometimes recorded as Déisi or Décies. A clan of

Begia in the province of Mide, later Meath. The name
signified “vassals.” Cellach, a son of Cormac mac Art, the
high king of Ireland, was riding through this territory
when he paused to rape a niece of Aonghas of the Terrible
Spear. Aonghas went to Tara seeking justice, and failing,
killed Cellach. In the death struggle, the spear butt put out
the eye of Cormac, who was then disbarred from his
kingship. When Cairbre mac Cormac became king the Dési
were all outlawed. Some settled in Munster and some in
Wales. The Dési resettlements are of historic record.

DETHEODA, henbane. A druidic plant.

DEUD-FIOS, tooth of knowledge, deud, the Latin dens, from

which dentist; fios. knowledge, the Latin, Video, see. Fionn
mac Cumhail had the habit of touching one of his teeth to
access the knowledge imparted to him through eating the
Salmon of Knowledge. See Fionn.
DHE, genitive and vocative singular of dia, gos. For example
taigh dhe, the “house of god.”

DI, day, the Day personified, now used to prefix the names
of the days of the week. OIR. dia, die, Cy. dydd, Cor. det, Bry.
dez, Lat. dies, Skr. dyaus, day, sky, the Gr. Zeus, Jove,the
Gaelic god Aod. Allied to their dia, a god. Eng. Tues-day.
The Gauls affirmed that they were descended from
Dis, who the Romans called Dispater: “For this reason the
determine all periods of time by the number, not of days,
but of nights, and their observance of birthdays and the
beginning of months and years always follows night.” The
English term “fortnight” speaks of this older measurement
of time. See Da.

DIA, god, God, same as DA. Cy. huw or duw, Cor. duy, Br. doe,
Gaul. devo, Greek, dius, divine, one who had been deified. Any
Gaelic g od, the Christian “Lord God.” Old Norse, tivar, the
gods, after the elder mortal-god Tiv, or Tyrr, whose name is
incorporated in Tues-day. He was formerly the northern god
of war and agriculture. See deas, deo, deos, deostadh. Dia,
Day, shortened to di- and used to prefix the “days of the
week. Thus, di-miart, “god’s-market” or “Day of the
market.”Diabhol, “full of god-power,” the Devil, dia-
aitheas, blasphemy. Dianach, a necromancer, one who raises
the dead. The primer god-power was though to rest with the
immortal oolathair, or “creator-god. But he,was supposed to
have delegated power to his elementals and the various
mortal gods. In Norse mythology these were: Loki or
Laugar, the god of fire; Kari or Carey, the god of the air and
Hler or Eagor, the god of water. The elemental gods had
counterparts in the Celtic gods aod, Taranis or Myrddin, and
Ler or Llyr.

The three elder gods were supposed to have been

animated with the creator's "breath of life" which the
Anglo-Saxons called "gast" (ghost) and Anglo-Normans,
"spirit". Whatever their national names, the elementals
were generic rather than particular creatures; Aod being a
synonym for sun, and Ler for water, rather than real names
of individuals. The elementals were equal in their spirit
and abilities, but each had control over one department of
nature, being unable to raise storms in, or calm, the other
elements. Sir George James Fraser describes such spirits
as having "no definitely marked individuality; no accepted
traditions as to their origin, life, adventures, and
character."

Early on, the Celts discovered that it was possible to

flatter, praise and propitiate mortal gods, but noticed that
the elementals were no so easily swayed from doing their
own thing. The few rites directed at the gods of fire, water
and air were simple acts of sympathetic magic (for
example,shooting a flaming arrow into the sky to inspire
the sun-god; sprinkling water on the earth to encourage
rain, or flapping a rag in the air to catch the attention of
the elemental of the air). These were not often useful
procedures and no priestly class or temples developed in
attempts to influence these gods.

Ler, the Gaelic god of the sea, was given charge of An

Domhain, or the deep sea, which is said to have been the
home of first man-like life forms. In Celtic cosmology it is
less clear how creation took place, but it was undoubtedly
willed by an athair, and possibly involved some accidental
interaction of the three elder gods along the lines of the
Norse model.

The Welsh Annwn (anoon) has been described as "a

sea-girded revolving fortress in the centre of which was
the cauldron of poetry and inspiration despoiled by King
Arthur." The people of this kingdom were known as
gwragedd annwn (white sheep of annwn) from their habit of
dress, and some tales of this place have relocated it to one
of the many Welsh lakes. Observers in this century have
claimed seeing towers and battlements beneath the water's
surface in that country and have said that they have heard
the peal of bells from below the surface.
 The Gaelic deep has sometimes been identified as
Magh Mell
(Great Plain of the Sea), but has also been called Tir-
tairnigri, (The Land of Promise); Breasil (the Isle of Breas);
and Tir nan Og (the Land of Perpetual Youth). Like Annwn,
this was a land of high towers. When the Nemedians sailed
out of the Caspian Sea, through the Mediterranean into the
Glacial Sea, "There appeared to them a golden tower on the
sea close by. Thus it was: when the sea was in ebb the
tower appeared above it, and when it flowed in, it rose
above the tower. Nemed seeing it went with his ships
toward it from greed of gold." Unhappily for them they were
outnumbered by the resident people and had to retreat to
nearby Ireland. Here they cleared twelve plains, but were
harassed by the sea-people who demanded two-thirds of all
their produce. The Nemedians afterwards abandoned their
settlements and their interest in Fomorian gold. A
misinterpretation of the action of tides may have led to the
legend of a great kingdom on the bottom of the sea, and the
idea that breasil was a floating island which periodically
surfaced for a bit of fresh air.

In 1822 Dr. Hibbert wrote: "With respect to the sea-

trows, it is the belief of Shetlanders that they inhabit a
region of their own at the bottom of the sea. They here
respire a peculiar atmosphere, and live in habitations
constructed of the choicest submarine productions. When
they visit the upper world on occasions of business or
curiosity, they are obliged to enter the skin of some animal
capable of respiring in water. One of the shapes they
assume is that commonly called a merman or mermaid...But
their most favourite vehicle is the skin of the lager seal
(Notice the resemblance to modern diving gear?) As this
animal is amphibious they can land on some rock, and there
cast off their sea-dress and assume their own shape and
amuse themselves at will in the upper world. They must,
however, take especial care of their skins, as each has but
one, and if they should be lost, the owner can never re-
descend but must become an inhabitant of the supramarine
(land) world." Dr. Hibbert made an effort to locate this
undersea kingdom but could get no satisfaction from the
islanders except to say that it lay in the western ocean.

The sea-trows (Scottish dialect for trolls) were

constantly at odds with the offspring of the spirits of the
air and fire. Researching the matter in 1665, Reginald
Scott interviewed a "genius Astral" named Luridan in the
Orkney Islands of Scotland. This genial god-spirit of the
island of Pomonia told him of Balkin (i.e. kin the "baal" or
god) a creature shaped like a satyr, who "fed upon air,
having wife and children to the number of twelve thousand."
This was obviously myrrddin, the elemental of the air, who
had the possibility of meeting many women in his travels.
Luridan explained that Balkin was responsible for creating
the entire population of northern land-trows in Sutherland,
Caithness and the northern islands. Further, these "fairies"
(sidh is the proper Gaelic term) "were the companies of
spirits that hold continual wars with the fiery spirits in
the mountain Heckla, that vomits fire in Islandia (Iceland).
That their speech was ancient Irish (Gaelic) and their
dwelling place the caverns, rocks and mountains is recorded
in the antiquities of Pomonia." The fiery spirits of Iceland
would be the minions of the elemental Norse god Loki.

In the Norwegian book, Vanagastus, we are told that

Luridan himself was an air-spirit, who was naturally
antagonistic towards the fiery spirits of Heckla. In that
reference it was said that "the forces of air and fire often
contest and destroy one another, killing and crushing when
they meet in mighty and violent troops upon the sea. And at
such times many of the fiery spirits are destroyed when the
enemy hath brought them off the mountains to fight upon
the water. On the contrary, when the battle is upon the
mountain itself, the spirits of the air are often worsted,
and then great moanings and doleful noises are heard in
Iceland, Russia and Norway, for many days after."

Similar battles raged between the god-spirits of the

air and those of the deep sea, thus myrddin (Merlin) and King
Arthur's war against the uncanny monsters of the deep. The
Fomors (sea people) of an domhain were the first creations
of the sea-god, humanoid but not human. They have been
described as giants, "creatures of ill and darkness",
cannibalistic, sometimes possessing a single arm, leg and
eye. Some of their kind had the evil-eye, which could blight
and wither men at a glance. Others had the heads of animals
on human bodies, while a few appeared to be a wild mixture
of animal species. The Fomorians defeated the human tribes
of Nemedians and the Partholons and managed an uneasy
truce with the Firbolgs, but were largely eliminated by the
Tuatha daoine, who had alliances with the god-spirits of the
air and fire as well as that of a turn-coat Fomorian chief
named Manaun MacLer (the son of the immortal Ler).
According to the myths of the Tuathans, the sorcerers of
their tribe cast the twelve mountains of Ireland upon their
enemy and poured "three showers of fire" upon their heads.
Worse still they contrived to bind urine in the bodies of the
Fomorians and their horses, thereby robbing them of two-
thirds of their strength. Finally, one of their warriors, Lugh
of the Long Arm, cast a sling-shot at the single eye of their
chief leader, Balor of the Piercing Eye, carrying that fearful
weapon out through the back of his head. After that, the
Fomorians were routed into the sea and died in numbers "as
the stars of heaven, the flakes of snow, or grass trodden
under the feet of herds." This battle is more than hearsay
as the plains in Sligo, on the west of Ireland, are dotted
with pillars and cairns to commemorate the dead. The place
still bears the Gaelic title: "Plain of the Towers of the
Fomorian Giants."

The patriarch of the Tuatha daoine was the mortal

agricultural-sun god named Dagda (Father of the Day). The
origin of the Gaelic mortal gods and the Fomorian giants is
never stated but we do know that the how the first frost
giant developed and that his race (male and female) evolved
from the perspiration of his armpits. In Norse mythology,
the first mortal-god, Buri (the producer) was inadvertently
licked from an block of glacial ice by a giant cow created at
the will of the Allfather. His son Borr (bear) was an
asexually created child, who mated with a giantess named
Bolthorn, creating Odin, Vili and Ve, the first of the mortal-
gods. In this version of northern myth the newly created
mortal-gods gave the two immortal gods an edge over the
frost-giants, most of whom drowned in the blood of their
patriarch as he was cut down by his enemies.

The problem in this mating of giant and god was the

introduction of mortality into the bloodline of the gods.
Further, it was said that the Allfather disapproved of this
miscegenation and promised the Aesir (gods of the earth) a
finite existence. The fate of the Celtic gods seems to have
been similarly blighted by their merciless destruction of
the Fomorians and the fact that they purloined the cauldron
of the deep. There was excuse for this act in the fact that
the Fomorians had stolen the Dagda's harp of the north from
his halls at Tara. They took this spoil of war back to their
ocean retreat, forcing Dagda's sons, Lugh and Ogma to go
there after it. Their successful recovery of the "talking
harp" is remembered in the childhood fantasy entitled "Jack
In The Beanstalk".

The tale of the removal of the Celtic cauldron of the

deep has a counterpart in the Anglo-Saxon story of Hymir's
kettle. Intending to be entertained by Eagor, god of the sea,
the mortal-gods took it on themselves to find him a brewing
kettle. Thor and Tyr went to the house of Hymir, the frost
giant, knowing that his kitchen housed an iron pot a mile
deep and proportionately wide. This, the pair stole and
presented to Eagor so that gods and the Vanas(sea-giants),
could brew ale for their combined harvest feast.

The recipe itself was stolen, on another occasion, by

the Woden, father of the Anglo-Saxon gods. The drink was
the mead known as hydromel and was compounded by the
black dwarfs from the blood of Kvasir, an early creation of
the mortal-gods. This creature answered all questions
asked of him by men and gave invaluable advice. He was
treacherously slain and his blood drained away and mixed
with honey, which was then fermented to create a beverage,
"so inspiring that anyone who tasted it immediately became
a poet, and could sing with a charm certain to win all
hearts."

To save themselves from the wrath of the frost giant

named Suttung, the mead and its formula were given by
these same dwarfs into the hands of his daughter Gunlod,
who kept watch over this valuable acquisition in a hollow
mountain, whose ways were barred by magic.

Hearing of this useful fluid, Woden went there and

assumed the shape of a snake to reach the redoubt. Within
the mountain, he assumed his regular form and seduced
Gunlod. In time, she granted him a sip of the brew as well
as her body. Taking advantage of her, he consumed all the
liquor, fled from the cave and took eagle form, barely
escaping the pursuing giants as he returned to Asgard. In
his own halls, Woden disgorged the brew with such haste
drops fell from heaven to earth where the formula was
analyzed and copied. Thus mead became the portion of
scalds and poets, at first kept to their guilds, but later
more generally distributed. As men had Woden to thank for
this gift he was declared, among other things, the patron of
political eloquence, poetry and song.

When the Tuatha daoine went for their cauldron of the

deep it was located in the central part of Magh Mell or
Annwn. In the myths of the Welsh it stood for centuries
within the domain of Gwyn (the white one). This underworld
deity was a great hunter, ultimately given charge of seeking
out the souls of the dead, who were gathered in this British
equivalent of the Norse Nifhelheim (home of Hel) and
Valhalla (halls of the valiant). Nifhelheim was lacking in
amenities, being intended for the "straw dead" (those who
died in bed) as opposed to those who expired in combat. An
domhain was more like Valhalla, "a land wherein there is
not save truth and where neither age nor decay, sorrow nor
gladness, nor envy nor jealousy, hatred nor haughtiness."
Another writer said it was a place of choicest mead and
wine where handsome people lay together without sin or
stain.
 It was here that the Dagda travelled with his harp,
using its strains to drug the Fomorians while the cauldron
was carried away. The mortal god took the cauldron for
reasons that went beyond simple revenge, for he knew that
it was an inexhaustible source of both food and drink, either
being available on demand. Today we might consider his
gain a pyrrhic personal victory since he afterwards became
noted for his prowess with porridge and mead: "Then filled
they the Dagda's cauldron, five fists deep with four score
gallons of new milk and a like amount of meal and fat.
Goats and sheep and swine were also put in it. All were
boiled together with the porridge. Then the Dagda took his
ladle, and that was big enough for a man and a woman to lie
side-by-side within. "Good food," said the god and sleep
came on him after eating. Bigger than an ordinary house pot
was his belly and no easy matter for the hero to move about.
Unseemly was his food-spotted clothing, his dun tunic
fitting poorly over the swelling of his rump."

Remember that this was a day when the evils of a

fatty diet were unknown and large appetites were
considered a mark of godhood. It was thought that ordinary
men contained a measure of the holy spirit of the Allfather.
This was what the Scots meant by insisting that "All men
are born above their station". Spirit was seen to ebb away
in the aging of a man or woman, but it was thought that this
loss could be partially reversed by spirited eating.

Ultimately even gods lost their battle to maintain a

hale and hearty spirit, but this was thought inconsequential
as the Celts knew that the god-spirit would merely pass to
earth, and be incorporated into a cereal crop. The embodied
spirit in the grain would ideally be eaten by, and impregnate
a woman, and the spirit of the god would thus be
reincarnate.

The Dagda's Cauldron fed all "save cowards or

deceivers", but it also had the remarkable capacity of
restoring life. The Tuathan leech named Diancecht pressed
the vessel into use against the Fomorians, the Tuathans
dipped in his special brew being recyclable in the war
effort provided their heads had not been cut off or their
spinal cords severed.

When the Welsh marched against Ireland under

Bendigeid Varn, a son of Llyr they found the Irish still in
possession of "the cauldron of renovation." Their spies saw
the Irish kindling a fire beneath the iron and casting the
bodies of dead fighting men into a liquid: "The next day
there came forth fighting men as good as before, except
that they were not able to speak." A Welsh warrior named
Evnissyen seeing this formidable weapon hid himself among
the bodies of the dead and was eventually flung into the
cauldron. Here the hero stretched his sinews and heart to
breaking, and in the act, shattered the cauldron of the deep
into four parts. The Irish were ultimately defeated but here
was another pyrrhic victory as only seven Welsh warriors
survived the final battle.

If the descendants of the Celts were vague about the

exact seat of the elemental water god, they could point to
the sky to show others where the fire god resided. In Gaelic
"aod" remains a synonym for the sun. The Welsh counterpart
of this god was Hu Gardarn (Hugh The Mighty), who brought
fire to earth, teaching men to fuse minerals into weapons
and agricultural tools. The Norse elemental named Loki
(Bound Fire) seems to have been adopted by the mortal gods
and came down from the heavens to sit at their councils.
His position as sun-god was taken by Frey the son of Woden
and he was demoted to a position as lord of the hearth fire.
Afterwards he proved a severe trial to Woden and his kind
and was chained for eternity in Niflheim, hence the current
connotation of his name, which now symbolizes
subterranean vulcanism.

The mortal-gods were not above assuming the names

and powers of their superiors. Thus Woden preferred to
have his adherents refer to him as The Allfather, although
this title correctly belonged to another. The god Hu was
similarly abused and, in later history it was agreed that he
came to them from Gwlad y Haf (Summer Country) travelling
to Wales in his sun chariot. In his travel Guide, Wild Wales
(1862), George Borrow said that Hu "taught the his own
people the arts of civilized life, to build comfortable
houses, to sow grain and reap, to tame the buffalo and the
bison, and turn their mighty strength to profitable account;
to construct boats with wicker and the skins of animals, to
drain pools and morasses, to cut down forests, cultivate the
vine and encourage bees, make wine and mead, frame lutes
and fifes and play upon them, compose rhymes...to move in
masses against their enemies and finally when the summer
country was overpopulated, led an immense multitude of his
countrymen across many lands to Britain, a country of
forests in which bears, wolves and bisons wandered...a
country inhabited by only a few wild Gauls (Celtic Britons),
but which shortly after the arrival of Hu and his people
became a smiling region, forest being thinned, bears and
wolves hunted down, efync (crocodiles) annihilated, bulls
and bisons tamed, corn planted and pleasant cottages
erected. After his death he was worshipped as the God of
agriculture and war by the Cumry and the Gauls. The
Germans paid him divine honours under the name Heus, from
which name the province of Hesse, in which there was a
mighty temple devoted to him. The Scandinavians
worshipped him under the name of Odin and Gautr, the latter
a modification of Cardarn or mighty. The wild Finns feared
him as a wizard and honoured him as a musician under the
name of Wainoemoinen...Till a late period the word Hu
amongst the Cumry was frequently used to express God-
Gwir Hu, God Knows, still being a common saying. Many
Welsh poets have called the Creator by the name of this
creature..."

Myrddin (Noise Over Water), Balkin, Lord of the North

Star, went through a similar transformation. In the most
remote times it was decided that the North or Pole Star
must be his home since it appeared to stand still within the
sky while all stars rotated subserviently about it. In any
case, this seemed a self-evident fact since the most severe
winds of winter appeared to blow out of this quarter. Later
there were suggestions that Myrddin had an earth-bound
residence somewhere in northern Britain, and this is
confirmed by Reginald Scott's writing. In early Britain, the
chief tourist attraction was not Stonehenge by Myrrdin's
Caves, which were said to issue a constant unceasing wind
from the bowels of the earth. According to one legend the
great flood issued out of these caverns and "advanced
against Stonehenge from the southwest". After that the
winds from nowhere ceased to operate and the location of
this wonder was lost.

The elemental god of the air eventually had his name

confused with a number of mortals, most notably a fifth
century prophet and magician: "Merlin was the son of no
mortal father, but of an Incubus (who the Gaels would have
called an Alp, i.e. Elf), one of a class of beings not
absolutely wicked but far from good, who inhabit the
regions of the air. Merlin's mother was a virtuous young
woman..." Merlin is remembered as the counsellor to King
Arthur, the man who built "his havens, ships and halls" and
less often as the man who "flew" the stones from western
quarries to build Stonehenge. This "god" of the upper air is
also remembered as the architect of his own downfall. He
wooed and won Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, who was not
content with his sometime devotion and sought to "detain
him for evermore". Through an enchantment, learned from
him, this lady imprisoned him until the dusk of time within
"the bush of Broceliande". An elemental, Merlin cannot die,
but can only hope for release which has been promised when
England is in some great future peril.

Considering the close ties of Arthur and Merlin it is no

surprise that the Pole Star came to be called Arthur's Wain
(i.e. Arthur's Wagon). A little further north this same star
was called Odin's Wain. The two closest stars to this one
were seen as representing his bodyguards, thus the triad of
stars was adoptedg used to symbolize northern kingship.
The Gaelic kings of Scotland afterwards showed three
silver stars of a midnight blue background as their symbol
of divine right.

The god-king called Arthur (High Bear) was supposedly

born as the son of Uther Pendragon (King) and was a prince
of the Celtic Silures, who lived in southern Wales. He
became ruler of the Britons about the year 500 and
successfully checked the progress of the Anglo-Saxon
invasion. He reigned in peace until the revolt of his nephew
Modred twenty years later. This led to the fatal battle at
Camlan in 542 in which Mordred was slain and Arthur
mortally wounded. After his death, his countrymen
maintained that the High King had not died but was carried
off to to the isle Of Avalon within Annwn, from which he
would return to reinstate the sovereignty of the Britons
over the Saxon usurpers.

Arthur is directly reelated to the Dagda, the Celtic

father of the gods. Usually the Dagda is cited as cohabiting
with the goddess Danu in the creation of the race of
warrior-magicians known as the Tuatha daoine. The Dagda
is however remembered as having other romantic interests.
As Wuotan seduced the huge but nubile Gunlod, so the Dadga
joined with Mhorrigan in a notable sex act. Each of the two
planted their huge feet of either side of the River Boyne In
Ireland and went through motions that caused earthquakes.
This miscegenation led to the creation of a multi-headed
monster that had to be contained for the good of the land.
This is reminiscent of Loki's union with the giantess
Angurboda, which created the triad of Hel, the Fenris wolf
and Iorgungander, the world worm. All three had to be
imprisoned to prevent them from harming men and the gods.
In the medieval romances Mhorrigan persists as Morgain, or
more commonly, Morgan le Fay (the fairy, elf or sidh-
woman). She is described as the half-sister of King Arthur.

DIA-AICHEADH, athiest, a refusor or recantor of god, dia-

aitheas, blasphemy.

DIABHOL, Eng., a devil, the Devil of Christian myth, full of

"dia", or god-spirit. G. dia, a god, Cy. duw or hu, Cor. duy,
Gaul. devo, Latin deivos, the deified one, ON tivar, the gods,
English Tues-day, the "day of Tiw" or Tyrr, their god of war.
Note also the G. diadhaidh, pious and the OIr. diade, a divine,
god-like. This "god" corresponds, in all respects, with the
Gaelic Aod and with the Nathair. See deo, dia, diag,
deostadh.

DIABHOLNACH, one who raises the dead, a necromancer.

DIADHACH, a religious person, a divine, a clergyman.

DIA-DHUINE, a god-man, The Christ. God made incarnate.

DIAG. philosophers, from dia (see separate entry), "god-

like." See above.

DIAMHAIR, DIAMHAIR, adj. reserved to the “gods,” secret,

private, mysterious. solitary, lonely, dark. Also diomhair,
diamhaireachdan. mysteries (of the druids), The secret arts
and crafts. EIr. diamair, to remain; diamar, to vanish from
sight, to disappear. diamhran, mystery, a hermit.

DIANCECHT (jan-kett), “Eager, Keen,” the chief physician to

the Tuatha daoine, sometimes credited with creating the
completely articulated, silver hand for King Nuada, after his
was severed in battle against the Firbolgs. Irish historian
Seumas McManus says that the marvellous mechanical hand
was actually fashioned by Creidne, "a very famous worker in
precious metals" but Katherine Scherman thinks credit
should have been given to Diancecht's son Midach. The
former, however, had charge over the "Cauldron of the Deep"
when it was used to revive Tuathan dead for re-use in their
successful war against the Fomorian sea-giants: "The leech
Diancecht would make whole the bodies of the slain
provided their heads had not been cut off nor their spinal
marrow severed." This was managed by dipping the corpses
head-first in a brew of "living-water" warmed within the
kettle. In some versions of folklore the "Dagda's Cauldron"
is identified instead as "Diancecht's Well."
DIANAN. One of two famed baobhe among the Tuatha daoine.
She and her “sister” Bechulle placed enchantments “on the
trees, the stones and sods of the earth” so that they were
effectively “an armed host against the Fomor.”

DIARDAOIN A BROCCHAIN, dimor, excessively; diardan,

anger; ardan, pride; di-ardaoin, Thursday. Brocchain,
gruel, porridge, the English broth. Porridge Thursday. A rite
of the Western Highlands formerly carried out on a Quarter-
Day. The celebration was termed Maunday Thursday in the
lowlands and was performed on the high eve of the day,
when a man representing those present waded into the sea
to provide it with a gift of mead, ale, or porridge,
sometimes all three. The purpose was made obvious in the
accompanying chant:

O God of the Sea (Manann mac Ler),

Place weed in the drawing (incoming) wave
To enrich the lands of earth
Thus to provide us with food.

Those who stood on shore amplified the chant so that the

Old Boy would hear. The custom was continued in Lewis
into the current century. On one occasion an islander noted
that the harbours were full of “wrack” (seaweed) for the
spring planting after the god had been liberally gifted with
“porridge, butter and every good ingredient poured into the
sea at every headland where wrack used to come ashore.”

DIARMUID, Diarmad, Dermid, MG. Dermit, gen. Diarmada , EIr.

Diarmait, OIr. Diarmuit or Diarmit, Lat. Diormitius.
Sometimes given as Dia-ermit, “reverencing God.” The
husband to Bec Fola who made a brief “excursion” to the
Otherworld.

DIARMUID UA DUIBHNE, “of the Love Spot.” ,a son of Donn,

was fostered with Aonghas. and thus went to live at Brugh
na Boann. While he visited Aonghas to sort out the details
of this fosterage, Donn discovered his wife had bedded with
Roc, the steward to Aonghas. When a child was born out of
wedlock, the jealous husband crushed the skull of this
infant with a stone.

Using Tuathan magic, Roc touched the baby with a

magic wooden wand, and turned it into a living boar (the
totem of the sun-god clan). Roc placed a geis that the
man-beast should kill Diarmuid if he ever encountered him,
and then released the animal into the forests surrounding
Ben Bulben, County Sligo, where he awaited the weavings of
the fates to complete his destiny. Diarmuid must have been
reincarnated several times before emerging from his sidh to
join the Fiann.

Being a descendant of the Fomorians, he had no trouble

making the grade. Soon he was scavenging the woods for
game with three new friends, Conan, Goll and Oscar. Once
the four found themselves seeking shelter in a wood’s-hut
inhabited by and elderly man, a young and beautiful girl, a
sheep and a cat. When the four were offered food, the cat
jumped onto the table and began to help itself from their
plates. Each champion tried to brush it to the floor, but
found that it was immoveable. The old man smiled and
wryly noted that the cat was death incarnate, and thus
could not be moved by any living thing. The four champions
then retired to sleep in the same room with the young girl.
Seeing that she was a beauty, each of the males tried to
proposition her, and she turned down all but Diarmuid.
Apparently he came up to her expectations, for she said: “I
am Òighe, the goddess of “youth,” (and the female
counterpart of Òg) and I cannot stay with you forever but I
place upon you the mark which no woman can see, but which
all will perceive, and seeing will love you without
reservation.”

Thus originated the famous love spot of Diarmuid.

Fionn mac Cumhail became betrothed in his middle age to
Gráinn the daughter of Cormac ard-righ, and the Fionn
accompanied him to his wedding feast at Tara. Like Deirdri,
this princess was uncomfortable with the thought of
wedding an elderly man no matter how heroic his reputation.
Consequently, she approached Oisin and asked if he would
elope with her. When he refused, she turned to Diarmuid,
who had promised the Òighe that he would never refuse a
damsel in distress. Reluctantly, the “spotted-one” fled
with this lovely into the wilderness of Ulster. Burning with
rage, Fionn pursued.

At first Diarmuid treated Gráinn as a sister, but

ultimately gave in to the sexual urges created by close
company and a common purpose. At first that shared
concern involved nothing more than eluding Fionn’s hounds,
and finding the next badger hole where they could hide. In
flight, he was faced with an image of Aonghas who advised
him to “flee from this place and every other place known to
you. Never go into a cave that has a single passageway, and
never take to an island where there are no others
somewhere at hand. Where you cook, eat not; where you eat,
sleep not; where you sleep eat not on the morrow.” At the
first light the pair took this advice and thus avoided the
noted female-tracker named Deidu, the chief counsellor and
spy of Fionn.

Even so this tireless woman tracked the lovers at last

to the Dun Da Both, which stood within an ancient cromlech.
There the Clann Morna led by Fionn. The stone-ring was
hard to take having many entrances, and being completely
covered over with rubble in those days. Diarmuid only
agreed to emerge for battle when he saw the shining figure
of Aonghas remove Griánn to the safety of some place
beyond time. He then used his staff to vault beyond the
circle ring of earth known as the mote which stood about
the cromlech, and there made his stand. It is recorded that
Diarmuid moved through the ranks of the Féinn “as a wolf
through a flock of uncertain sheep.” Afterwards, when
Fionn searched through the huge mounds of dead, he found
nothing of his long time adversary.

The head of the Fiann now counted these losses:

Cormac’s daughter, the warrior named Diarmuid, the dead in
battle; the trust of companions in the worth of his deeds,
and his own self-confidence, but still he was unforgiving
and “wanton in his pride.” As for Diarmuid, he retired into
the Brugh na Boyne where he was nursed by Aonghas and
Gráinn “although the life spirit almost fled from his
mouth.” In spite of this Gráinn petitioned the High King
that some peace might be made between these recalcitrant
men.

Although Fionn protested, the Fiann would no longer

support his personal quarrel with the son of Donn, and thus
the banishment was lifted. Thus, Diarmuid lived to build
the Rath Grannia, and there he lay abed when his banshee
wailed. Not long after he was invited to join the Féinn in a
boar hunt, and Grainne warned him that she had
uncomfortable foretellings.

The boar that was hunted was the son of Roc, and
Diarmuid found it impossible to do the animal any harm
with his weapons. In fact, the boar charged head on against
him, ripping and goring the hero,leaving him, at last, near
death. When the Féinn came up to him, it was obvious that
their leader was in a good mood for he said: “Here lies , the
irresistible, it is a pity that all the woman of Ireland are
not gathered to see how he looks at present.” For his part
Diarmuid could only beg for his life, noting that Fiann had
the power to restore it by bringing a injured man water in
his hands. Although a well of water was not nine paces
distant, Fionn’s hatred would not allow him to help his
former friend and comrade, and he even made as if to bring
water, allowing it to drain away between his fingers as he
approached Diarmuid.

Gráinn knew the meaning of the parade of men that

came back from the forest, but they bore no corpse, “for
that had been taken away by Aonghas Óg.” This event
eroded the trust of the chieftains of the Féinn for their
leader, and it was said that the keep at Alma became a
cheerless place. Nevertheless, after a year, Fiann
petitioned the widow, and she eventually married her late
husband’s nemesis.
 After the marriage, the pair were met by battalions of
men shouting derision and “Gráinn bent her head in shame.”
Nevertheless, it was never said that the sovereignty of
earth-goddesses was fair and just and the two remained
wedded until death, but it was also said that “the spirit
was out of the Féinn.”

Under a new leader, Cormac’s son, named Cairbre the

Féinn were almost eradicated. As for Diarmuid, he went into
the Otherworld by way of the Brugh na Boann, but his body
remained inviolate on a golden bier near Tara. When ever
Aonghas Óg sought companionship, he breathed into the
mouth of the corpse, and the spirit rushed east over the
waters and roused it, so that this dead man could converse
with his foster-father.

DIARMUID MAC FERGUS. An historical king (545-568 A.D.)

sometimes confused with the above. One of his officers was
killed by a foster child of St. Ronan. When the king came
looking for Aodh Guaire, Ronan hid him, and so the cleric
was arrested and tried in his stead. Condemned he uttered
these words: “Tara be desolate forever!” Surprisingly this
city was abandoned and never achieved its former status as
the axial city of Ireland.

DIBITH, lifeless, without fortune; di-, a negative prefix +

bith, inspirited.

DIGE, DIGDE, DEIGHDA, “goddess,” the feminine of Dagda,

ice, snow. A descriptive name for the Cailleach bheurr or
Winter Hag. See Caer Ibormeith, Mhorrigan, Bui. Danu,

DILUINN, di + luan. Di, day from the Sankrist dyaus, the sky,
allied to dia, god and the Early Irish domnach, lord, from
which the English Donald. A related form is diabhol, which
is out word devil. Luan, moon, also Monday. Thought
borrowed from the Latin luna. The moon-devil, also entitled
Old Donald. Also, the owl, perhaps named after its moon-
like eyes.
 The Celtic people claimed that the owl-spirit was the
oldest and wisest in the universe. Baobhs and witches were
often gifted with familiars which were owls. As J.G. Fraser
has noted, "In every case the beast or bird with which the
witch or wizard has contracted a mystic alliance is an
individual, never a species; and when the individual animal
dies the alliance is naturally at an end, since the death of
the animal is supposed to entail the death of the man."

Where men did not possess an owl as a familiar they

sometimes ate his eyeballs. In Norse legend Ingvi, son of
King Aumund was timid in his youth, but his family
remedied this by making him eat the heart of the wolf. With
the wolf-spirit in him he became very bold. Again, Hialto
gained strength and courage by eating the heart of a bear
and drinking its blood. The advantage in eating an owl's
eyeballs seems obvious, the Celtic word diluinn having
reference to its two oversized "moon eyes".

Only one local species has any day-vision worthy of

mention and that is the Snowy Owl, which is able to see
very well in bright sunshine, although it does most of its
hunting at dawn and twilight. This owl has a close
attachment with the world of shadows because it is an
infrequent visitor to the area. its presence indicating a lack
of food in the northlands of Canada. The bird shows a
marked preference for open costal meadows and is ghost-
like in its sudden appearances and disappearances.

In parts of the Maritime Provinces owls are placed

among the corbies as harbingers of bad luck. Creighton has
recorded the following tale: "In Ship Harbour two young men
were returning home one cold icy night. After the driver let
his friend out he drove on alone and must have gone off the
road. At that time his mother was walking down the road
when a huge bird that was more like an owl than anything
else swooped out of a tree and nearly knocked her down. It
was an odd time of year for a strange bird to appear, so this
was supposed to have been a forerunner."
 At Five Points, near Sussex, New Brunswick a tale has
been told that clarifies the nature of the owl as a
forerunner. In colonial times a woman who lay dying
promised she would come back to haunt her husband if he
decided to marry a neighbouring woman named Jennie. The
man denied any matrimonial interests but remarried as soon
as his wife had gone to earth. Afterwards he found himself
shadowed by an owl and suspected this was the runner of
his departed wife. Harassed by the bird, he shot it, and
threw the corpse at Jennie's feet saying, "There's that
damned owl!" To his surprise, Jennie fainted and when she
recovered was found to be confused state, even suggesting
that he had shot his former wife. She recovered, but he was
so distraught he hanged himself from the timbers of a
nearby bridge. Considering the implications and the fact
that the man was a suicide, he was buried at the crossroads
at midnight.

DIOG, life, breath. Conferring with dea, deos, See deosalt,

deos, deostadh.

DIOLTACH, the “Retaliator,” from the G. diol, to pay. One of

three invincible swords possessed by the ocean-god Mannan
mac Ler. This weapon was given to Naoise who was slain by
it.

DIOT MHÓRR, great meal, great dinner, MIr. diet, EIr. dithait,
the Eng. diet. The feast held at the Beltane.

DINN RIGH. The dun, or fortress of kings at Leinster. Once

named Duma-Slaigne, as it was the burial mound of Slaigne,
a Fomorian king. Identified with Ballyknockan on the west
bank of the Barrow in County Carlow, Ireland. It was here
that the evil Cobhthach Coel of Bregia and thirty of his
warriors were toasted alive by fires set around a hall made
entirely of iron.

DINNSENCHAS, dinnis, obs., an oath, an elder day document

describing the orders of the druids, and making one of the
few notices of the bandrui or female druid.

DIS, confers with Gaelic, dithis, two, used only of persons,

the dual-god. Dwelly identifies him as a Celtic god, although
he is most often placed with the Gauls. Dith, susceptible to
the cold, a poor miserable wretch. Failure, destruction, die,
perish, wither, squeeze, compress, suck out. EIr. diss, weak.
Disleach, stormy, uncouth, straggling across the landscape,
deviating from normal; dith, want, defeat. But note disgir,
nimble, active, sudden, fierce, cruel. dislean, relatives. The
continental Celts claimed descent from Dis. See Da which
confers. See the next.

DISEART, “high and cold,” a desert. The Irish saints were

driven to contemplation and self-abuse. It is recorded that
Comac ua Liathinn, one of this kind, made repeated attempt
to find a desert in the ocean. He once sailed to the Orkneys
for that purpose. Some of Saint Coumba’s crowd found their
isolation beside Muirbole Mar in Jura. Referring to such
settlements, Adamnan used the Greek eremos from which
we have the English eremite or “hermit.” Many places in
Ireland, as a consequence bear the prefix disert, typically
followed by the name . A few may remember him as a
Christain who carried on a well-mannered conversation
with the Devil.

DISLEACH, stormy, uncouth, straggling, Ir. disligheach,

deviating from the safe and correct path, di-slighe, “the
way,” “the path.” After the foreign god Dis. See above.

DITHICH, to destroy, expiate, root out, cause to fail, die,

perish, become mute. See above entries. Note next.

DITHEIN BUIDHE BEALLTAINN, ditheain, daisy, darnel,

blossom; buidhe, yellow, glad, thankful. The "yellow
mayday flower - the marsh marygold. Thus the Beltane was
anciently known as buidhe Bealltainn, lucky May Day. Note
also Buidhe na Belltainn, the yellow Beltane, used to
describe fields filled with this May Day flower. Like St.
John's Wort, the marygold was a symbol of the sun, and a
protective against evil since it embodied the spirit of the
god Lugh.

DITHORBA. A part of a ruling triumvirate in Ireland. When

Aedh Ruadh died his daughter Macha Mong Ruadh seized
power. Dithorba and his surviving partner Dimbaeth opposed
her. She slew Dithorba and married Cimbaeth. Capturing the
five sons of Dithorba through he magic she forced them to
work at erecting Emain Macha, her chief residence and
monument in Ireland. The soveran-queen of the north,
corresponding with Macha.

DIURR, the life spark, the vital force in men. Diurrais,

mystery, secret, the desire to bite (as when teething). But
also diur, obs. Dire, difficult, hard.

DO, DON, DA, The Norse and the Gaels preferred to speak of
the “one-god” obliquely calling him the Allfather, the Old
Man, the Old Boy, the Good (God) Fellow, or something of
that ilk.

It was widely understood that calling upon the true

name of any god was a dangerous business since they were
likely to appear and were invariably annoyed by oaths or
swearings that were”in vain.” The elder day “lord of hosts”
of the Gaels was probably Do, or Don, who the Welsh called
Doon, the Cornishmen, Dou, and the Anglo-Saxons, Doom.
The Gaelic form corresponds with the modern word da,
which is the English two. In the Old Irish tongue the word
could be masculine dá or the feminine di. The same holds
for Welsh where dau is masculine and dwy feminine. In the
Cornish form these words were dou and diu. In the dead
Brythonic tongue of the English Celts it was daou and diou.
All of these words bear obvious relationship to the Gaelic
deo, breath, i.e. spirited, and dia, a god and the Norse/Gaelic
god Ve, the Wind . A very similar word is the Latin divus,
m., deified one, which is the Norse tiv and the Anglo-Saxon
twi. All of these forms point to the old northern European
god variously named Aod, Aoid or Aoidh (pronounced
somewhat like the English letter “k”).
 The personalized form of this name is Hu, Da or Dagda
in Gaelic and Hues, Hess, Deus, Dis, Twes, Tuis, Tues, Tyrr,
Tyr, Ter or Thor in various Germanic tongues. This god is
still remembered in the English Tues-day. This linguistic
exercise reveals a duo-partite creator-god, who apparently
knew how to represent himself in male and female bodies,
possibly in the interest of “self-expression.” His male
form, in Gaelic, is usually given as Don, his female as
Domnu, and the following which these two energized forms
created, embraced the so called House of Don, within the
undersea kingdom of Domhain.

In Gaelic parts Don’s day is still Di-domnuich, which

we call Sunday. The month of Damhar, or October, is
related, the word damh being understood as an ox or stag;
the word damhair indicating, rutting time. The ending air
in this last word indicates rank, thus, “The high-ox.” The
whole word can also be interpreted as “battle-ox,” or
“slaughtering ox.” The word Domhain is allied with this:
the second part mainnir, indicating a pen, fold or booth for
wild animals.

An associate word is the Old Irish mendat, a

residence. It is critical to note that Don is an inextricable
mix of local gods including Ler, Manan mac Ler, and Beul
(the continental Dis) in the Fomorian camp, and Dagda and
Lugh in the Tuathan division. Within the genealogical chart
of the House of Don, the dark lord is seen “married” to Danu,
the mother-goddess, but in a parallel diagram of
relationships for the House of Ler, this same lady, here
called Domnu, is shown as the throne-mate of the sea-god.
Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to one
another, Q.E.D. Danu is Domnu and Don is the Dagda.

The bear-god Mathgamon, the ultimate creator-god on

earth, is a single entity fractioned into these many parts in
the memories of diverse peoples. He is man-god, born to die
because of miscegenation, his immortal genes overcome by
mating with lesser folk. This dawn-being (the English
word confers) is a dual personality, with a summer and a
winter face; having alter-egos, symbolizing day and night,
the sun and the moon, heat and cold, good and evil, male and
female, the athair (father) and the nathair (snake, or one
who is not the father).

The same may be said for his mate, the goddess Danu
of the House of Don, or Domnu of the House of Ler. In sum
they are the Daoine sidh, the “people of peace,” the light-
bearers, who strove and defeated the Fomoraigh or under-
sea folk, creatures of ill and darkness. The problems
between the mythological land and sea-people are, at one
level, reflections of the attempts of men to overcome their
dark nature.

DOBHACH, DABHACH, a tub or vat. Also a measure of land:

one to four ploughgates depending on local tradition. The
latter use is peculiar to Scotland. Eng. top and tub. Note the
mythological connection with the “Cauldron of the Deep.”
This measure was used to assess cain, taxes or “burdens on
land,” coinmheadh, dues of maintenance, fees attached to
slaughadh or “hosting.” The word occurs at dauch or doch
when prefixed or suffixed to a place-name.

DOBHAR, obs. water, EIr. dobur, Cy. dwfr. Bry. dour. Ir.
dobhar, root dub, deep, the god Do or Don, Germ. tumpel, a
deep place located in water. From this the G. dobharchu,
“water-dog,” and dobhran, the otter.

DOBHAR ARD-RIGH, note above. Thus the High-King of the

Deep or Don, sometimes identified as Manann. To gain the
“horses of the Deep” the Sons of Tureen took work as
mercenary warriors at the court of the Dobhar ard righ,
who “stabled” these valuable animals. For seven weeks
they stood at arms without glimpsing the animals, but
during this time they proved very useful, so that they came
to the notice of the ard righ. In his company, they asked to
be show these valuable “animals,” and the flattered king
ordered that the horses be driven about the race-course of
his island. The horses were demonstrated on land and
water, and when they stopped to be admired, the brothers
leaped into the chariot, slaughtered the king with the
poisoned spear of Pisear, dumped the regular driver, and
drove off laughing at their trick.

DOBHINIA. dobhar, water. The ancestress-goddess of the

folk of Corco Duibhne, Kerry, Ireland.

DòGAN, a mild oath, thus the Eng. dog-gone-it. Confers with

dod, a tantrum or fret and dogadh, mischief; dogha, a
burdock. The Sc. dogge, dog, and possibly after the EIr.
Dubgall, “Dark-stranger,” a Dane. From this we have the
names Dugald and Dugan.

DOICHEALL, DOICHEALL, churlish, grudging, inhospitable. A

word opposed to EIr. sohell, “kindness.” This latter is
founded on the name of the Gaulish god Sucellos.

DOIMH, gross, bulky, same as domhail. Similar to

doimheadach, vexing, galling, doimheal, stormy, domhach, a
savage, a Fomor, domail, damage. See An Domhain.

DOINEACH, sorrowful, baneful, OIr. doinmech, “fateful,”

based on dan, fate.

DOIRE. a grove, Ir. daire, Cy. deri, an oak grove, G. darach,

oak. Anciently, a religious sanctuary. Thus the modern
Derry, Ireland.

DOL AIR FAOIDH, “Going A-Gathering,” which is called

“thrigging” in the Lowlands. The custom of
circumambulating a community to gather food and drink for
any festival, religious or otherwise. Prospective brides
often resorted to this act as did widows and older women in
reduced circumstances. Faoidh cloimh, or “wool-gathering”
was sometimes done on the land or door-to-door the object
being to obtain the raw material for clothing. The Faoidh
nollaig took place a little before Christmas and usually
involved people travelling as couples. These were actually
“gentle begging expeditions” and sometimes the identity of
the beggars was disguised. Somet

DOL DEISEL MU CHARN, circum-ambulation of the cairns.

Pagan (sometimes Christian) relgious processions about the
piles of stones. Supposed to propitiate the deities and
procure luck.

DOMHAIN, DOMHAINN, AN, The Deep, Breton, doun, Corn. down,

Cy dwfn, Bry. don. Gaul, dumnos, Indo-European, dheub, a
hole in the ground filled with water, cf. dobhar, water. The
first-world, the beginning place in the western Atlantic,
the undersea kingdom of the Fomors, ruled in the elder days
by the immortal elemental-god Ler.

Obviously akin are the Gaelic domhan, the world;

domhail, dumhail, thick, bulky, large; and dubh, great. An
Domhain, the Celtic “Beginning Land,” always sited in the
western Atlantic, is described as “a revolving circular
island, a fortress in the sea.” Today the word domhain is
taken to correspond with “deep,” and has particular
reference to “a hole in the ground filled with water,” thus
it is a comparative for the Atlantic Ocean itself. The
English word “deep” confers linguistically as does the
Gaelic domhan, the Universe personified. The Allfather or
creator-god was often identified as Don or Donn, the English
“Doom.” His co-creator was the goddess Domnu, the
“mother” of all the sea-folk collectively known as the
Fomor, literally the “undersea dwellers,” perhaps those who
lived “below” the western horizon. The name itself
signifies a “deep hole” or “abyss,” and has overt sexual
connotations. Through all of the sagas and tales it is the
Children of Domnu who are represented as agents of
darkness and evil. They are contenders against the people of
Dagda, the chief land god, and his mate Danu or Anu, who
represent the interests of light and goodness.

An Domhain had the circular “Cauldron of Abundance”

at its geographical centre. From it there emerged the seven
rivers which nourished the landscape in every direction.
Since this island-kingdom of uncanny, shape-changing, one-
eyed folk was hard to find it was sometimes classified as a
submergent island, existing at times on the ocean floor,
where its people subsisted within a magical bubble of air. It
was said that the island was forced to emerge once in seven
years to replenish its air and fresh water. In later
mythology it was suggested that An Domhain was a
subterranean place at the roots of the island which the
Gaels called Hy Breasil. Hy Breasil became the refuge of
the Tuatha daoine an Irish race which defeated the Fomors,
but being themselves conquered, were forced to flee to this
western refuge. These “gods of light” naturally acquired the
upper world while the “dark giants” were left with control
of the underworld of their island.

Hy Brazil was first charted on Atlantic maps in the

fourteenth century and disappeared from the cartographic
records in 1865. It was at first shown a little southwest
of the Aran Islands but was gradually moved westward
eventually coming to harbour in Newfoundland waters. Hy
Brazil is often, but not invariably, shown as perfectly
circular in shape. An examination of medieval maps
sometimes shows islands as indented squares or rectangles,
which are apparently meant to indicate fortified retreats.

In the fifteenth century, cartographers who knew of

an island in the Atlantic, but had no certain information
about its form, indicated their lack of precise knowledge by
drawing scalloped or dotted edges to represent the land.
Even at that they usually included some geographic
information, a trend of the coast, some offshore rocks, or a
general shape, suggesting that it was a place which could be
found. It was not uncommon to indicate a river or two on
such representations.

The world-myth is incompletely represented in Gaelic

myth but Celtic philosophy is well documented in the Welsh
Barddas, a compilation made from earlier material in the
hands of Llewellyn Sion of Glamorgan in the sixteenth
century. In the system of thought he proposes there are
parallels to Donn and Dagda in Huw and Cythrawl, the first
being the powers of life and construction, the latter those
of death and darkness. In the beginning it was said that
Annwn was the most complete realization of what the
Greeks called Chaos. In the beginning it is supposed that
there was nothing beyond these forces. Organized life came
into being “at a single word from Huw.” Notice that this
name represents the tendancy towards order, the sun, and a
reincarnate god, all wrapped into one. At his will manared,
the buidling blocks of the universe came into being. The
place where life sprang up in Annwn it was called Abred.
Immediately the forces for construction and destruction
began the contest of life and death.

According to ancient Cymric thought their was never

complete death for any living plant or animal, but many
reorganizations of the constituent manared. It was
guesssed that the beings of earth passed “every capable
form of life, in water, in earth, in air...through every
severity, hardship, evil before attaining gwynfyd
(enlightenment). Gwynfyd cannot be obtained without
seeing and knowing all, and is not attainable without
suffering everything. There can be nno full love without
experiencing the hate which leads to the knowledge that is
gwynfyd. Every being was thought capable of attaining
godhood, through a progression of lives sprinkled with both
good and evil events. Those who committed evil were
thought to fall out of the worlds of men and the gods into
the Deep, sometimes termed “The Loveless Place,” or “The
Land Invisible.” It is important not to confuse this place
with the Christian place called Hell. Like An Domhain,
Annwn was never seen as a place for the punishment of evil,
but a gathering point for insensate matter that had fallen
back toward chaos for recycling.

Some have said that this ancient land, due west of

Connaught province in Ireland, was "a land wherein there is
not save truth, and where is neither age nor decay, sorrow
nor gladness, nor envy nor jealousy, hatred nor haughtiness."
Obviously, this was not a human habitation! Pre-colonial
Newfoundland and Nova Scotia have been lands suggested as
harbouring the Fomors. Loke them An Domhain was an
illusive place, cloaked in fog and difficult to re-discover
after the initial landfall.

Many of the noted heroes of the pagan past were born

away to this place before or after death Oisin and his
comrade-at-arms were taken there just before the Fionn
were wiped out in their final battle. Conla, son of Conn was
seduced to that land by a sidh-princess who transported him
there in her crystal boat. Bran and his companions sought
the strange lands in the western ocean. He supposedly found
"the happy isles" and sailed amongst them for hundreds of
years. Coming home to carry, the bow-man on his ship
lepaed ashore and was instantly aged to a heap of dust.
Legaire of Connaught and fifty of his men disappeared into
the west as did Fiachna. Saint Brendan made a landfall and
returned to recount his tale of a visit to the Land of
Promise.

Even with the advent of Christianity An Domhain, the

First Land, continued as a goal of mariners. In 1664 a boat
out of Olwes on the coast of Ireland was blown west by
night and the next day at noon spied land so close that men
saw sheep grazing on shore. The captain dared not land
remembering tales that O'Brazil was unstable and at to
vanish into the netherland or sink suddenly below the sea.
They turned about and in spite of a favourable wind required
two days of sailing for the return voyage.

Twenty years later a scholar named O'Flatherty

reported that "There is now living Morragh O'Ley, who
imagines he was himsaelf personally in O'Brazil - he went
there from Aran - and came back to Galway 6 or 8 years
later and began to practise both chirurgery and phisick, and
so continues ever since, tho' he never studied or practised
either before in all his life time before. Hardiman says the
story is thatthe Book of O'Brazil was given him there - but
he was not to open it (upon his homecoming) for seven
years."2
About this same time the Leslie family of Glasslough,
County Monhagan, actually secured a grant to the entire
island known as I-Breasil, pending its recovery or
disenchatment from the spells of the Fomors and the Daoine
sidh. In his book Irish Minstreley, Hardiman reprints a
letter from Mr. W. Hamilton of Derry, dated 1674, and
addressed to a friend in London. He advised that the
western isles had been discovered, and reclaimed, a few
weeks earlier by the captain of a Killybegs schooner.
Hamilton advised his friend to inform "young Leslie" of the
good news, suggesting he might now make some use of his
father's patent on these properties. Unfortunmately this
curious tale has no resolution and as far as we are aware
Tir nan Og still remains at a distance: receding from
searchers into a fogbank, or backing below the horizon's
rim, or sinking beneath the sea when men approach too
closely. It has made substantial appearcnces on clear
summer nights upon the Atlantic but vain and adventurous
men have usually sought it with dire results.

Although An Domhain was the creation of the Olaithir

acting through the the fire elemental named Lugh, this land
was given to the descendants of the immortal sea god
named Ler or Llyr. At the time of the first human
occupation of Britain, the sunken lands nearest Europe were
controlled by the Fomorian giant named Conan and later by
Manan Mac Lir (the Son of Lir).

DOMHAN, the Universe, the Allfather, profound,, hollow, “of

two minds,” the creator-god personified, also known as Do
or Don or Domh. The source for many Celtic proper names,
e.g. Dubnotalus and Dumnorix. Note also the widely-used
Gaelic Domhnall and the Welsh Dyfnual, which translate as
Donald. A relationship is suggested with the sea-folk and
these names have the sense of "ruler of the deep" or "high-
king." Note domhach, a savage, doimh, bulky, gross, vexing,
galling, doimheal, stormy and doimeag, a slattern.

DOMNACH CURRAN, Carrot Sunday. Curran, any plant having

a tap-root, e.g. the European mandrake. A time for rites
originally devoted to the sun god Lugh. A pagan holiday
preserved on the western seaboard and the Hebrides of
Scotland with rites celebrated on the first Sunday coming
before Samhuinn, at “Summer’s End.” Attached in late
tradition to the Feast of St. Michael (September 29). On
this afternoon, before winter women, women dug carrots
from a specially marked triangular area with a three
pronged fork (like that favoured by the sea-gods). It was
claimed that the triangle symbolized the Holy Trinity, but it
may have represented the pubic area of the earth-goddess
called Bafinn or Bridd. The diggers intoned this chant:

Cleft fruitful, fruitful, fruitful,

Joy of carrots surpassing come upon me,
Michael the brave endowing me.
Bride the fair be aiding me.

Progeny pre-eminent over every progeny,

Progeny be on my womb.
Progeny pre-eminent over progeny,
Progeny be on my progeny.

This is not a usual Christian credo. Further, women finding

forked carrots became the centres of great admiration for
the “luck” they had unearthed. In all cases the rivalry
among women involved who might bring back the biggest and
the best carrots. At home, the women washed and tied the
carrots with appropriate red threads, and placed them in
sand filled earth pits for winter use.

DOMHNALL, gen. Donil; O.G. Domnall; Lat. Domnallis; Cy.

Dyfnwal, literally “world-ruler.” Hence M’Dhòmhnuill or
Mac-donald. There were two of this name: 1. Donald the
Warlike, a champion of Alba to whom Cúchullain applied to
complete his military training. Donald later referred him to
the warrior-woman Sgáthach. 2. Donald Breac, an historical
king of Dal Riada in Alba. He invaded Ireland in 637 A.D.
and,fought against Domhall mac Aedh, who presided over the
assembly of Druim Ceata, He is remembered for having an
impenetrable shield which was shattered by Conall. 3. The
Athair or Oolathair.
DOMHNUICH, DI-, DOMHNUCH. The day of world-ruler, the
"Lord's" day, Sunday. The days of the Gaelic week vary from
English counterparts, Sunday being, not the day of the sun,
but that of "domhnaich", Auld or Old Donald. While this god-
spirit may be equated with the earth-goddess Danu,
supposedly the ancestress of the entire Celtic race, he has
more definite affinities with Donar, the Teutonic god of
thunder, war, agriculture and marriage, the counterpart of
the Scandinavian Thor. This is supported by the second half
of the name, "naich", which is sometimes written as "null",
as in Domhnull (Donald). This corresponds exactly with the
French "noel" and the Scandinavian "yule". The Julmand (Yule
man) is currently regarded as the northern counterpart of
Pere Noel or the English Father Christmas, but in an earlier
day was clearly Thor or the god Frey, who were both
celebrated during the Yuletide. The people of Domh of the
Yule may represent a blending of Norse and Gaelic elements,
but the Macdonalds, or sons of domhnaich (pronounced dawn-
ech) came to the Highland and the Western Isles from Norse
lands.

DOMNU, the matriarchal goddess of the Fomorii. The sea

queen, possibly the alter-ego of Danu, the matriarch of the
Tuatha daoine. The Western Isles of Scotland were known
haunts of the Fomorian sea-giants, who are represented as
pirates who ravages the coasts of Ireland and subjected the
people. One of their kings was Indech mac de domnand,
“Indech so of the Deep-one, i.e. The goddess Domnu.” This
man was described as “the son of the goddess, possessed or
arts and accomplishments (magical abilities). The goddess
was the tutelary divinity of the Isles and the ancestress of
the ancient kings who liuved there. This Domu is sometimes
considered distinct from the ruler of the Fir domnann. See
next.

DOMON, The Irish records say that the the people of Nemed
hoping to flee the Fomors went to Domon and Erdomon which
was “in the north of Alba (Scotland). This place is the
Dumna of Pliny and Ptolmey. This seems to be the Outer
Hebrides as there is mention in Gaelic literature of that
place housing Magh Domhna, “the Plain of Domon.” Erdomon
indicates “near to Domon.” Usually this prefix indicates “to
the east of.” Thus the Inner Hebrides!

DON, evil, defective; as dona, bad, wretched. Dona, The Devil,

mischief, harm, hurt. Opposite of sona, happy. Donn, brown
in colour. Thus the low Scot. Old Donald, a pagan god, the
Devil. The creator-god and mate of Domnu, the ruler of An
Domhain, the “Beginning Place” in times long past. Some
say he was an immortal god who retired from time to take
up more interesting pursuits. Other myths suggest he may
have been murdered at the time of the invasion of the
Otherworld by the Dagda and his sons. He is definitely
associated with Bile his island abode having been given as
Tech Duinn, the “Assembly Place of the Dead.”

In Gaelic parts Don’s day is still Di-domnuich, which

we call Sunday. The month of Damhar, or October, is
related, the word damh being understood as an ox or stag;
the word damhair indicating, rutting time. The ending air
in this last word indicates rank, thus, “The high-ox.” The
word can also be interpreted as “battle-ox,” or
“slaughtering ox.” The word Domhain is allied with this:
the second part mainnir, indicating a pen, fold or booth for
wild animals. An associate word is the Old Irish mendat, a
residence, which confers with the ocean-god Manan mac Ler.

The Gaelic House of Don had two branches, the oldest

derived from Ler, the god of the sea, who is sometimes
represented as immortal and the equivalent of the Allfather.
His people are remembered as the Learys, O’Learys and
Macclures and his name is retained in the Gaelic lear, a
poetic name for the sea. The root here may be li, to flow, as
in lighe, flood. He was said to have pursued and
impregnated Aoibh, the Pleasant-Faced, a metaphor for the
sun. By Aoibh he had three sons and a daughter, all changed
into swans and banished by her sister, his second wife,
Aife. Manann mac Ler and his step-brothers and sisters
were the first mortal sea-deities, a fact made patent by his
mother’s name (Aoife indicates “One Doomed To Die”).

Notwithstanding his mortality, Manann was the most

prominent god of the past, ruling the sea-world on the arm
of Fand, the “Pearl of the Ocean.” His home was in the
western Atlantic, a place known as Tir Tairnigri,. the “Land
of the Daughter of Thunder.” The continental Celtic god of
thunder was Taranus, who is the equivalent of Thor, thus we
see that Norse and Celtic myth are not mutually exclusive.
Manann’s private keep in the west was Emain Albach, the
“Rock Bound Residence,” and from here he drove the waves
in a chariot behind the sea “horse” named Anobarr (his
shape-changed wife) or took sea-serpent or fish form to
travel to the shores of men. While most of his followers in
the undersea kingdom were bestial, Manann had the looks of
a handsome land-hero, which explains how he was able to
sire many illegitimate children among the “goddesses” of
Britain.

Manann mac Ler’s chief land-holdings in the eastern

realm were found upon the Isle of Man, although he also
possessed Castle Manan in northeastern Ireland. Queen Mebd
is a side-form of the goddess Mhorrigan, the “Great Queen,
born of the sea.” The major Celtic goddess of war, death and
slaughter, she double-crossed her “father” Don and assisted
the land-gods in overthrowing and eliminating him, his
defeat being symbolized in the taking the Cauldron of
Abundance to Ireland. In the latter days she was rewarded
for her duplicity with the sexual favours of Dagda and with
care-and-control of his “Kettle,” which is clearly the
“womb” of the land. She was the sovereign-bride of all the
high-kings of Tara, and no man could rule without her
complicity, which was represented in an annual ritual
pairing with her in the form of the human brides from the
side-hill of Boann. See next.

DONA, The Devil, donn. Surly, bad-tempered, bad, sometimes,

pregnant; brown in hue, bronzed, singed. Eng. Dennis. A name
for the Devil, confluent with the Welsh "dwn", brown,
relates to the Norwegian "dundra", to thunder, rattle, or
rumble, and to "din", an urgent request for debt settlement.
These suggest that the pagan fire-festival involved racket-
making and the settling of old scores. The missionaries to
the continental Celts, who were called Gauls, substituted
Saint Dennis as the god-spirit to superintend activities
which took place on October 9th.

Dennis was the first bishop of Paris and is still the

patron saint of France. He was martyred by decapitation in
the third century and was supposed to have raised himself
and walked away carrying his severed head. Dunning,
Scotland, which is central to the Little Dunning or Saint
Dennis’s Fair, is typical of towns having small cattle-
markets, which developed outside the sphere of the great
"anoachs" or fairs held in major centres. The feast day is
coincident with St. Dennis Day in France, where the tasting
of the first wines of harvest is the order of the day. The
fair was in place at least as early as 1670 and by the end of
the eighteenth century, highlanders were bringing large
flocks of goats to sale, while farmers transported flax.

In the 1830's, the fair was disassociated from Saint

Dennis Day, perhaps because of pressure from the
Presbyterians, who resented this Roman Catholic "saint".
At Glen Margaret, Nova Scotia, some residents continue to
equate Mr. Dennis with the Devil and with pigs. Abroad,
country-folk thronged the marked with butter and cheese
carts in this later time, while cattle-men offered the
"mart" (a cow or ox) in exchange. In smaller centres fairs
similar to the Dunning, which came closer to the end of
harvest, began to displace the Lugnasad as the chief "feeing"
market. Farmers and farm servants gathered at the foot of
High Street to make verbal agreements, or dins, for winter
work. Contracts were sealed by handsel, or handshake, and
the exchange of a penny. Some Scots were not above feeing
themselves to several masters and ended the day besotted
on dishonestly obtained monies.

In 1846, farm-workers cannily hired the town crier to

proclaim that the railways were seeking stout young men to
come to them at 16/ a week. The farmers reacted by
promising wages well above the usual local scale. The
actual opening of a railway several years after helped to
enlarge attendance at this fair and in 1895 tram cars
offered many ploughmen the novel experience of a trip to
nearby Scone. Little Dunning continued as the main feeing-
place for the region until the Second World War when the
farm workers were legally tied to their current jobs and
wages were fixed by the government. The system of
bargaining for wages ceased at that time. With the demise
of Little Dunning, and similar fairs, went the annual town
trip for farm youngsters, who used to have the promise of a
gingerbread horse, a pink sugar pig, or a striped-candy
walking stick of generous size. In many respects, Little
Dunning was next to Hogamanay as the most important date
on a child's calendar.

DONN, brown, surly, bad-tempered, indifferent, bad,

pregnant, Cy. dwn, Gaul. Donnus, Donno-, Lat. fuscus, Eng.
dusk, dust.

DONN NA’ CUAILNGE, The “Brown of Cooley,” a great bull of

divine origin resident in Ulster. His form was the
culmination of many transmigrations of soul and he was a
divine swineherd according to late antiquarian invention.
Although a bull he had human reason and understanding. “One
of the great virtues of the Donn were the fifty youths who
engaged in games upon his back every evening, where they
played draughts and contested at leaping. A magic virtue of
the animal is that no man ever fell from his back nor did he
totter under them. He could screen a hundred warriors from
heat or cold under his shadow. No sprite or goblin dared
come near him. At dust his magical lowing quieted men in
the north and the south, the east and the west...” Elsewhere
it is noted that his voice alone brought cows into calf,
emphasizing his importance as a symbol of fecundity.” It
was natural that Mebd, the raven-queen of Connaught
coveted him.

DONN OG, Young Don, represented as the son of Midir, god of

the Underworld. Often confused with the eldest of the eight
sons of Mil. It was this latter who was hospitably greeted
by the three sovereign goddesses of Ireland, and reacted by
“paying scant respect.” In this case, “scant respect”
meant a little more that ignoring them, for elsewhere it is
reported that “Eiru was overrun at Inver Sceni in Bantry
Bay.” The trio survived long enough to predict the doom of
prince Donn. The Milesians put to sea after this and Manann
mac Ler caused a great storm to blow up against the
invaders and in that storm he was lost. In one version of
events Donn was killed while checking out the nature of this
magical blast from the mainmast. Others state that he was
killed trying to land, or fighting on the land. Whatever the
case, his brothers agreed to his request that he be buried on
an offshore island. Here the traditions of Donn og and Donn
sean, become intermmixed, for the Irish death god
alsogoverned an offshore island entitled Tech Duin at the
southwest of Ireland.

DONN SEAN, Old Don, As we have noted elsewhere the House

of Donn was named after the death god, who was sometimes
associated with the Dagda and Bilé. In current folklore Donn
has the same weight as Ler, or the Norse god Hler, being
commonly associated with shipwrecks and sea storms. In
some folklore he is represented as governing Tech Duin an
island assembly point for spirits of the dead.

DORCH, DORCHA. dark. Ir. dorcha, OIr. dorche, as opposed to

sorcha, bright, from the root reg, I see. Gr. Erebus, the
“coloured-one.” ON. rokr, darkness, from which Ragna-rokr,
the “Twilight of the Gods.” Sometimes referred to G. richis,
coal and Bret. reges, glowing embers, Skr. ric or re, to shine
through darkness. Norse, dvgr, a dark-skinned one, a dwarf.
Many of the pagan rites took place in darkness. The
Christian church at Kilkivan, in Kintyre, Scotland preserved
one of these “mixing customs”: When husbands and wives
were seen to have irreconcilable differences all of their
kind were assembled by the clergyman once each year. There
being an equal number of males and females, they were
placed in a large room and all the lights extinguished. “This
being done they were to grope for partners until they were
all paired, and when the church was lit again they were to
live together till the next annual meeting, when a similar
“grab in the dark,” was resorted to.” Often this resorting of
personalities resulted in reconsiliation of the original
couples at the end of the year. This church in Gaelic was
cill-chaomhain, “the church of the meek,” and was one of
the last “native” churches to succumb to the Reformation.
This process was also seen at the pagan quarter-days.

DORNBHUIDHE, the “Yellow Fist,” corresponding with Bui.

The sidh, or “side-hill” of Uainebhuidhe, the “Green-fisted
one.” This was said located “south of Cliodna’s wave and
was thus within the western Otherworld. This woman was
regarded as the minstrel of the Land of Promise, and her
musical instruments were the birds which followed
wherever she went. See Uainebhuidhe.

DORNOLL. “of the Big-fist.” A somewhat misshapen female,

the daughter of Domhnull “the War-like.” She fell in love
with Cuchullian. When he failed to be compliant she sought
vengeance by causing his companions to desert him as he
journeyed in the distant Land of Shadows.

DOSGADH, DOSGAINN, misfortune, Ir. dosgathhach,

improvident, dosguidhtheach, morose, extravagant, from dos
+ sgath, a “haded thicket.” After the goddess Sgathach, the
“Shaded One,” who confers with Mhorrigan.

DRAIGHLICHD, a trollop, a whore, from the Eng. draggle-

tail? Perhaps related to the next.

DRAGON, a dragon, Ir. dragun, EIr. drac from the Latin draco,
the source of the English dragon. The name given Norse
war-ships as well as that applied to the fire-breathing
winged reptile of mythology. Note the G. dragh, trouble,
roughness, vexation. The dragon-ships were sometimes
pulled overland on rollers, thus the Eng. drag and draw.

The figurehead of the viking ship was often formed

after the head of a sea-serpent and was arranged to serve
as a chimney for ship-board fires. In spite of Saint
Patrick’s work with snakes, mythological Ireland was
hardly free of serpents. Conall Cernach had one as his totem
and the charioteer Laoeg saw a two-headed specimen on his
visit to the Otherworld. These were both off-island but
Mecha, the serpent-son of Mhorrigan was born in Ireland. He
was slain by the healer called Diancecht and his three
hearts, bearing the shape of serpent’s heads, were burned
and committed to water. It is said that the currents there
seethed with poison and “boiled to rags” all living things
within the river.

Fionn alone was credited with expunging the monster

of Loch Neagh, the great reptile of Loch Cuilleann, the
creature within Benn Edair, the reptile of Glen Dorcha, the
blue serpent of Erne, that of Loch Righ, another Glenarm. “he
slew the serpent within Loch Sileann that brought with it
treacherous deluge, and the two serpents of Loch Foyle that
made fierce attacks on us. A shining serpent in the Shannon
scattered our men, and that of Loch Ramhuir surpassed all
other monsters of the world but mac Cumhail killed them.
He took also the fierce phantom of Sliab Collan and the two
serpents within Glen Inne, these fell by his sword. He slew
that in Loch Meilge as well as the monster at Loch Cera and
the spectre at Turim. The serpent of Loch Mask gave many
defeats to the men of Fal but it was slain. On Loch Leaghire,
in truth, there was a serpent that made flames. In payment
for his ravages he was beheaded. The furious serpent of
Loch Lurgan was done down by Fionn as was that at Bann and
another at Assaroe.” See Clach na Nathraichean.

DRAMAIG, from Sc. drammock, crowdie. “There are two

immemorial dishes, one or another of which was
indispensable at the Kirn (Harvest Home). One is the mea-
an-ale (dramaig), or Ale-Crowdie, and the other is
Cranachan or Crea-Crowdie. Both are made with the first of
the new grain.”(obtained at the Lugnasad, August 2).
Crowdie was a mix of grain and water into which was
poured a little home-brewed ale. The crowdie was of
drinking consistency but could not be overly thin as this
was the omen for “thin” crops. It was sweetened with
molasses and made “handsome” with liberal amounts of
whisky. It was usually left to mellow through the day in a
wooden bowl or earthenware tub. At the arrival of guests, a
matrimonial ring and other charms were placed in the
communal tub and each person was given a spoon and invited
to partake in “a ceremony that is probably of very great
antiquity.”

DRAOI, DRAOIDH, DRUIDH, a magician, a practitioner of

witch-craft, the Irish form is draoi, pl. druadh, EIr. drai,
drui. In Gaul, druides, Eng. druid. Associations have been
made with the English word true and with the Gaelic dru,
high or strong. Pliny suggested that the root word might be
dru, oak, considering their reverence for that tree. The AS.
dry, a magus or magician, is considered derived from the
Celtic models.

Note also these "magicians": draoineach, any artisan;

draoneach, a practising artist particularly an agriculturist;
Ir. druine, needlework art. Draoch, a fretful or ghastly look
with the hair standing on end. Drùchd, dew; drùdh, penetrate,
pierce; druid, close, firm, trustworthy; druid, a starling, a
thrush; drùis, lecherous, adultery; drùth, lewd, a harlot or
prostitute; MEng. druerie, illicit love.

The druids were members of a Celtic religious order,

the sect, proper, having the offices of priest, physician,
wonder-worker, entertainer, judge, teacher and historian in
some measure. Numbered among the druids were the bards
who specialized in oral poetic history and composed
eulogies, curses and blessings on demand. The vates or
prophets were concerned with foretellings, hind-tellings,
and predictions. They are all represented in myth as
dangerous wizards and/or diviners. The secret "Order of
Druids" was supposedly re-organized in London In 1871, but
bears little relationship with the ancient druids and their
work.
DRAOCHD, druidic practise, magic. Same as druidheachd, the
latter being the later form of the word.

DRAOIGHTEAR. The Evil One, an enchanter. draoada, obscene,

smutty, lewd, ugly looking. draosdair, whoremaster.

DREAG, DRIUG, a meteor and/or portent,a forerunner seen as

a travelling light; a omen of death or disaster, related to
AS. dreag, an apparition and the ON, draugr, a ghost. Also
seen as driug and fear dreag, the man trailing a light. also
dragon (which, see), Cf the English word drag. See Ruadh
rosessa.

It was commonly said that the second soul of men

sometimes became a fear dreag after the death and
departure of the primary soul. As such it travelled from the
place of death to the home of the dead individual, and went
from their to the internment site. In instances of traumatic
death, the fear dreag might be unable to "go to earth", in
which case it remained topside as a recurrent travelling
ball of light.

The dreag, or "dead-light" of a female was said to

have a halo about it and shed sparks. The "corpse-candle" of
a man was a steady blaze of light, the trailing tail varying
in length in direct proportion to the importance of the
individual. Community leaders had lights that carried a long
tail, but that of neighbourhood ne'er-do-well’s was
markedly smaller.

At the home of their host, the dreag sometimes

knocked three times at the door, in other instances the light
fell to the hearthstone and spread from there to bath the
entire dwelling in cold light. Where the sithe, who carried
these lights, outlived their human cowalker they often
appeared about the countryside as wee-folk, seeking refuge
in remote hovels. Admitted in the midst of storm, they
were proof against lightning, flood, and the dangers of
unchecked fire, but if they were ignored or badly treated,
disaster always followed.
DREAM, tribe, people, EIr. dremm, bundle, handful, Skr. darh,
that which can be bundled or made fast, cf. G. dreamsgal, a
heterogeneous mass

DREATHAN-DONN, wren, Ir. drean, Cy. dryw, root der, to

jump. See dreolan. The Celts believed that our world was
haunted by sweet-singing, pain-dispelling Otherworld birds.
There were also hostile flocks which emerged from the
west in the service of the death-gods. Like the sea-folk,
these air-travellers had travelling gear, and could put aside
their “bird-cloaks” and emerge in the form of people. The
wren is seen in a small gold filagree figurine from
Garryduff, Ireland. Although post-Roman in date is
considered “associated with the Druidic practise of
augury.” In most accounts, the wren has an ominous
reputation, its call suggesting death, the coming of robbers,
whores, poets, the clergy or other unwelcome folk. See
dreolin.

DREIMIRE BREG, DRIMNE, the “Ladder of Breg,” similar to ON.

drangr, an “upstanding rock, cf. cliff, climb, tramp. “The
Back of the Great Sow,” for that is the shape that appeared
to the sons of Miled on every hill and on every height in
Ireland, when they came over the sea (from Spain), and
wanted to land by force. These phantoms were there because
a spell had been cast on them by the Tuathan wizards.”

DREOLIN, the wren, from dreas, bramble-bush, donnal, a

howl of complaint. Also a silly person, Cy. drel, a clown,
Eng. droll or thrall? Cf. dreallaire, drollaire, a “loiterer,”
similar to ON. drolla. Note that Don was the Gaelic creator-
god. The custom of hunting, and killing the wren, “the Ladye
of Heaven’s hen,” explains this descriptive. On the twenty-
fourth of December, towards evening, the Celtic peoples
used to “ramble about” until midnight when they sought this
representative of royalty. After killing him, they fastened
his body to a pole and paraded him door-to-door. On the Isle
of Man they buried him with the solemnity reserved for
monarchs and afterwards danced about his mound. In
Ireland, the hunt went on into the eighteenth century and
formerly was widespread throughout Europe. The one who
killed the wren was once known as the King and was treated
in royal fashion during the twelve days of the Yule. On
Twelfth Night the wren “went to earth” in literal fashion,
while his human counterpart was either killed or ostracized
until replaced by a new victim a year later. Note

DREUGAN. dialectic of dragon.

DRIUBHLACH, South Ir. cowl. The wearing apparel of the

mythic Tuatha daoine.

DRIUG, a meteor, a portent, see dreag.

DROICH, a dwarf, based on ancient drogi which is allied with

Teut. dwergo, a dwarf. Germ. zwerg, ON. dvrgr, all after the
Norse god-giant Svrtr, the elemental spirit of first fire.
Confers somewhat with dragon. See next.

DROCH-CHOMHALAICHEAN, DROICH-, "rent-payers to hell,"

droch, a dwarf, allied with ON dvergr, the English dwarf;
Coimhdhe. God + aicheadh, one who denies the Creator.
"(Some people) are unlucky to meet, and you would be sure
to have disappointments in your errand (if you encountered
them)." These are the opposites of the cochuleen driuth,
who wore the "cap of luck." (see earlier entry). Men who
were born with a second-rate protective spirit, or befind,
or who had their birthday-caul stolen away were left open
to the control of substitute evil-spirits and thus became
enemies of the true gods, or God. As such, they lost the
guarantee that their person and projects would turn out
well. Unfortunately, their little black clouds spread over
all they contacted. "If you went only to fetch a spade and
met this kind, you would come back without it.

A man from North Uist says he often makes a detour

(1901) of about a mile when he is going to the hunts,
because he says, "If I should meet the people from that
house, thought I would use two pounds of shot, I would kill
nothing." Women were, by default, considered "droch-
chomhalaichean. " Thus, men were advised to avoid
encountering them especially on the road. At one time it
was said that no male could survive while travelling on the
island of Eriskay. “Women were less intolerable to the
evil-spirits of that place... when by some accident a man got
into the island he could not get away. Once it was
suggested that he should dress up like a woman and sit and
spin like the rest. Though he showed some skill with the
distaff he was soon found out and the adventure proved
fatal." (Celtic Monthly, p. 164).

The soul-mannikin is a part of European legend, thus

the Icelandic Eddas mention the "flygiar", the attendant-
spirit of every child that is born. In the prose Eddas we are
told that the "guardians" who come to earth "to shape the
life of the men and the gods" are of the race of the
(elemental) gods, who they called the Nornir. Norn (the
Gaelic Befind) was originally a single goddess,
corresponding with Urth and Wyrd, but in late mythology
her duties were divided bewtween Urth, Verdhandi and
Skulld, symbolizing the past, present and future. The
destiny of men was admitted to be "shaped very unequally."
"Some have a good life and rich, but some have little wealth
and praise, some long life, some short...The good Nornir, and
well-descended shape a good life; but as for those who meet
with misfortune, it is caused by the malignant Nornir."

In England this same invisble little man was known as

a shadow-man, follower, runner, cowalker or fetch, and
these designations are still used in Atlantic Canada. On
both sides of the Atlantic, a person born with a caul, or
"fylgie" (the amniotic sac present over the head at birth)
was considered blesssed by a powerful attendant spirit.
The sac was considered to have magical properties in its
own right and in medieval times midwives sometimes
removed it and sold it magicians. In the latter case, the
shadow-man no longer protected his human double, who
became an easy subject for diabolical possession.
 Such individuals were called the jonahs, or joners, in
the sea-ports of our provinces, while land-dwellers were
referred to as jinxes, or jinkers, or as "rent-payers to hell".
In a few Gaelic-speaking regions they were "droch-
chromhalaichean" (adherents of the badly-twisted one; i.e.
the Devil). The Scots and the Irish also knew of the
"currac-rath" (cap of luck) and all Atlantic Canadians were
wary of "the unlucky kind" particularly when they appeared
while men were working: "If they were working with tools
of any kind, whether it was a mill or whatever...when things
would begin to go wrong - as often happened - they would
order a certain man in the neighbourhood to journey over
(vacate the premises). They believed strongly that
everything would (soon) be in order again...they took it as a
very bad sign altogether if the same man met them on the
road...The first person to meet anyone starting out on a
particular journey, they thought would bring them bad luck
or not..."

In sea-port villages, Christian priests, ministers and

women were excluded from ships as bringing bad luck but
these were not full-fledged jonahs. The former were
disliked as likely to attract the unwanted enmity of the
elder gods of the sea, while women were suspected as
potential witches. One of Helen Creighton's interviewees
explained it as follows: "There is often one man who is
known as "a bad luck man", he never seems to be able to get
on to the fish. Boats are also sometimes known as bad luck
boats (since they might possess bad-spirits in their own
right)": "Some vessels don't make money though they've been
tried by the best skippers known. There seems to be no
reason for it, but I've seen it many times. (Port Medway,
N.S.)" On the other had bad luck ships were often attached
to a jonahed master-mariner.

Local folklorist, Helen Creighton, has also recounted

the misfortunes of an admitted jinx, who was trailed by the
runner of her great-great grandmother, a woman who had a
reputation for witchcraft: "If I went on the road sixty
times a day I'd meet her. She'd always turn around and
follow me with her eyes." Alma J, interviewed at Eagle
Head, Queen's County, Nova Scotia in 1947, claimed that she
had had a spell placed on her as a child.

When she married and lived at Lake Centre in 1927,

she was no longer pursued by the shadow woman of her
grandparent, but met a neighbour who bragged that he was a
witch. It is a tenant of the craft that those who have been a
prey to bewitchment remain open to its force, just as those
who have been hypnotized are less able to resist later
attempts at hypnosis. While her husband was busy with
work in the winter-woods, Alma became the victim of this
male hagge, witch or lutin: "There was a knothole in our
front door and every night after I'd go to bed I'd hear a "cat"
slide down through the hole and it would jump on my breast.
When I'd leave the lamp burning it wouldn't bother me." This
made it difficult to sleep and in time, "I began to get sick
and couldn't work."

Frightened by the experience , Alma went to the woods

to get help from her husband. Fortunately, he had some
knowledge of witchcraft, and knew that that there were
rites of prevention and expulsion which could be used
against night-riders. In the middle ages various plants
were hung about the room, or the sleeper wore amulets
made of coral, diamonds, jets, jasper, dried menstrual blood
or a wolf's hide. More recently, knifes have been driven into
door and window frames, a horseshoe or cross placed at
entrances, a red cloth sew to clothing covering the chest, or
the arms and legs held crossed throughout the night.

In their case it seemed more practical to entrap the

witch. Once a "night-elf" had made an entry there were
numerous ways to divert him, but the experts agree that
"the most effective method is to catch him." Because of his
shape-changing abilities, this can be difficult unless his
escape routes are cut off. "If all the holes in the room are
blocked, the Night-Elf will be forced to remain, since he
must always enter and leave through the same hole...A
curious method of catching him is to stopper a bottle very
 loudly. Partly out of curiosity and partly out of an
overwhelming desire to urinate, (he) must open the bottle,
making it very easy to close him inside." 1

Thinking to exclude the witch, the husband patched

and filled minor openings in the home ending with the
knothole in the door. As he was pounding a "cork" into this
opening, their neighbour suddenly materialized in the
bedroom. "What are you doing in there the wife called out?
Come out in the kitchen!" The witch did he was told, but
pushed past the woman in a manner that suggested
annoyance. When they had him seated on the flop-couch in
the kitchen they could see that he had bruises on his arm,
representing every hammer blow the husband had taken
against the bung. They suspected that he had been an
invisible presence within the house, but had reacted too
slowly to escape through his entry hole. When they asked
him how he had managed the injuries, he said that they had
resulted from injuries suffered while he was working in the
woods.

Captured, the witch could have been bled, or pricked,

for it was part of the lore that he would be powerless to
return if he lost nine drops of blood. Some families passed
down "handling gloves" which were supposed to keep the
witch at bay once he was ejected with them. It also used to
be thought that the power of a witch was resident in his, or
her, hair, so they might have given this witch a shearing, or
simply grasped him by the hair, naming it "horsehair", thus
cutting their relationship with the night-rider. The witch
could also have been banished by locating one of his
footprints in the earth, and nailing his spirit to the ground
with an iron spike driven into the print.

The couple opted for a warning, and Alma was left

untroubled for two weeks. One evening while she and her
husband were in bed, a piece of scrap iron fell out of the air
and rolled three times on the floor. They had just put it to

1Ibid, p. 124.
one side, and begun to sleep, when the same object fell with
more accuracy on the bed. The next night Alma was alone
and this happened twice more. When it fell a third time, she
was braced for action, and took a swing at the falling
object which materialized on the floor as a dog-like animal.
It scurried away, and the next night the malevolence of the
witch centred on the family pig, which finally died under
the constant torment.

Completely annoyed by these happenings, the woman

paid another neighbour to butcher the pig. She then took the
heart and stuck it full of new pins. She placed the organ on
a pan in the oven and stoked the wood-stove, baking it
slowly over a three day period. On this day, she was pleased
to haer that her enemy had succumbed to a mysterious fever
and was barely alive. She kept the heart in the heat for
three additional days and by week-end, the witch was a
corpse. "I had just enough heat on to make him suffer good
and well; after he died I burned the heart in the stove." This
last act followed the general suspicion that some of the
witch-spirit remained resident in the counter-charm, which
had to be completely destroyed for fear the magic-maker
might use it as a focal point for regeneration and rebirth.

Because Alma had been jinxed as a child, her troubles

were not put to flight by this action. Two years later she
found herself visited by another night-rider, who began to
torment their heifer. That Christmas she was given a
crocheted pot-holder by a young female neighbour, and for
two months after found that she could not eat, sleep or
work in any reasonable manner. When the witch came to
gloat over her handcraft, she said: "Why, Alma, you look just
like a witch. Somebody must have put a spell on you." At
this she replied, "There was a spell put on me when I was a
little girl. It was never taken off, so anyone can witch me."

Made suspicious of the nature of her illness, Alma

slept with a Bible beneath her pillow for three nights with
little helpful effect. After that she burned the pot-holder
over the fire while making a "wish". A week after this, she
found herself forced to go "to the kettle" (thunder-jug,
chamber pot; these days the bathroom) three times. "I
thought everything in me was coming out. That was the
spell coming out..."

Nevertheless she was again assaulted by a night mare

three days later. This time she opened the Bible to
appropriate verse treating witchcraft and placed it squarely
before her bedroom door. She heard an invisible creature
attempt to pass bult it made an aborted sound, which she
said sounded like "waalk". Alma cried out: "You son of a
bitch, you can't come any further because you see what
stands before the door." The next night the witch, and her
cohorts, were heard beyond the door, and they made further
attempts, but each night the sounds of visitation were more
distant and finally vanished. After that Alma found that an
opened Bible served to protect her from the dark world.

Jinxes and jonahs were not held personally

responsible for the damage which sometimes fell on mates,
family or neighbours, the problem being credited to the lack
of a guardian. Infrequently, they were happy to have this
infliction: "This is what happened to a man whose wife died
and who married again and had one daughter from the first
marriage. The daughter and stepmother did not get along
very well at all. They were not very friendly. And one day
as her stepmother was going to the store or somewhere, the
daughter met her at the door. She said to the daughter,
"Won't it be too bad for you unless I have good luck, since
you are the first one met on my journey." But said the girl,
"I am known to be droch-chomhalichen. They don't consider
me lucky for anyone to meet!" "Indeed," replied the
stepmother (in an unbelieving voice). "Oh yes indeed," said
the daughter, "I was (after all) the first one to meet my
father the day that he was going to fetch you, and he was
indeed, unlucky!"

DRIUNK SOIRCHE, ridge of light, a place of enlightenment,

driug, a portent in meteoric form; soir, the east. Those
closely approached by the deities took on some of the aura
which surrounded them. See fear dreag.

DROCH, DROICH (drawch), evil, a dwarf. Bad, wicked,

mischevious, sad, calamitous. Ir. drogi. allied to the
Teutonic dwergo, the ON. dverge, the miners and metal-
craftsmen of the ancient world. They are distinct from the
svartalfar, or black elfs, who are regularly proportioned and
were banished from the upper world by Odin. The dverge
(the word means spider) were weavers of very fine cloth
and were sometimes entitled “trolls” They were of very
imperfect form and it was said that their feet were like
those of a horse, or duck, except that they were reversed. It
has been said: "Of personal beauty they have but little.
They are hump-backed, dressed in old grey jackets and with
pointed red caps." In Scotland they were known as trows
and it was said that they lived within the hills that they
worked: "...they are extremely rich. The interiors of their
hills are surfaced in gold and silver and crystal. They are
obliging and friendly; freely lending and borrowing, and
elsewise keeping up a friendly commerce with mankind. But
sadly they are thieves stealing provisions, and even human
women and children. They marry, have offspring, bake and
brew, just as our peasants do. But they have a great dislike
of noise and particularly that of the clanging of Christian
bells. Thus our country (Scandinavia) has been largely
unburdened of the trolls." These folk resembled the Tuatha
daoine. Frequenbtly used before a now as a curse: droch
bhas, “Have a bad death!” droch chadal ort! “Bad sleep to
you!” droch fhacal! “Bad words upon you!”

DROCH BHAS, bad death, an impreciation. “Bad death to you!”

DROCH CHADAL ORT, “bad sleep to you!”

DROCH FHACAL, a general impreciation, a bad word, curse,

oath.

DROCH GHUIDHE, an evil wish, malediction, curse.

DROCH MHIACHD, lust, the bodily passions, droch, dwarf,

evil; miadh, respect, allied to English meed, pay and the
Latin miles. a soldier. Ireland was anciently conquered by
the Milesians, or sons of Mil. Confers with entry
immediately above.

DROCH SHUIL, the evil-eye, the “blasting-eye.”

DROCH SPIORAD, the “Evil Spirit,” the Devil.

DROCHAID AN DA ROINEAG, the “two-hair bridge.” Another

means of passage from the world of men to and from the
Otherworld. Possibly symbolic of the Great Ocean as it was
typically sited across a great eas or cataract. In one of the
old tales we are told of three raven-haired girls who
wishing to escape their Fomorian father came to this
bridge, but only one had the co-ordination to pass over. She
therefore carried her sisters to the far side. Later these
three, who are the Mhorrigan helped the humans despoil
their old homeland in the west. J.F. Campbell equates the
two-hair bridge with the double rainbow often seen arched
over highland cataracts. The Norse gods rode here-and-
there over their bridge Bifraust which was understood to be
a rainbow.

DROEN, a wren. An occult bird of bad reputation. See dreolin.

DROMAN, TROMAN, the alder tree, a dwarf. a trow or Sc.

troll. One of the nine sacred woods used to kindle new fire
at the Quarter Days. The mountain ash or rowan, “beloved of
magicians,” the penultimate shield against evil. An old
rhyme suggests:

Choose the willow of the streams,

Choose the hazel of the rocks,
Choose the alder of the marshes,
Choose the birch of the waterfalls,
Choose the ash (i.e. rowan) of the shade,
Choose the yew of resilience,
Choose the elm of the brae,
And the oak of the sun.
DRONG, DROING, people, tribe, OBry. drogn, Gaul. drungus,
from which Lat. drungus, a troop, AS. dryht, people, the ON.
drott, household.

DRONN, the bard’s portion of mutton, the rump roast, ridge,

back, summit. At weddings the man who receives the dronn
is compelled to compose a verse or an dubh chapull would
fall upon him.

DRU, TRU, obsolete. the oak tree. Currently darach

conferring with Eng. “larch.” Related to draoi and to the
present-day droman or troman, a dwarf an elder, trom,
heavy, trud, distress, truag, wretched. Confers with druaip,
debauchery, drinking in bad company, druath, obs.,
fornication, druchd, heaving up, vomiting, drugair, a swiller,
a slave.

The oak was a tree sacred to the continental Celts.

“Not only this the druids choose their groves of oaks and
insist that a branch of the sacred tree should be present at
all the ceremonies they performed, but they identified the
tree as a god.” T.D. Kendrick has also said that “It is
probable that this was also true of the druids outside of
Gaul.”

Ellis thinks so and insists that “Veneration of the oak

was widespread among the British and continental Celts but
not so much so among the Irish.” he says that it in this last
country the yew, hazel and rowan were more frequently
cited as residences for nature-spirits.

Dr. Goldman has noted that oaks are mentioned in

Christian myths which derived from pagan tales. It may be
significant that many Christian churches in Ireland were
sited amidst druidic oaks. The most famous of these are St.
Brigid’s oaks and those within the monastic foundation at
Cille Daire, or “Kildare,” the “Church of the Oak.” Another is
Daire Maugh, or “Durrow,” on the “Plain of the Oak,” which
is in Wexford. St. Columcille’s favourite church was Daire
Calgaich, or the “Awning of Oaks,” now termed “Derry.”Ellis
says that the cutting of mistletoe from sacred oaks did not
occur in Ireland since the latter plant was not native there
and was only introduced in the eighteenth century.

DRUID, verb, to shut away, cover, enclose, surround,

advance, come upon, hasten, approach, draw near. join,
hasten, step toward.

DRUIDH, soak to the skin, bore through, impress upon, drain

to the final dredge. Operate upon, affect, influence, distil,
ooze, penetrate, a magician, conjurer, philosopher, morose
person; see draoi above . Drùdhadh, oozing, soaking,
melting, running, a shape-changer. Druid, close, firm,
trustworthy. Druman, an elder or alder, see droman. See,
also, next entry.
DRUIDHEACHD, DRUIDEACHD, the art of shutting away or
covering objects; druid adventures, druidic magic. A
combination of druidh (see separate entry) with eachdraidh,
a history, from EIr. echtra, adventures, doings, deeds.

Druidism was a system of religion, philosophy and

practical arts said to have had its origin with pre-Celtic
tribesmen living in Greater Britain (England & Scotland).
The use of mistletoe as a sacred plant led to the belief that
it was originally a magical-religion based on the worship of
tree-spirits. Adherents believed in the transmigration of
souls, fertility rites and human and animal sacrifice to
periodically "renew the land." In his Gallic Wars, Julius
Caesar classified the Celtic population as enslaved by. or
composed of,. druids and warriors: "The former are
concerned with divine worship, the performances of
sacrifices...the interpretation of ritual questions (mostly
related to peace or war). A great number of young men
congregate about them for learning, and they hold the druids
in great honour... It is they who decide all disputes, whether
murder done or boundaries in question. Of all the druids one
is chief... Report says that in the druidic schools they learn
by heart a great number of verses and that some remain
twenty years in training. Most work is oral but they
understand the Greek letters... It is their doctrine that souls
do not die, but that they may, after death, pass from one
body to another. They have also much lore touching on the
stars and the size of the universe and the earth...The Gauls
affirm that they are descended from the father, Dis (Bas, or
Bil, the Nathair, the night god and collector of dead souls).
For this reason they determine all time as starting at the
nights."

Amplifying this, Pliny later added that the druids of

Britain were involved with "sundrie kinds of magic, some
execrable acts... worked by means of Water. Globes of Balls
(juggling), Aire, Stars, Fire-lights, Basons and Axes. Theirs
is the follie and vanitie of Art Magicke entermingled with
medicinal receits and religious ceremonies, the skill of
Astrologie, and arts Mathematicall...as seen in the realm of
Persia." Pliny noted that the Greek philosophers Orpheus,
Pythagoras, Empedocles and Plato were smitten with the
druidic arts and "took many voyages abroad to learn of it."
This writer guessed that their praise of druidic knowledge
had spread druidism beyond the western isles "so that it is
now over the face of the whole earth." For his part, Pliny
thought that his fellow Romans had rendered a service to
mankind "in helping put down these monstrous and
abominable Arts, which under the shew of magic have
murdered men to sacrifice supposedly to please the gods."

Dio Chrysostum, a contemporary of Pliny adds: "It is

the druids who command the kings on their thrones of gold.
These dwellers in splendid palaces are little more than
their mouth-pieces, the servants of their wish and thought."
There is no question that the druids sanctioned killing men,
but, in the last days, these were almost invariably "Roman
devils" or common criminals. Those who supported the
druids tended to stress their interest in the humanities, and
their usefulness at protecting the general population by
creating earthquakes that swallowed enemies, by bringing
mountains down on their heads, or creating druidic mists
which made warfare almost impossible. The best estimates
have it that the Celts came to Britain between 1,000 B.C.
and 500 B.C. and adopted the local religion; the druids
becoming the most influential force in the lands known as
Britannicus.

They co-existed with the first Christian theologians

and more than six hundred years after that coming, King
Alfred the Great issued a warning against the "baneful
followers" of "all this druidcraft." A peoccupation of the
mythic peoples was that body of arts or crafts generally
called magic. Men were poor magicians, the giants better
practitioners, the little people still more advanced, and the
gods most adept.

Magic is any act that produces effects through the

assistance of a supernatural being, the ultimate power
resting with the creator-god. The difference between the
Christian God and His pagan equivalents was the fact that
He defined Himself as "A Jealous God". The pagan creator-
gods are represented as disinterested entities, who
willingly subdivided their powers over nature among the
inhabitants of earth. While their first representatives were
the immortal elemental or nature-gods, The God allowed no
dilution of his powers. C.S. Lewis names Him: "the God of
Nature - her inventor, maker, owner and controller."

Magic was an integral part of the pagan religions, the

word originating with the Latin "magi". The Romans got this
word from the Greeks who used it to identify ancient
Persian priests, men who ultimately became infamous in
the western world for their practise of necromancy and
sorcery. The singular form of magi is magus, the female
counterpart being a maga. From the last we have the Old
French word "magicien" from which our word, magician. The
overthrow of magic in the west was largely due to
Christianity, which was opposed to calling upon either
spirits of the dead or demons as sources of information.
Surprisingly, the early Christians did not deny the utility of
magic as science has done in this century. Magic was
proclaimed not false, but evil, especially where it aimed at
injury. Thus the "black arts" were divided from the "white
arts" or "miracles". The latter were attributed to the
helpfulness of God, who was sometimes said to act through
his angels or saints.

There was a good deal more to magic than conjuration:

the simplest form was "sympathetic magic". Beyond that
we had "divination" and "wonder works". Divination had
many sub-divisions, the most prominent being astrolgy,
clairvoyence, augury, sortilege and necromancy. Wonder-
working was sometimes referred to as thaumaturgy, its
divisions being alchemy, jugglery, legerdemain and trickery.

All of the forms of magic depended on the principle

that the life force is mutable. It is also a basic belief of
magic that spirit cannot be dimished or destroyed but only
transformed from one form to another. As Robert Kirk said
of the fay people: "It is ane of their tenets that everything
goeth in circles." Within this circle individual men and
women sought temporary advantage, seeking an extra large
share of life force through magical means.
Raw power has always been an aim of the ancient or
"magic" religions. The priests of earlier times were very
interested in gaining control over the physical world: power
over the flood, vulcanism, and the wind, control over the sun
and man's corporeal limitations. Speaking of the Abenakis,
Ruth Whitehead has noted: "Power is the essence which
underlies the perceived universe... (men) survive by
accumulating Power...This is such an important tenet that
almost every story of the People has Power as its central
theme: how to acquire it, how to use it, how to lose it, and
the consequences attendant on all of the above." These aims
hardly vary from those of modern science and this is
understandable since, "Magic takes the place of science
with primitive and barbaric people, usually incorporating
what scientific knowledge they possess along with a mass
of superstitions..."

In earlier times men felt that they could accumulate

god-like power and become gods if their will was
sufficient. Successive man-god-kings imagined that a great
deal depended on them; from the staying of the path of the
sun and the moon to maintaing the natural course of the
seasons. These leaders of the magic religions had always
attempted to control the world, while Christianity viewed
this as an unworthy practise: "It is only at an advanced
stage of civilization that man relinquishes his attempt to
manipulate the physical world in favour of the idea that
there is another world beyond... (Christian) religion seeks to
transcend this world, magic to control it. A moralist might
take the view that religious concentration on something
beyond this world leads man toa greater freedom, whereas
those who are intent on dominating this world become
enslaved by their own practises...In simpler terms, magic is
performed because the individual wants something
specifically for his own self, and is therefore a mean and
earthbound pursuit compared with religious communion
with God." (Tindall, p. 13)

This view of God was very different from that of

earlier men who thought that the creator god was
approachable in the current world. This entity was
observed to be incapable of subversion, unreponsive to
worship, flattery and threats; generally, a poor listener.
His mortal minions were a different breed; subject to
periodic reincarnation, the mortal gods were perceived to
have all the failings of men, thus allowing for the
development of formal religious worship, polytheism and
magic.
 There were two brands of sympathetic magic: contact
magic and associative magic. Both depended on the idea
that the spirit-force will move between things which are,
or have been, in contact.

In consuming food, men ate plants and animals,

incorporating the spirits of these organisms into their
being. Extending this rationale to the extreme, some men
cannibalized their bravest enemies, hoping to acquire some
portion of their ghost or spirit. The Dagda, chief of the
Celtic gods is best remembered as a harpist, womanizer and
eater of porridge, the last being regarded as the most
important ritual manifestation of his godliness. While
Christianity supported austere eating and drinking habits
Dagda is remembered as "obscenely magnificent."

“They filled for him the king's cauldron, five fists

deep, into which went four score gallons of new milk
and a like quantity of meat and fat. Goats and sheep
and swine were put into it, and they were all boiled
together with the porridge...Then the Dagda took his ladle,
and it was big enough for a man and a woman to lie in the
middle of it... Sleep came upon him after eating...”

In those pre-cholesterol days, when a surfeit of food

tallied with a bigger spirit, the Dagda kept his larder
suppled from his magically supplied cauldron of the deep.
What the Dagda gained in spirit also bloated his body: "Not
easy was it for the hero to move along owing to the bigness
of his belly..."

A tendancy to favour wine, woman and song came to be

thought of as weaknesses in the Christian theology, but the
Dagda cosummed all three. He was sire to an entire
generation of Celtic gods. His chief mates were Boann, the
earth goddess and Morrigan, the raven-haired Celtic goddess
of summer. The latter is represented as one of a triarchy
that included the queens Medb and Macha. All of these
ladies were as sexually voracious as the father-god who
was described as carrying a "club" that routed "a deep ditch"
about the bounds of his kingdom. For her part the goddess
Queen Medb said: "...it would be a reproach for my husband
should his wife be more full of life than himself, and no
reproach our being equally bold. Should he be jealous, that
too would not suit me, for there was never a time that I had
not one man with another standing in his shadow..." The need
for a balanced sexuality between the earth deities lay in the
belief that a more powerful spirit would tend to assimilate
the soul of a weaker mate.

The mortal-gods were so empowered they could

release life-energies at a touch. Thus, the ancient myth
that the touch of a king could cure the ravages of disease.
This continued until the reign of Queen Anne of England, who
was one of the last monarchs called upon to lay on hands to
cure "the king's evil". This disease was technically known
as scrofula, a tuberculous swelling of the lymph glands in
the neck. Formerly a malady of children it sometimes ended
in an intractable skin infection which ultimately involved
the mucous membranes, bones, joints nad other parts of the
body.

The spirit of men was always prone to wander, and

excepting that required to maintain body functions, exited
each night through one of the body openings. In ill health
the spirit frequently wandered from the body for
considerable periods and departed finally and completely at
death. In the Celtic myth concerning Demott and Grania, the
former was nearly killed. He survived and was rescued by
the god Angus who reunited him with his lady. It is
recorded, however that, "The life of Grania almost fled
through her mouth when she saw him with all the marks of
combat."

Assuming that the spirit of man can be naturally

diminished or expanded it is easy to propose a rationale for
sympathetic magic. Death was very common in the magical
worlds, but death was not oblivion as is now supposed. The
first law of the older universe was that of transformation:
"Everything is eternal, but nothing is constant." All spirits,
they thought, were in flux, constantly changing in weight
and form with time. "The entire landscape of the...worlds is
a nexus of Power moving beneath the outward appearance of
things...Persons shifting in and out of form, patterns
recombining. Life is a kaleidoscope of Power, and death is
just a shifting of the glass."

In this world, spiritual reincarnation depended on

observing the "natural laws", the second of which is: " Any
part of an object encapsulates the whole." This explains
why local fishermen returned the remains of their catch to
the sea and why Micmac hunters were taught that aninmal
bones must be respected and returned to the earth. It was
reasoned that all creatures of the world had the capacity to
regenerate even after their flesh had been eaten by humans.
It was also assumed that the dispersed spirit of a dead
creature could use bones as a focal point for regathering, a
channel for once again becoming matter.

To eliminate an enemy it was therefore necessary to

obliterate every part of his body. This was not an easy task
as Collin de Plancey noted: "It was held during the
seventeenth century that corpses, the ashes of animals and
even the ashes of burned plants contained reproductive
seeds; that a frog, for example, could engender other frogs
even as it decayed, and that the ashes of roses had produced
new roses..."

Sympathetic magic worked because the part was the

whole and any damage to one was known to effect the
fortune of the other. Our ancestors were, for this reason,
especially careful with the disposal of hair, faeces, urine,
nose drippings, ear exudations, and nail clippings, which
containing their spirit, could be used against them.

An example of contact magic is seen in an old

Maritime love potion made by placing a drop of blood in an
alcoholic drink or candy which was offered to a potential
lover. If the person accepted the spirit of the blood-letter
was thought inextricable combined with that of the cosumer
thus creating a love match. Again, local witches sought
body by-products to incorporate in a ball of wax. If this
psychic representation of an enmy was destroyed in a
candle flame it was supposed that the larger person would
die following a high fever. Similar reasoning was against
stirring a cow's milk with a sharp object since this might
cause the animal to give bloody milk.

It was even held that the essence of a man remained

in his footsteps, and in the ancient Scottish Kingdom the
only kings selected were those whose feet matched an
image in stone at Dunadd. The Norse pirates sealed all
bargains by spitting into a common jar and upon one
another's footprints, acts akin to exchanging blood from
cuts in the arm. Closer at hand, it used to be common
practise to hold witches at bay by plunging a steel knife
into their footprints. It was actually believed that this
would pin the evil-doers in place and lead to their death.
Alternately, a small portion of witch blood placed in a vial
and frozen in ice was though to produce chills, while
allowing it to evaporate, following proper spell-casting, led
to a wasting disease.

Associative magic has also been called homeopathic

magic and differs from contact magic or magic of contagion
in supposing that things that look alike actually are alike.
The voodoo doll is the best known example of homeopathic
magic, being one step more complex than the simple ball of
wax filled with hair or nail clippings. Quite often the doll
would contain these materials but a good representation of
the victim was thought to be all that was really required.
In point of fact the representation was not always terribly
accurate, but appeared to work well among true believers
whether they were witches or amateur practitioners:

"...there lived at Tatamagouche (Nova Scotia) an old

sea captain who sailed his little shallop between here and
"the Island". One day he was sailing there under a steady
and favourable breeze when suddenly in the Strait, far from
land and in deep water, his vessel, without any reason
whatever suddenly stopped. An ordinary mariner would have
been at a loss to understand so strange a phenomenon but
this old salt was not only a master of the waters of Harbour
and Gulf, he was a master of witchcraft as well. He knew
that his plight had been wished on him by an enemy... His
fingers ran through his long, white, grizzly beard, and
across his weather beaten features came a cunning
confidant smile. He lashed the wheel and disappeared in the
cabin. In a moment he re-appeared carrying in one hand an
old musket which many times had broken the quietness of
Gouzar and brought death to the wildfowl that ever frequent
there; in the other a rough slab on which he sketched the
likeness of his enemy... Placing the slab by the mast he shot
at it "five fingers" out of his old "muzzle-loader". Scarcely
had the report died away when the vessel began to move and
soon the spray was flying beneath her clumsy bow and at
the stern a happy sea captain wore upon his face that would
not wear off. That night the little shallop with its cargo of
lumber lay at the wharf at Charlottetown, and in the
impregnablke fortress of his cabin, the captain, safe from
all witchery, slept and snored." (Patterson, p. 57).

We have already mentioned that men were temporarily

reincarnated as birds, but they more frequently reappeared
as trees. Even the Norse god Thor took leave of absence in
the giant pines of the northern forests, and the
interconnection of men and trees is also represented in the
myth that men and women of the north were originally
activated from an ash and and an elm log respectively. A
very similar story exists among the Abenaki, who used to
believe that the Great Spirit, or his representative
Glooscap, released the spirits of men from trees by
shooting magic arrows into them.

The tree elfs of Europe led lives tightly bound with

the fate of their indivvidual trees and were therefore very
protective of whatever species they favoured. In Germany,
it was considered dangerous to break a branch from the
wood without an appropriate charm, viz.: "Frau Ellhorn, give
me of your wood, and when mine falls in the forest it will
be returned to three." The magic-maker would then spit
three times on the tree as notice of a firm contract. Again
in the sailing ports of the low countries it was the custom
to plant a guardian tree at the birth of human children. If
the child died it was believed that his spirit took residence
in that tree until it was reborn in another form. Even the
wood from such trees was considered to harbour spirits
which were sometimes cut down and carved into
figureheads. When these image-spirits were mounted on
ships they took over duties of warning the crew against
disasters, repelling sickness, and helping the sailors at
their work. Great care was taken to protect the
sensibilities of these spirit-children because it was
observed that when they left a ship it was certain to sink.

While the Christian missionaries attempted to stamp

out the veneration of trees, their own beliefs often
interfered with this: The Trappist priest named Father
Vincent ministered to the Micmac Indians of Escasoni, Cape
Breton. Perceiving that he was not in his usual robust
condition, his Indian patrons questioned "What will be the
sign of your death?" Sighing audible the old monk pointed
across the Bras d'Or lakes to a large tree and said, "You'll
know that I'm dead when that tree falls." Father Vincent
was absent from them for several weeks but when the tree
fell word spread through local settlements that he was dead
and when enquiries were made at the monastery the new
was confirmed.

Even with a guardian-spirit in place, ships could be

damaged by simple sympathetic magic: The folklorist Neil
MacNeil tells of a Nova Scotian witch who claimed to be
able to sink ships. She was dared to show her power, at
which she asked for an egg. THis she placed in a shoe which
she rocked back and forth. At a distance, a ship in the
harbour commenced rocking in exact sympathy with the egg,
and its loss was only prevented when onlookers made he
cease her magic. In this case an egg was made the stand-in
for the combined life forces on board. My relatives used to
say that the simplest way to effect a shipwreck was to turn
bread or a wooden bucket upside down on the ship, or on land
while visualizing the demise. In all our waterfront
communities women as well as priests and ministers were
excluded from ships because of their reputation for
witchcraft, which might be accidental or intentional. Some
men had a reputation for the craft that allowed them a "mug
up", or shot of rum, aboard any ship on which they made a
request for drink.

The remaining forms of magic are based on

sympathetic magic rather than being parallel crafts.
Divination is more commonly called fortune-telling and less
commonly soothsaying. Among local Indian tribesman, the
craft was executed by the "nikani-kjijitekwewinu", the
practitioners being the "kinapaq", or power-brokers. The
Gaelic clans of Maritime Canada were also involved in
exercising the "an dara sealladh", generally translated as
"the second sight" but properly termed "the two sights".

Since the Celts occupied Britain before the coming of

the Anglo Saxons, they may have originated this magic,
which now has mythic status. The English word "soothsay"
is from the Anglo-Saxon "soth seggen", which meant "to tell
an exact truth". Their Norman conquerors disparaged that
craft, substituting their own art of divination. Divination
is Latin in origin, and is a word meaning to foresee or
foretell or otherwise gain hidden knowledge. The word
"divine" is incorporated, and it is obvious that the art
assumes the help of supernatural forces in getting results.
Soothsaying was often attempted using a stick or a piece of
bone known as a "spelianer", or speller. The Norman
equivalent was called a diving rod. These were typically a
forked branch from a tree, but a shephard's crook, a walking
staff, a cane, or a simple wand were other forms. Since
trees were supposed to house spirits having a close
relationship with men, the use of wood is understandable.

There were two kinds of divination, the first

dependant on the psychic condition of the diviner and the
second independent of his condition. The first could be
called "altered state divination" where men or women
reported on events observed in dreams or trances or made
use of the two sights. Mediumship might also involve
crystal gazing or the taking of hallucinatory drugs. "Mantic
divination" required no special mental state, but was
divination through the observation of external events. The
ending "mancy" is a form of the Greek word "mantic" or
"prophetic" and appears in mantic arts such as chiromancy,
where the behaviour of flocks of birds is consulted;
necromancy, which depends on information gained from the
dead; and aleuromancy, where one looks at wheat or flour.
Aside from this are: augury, which is now a synonym for
divination in general, but originally depended upon close
observation of the flight of flocks of birds; portending,
which looked at natural structures, sub categories being
astrology, and palmistry; sortilege which is involved with
man-made "sorts" (i.e. groups of objects of similar
character such as playing cards, runes or talismen. Finally
there used to ordeals, which might also presage the future
or reveal hidden information. Ordeals included those by
combat, water, fire and immolation, by choice or otherwise.
From very early times men distinguished between estatic or
"insane" divination and rational or "sane" divination, the
difference arising from whether, or not, the result seemed
"sothful", or "truthful".

Diviners whose interest was in seeking the future

were sometimes called fortune-tellers, but the arts also
involved seeking the past and perceiving happenings at a
distance. Fortune telling was commonplace among the
Abenaki races. Whitehead noted: "Quite a few Persons
(animate and inanimate) can forsee coming events, warn of
dangers yet to be. Precognition plays a part in many tales,
and various methods of divination are depicted. When
Plawej falls on his face by the bowl of water he enters a
trance, empowering the water to speak to him. And it does.
It becomes blood, The appearance of the blood...is a
frequent device in Micmac stories. It is always an
announcement of death." (Whitehead p. 9) Again, the Abbe
Maillard (1758) said that the Micmacs claimed they could
see into the future and "the hearts of men" by gazing into a
great birchbark dish filled with water "from any river in
which it was known there were beaver huts." (Whitehead, p.
227).

Among Maritimers of the last century precognitive

work was similarly widespread and Neil MacNeil suspects
that the "augury" of times past was a matter of refined
observation. "...people of today will claim that experiences
of that sort never existed...but those who believed did so
because they were observant..."giseagan"..."superstitions"
they work for these people...I have had some of that
experience myself. And on account of that I must believe. I
don't particularly want to believe but there is no way to
avoid it." (MacNeil p. 208)

Cleve Townsend, an elderly resident of Louisbourg,

Nova Scotia recounted a number of examples of mediumship
for the Cape Breton Magazine in the 1970's; among them: "I
remember when I was a boy, any (three) knocks at the door,
I wouldn't let anyone go to the door but me. I knew there
was nobody there that they could see. I knew the knocks
were coming from that world (i.e. the unseen world). And I'd
always go to the door. And as far as this world is concerned
I could say ther was no one there. But there was always
someone there. From the other world. It would be like to
bring a notice about a death or something like that. I don't
think they'd say anything. I'd receive thoughts from their
mind. But I would see them. Yes. I could see a form, see
their face. Oh, yes."(Capplan, pp.161-162).

A similar case has been reported by Annie Foote, a one

time resident of Outer Wood Island. The island is located
immediately southeast of the larger land mass known as
Grand Manan Island in the Passamaquoddy Bay region of the
Bay of Fundy. Her sister Miriam once spent a Sunday
morning at home with their grandmother. Three knocks
came at the door and her grandmother answered but no one
stood on the threshold. On a repetition the same result
followed. Later when the older woman went to the pantry
the door opened of its own accord and a cold wind blew into
the room. At this Miriam went to see who had arrived but
her grandmother was there first. From another room she
heard: Penelope, I've told you to leave us alone. There's
nothing to be done; besides, you'll scare the youngster." By
the time Miriam had reached her grandmother's side there
was no sign of any other person in the room. The girl asked
who Penelope was, but it was not until years later that she
learned that Penelope had been a resident of the place
murdered by her married lover. Penelope's death had never
been avenged which explained her repeated attempts to gain
the attention and support of people in the land of the living.

Another case of altered state divination was reported by

Dan MacNeil who spoke of a young girl named Mackenzie,
who lived on Christmas Island, Nova Scotia: "In the night
thered be knocks at the door and a little hand would show on
the wall...and she'd go in what you'd call a trance. She'd
faint. And she'd go across to the other side...when she'd
wake up...she'd tell everything...she says, "My neighbour died
just a few minutes ago...And by the gosh the next morning
they enquired...and the neighbour died at that certain time...
she used to be like that every night." In her final
performance the Mackenzie girl met a newly dead woman on
the far side and was instructed: "You tell your father to go
to my son, and look in the old trunk in the attic and you'll
find a ring there...And get that ring and put that on your
finger and this'll never happen to you again." MacNeil
commented: "By gosh, she told her father...and he went down
and told the man of the house the story about his mother,
that the little girl was talking to his mother in heaven.
Well he says, :There is such a trunk upstairs all right. The
old woman...she said, "That ring is wrapped up in a rag..."
And by gosh they found the rag in the bottom of the trunk
with the ring wrapped up inside...a woman's ring...and they
had to tie that ring with string on to her (the medium). And
she never saw anything after that. And she got married and
only died about three years ago." (Crandall, p. 204, 1980).

Local witches or baobhs actually cultivated the

two sights, allowing them to see the past and the future.
One of these was Willam Lawlor, "The Wizard of the
Miramichi". Earlier in this century, while working with a
lumbering crew near Newcastle, New Brunswick, he engaged
in chiromancy. Coming into camp at the end of a day of
cutting, he told the gang that he had talked with a black bird
that was niteher a crow nor a raven. The bird had wearned:
"beware of the night of the thirteenth." The men treated the
warning as a joke and were convinced that "Bill Lawless"
was deranged. When the day of the thirteenth passed
without event they began to tease Bill, but that evening
almost all of them fell ill and one that did not die became
death, while another lay in a coma for two years. The
"disease" was never diagnosed but the camp was burned to
retard the spread of the causative agent. When the camp
was reassembled Lawlor was the only man who was not
rehired.

If these incidents were nothing more than

hallucinations they were surprisingly widespread and often
involved groups of people. The folklorist Mary L. Fraser
noted: "Years before the Gypsum works were installed at
Iona, Victoria Cou. (Cape Breton), the wooded heights
overhanging the calm waters...were the haunt of the spirits
of the present day workers; their machinery and railway
trains were also seen and heard there by many. So frequent
were these occurrences that people in nearing the present
location of the plant, used to get into the water and wade
past it; for there is a belief that spirits cannot touch you if
you are in the water. (Fraser, p. 49).

Even less explicable are the branches of magic which

fit under the general Anglo-Saxon heading of wonderworks,
and which the Normans preferred to call thaumaturgy.
There are equivalent Indian crafts collectively termed
"kinap". The "kinapaq" or possessors of this power were
men who were able to expand their physical strength as
well as their perceptions. The power-brokers who
exercised "mentu" were diviners, largely disinterested in
phyical display, who only occassionally took human form;
nevertheless it was said, "the world shimmers with their
presence". Finally, there were curers who were sometimes
loosely identified as "shamans". They were the "puoinaq"
and their crafts were "puoin", a power which seems the
reverse of "kinap". The kinapaq were men who could outrun
the wind, shape-change, tear up trees by the roots, carry a
ton of moose meat on their back, or dance with their feet
knee deep in a plastic earth. The puoinaq were similarly
gifted beyond ordinary folk, and because medicine has the
potential to kill as well as cure, they were often feared and
in many tales of the People were driven from their village
or killed out of fear, jealousy, for revenge or as a
precautionary measure.

The myths of the wonderworkers hardly vary from

tribe to clan to tribe. The English categorized their work as
jugglery, legerdemain, trickery, conjuration and
enchantment. What jugglers do is now downgraded as stage
"magic", but the manipulation of objects in space was once
regarded as more than simple eye-hand co-ordination.
Legerdemain, also called sleight-of-hand is defined as a
dextrous (left-handed) craft and was simply an intimate
form of juggling. It is represented in a multitude of
disappearing coin tricks and "magical" acts in which pre-
chosen playing cards are identified by the "craeftiman" or
craftsman. It is interesting to note that many of the elder
day gods (in particular Tyr, the Norse god of war) were said
to be left-handed. In each of these crafts it was implicit
that some supernatural had a part in gifting men with these
abilities to defraud.

We have spoken briefly of the mantic crafts of

necromancy and sortilege, or sorcery. The necromancer was
capable of calling up the dead while the sorcerer cast lots.
Both were essentially interested in gaining information
rather than making a show of naked power. There were
however conjurers, who had sinister purpose. The word
conjuration comes from a Latin word meaning to bond
together under oath to a supernatural for the purpose of
committing damage to others. The British witches were
rarely put down for divination but the law was severe with
those who hurt, or were supposed to have injured, their
neighbours.
It was this difference in effect that caused de
Plancey to define magic as either "natural" or "diabolical":
"Natural magic is the art of predicting the future and
producing extraordinary effects (e.g. the curing of diseases)
by natural means. Black or diabolical magic, taught by the
devil and practised under his influence, is the art of
invoking demons...and performing supernatural things."
(dePlancey, p. 86). Interestingly, black magic is a
misnomer: Necromancy evolved from the Latin "necros"
indicating "the dead". Among medieval copyists this was
confused with the Latin "nigros", meaning "black". Over
time black magic became erronously confused with acts of
conjuration.

The range of activities thought possible through

conjuration are suggested in a survey of trial records from
the days of witchcraft: Isaac de Auriran was said carried
through the air by an apparition. The sons of Aymon rode a
demon horse, who travelled at incredible speed and grew in
length when he had to accomodate more than one of the four
brothers. Thomas Boulle sat on live coals without being
burned and was given the ability to seduce women of his
choice. With the help of supernaturals five Spaniards were
"borne through the clouds by devils", made crops rot at their
pleasure, brought about the death of people and animals and
were burned alive for their efforts. Another pair of Spanish
witches were said to possess two eyeballs in each eye with
which they "mortally enchanted those at whom they looked,
and killed people at whom they gazed for a long time." This
was supposedly possible as the second pair of eyes were
those of their demonic doubles. De Plancey declared that
magicians were capable of "unleashing tempests, winds and
thunder" of walkingh on water, and having "infernal cohorts"
had "little difficulty in appropriating for themselves,
without arousing suspicion, the goods of others."

The arts of enchantment, or fascination, were never

as spectacular as conjuration but could be dangerous for the
individuals on the receiving end. The use of the voice as a
tool of witchery has a long history among the fay. Of the
Gaelic sidh it was said: "Their voices are sweet and
seductive and their bagpiping unrivalled." Again it was
advised that men avoid the dances of the French Fees
because, "their wild whirlwinds of song and movement are
so tiring that men who take part in them die of exhaustion."
The same character was imputed to speech, it being noted
that the Norse god Loki got out of tight scrapes through his
use of humour. The penultimate master of speech magic
was the Celtic god Ogma, "the honey-mouthed". The Greek
satirist, Samosata, described him as having "slender golden
chains" connecting his tongue with the individuals in his
audience. While the voice was first tool of enchantment
musical instruments became an extension of this art.

The Anglo-Saxons also bewitched their friends and

enemies with spells and charms. To be spellbound was to be
held by the power of words, while a speller was a rod used
to point out letter supposedly releasing them from their
bound state on wooden tablets. The word charm, on the
other hand rises from their word "cirm", which identified a
confused blending of voices, for example birds in a flock.
While the spell was the release of words thought to have
occult power, the charm put these words into song. The
Norman equivalent of spoken word-magic was the
incantation or enchantment. The effect produced was called
fascination, but if the the incantation was in verse, the
victim was said to be enraptured.

DRUIDHEACHAN, druidism, enchantment, witchcraft, a

charm. The religion known as druidism is now
considered a Gaelic invention, but they said it was of
earlier origin, the rites having been learned from an
aboriginal British race which they displaced. There are
suspicions that it was originally a worship of tree-spirits
and some linguists have linked "draoi" with the Greek "drus"
and the Latin "dryas", words which specify the oak-tree.
"Amongst the Celts the oak-worship of the Druids is
familiar to every one, and their old word for sanctuary
seems to be identical in origin and meaning with the Latin
"nemus", a grove or woodland glade."3

Druidism, which was practised at least one thousand

years before the birth of Christ, was ultimately assimilated
by Christianity so that the name "druid" survives in Gaelic
as a description for the English thrush or starling, a black
bird known for its talents as a nest robber and bully. This
noun is feminine, tallying with the Christian outlook on the
nature of evil. A collection of these black birds is referred
to as "duidean". "Druidh" continues as a verb meaning: to
penetrate, ooze in, or to impress beliefs through constant
reinforcement. Finally, "druis" is the Gaelic word for lust,
which the Christians viewed as one of the worst mortal
sins.

These unflattering characterizations of the druids

started in pagan times. When a Roman detatchment was
turned against Anglesey, on the main island of Britannia in
61 AD, Tacitus described a crosssing of the Menai Straits in
this manner: "In the early morning light, the legionnaires
were met on the far shore by a dense array of armed
warriors, the women in black dashing among the ranks, hair
dishevelled, waving brands, while the druids among them
lifted their hands and called down dreadful curses from
heaven. It was a sight before which the bravest might
quail, but this day like many before, belonged to the
Romans."4 In this case, the druids were given to the
sacrificial fires they had prepared for the Romans and the
ensuing days were spent axing the oaks in the sacred groves.

Sir James George Fraser says there is "unquestionable

evidence" that the Celtic druids torched human beings in a
serious and systematic manner. The Greek geographer
Strabo noted that these magic-men, "used to shoot people
down with arrows, and impale them...or making a large
statue of straw and wood, threw into it cattle and all sorts
of wild animals along with human beings, and thus made
their burnt-offering..." The Greek historian Diordorus made
similar accusations, but there is little proof that either
travelled beyond the boundaries of their country. These men
seem to have had a common source in the writings of a
countryman named Posidonius, a stoic philosopher, who
actually had travelled throughout Gaul (France) about fifty
years before these men began to write. He also preceeded
Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul by about the same interval
of time. Caesar was in an excellent position to observe the
rituals of the Celtic religion first hand, but he also
borrowed from Posidonius.
Caesar said that the druids officiated at all general
rites of worship, and regulated both private and public
approaches to the Celtic gods. In addition, they acted as
judges between tribes or individuals, whether the matter
was murder, a question of inheritance, a boundary dispute or
a simple disagreement concerning money. As ajudicators,
they prescribed the compensation which had to be paid by
the guilty party; the heaviest penalty being banishment
from the realm. Men who were rejected by the druids were
also ostracized by their fellow citizens.

Unlike other citizens, the druids were exempted from

military duty, did not pay taxes and had the right of first-
speech, being allowed their views before that of the much
admired warrior-knights. These advantages were sufficient
to draw large numbers to this priesthood, but an even larger
number were sent to these studies by parents or relatives.
On the other side of the ledger, Caesar noted that druid-
initiates were required to memorize epic verses, "so many
that some spend twenty years at their studies." Druid
religious teachings were oral although they commonly used
the Greek alphabet for ordinary communications or
accounting purposes. The Roman commander guessed that
this not only protected secret rites but offered memory-
training."...it is usually found that when people have the help
of texts, they are less diligent in learning by heart, and let
their memories rust."

Caesar had heard that the chief "secret" of druidism

hinged on the thory of the transmigration of spirits: "A
lesson they take particular pains to relay is that the human
spirit never perishes but after death passes from one

DRUIDHEIL, penetrating, impressive, bewitching, magical,

druidical, having magical underpinnings.

DRUIN, needlework, embroidery. Same as duin, shut, closed,

lace or buttons on boots or shoes, closures, darken, obscure.
Relates to all the above words.

DRUINEACH, based on the above and equated with druidh.

Confers equally with Oir. Druin, to be glossed; glice, clever,
wise. Druineach in Irish, a embroiderer. A person who is
contemplative.

DRUINNEACH, as above but extended to artists in general,

mantua-makers, milliners, embroiderers, needleworkers and
other crafts-people.

DRUIS, lust, lechery, lasciviousness, prespiration, as a verb,

to play the wanton, to prostitute, druth, lecherous, Ir. druis,
adultery, druth, lewd, a whore, cf. MEng. druth, a darling,
MEng. druerie, Scot. drouery, illicit love, OHG. drut, a dear,
Germ. traut, beloved. Confers with druidh, a magician; as a
verb, to penetrate. Note the EIr. dru, also spelled tru,
wretched. From the latter truaill, to pollute or violate,
truilleach, a dirty or base person, and truis, to tear, snatch
or truss, Eng. trash.

DRUTHAIB, a juggler. One of the druidic tribe.

DUAL, birthright. a lock of hair. Personal possessions from

the time of birth, objects sought to enact black magic
against an individual.

DRUMCAIN, beautiful hill. The ancient name for Temhair

(Tara). The first meeting place of the Tuatha daoine and the
Milesians.
DRUMAN, elder, see troman.

DU-, DO-, a prefix denoting negative qualities, of bad

quality, Goth. tuz, ON. tor, Skr. dus. Obs. land, country,
habitation, place of abode. Now equated with strangers. See
following words.

DUACH, another name for Manan ma Ler, god of the Open

Ocean. The name given him as the foster-father of the
god/hero Lugh. As a youth Lugh spent his time learning the
arts and crafts of the undersea world.The boy was often
referred to as his offspring, but it has been noted that he
was actually of mixed Tuathan-Fomorian ancestory, the
blood-son of Cian mac Contje.

DUAICHNIDH, gloomy, ugly, Ir. duaichniughadh, to disfigure,

cf. duaidh, a horrid scene, a fight, duaidh, evil, duaire,
uncivil.

DUAN, lays, literally "a poem, a song, a cry." The recitation

of the Fenian Lays and similar long narratives required
several hours. As an aid to memory many of them were
poetically set so that they could be sung. The singing of the
duan, which disappeared in Ireland during the last century
can still be heard among the older people of the Western
Isles of Scotland. "Until quite recently it survived in the
memory of Joe Allen MacLean (1892-1984), a native of Rear
Christmas Island, Cape Breton County..." (Tales Until Dawn,
p. XXIV). As elsewhere, the singing of Fenian Lays in Cape
Breton was considered a male specialty.

DUBH, black, dark, sad, mournful, disastrous, dark-haired,

wicked, from OIr. dub, Bry. du. blind. the English words deaf
and dumb, a druidess who was the wife of Enna. The lady
discovered that her husband had a second wife and brought
about her death by magic. She was herself slain by the sling
of Enna and fell into a pond which gained the name Dubhlinn,
“Black’s pond,” from which Dublin, Ireland. The French river
Dubis now Doubs is named for this goddess. An dubh aigein,
the black ocean or abysss, from which life emerges and into
which it will descend. An dubh fhocal, “black words,” a
puzzle. Dubh-leus, a “black-light,” a thunder-cloud. Dubh-
ogha, a “black-youngster, a great grandson’s grandson, a
child of “obscure” relationship. Dubh-bhron, the “blues.”
Domhnull dubh, “Nicky-ben,” the Devil.

DUBHAG, a female prostitute, a little black cow.

DUBH LACHA, the wife of Mongán coveted by Brandubh who

tricked the latter into parting with her. Mongán, a son of
Manann mac Ler used his supernatural powers to manage her
release.

DUBHLOCH, Scot. Dowloch, Black Lake, located at Penpoint,

Dumfrieshire, Scotland. Held in high esteem for the healing
powers of its waters. “An old man from a nearby village
remembers having seen parcels (i.e. offerings to the deities)
floating on the surface as late as this century. Note that the
Samhuinn was frequently held at lake-side, here and
elsewhere.

DUBH HIRTEACH, the “Black Deadly One.” Oir. Irt, the death
god Bas. Hiort (Lewis & mainland Scotland), Hirt (Lewis),
the island of St. Kilda. Any scavenger-island or rock. These
were considered physical manifestations of Death. Thus
also earrann hirt, the “portion of death,” an unlucky lay of
land.
Thus, Ironhirst Moss near Lochar Moss in Dumfrieshire, an
exceedingly dangerous bog.”

DUBH LUIDNEACH, "the Black Clumsy one." The Devil, or his

counterpart. Note: dubhach, sad; dubhaile, wickedness;
dubhan, a hook; dubhdan, smoke, straw cinders, soot;
dubhlaidh, wintry, gloomy, a dark day, a day of trial and
tribulation; dubhogha, the great grandson’s grandson, a
person with “black” prospects, duid, luideag,. a rag, a slut,
from lu, to cut, to lose, the god Lugh. “Black Luke.” Lokki.

DUBHTHACH DOÉLTENGA, “The Black Accident and Back-

biter.” A son of Lugaid mac Casrubae and warrior of the Red
Branch, the man “who never earned the thanks of anyone.”
Loaned the valuable spear known as Lúin, he discarded it
with malice aforethought after the second Battle of
Moytura. Fergus once said: “Away then with Dubhthach
doelténga, drag him off behind the host. Never has he done
any good and is a slayer of young women. Those people he
cannot kill he incites against each other.” This in spite of
the fact that he assisted Fergus mac Roth in his troubles
with Conchobar mac Nessa.
Note that while the vicious Mebd carried birds on her
shoulders this villain is said to have preferred otters as his
totems. See Aog. This creature was an otter-like animal.

DÙD, a tingling in the ear, the ear itself, dùdach, a trumpet,

Ir. dúdóg, cf. Eng. toot. Considered a certain sign that talk
was circulating about the individual thus afflicted.

DUDAIR, du + door, a prefix denoting an evil character +

mire, a vacuum. More anciently, semen, seed, "evil seed".
Dùd, a tingling in the air, the ear itself, forewarning of
disaster. Dub, black, blind, the old form of dubh, therefore
Dubh Ludneach (see above). See. Dùdlachd, the dead of
winter. The Eng. dud, a total failure. "One of the ancient
names for a certain spirit which rules a woe-begone domain
where he (she) has power over what is known to Christians
as black magic...something like the power that Satan wields
among Christians. It is likely that his oiriadh was not
unlike the Hell of Christians and the Hades of the Greeks,
though perhaps Oiriadh is not as hot as Hell...or cold for that
matter. The loch of the Dudair is in the moorland pastures
of Knockline, in North Uist." (The Hebridean Connection, p.
545). This personification of the Nathair is still associated
with Loch an Dudair, North Uist. "Like the Christian God,
Dudair is held to be of masculine gender.” The old sun-god
Lugh.

DUIBHE, “Blackness,” The black goddess. A river deity whose

name is preserved in Divie, a tribuatary of the Findhorn in
Scotland. Glen Devon is similar. This stream in the Ochils
is latinized as Glendofona. “Devon” is the earlier British
Dubona or Dobona, the “Black One.” Comapres with G. dubh,
black.

DUIBHEILNAEACH, necromancer, one capable of raising the

dead, chiefly for their advice. Duibhe, blackness, darkness,
inkiness.

DUINE, sing. DAOINE,after the goddess Danu of the Tuatha

daoine. a man, men, Skr. that which falls into pieces,
mortal.

DUINEACH, “Horse-person.” An alternate name for the

Cailleach bheurr, who often took the form of a gigantic
dappled-grey mare.

DUINE GIRCANASH, the “Man of the Caverns.” Although the

Daoine sidh, or “side-hill folk,” were legally proscribed
from having any part in the legal or state affairs of Ireland
they were assimilated into the Milesian gene-pool for an old
poem entitled Duan Gircanash makes reference to the three
hundred Milesian women who were carried off by the
Cruithne (the Picts, who then resided in Southern Ireland).

Cruithne, son of Cuig, took their women from

them -
It is directly stated -
Excepting Tea, wife of Eremon,
Son of Miled.

Finding themselves deprived of their women, the Gaels

captured wives from the aboriginals, as the following
quatrain says:

They were charming, noble wives

For their young men;
Their (own) women had been stolen, thus they
made alliance
With the Tuatha daoine.

DUINE MARA, daoine is the plural (pronounced donnu), people;

duin, singular, a person + mara (mare) of the ocean. Confers
with mor, of great expanse, size or importance; moran,
many; Morag, a proper name, born of the sea. Descendants of
the Fomors or undersea people. These were the people
known in Brittany as the groac'h vor, morrigans, korrigans
or korrids, the korid-gwen of Cornwall, and the morgans of
Scotland and Wales. These were called the ben-varrey on
the Isle of Man, and merrows or mara-warra in Ireland.
Some of them worked as banshees (see bean sidh). The
females were more generally known in the Gaelic world as
the maighdean mara, a word that interprets as sea-maiden
or mermaid.

The males of the species were hairy, bearded, had

large fish-like mouths, flat noses, long arms and a yellow-
tinted skin. Their Irish counterparts were more obviously
fish-like, having green teeth , hair and skin and short finned
arms. The latter had pig-like eyes and noses made red by an
addiction to whisky. Their presence on land was usually
taken as an omen of good luck but the opposite was true for
females.

The women-kind were attractive and sexually active.

They have been known to kidnap young men, later returning
them to the land bearing fine giftts. Feeble performers
were held in perpetual bondage. The woman were
particularly responsible for the moodiness of the ocean and
controlled sea-storms and the process of weather-making.
In all cases the sea-travelling form was recognized as
transitory, being that of a fish or a half-fish. On land this
sea-suit was laid aside for a human form, but the merpeople
could also shape-change into horses, dogs, hares or any
other land animal.

A portion of the Nova Scotian shore immediately east

of Antigonish township is still called Merland. Not far from
this location, a "mermaid was reported to have remained
three days off the Cape Breton coast, a short distance from
 the shore. 2 Roland Sherwood said it was generally held
that, "mysterious sprites of the sea came up at night to tap
on the window panes or whisper at the doors." When
curtains moved without "a wind to stir them" seamen knew
that the sea spirits were reporting that a relative had died
at sea.

Neil MacNeil recounted an experience his great-

grandfather had with a maghdean mara while he was
ferrying products between the Island of Barra and the port
of Glasgow, Scotland: "One night he was sailing along alone
through the seas of the North Atlantic on his way back to
Barra, for he had no passengers. he got so tired in the long
dreary night that he fell asleep with the tiller in his hands.
He was awakened by the sweet voice of a woman, only to
find his boat headed straight for the rocks of Staffa. He
quickly turned his boat, headed it in the right direction, and
then looked about him for the source of the voice. He saw a
mermaid, swimming along easily and gracefully in the wake
of the boat. She was beautiful beyond the beauty of earthly
women, with long golden hair, limpid sparkling blue eyes,
and full rounded white breasts. Grandfather's grandfather
thanked her for her kindness and thereupon they had a long
talk together over the water. It was in Gaelic, to be sure,
for that is the language of nature and the one that its
unspoiled creatures understand. Grandfather's grandfather
plied the creature with questions all of which were
answered with open frankness. as dawn neared, she
suddenly said: "you have asked me everything except about
egg-water." With that she dived into the depths of the sea,
and he never saw her again." Neil MacNeil had no
understanding of "egg-water" supposing it had some obscure
relation with cooking eggs. He concluded: "As the mermaid
did not explain the riddle, it probably remains just that to
this day." This is not an insoluble enigma, but a reference
to a recipe used to banish the sidh:

A Welsh woman troubled by little people whose

2Fraser, Mary L., Folklore Of Nova Scotia, np, nd, p. 92.

dancing sifted dust between floorboards into her evening
meal consulted a witch-woman and was advised "to ask six
reapers to dinner in the hearing of the fay, and only to make
as much pudding as could be boiled in an egg-shell. She did
as directed and when the fairies saw that a dinner for six
men was put down in an egg-shell, there was great stir and
commotion in the cow-house, and at length one angry voice
was heard to say, "We have lived long in this world; we
were born just after the earth was made, and before the
acorn was planted, and yet we have never seen a whole
harvest-dinner dressed in an egg-shell. There must be
something wrong in this house and we will stop here no
longer." They went away and never returned." It is
apparent that the mermaid expected MacNeil to ask why this
ruse was always effective against the twylwyth teg and the
sidhean. The following was a Cape Breton sighting: "An
elderly man was one day walking on the beach near his home
when he saw a mermaid arise from the water, holding in her
hand a very beautiful shell. He kept beckoning her to come
nearer, until she came right up on the shore. He asked her
for the shell she was carrying, but she refused, saying she
could not go back in the water without it. With that he
seized the shell and set out for his house. She followed
pleading piteously for her treasure, but he would not give it
to her. When they reached the house she had to stay there,
for he took the precaution of burying the shell in a secret
place. Some time afterward she married the old man's son.
Although she tried to be happy, she always longed for her
home under the sea. To her children she told all about its
beauties and its wonders. One day the children were playing
in the hay mow. They dug their way down to the bottom, and
there they discovered something very beautiful. They went
to the house and fairly dragged their mother to the barn to
see their find. She recognized her shell and told them she
could stay with them no longer, for she was going to her
beautiful home under the sea... She covered her face with
her hair so as not to see their tears, told them to tell their
father and grandfather, who were away fishing that she had
gone home and they would never see her again, and then
 plunged into the sea and joined her companions..."3 Also
under Daoine mara.

DUINE SIGH, duin, person; sidh, side-hill; plural daoine sidh

(pronounced donnu shay or shaw in the Scottish dialect;
dannan shee in Irish vernacular); people of the mounds,
little people, corresponding with the elfs and fairies of
England. The remnants of the Tuatha daoine, who took
refuge in the natural caverns and souterrains of Britain
following their defeat by the Milesians. Sidh confers with
sigh, the wee folk; sith, weather, and sid, peace. As an
adjective sidh is currently used to describe things that are
fairy-like or supernatural, thus eun-sidh, a fairy bird, a
mysterious or enchanted creature and the neologism
labhran-sidh, a radio receiver.

In the last battle between men and the gods, The

Dagda, patriarch and king of the Tuatha daoine, was killed
and the remains of the Tuathan forces met at the mouth of
the River Boyne. There, they elected Bodb Derg high-king
and swore allegiance to the Fomorian gods, in exchange for
the right to move to Tir-nan-Og, the Fomorian island of
perpetual youth. Those that decided to remain in Ireland
were given red caps of invisibility to shield them from the
oppressors, and were gifted with the arts of healing, which
made them virtual immortals. Prevented from taking any
part in the new order, they became legally bound to their
hills except for a few days following the quarter, or rent-
paying days; the first of these being November 1. The sidh
were suspected of travelling at night and became nearly
invisible in their attempts to avoid the tax men.

Although they did not resist the Milesians they were

mildly hostile and created "ceo sidh", or magic mists, to
lead their enemies astray. Their "ceol sidh", or sidh music,
and the "seidean sidh", or fairy wind served the same
purpose. One expert has supposed that the English fairies
were banished from that land by "the reign of Elizabeth (the

3Fraser, Mary L., Folklore Of Nova Scotia, np, nd, pp 92-93.

first) "or her father at the furthest." By 1827 the people of
Wales spoke of their Tylwyth Teg (who are also wee folk) in
the past tense: "An old lady assured (us) that she at one
time, many years before, saw the fairies to the number of
some hundreds...Another old woman said that her father had
often seen the fairies riding the air on their little white
horses..." Fifty tears after a resident noted wistfully, "we
hear not of brownies or kobolds in the Welsh houses now..."

The Scottish fairies seem to have been harried out of

their countryside in the same interval, a time corresponding
with the Highland Clearances (ca 1770-1830). Hugh Miller
reported the departure of the sidh from one hamlet, "a long
cavalcade ascending out of a ravine through a wooded
hollow." It was observed, on a Sunday morning, by a herd-
boy and his sister, who had somehow escaped attendance at
Church: "The horses were shaggy and diminutive things,
speckled dun and grey; the riders stunted, misgrown ugly
creatures, attired in antique jerkins of plaid, long grey
clokes, and little red caps..." The boy questioned the last of
this kind: "What are ye little manie?" and was told "I am
not of the race of Adam but one of the people of peace, who
shall never more be seen in Scotland.

The novelist Ellen Ross said that Peterstown, one

hundred miles from Glasgow, on the German (North) Sea,
was the location of the Elfin Kirk, "which tradition had
pointed to as the last place in Scotland where the fairies
(i.e the sidh) held their yearly meetings on All Souls's Eve."
This "church" was actually "two immense rocks several
hundred feet in height, joined together at the back, the
hollow inside of which presents the appearance of a
gigantic chancel." Traditionally the Sidhallion Mor, or Great
Hall of the Sidh, was located on the seaward side of the
Island of Handa in Sutherlandshire, northwestern Scotland.
There were numerous underground palaces in Ireland, that of
King Boabd Derg (Red Witch) being under Sliab-na-mban (the
white clay mountain) His chief lieutenant lived under
Cruachan in Roscommon while the reincarnate Lugh ruled
over Brugh-na-Boyne, located north of Tara. In comparing
 the sidh with the English elfs and fairies

Keightley noticed that they were, like them divided

into rural and domestic types, but not distinguished as
popular and poetic varieties since "The Scottish fairies
have never been taken by the poets for their heroes or
machinery..." It would appear they were a more organized
race, "more attached than their neighbours to the
monarchial form of government." The fairy kings of England
were a poetic fiction but the sidh monarchs were
"recognized by law in Caledonia." The folklorist said, "They
would appear also to be more mischievously inclined than
the Southrons but less addicted to the practise of dancing." 4

They were never said to be dwarfs or of reduced

stature: "The Sidhe are thin, up to six feet in height,
handsome and young-looking despite their great age. Their
skin is soft, their hair long and flowing, their clothes
blindingly white; their voices sweet and seductive and their
bagpiping unrivalled."5 While they still moved among men,
the sidhe were seen in parade between Sliab-na-mban and
Cruachan: "There was no person among them who was not
the son of a king and a queen. They all wore green cloaks
with four crimson pendants to each; and silver cloak-
brooches held them in place; and they wore kilts with red
interweavings, and borders or fringes of gold thread was
upon them, and pendants of white bronze thread upon their
leggings. Their shoes had clasps of red bronze in them.
Their helmets were ornamented with crystal and with white
bronze. Each of them had a collar of twisted gold with a
gem the worth of a newly calved cow set in it. They wore
gold rings that assayed at thirty ounces each. All of them
had white-faced shields ornamented with gold and silver.
They carried flesh-seeking spears ribbed with gold and
silver and bronze. They had gold-hilted swords with the

4Keightley, Thomas, World Mythology, London (1880), p. 350.

5Arrowsmith, Nancy, A Field Guide To The Little People, New York

(1977), p. 21.
 forms of serpents of gold embossed on them and set with
carbuncles. They astonished all who saw them by the
lavishnesss of their wealth."6 Their underground retreats
were no less wonderful.

That of the goddess Morrigan, who was also called

Queen Mebd, was at Rath-Cruchan in western Ireland: "There
were seven compartments from the fire to the outer wall,
each having a front of bronze. The whole was composed of
beautifully carved red yew...Ailill and Mebd's compartment
was made altogether of bronze and was situated in the
middle of the house with a front of silver and gold all
around it. A silver band on one side of it rose to the top of
the place and reach all about it from one door to the other."
The historian Seumas MacManus says that this rath was
circular, constructed essentially of stones set as dry
masonry, "with walls thirteen feet thick at the base. This
particular western palace had an oak shingled roof and five
concentric ramparts "three of which are still to be seen",
but most of the sidh-residences were entirely hidden under
artificial hills or within natural caverns. 7

Cape Breton historian A.A. Mackenzie was convinced

that the "superstitions" of Ireland were spoiled in the
passage of people to eastern Canada: "Nevertheless," he
admitted, "a few fairies apparently made the voyage with
the Irish. At Low Point in the Irish Grant, the "little people"
were blamed for turning stooks of grain upside down. And
on an island, near the south end of the Strait of Canso. lived
McNamaras who firmly believed in the "little people." These
McNamaras had come to their island home after sojourns in
Massachusetts and on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia; the
last of them to live on their island left about 1930, driven
to move by the isolation and -so some people say - because

6MacManus, Seumas, The Story Of The Irish Race, Old Grennwich,

Conn. (1983) p. 11.

7MacManus, Seumas, The Story Of The Irish Race, Greenwich, Conn.

(1988), p. 57. Quotation is slightly paraphrased.
 of the ghosts and fairies which they saw so often in the
woods."8

Mary L. Fraser thought otherwise noting that, "The

early settlers of Nova Scotia brought with them from the
old lands a belief in the existence of fairies. The whole
district which the town of Inverness now covers was
formerly called the Shean. (properly Schiehallion or Sidh-
challinn, the Sidh Hall of the Caledonians, like one found in
Perthshire, Scotland) In this district there was a small hill,
shaped something like a large haystack, where the old
people used to see the "little people" in thousands."9
Another well known Nova Scotian sidh hill was located at
Upper South River in Antigonish County.

This place is mentioned in the literature by both Mary

L. Fraser and Helen Creighton. Fraser says the underground
cavern was at Beech Hill, "the scene of many preternatural
manifestations". Among them, she mentions the encounter
of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron and another unnamed pair of Scots:
The four were travelling by horseback through these woods
during the Yule. At dusk they were at Beech Hill proper:
"All at once a most extraordinary company came in sight. A
huge pair of oxen yoked, with heaps of nondescript (trade
goods) piled on their backs. (They) were headed by a
shrivelled old man of very small stature (the sidh were said
to shrink as they shape-changed and aged), with a rope over
his shoulder tied to the middle of the yoke.

More extraordinary still, four ordinary-sized women

were following behind wearing a peculiar headgear, very
high and unusual. Their dresses made a strange rustling
noise that frightened the horses. Cameron had a quiet
animal, so he succeeded, although with difficulty, in getting
by; but the other horse bolted into the woods. Only the
strength of MacDonald, the brother-in-law, prevented

8Mackenzie, A.A., The Irish In Cape Breton, Antigonish (1979), p. 59.

9Fraser, Mary L., Folklore Of Nova Scotia, np, nd, p. 69.

 himself and his sister from being thrown." 10 After this
happening Cameron made inquiries up and down the road
concerning the identity of these travellers, but they had not
been seen in any other place. As for the headdresses of the
women, it is well known that the source of the sidhean
powers of invisibility was the "faet fiada", a charm
invested in the red sugar-loaf shaped hats that they wore.
Frequent reference is made to the fine cloth woven by the
sidh which was sometimes described as issuing a sound like
that of dried grasses or leaves rubbing together.

At this same location, a famous local strong-man,

named Donald, came upon "the man in gray." Seeking
company, he hastened his pace so that he might join him,
but this attempt failed as the man in homespun walked more
rapidly. Noticing a loop in the road Donald decided to cut
him off and had nearly succeeded when the stranger took to
the woods. Made curious by this action, the Scot pursued
and ran the sidh to ground. Approaching him through an
opening in the forest he found the "man" panting and
moaning under a tree. Approaching, he saw "a face so
horrible he took to his heels and never stopped running till
the woods were far behind.

Again, two woodsmen, also named MacDonald, went

into these woods to cut. Fraser says they were not overly
imaginative or credulous people: "They had not been
working too long when they heard a noise like that of chains
rattling, and perceived a dreadful odour. Then something
they likened to a coffin -bigger at one end than the other-
rose before them and sailed through the air. At this time
these hardy men got so frightened that they left their work
and made for home."11

10Fraser,Mary L., Folklore Of Nova Scotia, np, nd, p. 85. As recounted

by Cameron's grandson.

11Fraser,Mary L., Folklore Of Nova Scotia, np, nd, pp. 85-86.

Recounted to Fraser by a niece of the two MacDonald men.
 Father John Grant's troubles with the sidh are
mentioned in passing by Creighton and Joe Neil McNeil, but
are most completely recounted by Fraser. "Father John" was
holding Saint Andrew's Day masses in a number of small
parish churches near Antigonish and on a Saturday evening
found himself in residence with Bishop Fraser at Antigonish
village. As it was near dusk, and the Bishop knew that
Grant would have to pass near Beech Hill to get to his next
charge, the older cleric suggested he might stay the night
considering that the road was considered "haunted". The
priest felt that his courage was being questioned and
refused. Some hours later he returned to the parish-house
at the full gallop, his head hatless and his horse mud-
spattered and looking hag-ridden. Fraser said it was
"presumed that Father Grant had had an interview with the
Bochdan (sidh)." Curious villagers followed this road in the
light of morning and found a spot where the earth was torn
up and criss-crossed with the marks of a startled and
frightened horse.

When Creighton interviewed a Scot from this region

she was told: "There was a hill near my mother's (house)
and there was supposed to be fairies there. It was a round
hill in the middle of a broad plain at Upper South River. It
was called Fairy Hill. There were certain stories concerned
with it. If you'd go inside you'd be entertained by the
fairies for seven years (without a proportionate passage of
real time) and then you'd be returned in good condition. The
round hills is still there." 12

The rounded hills of Gaelic lands were known as

"cnocs" (pronounced knocks). Those that stood in the sea
were called "stacs" while those that were slightly flattened
at the summit
were named "laws". The latter were used as assembly
points for conducting clan business and carrying out
judicial functions. The English descriptive for a "law" is
"sugar loaf", this being the form into which sugar was

12Creighton, Helen, Bluenose Magic, Toronto (1978), p. 104.

pressed for the retail trade. Traditionally the sidh wore red
sugar-loaf hats, mainly cylindrical, slightly tapering and
terminating in a flattened top. These had their counterpart
in the "cohuleen druith" of the daoine mara, the red caps,
without which these sea people could not respire the
waters of the open ocean.

There are numerous hills in Atlantic Canada that bear

the name Sugar Loaf and all are suspect as housing a
population of elfs, faries or sidhean. The Sugar Loaf that
stands due south of St. Margaret village on Cape Breton
Island is a known sidh habitation. This landform is off the
Cape Breton Trail, west of the road to Meat Cove, which
stands at land's end. It is thirteen hundred and fifty feet in
height and overlooks North Pond and Aspy Bay. It was here
that two woodsmen found "hills among the woods". These
seem to have been "souterrains" rather than the sugar loaf
proper, for they were described as being "built of clay." The
cutters were not certain whether these rises were
artificial or not, but they suspected their was some artifice
involved since smoke was seen issuing from them. They
could not believe these were the homes of the sidhean so
they commenced to fell trees, one of which crunched into
the top of one of the clay mounds. Instantly, they heard
voices from beneath the ground complaining, :My hedge is
hurt...my hedge is hurt!" (Hedge is an obsolete descriptive
for a home in the woods) After this, the men moved out of
the immediate area apologizing to the earth for the damage
they had done.

Later that afternoon they were cutting in an adjacent

woodlot, and one thirsty woodsman said aloud, "I wish I had
a drink of buttermilk." A sidh approached bearing a wooden
bowl filled with this very liquid noting, "Here's the
buttermilk!" The individual who had voiced the wish was
too frightened to take the drink but his partner downed it
with profuse thanks. In years after, the man who accepted
the hospitality of the people at the Sugar Loaf thrived and
had "luck so long's he lived". but the second man became one
of the "droch-chromhalaichean", or rent-payers to hell,
 those dogged by bad-luck and ill-fortune. 13

Creighton was told a similar story by Mr. MacKinnon,

who lived in the shadow of Sugar Loaf. When she asked him
if anyone in the district had seen the sidh he responded:
"They say they used to see them here maybe a hundred years
ago (circa 1850). You don't see them now. My father said he
seen them on Black Point (within two miles of Meat Cove).
Some of them had green clothes on them, right short little
people. They'll give you luck you know...That's what they
said long ago, they'd give you luck."14

Marble Mountain is another active region. The

community and the seven hundred foot hill (which actually
consists of limestone) is located on Little Bras D'or Lake on
the island of Cape Breton. Specifically it is on the western
bank on the branch of the lake called West Bay.

Approximately four miles south of this location is the

small land mark called Morrison: "There is a beach on the
lower part of Morrison's land covered with beach grass
(circa 1950). The first settler here was an Irishman and he
made a clearing. He had a boy who was planting potatoes in
May and one of the little people came out of the beach grass
on the beach and offered him a pitcher of buttermilk and
offered him a drink and he didn't take it. He was supposed
to have offended the fairy and he took sick in a couple of
days and he died."15

Across the Lake in a northeasterly direction is

Piper's Cove, named after the pipers of Clan MacNeil. Neil
Campbell married into this group and moved with his wife
to Hay Cove, "out in the rear". He said that the Campbells

13Creighton, Helen, Bluenose Magic, Toronto (1978), pp. 102-103. A

slightly different version is recounted above.

14Creighton, Helen, Bluenose Magic, Toronto (1978), p. 104.

15Creighton, Helen, Bluenose Magic, Toronto (1978) p. 103.

 had no native talent for music but "got their gift from the
fairy hill". According to his account, an unnamed Campbell
of colonial times had been hired to play the pipes at a
wedding and was returning home when he was stopped near
the sidh-hill by the sight of a tiny woman milking a cow. He
approached and spoke with her and they exchanged notions
about music. When she heard that he was unable to play the
"devil's reed", or "fiddle" she offered to give him the gift
for fiddling if he would respect her by keeping secret the
place where she milked her cow. Accordingly, he received
an ancient bow from the side-hill and afterwards played
with skill and aclarity. The bow was passed to his son and
grandson, "and it would never be taken from them no matter
where they played."16

Another human who profited from an association with

the sidhean was a widow-woman who lived near the Sevogle
River in northern New Brunswick. She had had a full
complement of children, and so was fortunate to have the
rent of a house belonging to a rich man who lived in the
"Boston States." He had given it to her at a modest rate so
that there would be a care-taker until it could be sold. She
very much wanted the place as a permanent residence but
the price placed it outside her means. There was a fairy hill
nearby, and a dancing ring just beyond her kitchen door,
although she had no knowledge of either. She was in the
habit of throwing her dirty dish and laundry water directly
on the ring, frequently drenching invisible dancers. Finally
the sidhean revolted and one came to the door complaining,
"Look-it. You go and cut a door at the other end of the house
and throw your slops and dirty water there. We want no
more dumping on us." Surprised at this, and seeing the
justice of the demand, the woman tentatively agreed but
noted she had no way of paying for renovations to the house.
The sidh dismissed this saying she should go to the
basement and lift the flat stone found there. "There's gold
there. Lift it and take what you need. Then put the stone
back but don't say where you got the money." The woman did

16MacNeil, Joe Neil, Tales Until Dawn, Toronto (1987), p. 220.

 as instructed, made the change, and used some of the gold to
purchase the house.17

Ray Estey told folklorist Carole Spray that he had

seen fairy-rings at Belldune, New Brunswick, and that his
family used to have a summer-verandah within range of a
fairy colony: "There used to be a fairy plot right out here
and my grandparents would sit out on the verandah listening
to them. Talk about nice music! They would sit there for
hours and hours listening to the dancing and fiddling and it
was the loveliest music you ever heard!"18 Pursuing the
subject Spray was told of an Irishman who lived at New
Mills in Restigouche County. According to local lore he
lived alone, but always set his table for six individuals.
When he opened the door to the cellar five of the sidhean
trooped up to eat with him.

It is a matter of record that the sidhean were of the

same species as men, and in ancient times the two "races"
often cohabited and co-operated in producing children. The
name sidh has almost endless dialectic variations, for
example shia, shifra, shicare, she, sheee and sheeidh, some
of which are reflected in human family names; for example,
Sheehan, Shay, Shaw, Ay (an aspirated form of Shaw),
Fayden, Fee and MacFee. The Gaels have sometimes
benefited from their relations with the sidh, and Helen
Creighton met an elderly Irishman who told her,
unabashedly, that he had been imprisoned in Ireland and
might have remained there except that, "the fairies took
him out of gaol and carried him over here..." 19

Thomas Shaw must certainly have had the blood of the

sidh. An immigrant from Ireland, he came to Charlotte
County, New Brunswick in 1934 and settled in a pine grove

17Spray, Carole, Will O' The Wisp, Fredericton (1985), pp. 53-54.

18Spray, Carole, Will O' The Wisp, Fredericton (1985), p. 54.

19Creighton, Folklore Of Lunenburg County, Toronto (1958), p. 155.

 near Back Beach. He soon became enamoured of the local
wild flowers and urged them to more spectacular bloom in
his cultivated gardens. Soon much of the nearby woods
became a spectacular park and gardens. Thomas died at the
age of forty-eight and his wife laid him to rest amongst
his pine trees, fashioning a memorial from clay and cement.
She died and joined him shortly after, and it was soon
noticed that all plant life within two hundred feet of the
graves had lost the will to live. The tall trees were soon
reduced to gray rotted stumps and nothing but raw clay
remained where there had once been flourishing wild
flowers and fauna. 20

This tale should be compared with "Pixy Gratitude",

recounted in Keightley's World Mythology: "An old woman
who lived near Tavistock had in her garden a splendid bed of
tulips. To these the Pixies loved to resort...But at length
the old woman died; the tulips were taken up and the place
converted into a parsley bed. Over this, the Pixies showed
their power; the parsley withered and nothing would grow
even in the other beds of the garden. On the other hand they
tended diligently the grave of the old woman around which
they were heard lamenting and singing dirges. They
suffered not a weed to grow on it; they kept it always
green, and evermore in spring-time spangled with
flowers." 21

As Joe Neil MacNeil has said, "There are two doors to

every hill", and relations between men and the sidhean were
not always smooth. In Pictou Pioneers, Roland Sherwood
has noted that the first Presbyterian minister to Pictou
township, the Reverend James, was "beset on all sides with
the superstitious beliefs of the settlers...Mothers of small
children were in constant dread that the fairies in the
surrounding woods were ever on the watch to carry off

20Charlotte County Community Future, Fog's Inn, St. Andrews (1990),

p. 70.

21Keightley, Thomas, World Mythology, London (1880), p. 306.

 children. Even the hoot of an owl...was believed to be the
call of one fairy to another as they prepared for some
mischief to bedevil the settlers." 22

Writing about the Little Bras D'Or region of Cape

Breton, Neil MacNeil noted that, "Good spirits were also
about, but one heard so little about them that I got the
distinct impression they were in the minority." Sheila's
storm remembers the sidh as storm-brewers, this mid-
March snowstorm being expected sometime after Sheila's
Day, or Saint Patrick's Day (March 17). Also known as the
line-storm, this equinoxial gale is still expected to be one
of the worst of the winter. Sheila, or Shelagh, is a
dialectic feminine form of sidh. She was anciently
identified with the goddess Brigit and with Mhorrigan and
was thought to be the equivalent of the Scottish Cailleach
bheurr (which, see). It is still a closely held "fairy", or
local belief, that where cailleache (old women) gather, foul
weather or disaster is at hand.

The seidean side, or “sidh-storms,” might bring out

the sluag side, or “fairy host,” which rode the north wind,
seeking the souls of those newly dead. The aes side, or
“earth people,” were particularly feared on the quarter-
days and during the Nollaig, or Yule as well as at the time of
the line-storm. Those captured by the sidh became
perpetual slaves, tending their underworld herds and
gardens and riding with them as members of the dark host.
Because the sidhean were a small genetic pool they had a
need for new blood, which explains why they abducted living
women and children. To lure people into the underground,
they produced "ceol side", or sidh-music, which had the
power to lull people into the "suan side", or fairy sleep. In
this hypnotized state they could be carried off to the nether
world. Where they were not susceptible to hypnotism,
people were sometimes subjected to the "ceo side" or sidh-
mist, which confused and tricked them into following
ghost-lights or illusions of people known to them.

22Sherwood, Roland, Pictou Pioneers, Windsor (1973) p. 72.

Occasionally, the sidh-men propositioned human females in
a direct manner.

Michael MacLean, of Cape Breton, said he was present

in a home where the Scottish engagement rite known as
"reitach" was being followed. This espousal was held
before the bans of marriage were proclaimed, and Joe Neil
MacNeil explained that the "retach" was a settling of
claims, " something like the clearing out of obstacles, trees
and stumps, making the ground tillable." The last reitach
supposedly took place at Wreck Cove, Cape Breton, in 1923.
The procedure never took place on Friday (the sidh holiday),
and the bargaining for the bride typically took place through
an intermediate, the questions of dowry being settled with
oblique talk and double entendre. The family was unhappy
with this particular attempt at espousal as the man in
question represented himself, rather than sending a village
elder or a close friend. Further, he was a stranger to the
parents as well as the girl. Feeling the need for advice the
parents approached a bodach, a tinker travelling through the
area, who directed them to a boabh, or witch-woman. She
suspected the suitor was a man from "the mounds" and
advised them that he would attempt to gain magical control
over their daughter by asking for a lock of her hair. Using
this artifact, the sidh could direct his ceol side, or calling-
magic, through it, leading her to his hill. They were told to
make a substitute for the hair, so they went home and
removed part of the black tail from a cowhide that hung on
the kitchen wall. When the suitor next called, he asked for
some memento and was given a small curl of black hair tied
up in a white ribbon. That night the family was seated
together in the kitchen when they became aware of
mysterious flute-music. They saw the hide waver on the
wall, unhook itself and float off through the air in the
direction of the sound. It penetrated the wall, and moved
away from the house never to be seen again. Michael
MacLean supposed that if the young girl had surrendered a
lock of her own hair, she rather than the cowhide, would
 have been irrevocably drawn to the hill of the sidhe . 23

Joe MacNeil tells another story that reveals the

reactive nature of the sidhean. He claims that two men
once lived on opposite faces of a local glen. One was a
delightful person full of fun and games and good cheer,
while the other was a ill-disposed curmudgeon. The first
man chanced to climb a sidh-hill and while he was there a
door opened into the inside of the mountain. Inside he could
detect the sidhean playing a tune on their pipes. They were
singing: "Monday, Tuesday...," over and over to the music, but
seemed unable to complete the run. Laughing at their
trouble he stuck his head in through the opening and sang
the word "wednesday", to complete the triad. They were
very pleased and decided to reward him, but he wanted no
gold or silver, but said it might be nice if they could take
away his hunched back. this they did, and he went home
where he happily explained the source of his good fortune.
The grumpy neighbour, who was also a hunch-back, decided
to approach the sidh to remedy his handicap. When he
arrived at the hill, he found the little people trying to name
the other days of the week, but being an unhappy fellow he
stood wordless and tuneless before them. This angered
them and they "gifted" him with the hump which they had
removed from the first individual.24 This tale belongs to
Celtic peoples in general, and has been told in Brittany, one
version differing in the fact that the first hunchback
provided the words "Thursday, Friday and Saturday," to help
the korreds complete their triad of "Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday..." At "Saturday...", the little people were still
without a complete litany of the days of the week, and in
this version, the first farmer returned to the hill with the
words, "With Sunday, all is meet, and now the week's
complete." Having this in their repertoire, "the korred were
able to stop dancing. They presented the farmer with one of
their purses filled with horse hairs, leaves and sand, which

23MacNeil, Joe Neil, Tales Told Until Dawn, Toronto (1987), p. 87.

24MacNeil, Joe Neil, Tales Until Dawn, Toronto (1987) pp. 113-115.
 changed to gold and precious jewels when sprinkled with
(Christian) holy water."25 The Irish version of this tale may
be read in Keightley's World Mythology.26

Whether the sidhe remain among us is in question.

Their familiars were the crows and ravens, the birds of the
goddess Mhorrigan, but their animal familiar was the wolf,
a creature destroyed by our European ancestors. In an aside
concerning Clan Shaw (the original side-hill people), Iain
Moncrieffe says that, "Shaw is derived from the Old Gaelic
(i.e Irish Gaelic) "sithech," meaning wolf..."27 Again, the
wolf was the familiar hunting form of both the Cailleach
bheurr (Winter Hag) and Mhorrigan, one-time leaders of the
Daoine sidh.

In 1844, local newspapers described a winter in which

wolves were "very destructive in Sussex and Musquah (New
Brunswick)." By 1902, when a pair were reported seen at
the Public Landing in Fredericton, they were headed for
certain extinction, and the individual sidh may have passed
with them.

On the other hand, an account dated 1992 tells of the

little people seen by the grandmother of Rosella Sampson of
Grand Anse, and this sighting would be within the current
century: She was on the road home one night when she
became aware of a horse being fiercely ridden by "a
minuscule little man...his fingers tangled fast in the horse's
mane. The horse was lathered and straining to breathe, as
if he had been ridden that way for a long time." Rosella's
grandmother remembered that the sidh were like the
Acadian "lutins" in their interest in horses. In former times
she said that men braided the manes and tails of their

25Arrowsmith, Nancy, Field Guide To The Little People, New York

(1977), pp. 68-69.

26See his World Mythology, pp. 264-265.

27Moncrieffe, Iain, The Highland Clans, Nerw York (1967), p. 128.

horses to prevent them from being "hag-ridden." To trap the
tiny men, farmers sometimes balanced a bucket of oats on a
half-opened door. If the intruder happened to spill the oats
he would remain to pick them up one-by-one as the sidh
made a fetish of neatnesss. Rosella was told that the
"fairies" were regarded as demons of the Devil. "Since they
were lost souls, not to be saved on the day of judgement,
they made everyone's life miserable, since they had nothing
to lose."

The description of the sidh as "demons" is common in

local folklore and suggests some earlier knowledge of the
constitution of this spirit. The Grecian "daemons"
corresponded best with the creature which the Gaels knew
as the "befind" and which the English called the "cowalker",
the spirit finally converted into the Christian "guardian
angel." It is known that the befind were conscripted to
serve men from the ranks of the Daoine sidh. As for
demons, they were defined as "guardian divinities of men,
holding a place between men and the gods." It was once held
(although not universally) that men were born with two
daemons, one evil and one good. Others believed that the
daemon was at once good and evil, the two forces emerging
variously according to the will of the human. Thus ancient
literature speaks of the "daemon of Socrates" as being a
directing force in his life. Short entry under Daoine sidh.

DUISLEANNAN, freaks, ill-natured pretentious folk,

dreamers (and prognosticators), from duiseal, to slumber,
the Eng. doze. Also duiseal, a whip, resembling MEng.
duschen, to strike, of Sc. origin, now seen preserved in the
word dowse. Dowsers, men who entered a trance state and
used their forked stick to seek water, treasure or lost
goods. “The talent for making the divining rod is given to
only a few privileged beings. One can easily determine if
one has received it naturally by cutting a forked branch
from a hazel-tree and holding the two tips in each hand.
When his foot is placed on the top of the object that is
being sought, the rod will turn independently in the
searcher’s hands and will be an infallible guide. Thus when a
stream of (underground) water is to be identified, the rod
will turn when the diviner passes over it, or hidden
treasurer or clues to a murder.” Duis, jewel, crow, gloom,
mist, chief, dust, dross, entrails of an animal. See
cochuleen druithg.

DÙLDACHD, a misty gloom, see domhail. The state often

ascribed to the Atlantic islands in the western Otherworld.

DUL, DÙIL, DOL, DULA, a noose, a loop, a snare, anything

having the form of a circle, Lat. dolus, fraud guile, decit,
trickery. Things taken in snares, thus dúil, a creature, root
du. to strive against adversities. Obs. Eng. dule or dole,
grief. ME. dul akin to AS. dol, foolish, Dan. dol, mad, Germ.
toll, mad, Skr. dhvr, to cause anything to fall over, cf. Eng.
dolt, dwale, dwell, i.e. held in one place. In modern parlance
dall, blind, Lat. fallo, a fool. Notice the ON. dul, something
hidden, having conference with Eng. hole and the goddess
Hel. This word is seen in ON. dultrú, “truths of the unseen
world,” i.e. mysticism. In Iceland “mystical experience” is
still entitled dulraen reynsla and this study involves
elemental beings and clairvoyance. See toll-duin, an
individual of the Tuatha daoine.

DULACHAN, sometimes given as Dullahan, a headless

horseman who rode a headless horse. In later folklore a
malicious spirit who used his whip to take out the eyes of
any he encountered. Dull + och, a dark creature+ sighing, as
storm winds. The latter word similar to aghach,
warlike.Same as Dudair, the Devil. the pagan gods.

DUL DUNA, DULLAHAN, DUL DUNA, dul, guileful; agheach,

warlike, similar to och, an interjection, alas! a cry, the
sound made by storm winds.. The English owl. The nickname
of the god Lugh while he was fostered to Manann mac Ler.
Duna, man. the nickname which Manann mac Ler gave his
foster-son Lugh of the Long Arm. dul, a snare or noose;
duine, man; a natural hunter. Not dur, “blind” or “stubborn”.
See dul, above. Also seen as Dul-Dana.
DUMA, a mound or burial ground. For example, Duima na
nGall, the “Mound of the Strangers (or Hostages)” at Tara.
The word is similar to dun from dùcan, a mound or heap. See
next two entries.

DUMA SELGA, “Mound of the Hunting” Aonghas Og had many

loves including Enghi and the woman named Derbreen. The
latter had the care of six fosterlings including two boys.
Their mother Dalb Garb the “Rough” being jealous
ofDerbreen put a “nut-spell” on her children transforming
them into swine. Seeing this, Aonghas put the animals in the
care of Buichet of Leinster. While they were there the
hospitaller’s wife developed an uncanny urge to taste their
cooked flesh and thus she gathered hounds and hunters to
kill them. The pigs escaped to Brugh na Boinn where they
were protected by Aonghas. They asked him for help in
regaining their shape but he said he could not assist them
until they, themselves, had shaken the Tree of Tarbga and
eaten the salmon of Inver Umaill. They went to Glascarn to
attempt this preliminary magic, and might have succeeded
but Mebd of Connacht gathered her forces and hunted them
to death upon the Mound of the Hunting.

DÙN, (doon) a heap, a fortress; AS. tún from which town.

Root Gaelic dû, to be strong, hence also dùr, dull, stubborn,
resisting force. After the tumuli, the structures of
greatest antiquity are the great duns of western Ireland.

They were erected during the first three centuries of

the Christian era and have enormously thick stone walls,
which must have been firm and impregnable in spite of the
lack of binding mortar. Traditions insists that they were
erected by the Firbolgs who managed to hold on in remote
places after the Milesians took possession of the more
valuable lands. In the second century of the Christian era a
colony of Firbolgs, led by King Angus, fled from the western
islands of Scotland to Aran. They settled first in Meath, but
having troubles with the king, finally settled that island
and portions of the adjacent mainland, creating the great
Dun Aonghas. The Celtic dunum can often be detected
beneath the surface of present-day place-names such as
Dundalk, Dunrobin, Dunkirk etc. It is very frequently seen in
France, often seen combined with the name of Nuada’s twin-
brother, the sun-god Lugh (the more northern Laugar or
Lokki). Lug-dunum, “the fortress or dun of Lugh,” is seen
buried in Leyden, Lyons and the English city of London.

In Switzerland lesser hero-gods are remembered in

Minno-dunum, or Moudon and Eburo-dunum, now called
Yverdon. In Spain and Portugal there are eight names
terminating with dunum which are mentioned by classical
writers. Most interesting of all was Mori-dunon, the Gaelic
name for the famed Celtic magician named Merlin. This word
may be translated as the “great-fortress,” or “sea-
fortress,” and this was also the ancient name for the
collection of islands now known as Great Britain.

In the Brythonic tongue ancient Britain was Clais

Meirneal, or “Merlin’s Enclosure.” Merlin had the ability to
travel on the wind and is thus linked with the elemental god
Ve the “god of the upper air.” In many places the Celtic
god, or goddess, was remembered but the dunum ending
replaced through translation. Thus in England the old name
was sometimes supplanted by the Latin castra, a camp,
giving names such as Brancaster and Colchester, which had
been Brano-dunum and Camulo-dunum. In Germany Cambo-
dunum was rewritten as Kemp-ton while Carro-dunum
became Karn-berg. A Germanic interpretation of Lugi-
dunum was Leig-nitz. Deeper in Europe one could once find
Singi-dunum now renamed Belgrade and Novi-dunum,
located in what is now Romania. There was even a Carro-
dunum in southern Russia, and another place of the same
name in Croatia. Sego-dunum, now renamed Rodez used to
be represented in France, in England and Bavaria. The root
word sego “marsh-lands” does not identify a deity but it is
intimately tied to Briga or Bridd, the sister of Nuada and
Lugh; in the Spanish Segorbe, which was formerly Sego-
briga. This Celtic household goddess is also seen as the
origin of the German word burgh, which is often seen
substituted for dunum.
DUNACH, woe, from dona.

DÙN ADD, “Fortress of Awesome Power,” on the road to

Kilmartin, Scotland. A tall rocky knoll projecting 176 feet
from the Great Moss. The former capital of the Scottish
Kingdom of Dalriada. It had been inhabited successively
since stone age times.

The valley approaches on all sides exposed any enemy

to full view, Kilmartin Glen to the north gave a good pass
to Loch Awe and the central and north-eastern parts of
Scotland. Seventy other forts used to stand within a ten-
mile radius of this place. The Irish annalists say that
Fergus, Lorn and Angus, the Riada brothers sailed up the
river to this site and landed at the old fort of Dunadd, which
was finally settled and occupied by Fergus. According to
legend he brought with him the Lia Fail (Stone of Destiny),
which had once belonged to the Tuatha daoine, and was used
in the coronation of all Irish kings. Henceforth it was
confiscated to the use of the Scottish kings of Scotia minor
and remained here until 1296 when it was seized by the
English. In the seventh and eighth centuries Dunadd was
besieged by the Britons and the Picts, and twice recovered,
remaining the seat of royalty until the reign of Kenneth
MacAlpine.

On the conquest of the Picts in 843, he removed the

capital to Forteviot and Scone in Perthshire. For 345 years
Dunadd was a separate kingdom, but detached from the
“Seats of the Mighty,” it became a rural enclave, whose
very name fell out of use, to be displaced by Argyll. The
most interesting artifact in the region is a summit rock
carrying the carvings of a Pictish boar and ogham writing.
Nearby is a basin and a footprint in stone, elements
probably used in the inauguration of the Scottish kings. “The
new king would place his foot in the footprint and show that
he would follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.” This
print was originally known as the “Fairy Print,” suggesting
that the Scots thought their power was derived from
Tuathan gods. Similar “carved” footprints may be seen at
Clickham broch in the Shetlands.

DÙN BHEAGAIN, Dunvegan, Scotland. The seat of Clan

Macleod from the thirteenth century, said protected by their
“fairy-flag,” which was given to a fourteenth-century chief
by his fairy-lover. She left him at the Fairy-Bridge warning
him that the flag could only be unfurled three times.
According to some the magic of this flag has expired.

DÙN BOLG, the site of one of the numerous battles in which

the men of Leinster sought to remove the imposition of the
Boramha by the high-king. In this case the warriors were
smuggled into this fortification in wicker baskets loads on
wagons pulled by oxen. Within the enemy camp the warriors
of Leinster leapt out and routed the king’s men.

DÙN BREATANN, Dumbarton, Scotland. Noted for a isolated

volcanic plug, said placed there by the baobhe when they
were bent on chasing St. Patrick from that country. He
sailed off in a boat and the “witches” could not follow him
across the water. so they tore a lump of rock from a nearby
hill and “threw” it after him. In early times this place was
a fortress and the capital of the independent kingdom of
Strathclyde from the fifth to the eleventh centuries. The
name comes from the Gaelic name “Fort of the Britons,” a
reference to former inhabitants of England.

DÙN FIR BOLG, the Fortress of the Firbolge. The only trace
of these people in Scotland is at St. Kilda. Some say they
were the early inhabitants of Ireland but it is alternately
suggested that the Tuatha daoine brought them along from
the Continent for their abilities as magicians and metal-
workers. They fought against the governing folk at the
Battle of Magh Tuireadh. “Now the Fir Bolg fell in battle all
save a few, and these went out from Ireland fleeing the
Tuatha De Danann, and they settled in Aru (Arran) and in Ile
(Islay) and in Rachrus (Rathlin) and in Britain and in the
other isles. Thus it was they who brought the Fomorians to
the second battle of Magh Tuireadh. They were in the islands
until the times of the provincial kings. The Cruithnigh drove
them back to Leinster and the folk there gave them land.”
They afterwards fled from there into Connaught and stayed
in that land until they were uprooted by Cuchullain the
“hero” of Ulster. In some circles it is said that Balar or
Balor, was a Firbolg chieftain conscripted to the cause of
the Fomorians. Some say that the piractical remnants of
this people, located in the Orkneys, created the legend of
the Fomorians or sea-giants and that these two people were
a single race.

DÙN GHARASAINN, a prehistoric fortress on the Isle of Skye.

The sighe were reputed to have lived here but moved on
after a farmer removed rocks from their place to erect a
cattle-shelter.

DÙN NA N GÉID, GÉIDH, “Fortress of the Goose.” After Tara

had to be abandoned because of the curse placed upon it.
Domhnall mac Aedh ard righ (Donald mac Kay high-king) of
Ireland (627-621 AD) decided that this should be the new
seat of power. As a preliminary to the founding feast, two
black spectres appeared, one male and one female, and while
the assembly watched devoured all the food. This created a
baleful influence which led to quarrels about the
significance of this happening, and was later seen as a
prelude to the battle of Magh Ráth at Moira in 637.

DÙN SCIATH, SGIATH, the “Fortress of Shadows.” Often

used as a synonym for the Otherworld somewhere in the
western Atlantic. Sometimes said possessed by Manan mac
Ler. Cúchulainn and his friends travelled there and at the
centre found a pit filled with loathsome serpents. Fending
them off they were attacked by toads with sharp beaks
which shape-changed into dragons. Cúchullain and his men
prevailed and carried off three magic crows along with a
cauldron filled with silver and gold which could, on
command, feed armies. The gods who governed the isle
seeking to retrieve this booty conjured up a storm which
sank the voyager’s craft. Undaunted they swam to shore but
lost all of the valuables taken in the west.
DÙRADAN, an atom, a mote, indivisible particle from the
root dùr, stubborn, i.e. hard to divide. This ultimate particle
was known to the druids in ancient times.

DÙRD, a syllable, sound, humming sound, Norse, drynr,

roaring, Eng. drone.

DURFULLA or DURBHOLA. A daughter of the king of the

merfolk. She married a human and when she died was buried
on an island afterwards overrun by the sea. See Daoine
mara, Cochluean druith.

DURI, DIGDI, the Old Woman of the Dingle. durga, surly, sour.
Said to have resided on the Island of Beare in Bantry Bay,
near Dingle, West Kerry, Ireland. An earth-goddess, she
fostered fifty human children. A shape-changer, she had
many lovers and it was claimed that she regained her youth
"seven times over." Every lover she took also lived to a
great age. She was the Cailleach Beara, the Cailleach
Bheurr of Gaelic mythology.

DUSGATH, spiritual awakening. A “dart while slumbering.”

In the dream state the Gaels believed that the human soul
was most open to revival and change.
1.Ferguson, D.A. & Macdonald, A.J., The Hebridean Connection,
(Halifax), 1984. See pp. 460 for the creation story.

2.MacManus, Seumas, The Story Of THe Irish Race, Old

Greenwich, Conn., 1983, quoting from Iar Connacht,
footnote, pp. 100-101.

3.Fraser, Sir James George, The Golden Bough, p. 127

4.Tacitus, quoted by Rutherford, Ward, Celtic Mythology, p.

31.