Scoti (skot-ĭ) Ancestors of the Irish who dwelt in Egypt, according to Lebor Gabála Érenn.
Scotia (skohsh-ee-ă) Roman name for Ireland, especially northern Ireland; after seventh century AD, Scotland.
Scotti (skot-tĭ) One of several Roman names for the early Irish.
Scythia (sith-ee-ă, sith-ee-ă) A historical land north of the Black Sea, coextensive with Ukraine, an object of fanciful speculation on Celtic origins in early Ireland.
Searbhán (shahr-vawn) Ugly churl who guards the rowanberries of Dubros.
Ségda Sárlbraid (shayg-thă sawrl-vră) Prince of the otherworldly realm of Tír Tairngire.
Sein (sen) Island off west coast of Brittany, home to pagan sisterhood.
Senach Siaborthe (shahn-ahkh shav-orth-ě) Otherwordly adversary of Labraid Luathlám.
Sencha mac Ailella (shahn-khă, shen-hă mahk al-el-ă) Conchobar’s chief judge, the usual peacemaker in the Ulster court.
Senchán Torpéist (shahn-khawn tor-baysht) Chief poet of Ireland, who copied down the Táin Βó Cuailnge from the dictation of the spirit of Fergus mac Róich.
Sequana (se-kwahn-ă) Gaulish healing goddess associated with the river Seine.
Sétanta (shay-dan-dă) Birth name of Cúchulainn.
Setantii (say-tahnt-ee-ee) A P-Celtic people of ancient northwest Britain.
Shannon Principal river of Ireland, running north to south, dividing the island between east and west.
Sheela-na-gig (shee-lă nă gig) Possibly obscene medieval stone figure of woman exposing genitalia.
sídh (shee, sheeth) Irish name for the distinctive, circular-topped man-made mounds found commonly in Ireland, thought to be routes to the otherworld; fairy mounds.
sínach (sheen-akh) Later generic name for the sea monster of Loch Rudraige, earlier known as muirdris.
Sirona (sir-ohn-ă) Gaulish healing goddess.
Sliab Fúait [Slieve Fuad, mountain of the woods] (shlee-ăv foo-id) Highest point in the Fews Mountains, Co. Armagh, with rich heroic associations.
Sliab na mBan [Slievenamon, mountain of woman] (shlee-ăv nă mahn) Mountain, 2,368 ft, 10 miles east of Cashel, Co. Tipperary, sometimes called ‘Ireland’s Parnassus’.
sluagh sídhe, slua sí [fairy host]; sluagh/slua na marbh [host of the dead] (sloo-ă shee; mahr-ěv) Irish names for the fairy procession.
Snám Dá En [Swim Two Birds] (snawv daw ayn) Monastic site on the Shannon where Suibne once stopped.
Starn (starn) Nemedian ancestor of the Fir Bolg.
Sualtam mac Róich (soo-al-dav mahk roikh) Mortal stepfather of Cúchulainn.
Sucellus (soo-kel-ŭs) Gaulish divinity known as the ‘good striker’; cult partner of Nantosuelta.
Suibne Geilt (siv-ně, seev-ně, suv-ně, swiv-ně, cf. ang. swee-nee; gelt) ‘Mad Sweeney’, cursed king who sits naked in trees.
Sulis (sool-ees) Ancient British healing goddess, worshipped at Bath.
taibhsear (tI-sher) Scottish Gaelic term for seer or prophet.
Tailtiu (tal-tyě, tIl-tyě, tal-too) Fir Bolg queen, wife of Eochaid mac Eirc and foster-mother of Lug Lámfhota. An annual festival was established in her honour. The townland named for her, modern Teltown [Ir. Taillten], Co. Meath, is also the site of a battle between the Milesians and Tuatha Dé Danann.
Taliesin (tal-ee-es-in) Divine or divinely inspired poet of early Wales, often thought to be historical (sixth century). One of the two cynfeirdd [oldest poets] with Aneirin. Transformed from the servant Gwion Bach.
Tara (tar-ă) Hill in Co. Meath where the high king was crowned in pre-Norman conquest times. Cited as a capital in many early Irish narratives.
Taredd Wledig (tahr-eth oo-led-ig) Shadowy father of monster-boar Twrch Trwyth.
Tech Duinn (tekh dun) Rocky islet at the end of the Beare Peninsula, reputed home of Donn, and thus the realm of the dead.
Tech Moling (tekh mul-ing) Monastery of St Moling in Co. Carlow, now called St Mullin’s.
Tegid Foel (teg-id voil) Husband of Ceridwen who gives his name to Llyn Tegid, now known as Bala Lake.
teinm laida [breaking open of the pith] (ten-ěm lIth-ă) A power of divination possessed by Fionn mac Cumhaill and others.
Temuir Luachra (tev-ŭr loo-ăkh-ră) Fictional residence of Munster kings, presumed in Co. Kerry.
Tethra (teth-ră) One of the most threatening of the demonic Fomorians.
Teutates (tyoo-taht-es) One of the three principal gods of ancient Gaul, according to Roman poet Lucan (first century AD), along with Taranis and Esus.
Teyrnon Twrf Lient (tir-non toorv lI-ent) King of Gwent Is Coed who raised the child Pryderi, then known as Gwri.
Thomond (thoh-mŭnd) Anglicized name for northern Munster, coextensive with the modern counties of Clare and Limerick.
Three Sorrows of Storytelling, [Trí Truagha na Sgéalaigheachta] (i) The Deirdre Story, told under two titles, Longas mac nUislenn [Exile of the Sons of Uisnech] and Oided mac nUisnig [Death of the Sons of Uisnech]; (ii) Oidheadh Chlainne Tuireann [The Tragic Story of the Children of Tuireann]; (iii) Oidheadh Chlainne Lir [The Tragic Story of the Children of Lir].
Tír Chonaill (tyeer, teer khon-al) Early kingdom coextensive with modern Co. Donegal.
Tír fo Thuinn (tyeer, teer fŭ thun) The Land Under Wave, an Irish otherworld.
Tír na mBan (tyeer, teer nă mahn) The Land of Women, an Irish otherworld.
Tír na mBéo (tyeer, teer na may-oh) The Land of the Living, an Irish otherworld.
Tír na nÓg (tyeer, teer nah nohg) The Land of Youth, an Irish otherworld.
Tír Tairngire (tyeer, teer tahrn-γir-ĭ) The Land of Promise, an Irish otherworld.
Tom Cornish giant, protagonist of the ‘Giants of Morvah’.
Tor Conaind (tor kohn-ănd) The Fomorian tower on Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal.
Tracht Esi (trakht esh-ee) Beach in Co. Louth where Connla fights Cúchulainn.
Tuan mac Cairill (also mac Stairn) (too-awn mahk kahr-ĭl; makh star-ěn) Partholonian thought to have survived to the time of St Colum Cille (sixth century) to tell the story of the invasions.
Tuatha Dé Danann (too-hă, too-ă-hŭ, too-ăth-ă day dahn-an) Race of immortals who precede the mortal Milesians in the Irish pseudo-history, Lebor Gabála Érenn.
Tuireann (tur-ĭn) King of the Tuatha Dé Danann whose three sons meet a tragic fate in one of the best-known stories in the Mythological Cycle.
Tuis A king ‘of Greece’ (tooish) Retrieving the skin of his pig is a task of the sons of Tuireann.
tunnerez noz (tun-er-ez noz) Breton name for the washer at the ford.
Twrch Trwyth (toorkh trooeth) Ferocious great boar, hunted by Culhwch.
tylwyth teg [W. fair folk] (tul-weeth teg) Name for the fairies in Welsh tradition.
Úamain (ooăv-ahn) Sídh of Connacht, home of Cáer, swan-lover of Angus Óg.
Uathach [spectre] (ooăth-ăkh) Ugly daughter of Scáthach, smitten with Cúchulainn.
uddereek (ud-ěr-eek) Alternative name for the fenodyree, a Manx fairy.
Uí Fháilghe (ee-al-γě) Leinster dynasty favouring the worship of Find, personification of wisdom.
Uí Néill (ee-nayl) Powerful, multi-branched dynasty in medieval Ireland from fifth century forward, named for assumed progenitor, Niall Noígiallach [of the Nine Hostages]. Not identical with the later O’Neills, who derive from but one branch.
Uisnech (oosh-někh) Hill thought to be the centre of Ireland where the druid Mide lit the first fire.
Ulaid (ul-ee) Historical people of early northern Ireland for whom Ulster is named.
urco (oor-koh) Fierce-looking black fairy dog of Galician tradition.
Urien Rheged (eer-ee-ěn, eer-yen, rheg-ěd) Sixth-century Welsh king eulogized by Taliesin.
Usheen Hiberno-English for Oisín.
vates (vaht-ěs, vaht-ees) Latin name for the diviners as seers of ancient Gaul, of lower status than the druids but above the bards. The word is an exact cognate of the Irish faith [prophet, seer] and a near cogna
te of the Welsh gwawd [poet].
Ventry Harbour Four miles west of Dingle, Co. Kerry, site of the Fenian epic Cath Fionntrágha.
Vindabona (vind-ă-bohn-ă) Celtic settlement along the Danube in Roman times, site of modern Vienna.
Vindonnus (vin-dohn-ŭs) The ‘fair god’ of the continental Celts.
washer at the ford Generic name for a banshee-like figure known in all Celtic traditions; her washing of bloody garments presages the death of the onlooker.
xana (var. inxana) (shahn-ă) The fairy woman responsible for changelings in Galicia and Asturias.
Ynys Afallon [ W. apple island] (un-us ă-vahll-ŏn) Welsh otherworldly island in the western ocean, a place of feasting, pleasure and perpetual youth.
Ynys Prydain (un-us pri-din) Welsh name for the Isle of Britain, implicitly the realm of the Welsh.
Youdic (yoo-dik) Dismal entrance to the infernal regions in Breton tradition.
Ys (ees) Legendary Breton city inundated by the sea.
Ysbaddaden (us-bahth-ahd-ěn) Welsh giant, father of Olwen; gives Hera-clean tasks to Culhwch.
PRONUNCIATION KEY
γ
See note on sounds not found in English, below
a as in
act, bat, marry
ă as in
ago, suitable
ah as in
father
ahr as in
arm, cart, bar
air as in
air, dare, scary
aw as in
all, walk, law
ay as in
age, veil, say
b as in
boy, habit, rib
ch as in
chin, teacher, beach
d as in
dog, ladder, head
e as in
egg, bed, metal
ě as in
taken, nickel, lawyer (the schwa vowel)
ee as in
eat, fee, tier
f as in
fat, effort, puff
g as in
get, wagon, big
gh
An aspirated g. See note on sounds not found in English, below.
h as in
hat, ahead
i as in
if, give, mirror
ĭ as in
pencil, credible
I as in
ice, eye, vine, spy
j as in
jam, magic, edge
k as in
king, token, back
kh as in
Loch Lomond, das Buch (Ger.). See note on sounds not found in English, below.
1 as in
leg, alley, tell
ll
Welsh double 1. See note on sounds not found in English, below.
m as in
me, common, him
n as in
no, manner, tan
ng as in
bring, singer, tank
o as in
odd, box, hot
ŏ as in
official, lemon, ardour
oh as in
oat, show, sew
ohr as in
board, adore, four
oi as in
oil, join, toy
oo as in
ooze, rood, too
ow as in
out, mouse, owl
p as in
pin, caper, cap
r as in
red, carry, near
rh
See note on sounds not found in English, below.
s as in
sit, lesson, nice
sh as in
she, ashen, rush
t as in
top, butter, hit
th as in
thin, method, path
th as in
this, mother, breathe
th
See note on sounds not found in English, below
u as in
up, cut, come
ŭ as in
suppose, circus, feature
uu as in
book, full, woman
v as in
van, river, give
w as in
will, awoke, quick
y as in
yes, you
z as in
zebra, lazy, tease
zh as in
vision, pleasure
Sounds Not Found in English
γ
The voiced velar fricative, similar to the more familiar unvoiced velar fricative kh with the voice added. Heard in Spanish agua.
gh
The lightly voiced velar fricative, as in German magen.
kh
The voiceless velar fricative found in many European languages, Loch Lomond, Johann Sebastian Bach, Das Buch, etc.
ll
Welsh unvoiced lateral fricative, approximately the l in antler, with more aspiration. Put the tip of the tongue behind front teeth and aspirate on the side or sides.
rh
Emphatic h sounded before and eliding with the r sound.
th
The aspirated t heard in some British pronunciations of Antony, about one third the sound of the unvoiced th.
Index
Aarne, Antti, 24
Aarne-Thompson catalogue, motif index, xxv, 24, 65, 112, 113, 166, 184, 201, 222, 233, 240, 253, 263, 268
Abaris the Hyperborean, 4
Aberystwyth, 267
Abhainn na Life, 14
Abraham, the Patriarch, 131
Acallam na Senórch, 237–9, 240
Achilles, xxvi, 229
Act of Union, Scotland and England, 290
Adonis, 18, 96, 234
Adrian IV, Pope, 49
adultery, 14, 87, 121–2, 131, 137, 156, 157–8, 166, 189, 197, 206, 215, 282–3, 289
‘ Adventure of Fergus mac Léti, The’, see Echtra Fergusa maic Léite
Aeb, 163
Aebhric, 165
Aed (son of Lir), 17, 163
Áed (son of Miodhchaoin), 155
Aed Abrat, 213
Áedán, 252
Aedui, 4
Aeneas, 192
Aericura, 40
áes sídhe, 116, 149
Aesculapius, 34, 73
Aesir, 144
Afagddu, 266
Afinidades Culturais entre Galicia e Irlanda, 303
Africa, xx, xxvi
Agallamh na Seanórch, see Acallam na Senórch
Agricola, 146
Myths and Legends of the Celts (Penguin Reference) Page 45
