_Aedh Curucha_ (_Aedh Crochtha_), Hugh, the "suspended" or "hung up." As
Aedh means also a fire-spark as well as the modern name Hugh, Aedh
Curucha means the hung up or suspended fire-spark.
_Alba_, former name of Scotland.
_Bar an Suan_, "pin of slumber," met with frequently in Gaelic
mythology, is found among the Slavs, but not so often. It appears in a
Russian story,--one of the most beautiful in European folk-lore.
_Cesa MacRi na Tulach_, "Cesa, son of the king of the hill," said by my
Donegal informant to be a small dark-gray bird.
_Curucha na Gros_ (_Crochtha na g-cros_), "hung on the crosses," is a
very interesting name, as is also that of the father of Fair, Brown, and
Trembling, Aedh Curucha, _q. v._
_ConAin Maol MacMorna_, the Gaelic Thersites, always railing, causing
trouble, unpopular, and attracting attention. This species of person is
as well known in the mythology of the North American Indians as in Aryan
myths.
_Diachbha_ (pronounced DyeA(C)achva), "divinity," or the working of a power
outside of us in shaping the careers of men; fate.
_Diarmuid_ (pronounced Dyeearmud), the final _d_ sounded as if one were
to begin to utter _y_ after it, one of the most remarkable characters in
Gaelic mythology, a great hunter and performer of marvellous feats. The
prominent event of his life was the carrying off of Grainne, bride of
Fin MacCumhail, at her own command. After many years of baffled pursuit,
Fin was forced to make peace; but he contrived at last to bring about
Diarmuid's death by causing him to hunt an enchanted boar of green color
and without ears or tail. The account of this pursuit and the death of
Diarmuid forms one of the celebrated productions of Gaelic literature.
Diarmuid had a mole on his forehead, which he kept covered usually; but
when it was laid bare and a woman saw it, she fell in love with him
beyond recall. This was why Grainne deserted Fin, not after she was
married, but at the feast of betrothal. The evident meaning of the word
is "bright" or "divine-weaponed." It is very interesting to find
Diarmuid called also Son of the Monarch of Light, in another story.
_Donoch Kam cosa_, "Donoch, crooked feet."
_Draoiachta_ (pronounced DreA(C)achta), "Druidism," or "enchantment."
_Erineach_, or _Eirineach_, "a man of Erin."
_Gil an Og_, "water of youth."
_Gilla na Grakin_ (_Gilla na g-croicean_), "the fellow (or youth) of the
skins,"--_i. e._, the serving man of the skins. This word "Gilla" enters
into the formation of many Gaelic names, such as Gilchrist, Gilfillin,
MacGillacuddy.
_Gruagach_ (pronounced _GrA cubedoagach_), "the hairy one," from _gruag_,
hair. We are more likely to be justified in finding a solar agent
concealed in the person of the laughing Gruagach or the Gruagach of
tricks than in many of the sun-myths put forth by some modern writers.
_Inis Caol_, "light island,"--_i. e._, not heavy.
_Iron-back-without-action_ (_Ton iaran gan tapuil_).
_Knock an Ar_, "hill of slaughter," a mountain near the mouth of the
Shannon in Kerry.
_Lun Dubh MacSmola_, "blackbird," son of thrush.
_Mal MacMulcan._ Mulcan in this name is evidently Vulcan, substituted
for some old Gaelic myth-power.
_Oisin._ In the Gaelic of Ireland this name is accented on the last
syllable; in that of Scotland on the first, which gives in English
Ossian, the poet made known to the world by Macpherson. The poems of
Ossian are of course nothing more nor less than the ballads of Fin
MacCumhail and the Fenians of Erin, taken from Ireland to Scotland by
the Gael when they settled in the latter country, and modified in some
degree by Macpherson. Oisin is pronounced UshA(C)en in Ireland, _u_ sounded
as in _but_.
_Ri FohA-n_ (_Ri fo thuinn_), "king under the wave."
_Sean Ruadh_, "John the Red," pronounced Shawn Roo.
_Tisean_ (pronounced _TishyAin_; _an_ as in _pan_), "envy." Son of King
Tisean means "Son of King Envy."
_UrfA(C)ist._ This word is made up of _Ur_ and _pA(C)ist_. _Ur_ is kindred
with the German _Ur_, and in a compound like this means the "original"
or "greatest." _PA(C)ist_--"worm," "beast," "monster"--is changed to
_fA(C)ist_ here, according to a rule of aspiration in Gaelic
grammar.
* * * * *
Transcriber's note:
This e-text has been produced from the 1975 Dover edition of _Myths and
Folk Tales of Ireland_ (ISBN 0-486-22430-9), which is an unabridged
republication of the work originally published in Boston by Little,
Brown and Company in 1890 under the title _Myths and Folk-Lore of
Ireland_. The 1975 Dover edition did not contain the original
introduction, frontispiece and dedication.
Text in italics is enclosed by underscores _like this_.
Text in small capitals are indicated by full capitalization
_LIKE THIS_.
Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice.
Archaic inconsistent spelling and all other anomalies such as _if_ and
_when_ used interchangeably are as in the original.