The Goddess of War of the Ancient Irish

7/27/2019 The Goddess of War of the Ancient Irish

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On the Goddess of War of the Ancient IrishAuthor(s): W. M. HennessySource: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (1836-1869), Vol. 10 (1866 - 1869), pp. 421,423-440Published by: Royal Irish AcademyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20489002 .

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421whom it is Itterly the fashion inGermany to scorn and scoff t. Metaphysical knowledge is not common amongst the mcmbers of thereigning school ofGerman philologists. August Schleicher forms anhonourable exception.Schleicherwas very fond ofmusic, and himself a skilfulperformer;he also had a passion forflowers,which he cultivated in his garden, on,saysProfessorKuhn, " strictly cientificprinciples"-altogether a manofharmonious nature.It would be wrong, even in the depths of our grief, to thinkthat such a loss is irretrievable: scientificmovements do not dependupon any one individual; they depend on their own intrinsic truth,that will never fail to find hands towork. Daily and hourly thenumber ofworkers in the field of comparative philology is increasing;yet, many a day and many a yearwill pass beforeGerman philologerswill have again in theirranks one like him learned and clear,deep and elegant, bold and cautious-a distinguished scholar, and anobleman.

XLVI.-Tnn GODDESSOFWAR OF THE ANCIENT Imsu.By W. M. HENNESSY.[Read January 25, 1869.]

Tan discovery of a Gallo-Roman inscription, figured in the " RevueSavoisienne" of the 15th ofAugust, 1867, and republishedby3M. dolphePictet in the "Revue Archbologique" forJuly, forms the subject ofone of those essays from the pen of theveteran philologist forwhichthe students ofCeltic languages and archaeologycannot be sufficientlythankful.The inscription,the initial letter ofwhich has been destroyedby aninjury to the stone onwhich it is cut, readsAthubodvaceAugServilia fTerenthiaS. L. M.; or, fullyextended,Athubodva Auq[usta] Servilia Terentia [votum] s[olvit] I [ibens]m[erito].M. Pictet's essay is entitled " Sur une Deesse Gauloise de laguerre ;" and ifhe is right in his suggestion that the letterdestroyedwas a c, and it almost amounts to a certainty thathe is, and thatathubodve should be read cathubodvav,he title is not inappropriate; and inthe cathubodvaof the inscriptionwe may recognise the badb-cathaofIrishmythology.The etymology of the name athubodua, or cathubodua, as we mayventure to read it, has been examinedwith great industry yM. Pictet,who hasmanaged to compresswithin thenarrow limits ofhis essay a

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423They will not rob the nest of thisbird. Some people attribute thisto the belief that such an act would surely- e revengedby a raid on thechickens; but thosewho are well versed in folk-lore, especially in theSouth of Ireland, confess that the immunityenjoyed by the scare-crowis due to some other cause than fearforthe safetyof young chickens;and although few persons are to be met with capable of defining theactual reason, there is little doubt that the freedom frommolestation istraceable to superstitious fear inspired by theBadb in ancient times.The croaking of theBadb was considered tobe peculiarly unluckymuch more so than the croaking of a raven. In fact, not many yearsago, sturdymen who heard the scare-crowshriek in themorning wouldabandon importantprojects long fixed for the same day.Nor is this superstition c.onfined o Ireland alone. The populartales of Scotland andWales, which are simply the echo of similarstories once current, and stillnot quite extinct, in this country,coutain

frequentallusions to thismystic bird. The readers of theMabinogionwill call tomind, amongst other instances, thewonderful crow ofOwain, prince ofRheged, a contemporaryof Arthur, mentioned in thetale called the ream ofRhonabwy, which always securedvictoryby theaid of the threehundred crows under its command; and in Campbell'sPopular Tales of theWest Hlighlands we have a large stock of legends,inmost ofwhich the principal fairy agency is exercised by the hoodyor scare-crow.It may be observed, by theway, that the name hoody, formerlyapplied by theScotch to the hooded crow, or scare-crow,from tsappearance, is now generally applied to its less intelligent relative, the common carrion-crow. But the hoody ofHighland fair mythology is,nevertheless, the same as theBadb, or royston-crow.I have referred oNeman, Macha, andZiorrigu, as theso- alled sistersof theBadb. Properly speaking,however, thenatneBadb would seehmohave been thedistinctive titleof themythological beings supposed toruleover battle and carnage. M. Pictet feelsa difficultyndecidingwhetherthere were three such beings, or whether Neman, 7Macha,ndMorriu, are only differentnames of the same goddess; but aftercarefulexamination of the subject, I am inclined to believe that these namesrepresentthreedifferent haracters, the attributes ofNeman being likethose ofEros, who confoundedher victimswith madness, whilst AHorrigu incited to deeds ofvalour, orplanned strife nd battle, andAfacharevelled amidst thebodies of the slain.The task of elucidating themythological character of these fairyqueens has not been renderedeasier by the labours of the etymologists,fromCormac toO'Davoran. Thus, in Cormac's Glossary,Nemann issaid to have been thewife ofNeit, " thegod of battle with the paganGaeidhel" In the battle ofMagh-Rath (O'Donovan's ed., p. 241)she is called Be nith-gubhach eid, " the battle-terrific e-Neid," or" wife of 1Veid." In an IrishMS. in Trin. Coll. Dublin, class H. 3, 18,p. 73, coL 1, Neit is explained "guin duine .i.gaisced; dia catha.1. x. A. PROC.- VOL. x. 3 L



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424Nenon a ben,ut est Be Neid ;" i. e. "man-wounding; valour; god ofbattle. Nemon rwas] his wife; ut est Be Neid." A poem in the Bookof Leinster, fol. 6, a 2, couples Badb andNemann as thewives ofNeidorNeit.

IVeitmac Indul sa di mnai,Badb ocise emaind cengoiRo mar/tha inAiliuch een il,La Neptuir d'Fhomorchaibh."Neit son of Indu, and his twowives,Badb andNemann, truly,Were slain inAilech, without blemish,By Neptur of theFomorians."

At folio 5, a 2, of the sameMS., Fea andNemann are said to havebeenNeit's two wives; and if ea representsBadb, we have a goodnotion of the idea entertained of her character, forCormac states thatFea meant " everythingmost hateful."But in the poem on Aileeh printed from theDinneenChns, in the"Ordnance Memoir of Templemore" (p. 226), Nemand only is mentioned as thewife ofNeit, fromwhom Ailech was calledAilech-Neit;and it is added that she was brought from regia, orMeath; in otherwords, probably, was one of the fairies of theBrugh.In other authorities, however, AJorrigu s said to have been Neit'swife. For instance, in the very ancient tale called [ochmarcEmhire,orCourtship of Emir, fragments of which are preserved in Lebar nah lAd/hre,nd theBook of Fermoy,Morrigu is described as IIan badbcatha, Ocs isfria id/beriuree Neid, i. e. bandea in cathae, uair i8 nanNeid cone dia catha;" i. e. " the badb of battle; and of her is saidBe Neid, i. e. goddess ofbattle, forNeid is the same as god ofbattle."A gloss in theLebar Buidhe Lecain explains Macha as "b adb, no asian tree &forr(yan;mesrad mach/i, .i. cenda& omrtear na nairleeh ; i. e." a scald-crow; or she is the thirdMor-rigan (great queen); Macha'smast-feeding, i. e. theheads ofmen thathave been slaughtered." Thesame explanation, a little amplified, is also given in theMS. H. 3, 18,Trin. Coil., Dublin (p. 82, col. 2), where the name Badb iswrittenBod/b, and it is added thatBod/b,Macha andMorrigan were the threeiforrigna. In the same glossary, under the word beneit,we have thefurther explanation :-" Neit nomen viri, Nemhon a ben; ba neimnechin lanomium;be ben i.e. in bad/bh,ocusnetcath; ocus olca diblinuib; indedicitur beneit ort " i. e. " Neit nomen viri; Nemhon was his woman(wife); venomous were the pair; bewas thewoman, i. e. the bad/bh,and net is battle; and both were evil; inde dicitur beneitfort ( evilupon thee')." Another gloss in the same collection, on the wordgudomain,bears on thesubject under consideration. It is as followsGudomain, .i. fenndga no bansigaid/e; ut est glaidhomuin gda, .i. nadenmuinoacia, namorrigna; no go eonac/i emain iat na bansigaide, goconnachdemain sifrinn at acht demain aeoir na fendoga; no eamnait



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425anglaedha no sinnaigh,ocus eamnaita ngothana fendoga, . e. "g udoma n,i. e. scald-crows, or fairy women; ut est gladhomuin gda, the falsedemons, themor-rigna; or it is false that thebansigaidhe arenot demons;it is false thatthefendoqa (scald-crows) are not hellish but airy demons:the foxes double their cries, but thefennogadouble their sounds." Tounderstand this curious gloss it is necessary to add that in a previousone theword glaidomuin is explained as signifyingsinnaig, ormaic tire(foxes orwolves), because inbarking theydouble the sound; glaidomuinbeing understood by theglossarist as glaid-emnain,. e. "'double call,"from laid, call," andemain, "double; " while the crow only doublesthe sound, guth-emain,"d ouble sound."Let us take leave of these etymological quibbles, and examine thehistorical character of thebadb, as pourtrayed in thematerials still remaining to us.As mostly all the supernatural beings alluded to in Irish fairy loreare referred to theTuatha-de-Danaans, the older copies of the LebarGabhala, or " Book ofOccupation," thatpreserved in the " Book ofLeinster," for instance, specifies adb, Macka, andAnand, orAna (fromthelatter of whom are named-themountains called da eichAnand, or thePaps, in Kerry), as the daughters ofErnmas, one of the chiefs of thatmythical colony. Badb ocusMacha oeu4s nand, diatat ciehiAnand ilLuachzair, tri ingena rnbais, na ban tuathige; "Badb, andMacha, andAnand, fromwhom the 'paps ofAnand ' in Lu achair are [called], thethree daughters ofErnbas, the sinisterwomen."- In an accompanyingversification of.the same statement the name ofAna, however, is represented by that ofMorrigu orMorrigan

"Badb isMacha met indbdisfMorriganotla felbdis,Indlema ind aga ernbais,Ingena ana Ernmais."t'Badb andMacha, rich the store,Morrigan who dispenisesvalour,Compassers of death by the sword,,Noble daughters ofErnmas."

It is important to observe thatMorrigan is here identifiedwithAnand, orAina (forAnand is thegen. form); and inCormac's GlossaryAna is described as "hMater deorumHibernensium; robu maith dinrosbiathadsi va dee (de cujus nomine da cich Anainne iar Luachairnominanturut fertur "' i. e., "Mater deorumHibernensium ;" well sheused to nourish thegods (de cuj'us nomine the ' two paps ofAna ' inwest Luachair are named."). Under theword Buanand the statementis more briefly repeated. The historian Keating enumeratesBadb,

* " Book of Leinster," fol. 5, a 2. t Ib., fol. 5, b 2.



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42 6Macha, and Morrigan as the three goddesses of the Tuatha-de-Danaans; but he is silent as totheir ttributes. It would seem, however,that he understoodBadb to be thepropername of one fairy,and not atitle forthegreat fairyqueens.In the Irish tales ofwar and battle, theBadb is always representedas foreshadowing, by its cries, the extent of the carnage about to takeplace on the death of some eminent personage. Thus in the ancientbattle-story,called Bruidhen Da Choga, the impendingdeath of CormacCondloinges, the son of ConorMao Nesa, isforetold n thesewords:

"Badb beldery airfidfox tech;Bo collain bet coairtech.""The red-mouthedbadbwill cry around thehouse,For bodies itwill be solicitous."And again "@re cfaidit badba banc."

"Pale badb8 shafl shriek."And further nwe read

"'Ardo&iibe badb bronach i mnarbthanamclitmbruigeMacha no inDagda."In the very ancient tale ca}led TochmarcFeirbe, or the " CourtshipofFerb," a large fragment fwhich ispreserved in the " Book ofLeinster," theDruid Ollgaeth, prophesying the death ofMani, the sonofQueen Medbh, through the treachery ofKing Conor Mac Nessa,

says "Brisqfid badb,Bid brig borbTolg forMedb,liar ichtAr for sliagTrikag ndeilim."Badb will break;Fierce power will beHurled atMedbh;Many deedsSlaughter upon thehost

Alas! theuproar.""Boqk ofLeinster," fol. 189 b 1.In the account of the battle of Cnucha (or Castleknock, nearDublin), celebrated as thebattle inwhich thefather fFinnMac Cumhaill is said to have perished, theDruid Cunallis, foretelling theslaughter, says:-" Biadh badhba os bruinnibh na bfear." "Badbhswill be over thebreasts of themen."



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427In the description of the battle ofMagh-Tuiredh, it is stated thatjust as the great conflict was about to begin, the " badbs, and bled

lochtana,and idiots shouted so that theywere heard in clefts, and incascades, and in the cavities of the earth;" "Iro gai6rsedbadba ocs bledlochana ocus amaite, go clos nailaib, owus nesaib, ocus a fothollaib intalman." lS. Trin. Coil. Dublin, ff. 2, 17, fol. 97, a.In the battle of MIagh-Rath it is the " grey-hairedMiorrigu"(scald-crow) that shouts victory over thehead ofDomhnall, son ofAinmire, as Dubhdiadh sings (O'Donovan's ed., p. 198)

"Fuil os a ch/nd g eigmighCailleeh loi, luath ag leimnig;Os cennaiba narm sa sYciath,Is i inMorigu mnongliath."Over his head is shriekingA lean hag, quickly hoppingOver thepoints of theirweapons and shieldsShe is the grey-hairedMorrigu."But in the enumeration of the birds and demons that assembled togloat over the slaughter about to ensue from he clash of the combatantsat the battle ofClontarf, the badb is assigned the first lace. The description s truly terrible, nd affords painful picture of thepopular superstition f the time. "-Roerig, m,badbdiscir, dian, denmnetach,asachtach, dikr, uabsech,deteengtach,ruaid, croda, cosaitech,cO bai ic screchad

ar luamain o8 a cennaib. lRo irgetar an bananaig ocs boccanaig ocwsgeliti glinni ocus amati adgaill, ocns d/iabra, cos seneoin, ocus demnaadiilti aecir ocufirmaminti, ons siabareluag debil demnach, combatara Comgresae/tt8s i commorad ig oeus irgaili leo.""1 here arose a wild, impetuous, precipitate, mad, inexorable,furious,dark, lacerating,merciless, cdmbative, contentious badb,whichwas shrieking and flutteringover theirheads. And there arose alsothe satyrs, and sprites, and themaniacs of thevalley, and thewitches,and goblins, and owls, and destroyingdemons of the air and firmament,and thedemoniac phantomhost: and theywere incitingand sustainingvalour and battlewith them."-" Cogadis Gaid/el reGallaibh," Todd'sed., p. 174.So also in the account of the battle foughtbetween themen ofLeinster and Ossory, in the year 870, contained in theBrussels"Fragments of Irish Annals," the appearance of the badb is followedby a great massacre:--" As mdr trn n toirm cas an fothrom aoi eturiraan ueai sin, ocae ra togaibkbad/bh enn eturra, ocae baoi marbhadhmdret-rra san can ;" i. e. "cgreat indeedwas the din and tumult thatprevailed between themat this time,and badbhappeared among them,andtherewas a greatmassacre between them to and fro."



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428But theBadbs could do more than scregmand flutter. Thus- weread in the firstbattle ofMaggh-Tuiredh, thatwhen the Tuatha-de

Danaan had remnoved o the fastnesses ofConnacht, to Sliabh-Belgadain, orCenn-Duibh-Slebhe, Badb, Mfacha, andMorrigu exerted theirmagical powers to keep the Firbolgs in ignorance of thewestwardmovement. The text is from . 2. 17, T. C. D., p. 93, col. 2. " Isannsin do cJtuaidhadhbh ocusMfacha oGUSorrighu gu enocgabala tiangiall, ocnsgu tulaig techtairecatana tromluag, guTemraig, ocus doferadar cetha dolfe draigechta,ocus cithnela cotaigeckaciash, ocus frasatromaidhbeened, ocus dortaddontfala do shiltin asin aeor i cennaib 7tacurad, ocus ntir legset scarad na scatled do feraibBoig eo cenn tri laocms ri naidehe." " Then, BBadb,andMaeha, andMorrigu went to thehill of hostage-taking, the tulach which heavy hosts frequented, toTemhair (Tara), and they shed druidically-formed showers, and fogsustaining cloud-showers,andpoured down fromtheair, about theheadsof thewarriors, enormousmasses of fire, nd streams of redblood; andtheydid not permit theFirbolgs to scatteror separate for the space ofthreedays and threeniights." It is stated,however, that theFirbo]gdruids ultimately overcame the sorcery.We are not told in what formtheyfulfilled theirmission, whetherin the shape ofwomen or under theguise of crows-most probably thclatter. The comparativemythologistwill findhere a curious correspondence between some of the attributesof theCeltic badb and thoseof theValkyria ofGerman Romance.And in thebattle ofMiagh-Tuiredh they are represented as assisting theTuatha-de-Danaans. Thus, in the account of oneday's conflictwe read-" Is kid taisigro ergedarreTuathaib de Danan isin to in .s.Ogma ocusMlidir ocues odb derg ocusDianchecht, oeosAengaba na h/ir.uaithe. Bachmaitne lib, ar na ingena i.Badb eOs8Macha, ocusAloriganocusDanaan ;" i. e. " The chieftainswho assisted theTutha-de-Danaanson thatdaywere Ogma, andMidir, and Bodb Derg, andDiancecht, andAengabha ofNorway. 'We will go with you,' said the daughters,viz., Badb, andMacha, andMorri/an, andDanan (orAnann)." H. 2.17, p. 95, col. 2.They are also reported as having taken part in the last battle ofMagh-Tuiredh, i. e. the battle of theNorthernMagh-Tuiredh, orMaghTuiredh of theFomorians, where Nuada of the Silver Hand, and theBardbMacha, are stated to have fallenby the band ofBalar Bailebemnech, orBalar theStout-striking."Nuado Anrgatlam tra do rochair i cath dedenach aighe Tniredh,ocusMacha ingen rnmais, do ta/malair batcbemnig."-" Book ofLeinster," fol. 5, a 2.Another instance of thewarlike prowess of thesefairies s related ina curious mythological tract preserved in theBooks ofLismore andFermoy. I referto theHallow-eve dialogue between the fairyRothniab and Finghen Mac Luchta, in which the fairy enumerates theseveralmystical virtues attaching to that pagan festival, and amongstothers the following, referringto an incidentarising from the battle of



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429the Northern Magh-Tuiredh, or "Magh-Tuiredh of theFomorians.""Ocu8 cidh buadh aile for Fingen. Ni ansam, for in ben. Ata anncethrar atrullaiset rnaTuathaib deDanann a cathMuigi tuiredh, corrabatar oc coll etha ocus blechta ocus messa ocusmurthorad, .i.fer di baslemnaib lfaigiItha.i. Redg aainmsidi;fer dib a slib Smdil .i. Cronu aainmeside; er aile a ndromanaib reg .i.Brea a ainm; fer aile dib hicrichaib Cruachna .i. Tinel a ain?mside Indochtro8ruithe'a hErinn .i.inMorrigan ocusBadb sideFemin, oci8MidinrBrig leoth,ocusMac inddc, cona bethfoglaiFonWdrforhErinn eu brath/."" IAnd what othervirtue?' asked Finghen. 'Not difficult o tell,'said thewoman. There were fourpersonswho fledbeforetheTuathade-Danaanis from hebattle ofMagh-Tuiredh, so that theywere ruiningcorn, and milk, and fruit crops, and sea produce; viz., one of themin Slemna-Maighe-Itha, whose name was Redg; one ofthem in SliabhSmoil, whose name was Grenu; anotherman of them inDromannaBregh, whose name was Brea; and another of them in the territories fCruachan, whose name was Tinel. This night [i. e. on a similar night]they were expelled from Eriu by theMorrigan, and the Badb ofSidh-Femhin, and byMidir of Brigh-leith, andMac-ind-oig, so thatFomorian depredators should never more be overEriu."-" Book ofFermoy," 24, b 2.In thegrand old Irish epic of theTain Bo Cuailnge theBadb playsa very important part. Nemand confounds armies, so that friendlybands fall inmutual slaughter; whilst Macha is pictured as a furythat riotsand revels among the slain. BLutcertainly thegrandest figure'is thatofJforriqan,whose presence intensifiesthehero, nerves his armforthe cast, and guides the ourse of theunerring lance. ALs in this epicthe first lace invalour and prowess is given toCuchullain, theHectorof theGaeidhel, it isnatural toexpect that he should be representedasthe special favourite of the supernaturalpowers. And so it is: we aretold that theTuatha-de-Danaan endowed himwith great attributes. Inthat passage of theTain where Cuchullain is described as jumping intohis chariot to proceed to fightFirdia Mac Demain, the narrative says(" Book of Leinster," fol.67, b2)-" ra gairestar immeboccanaig, ocusbandnaig, ocusgeniti glinni, ocns l)emna aeoir, daig da bertisTuathadoe anann a ngyaciud imneisium ombadmo'ti a grain, ocus a ecla, ocusa uruad, ocus a uriaman in eachcathocus incachcathrdi, incash comlundocns in cach contrue teiged " " the satyrs, nd sprites,andmaniacs of thevalleys, and demons of the air shouted about him, for theTuatha-deDanaan were wont to impart their alour tohim in order thathemightbemore feared,more dreaded,more savage,more terrible, neverybattle,ineverybattle-field, in every combat and conflict ntowhich he went."So, when the forces ofQueen Medbh arrive atMagh-Tregha, in thepresent county of Longford, on theway to Cuailnge, Nemand appearsamongst them."lDosfobair tra indNemain .i. in badb lasodain, ocusnipsisin adaig bd samam doib la budris infathaig .i.Dubthaig, triana chotlud.Foseordat inna buidnefoJeddir, cusfocherd irnamor dint sbSgh onluidllfedbh ia choss." "1Then theXemann, i. e. theBadb, attacked them,



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430and that was not themost comfortable night with them, from theuproar of the giant, i. e.Dabtach, through his sleep. The bands wereimmediately startled, and the army confounded, untilMedbh went tocheek the confusion."-Lebar na hUidhre, foi. 46, a. 1.And inanotherpassage, in the episode called BreslechMaighe .Muirthemhne, here a terribledescription is given of Cuchullain's fury tseeing the hostile armies of the south and west encampedwithin theborders ofUladh, we are told (" Book ofLeinster," foL 54, a 2, andb 1):IIAtohonnairo 8eom uad gristaitnen na narm nyganorda 08Mhindehetrinoll choiced nErend refuiniudnell na nona. Do fainig ferg ozesluinnimor icanaisoin re ilar a bidbad, re immad a namad. Rogab a askhiig, em a sciath,ocusa chtaideb. Crothais a sciath, ozes oresagis askleya,oczes ertnaigis chlaidem,oozs do bertremcrad as a bragit cororeoratarbananaig ocusboecanaig, 8s genitiglinni, 0o8 demnaaeoir, reuathgrain na gare dosbertatar an aird, co ro nesc indNeamain, .i. inbadb fonsint slog. Dollotar in armgrithcethri ohoicedkErend imrennaiba sleg Oozes narmfadessin,conerbaltatar ed laech ibd'zeatbau ooes okrAdemnas en ar in dunaidcooes in lonyphoirtnnaidchisin."'

"He saw fromhim the ardent sparkling of the bright goldenweapons over theheads of the fourgreat provinces ofEriu, beforethe fallof the cloud of evening. Great fury and indignation seized him onseeing them, at the number of his opponents and themultitude of hisenemies. Ee seized his two spears, and his shield and his sword Ileshook his shield, balanced his spears, and brandished his sword, anduttered fromhis throat awarrior's shout, so that sprites, and satyrs,and maniacs of the valley, and demons of the air responded, terrorstricken y the shoutwhich he had raisedonhigh. And theNemann, . e.theBadb, confused the army; and the four provinces ofEriu dashedthemselvesagainst thepoints of theirown spears andweapons, so thatone hundredwarriors died of fearand trembling in the middle of thefort nd encampmentthatnight."Of the effects f thisfear inspired by theBadb was the gettaeht rlunacy, which, according to the popular notion, affected the bodyno less than themind, and, in fact,made them so light that they flewthroughthe air like birds. A curious illustrationof this idea is affordedby thehistory of Suibhne, son of Colman Cuar, king of DalAraidhe, who became panic-stricken at thebattle ofMagh-Rath, andperformed extraordinary feats of agilty. Another remarkable instancewill be found in theFenian Romance called Cath-Finntragha (battleofVentryHarbour), where Bolcan, a king ofFrance, is stated tohavebeen seized with geltacht at the sight ofOscur, son ofOisin, so thathejumped into the air, alighting in the beautiful valley called Glenn-nangealt (or " the glen of theLunatics"), twentymiles to the east ofVentry Harbour, whither, in the opinion of the past generation, allthe lunatics of the countrywould go, ifunrestrained, to feedon thecure-impartingherbs thatgrow there.



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431Again, in thebattle ofAlmha (or theHill ofAllen, near Kildare),foughtin the year 722, between Murchadh, king of Leinster, and

Ferghal, monarch of Eriu, where "' the red-mouthed, sharp-beakedbadbcroaked over thehead of Ferghal" (" ro lao badb beldergbiorachiolachurm enn ergale"), we are told that nine persons became thusaffected. The Four Masters (A. D. 718) represent them as "fleeingin panic and lunacy" (do lotar hi faindeal ocuS i ngealtacht). Otherannalists describe them in similar terms. Mageoghegan, in his translationof the "iAnnals ofClonmacnoise," says " theyflyed n the air asif theywere winged fowle." O'Donovan (in notes to the entries in hiseditionof theFour Masters, and Fragments ofAnnals) chargesMageogheganwith misrepresenting thepopular idea; but Mageoghegan represented it correctly.A further tatementin the same battle ofVentryHarbour furnishesadditional evidence as to the currencyof this notion. The writer assertsthat all wondered how those who saw the landing of the invaders'army,and heard their shouts, could avoid goingwith thewind andwithgeltacht (lunacy).In the Chron. Scotorum the panic-stricken at the battle ofAllenare called "volatiles," or gealta. May we not seek, in this vulgarnotion, theorigin of theword "1flighty," s applied to persons of eccentricmind ?But although, aswe have seen, the assistance given toCuchullainby the Nentan was both frequent and important, the interventionof .Morr(qan nhis behalf ismore constant. Nay, he appears to be theobject of her special care. She is representedas meeting him sometimes in the formof awoman, but generally in the shape of a birdmost probably a crow. Although apparentlyhis tutelary goddess, the)lforrigan eems to have beenmade the instrument, hrough thedecreeof a cruel fate,of his premature death. The way was thus:In the hills of Cuailnge, near the Fews Mouintains, dwelt afamousbull, called theDonn Cuailnge (or Brown [bull] of Cuailuge),a beast so huge that thrice fiftyyouths disported themselves on hisback together. A certain fairy, living in the cave of Cruachan, inthe county ofRoscommon, had a cow, which she bestowed on hermortal husband Nera, and which theHlorrigancarried offto the greatDonn Cuailnge, and thecalf that issued fromthis intimacywas fatedtobe the cause of theTain boCuailnge. The event is told in the talecalled Tain Be Aingen, one of the prefatorystories to the great epic,which speaks thus of theMorrigan. " Berid inAliorrigan arunzbois amic siumcen bai seom na cotlad, condarodart inDonn Cuai4qne tair iCuailgne. Do thaet cona bo6n oridise anair. Nostaertend Cuctdlain iMay ffurthemne c tuiechttairis, ar ba do gosaibConculaind ce teitbanas a thirmanib urdairc les.Da thairtheCucullain in AMorrigan ona boin, ocus isbert i berthar innimerce, ol Cuchullain," i. e. " The Morrigan afterwardscarried offhis[Nera's] son's cow whilst he was asleep, so that theDonn Cuailnge

R. 1. A. PROC.-VOL. X. 3 X



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432consortedwith her in the east inCuailnge. She went westwards againwith thecow. Cuchallain met them nMagh Muilrthemhne traversing t;for itwas ofCuchullain's gesa that even a woman should leave histerritory nless he wished.Cuchullain overtook theMorrzgan, and he said, 'The cow shall notbe carriedoff." But theMorrigan, whom Cuchullain probably did notrecognise in the form f a woman, succeeds in restoringthe cow toherowner.All thewhile, however,Morrigan seems towatch over the interestsof theUltonians. Thus when, after the death ofLethan at thehandsofCuchullain, Medbh endeavoured, by a rapid and boldmovement, tosurroundand take possession of theDonn Cuailgne, we findMorrigan,orMorrigu, acquainting theDonn Cuailgne with the danger of hisposition, and advising him to retire into the impenetrablefastnessesoftheFews

" Is he in la cetdza anic inDond Czalinge coerichMargin, ocus coicasamseisce immi; is e in la cetna taniAtinorrigu, ingen rnmnais sedaib[in deilb euin] comboi or in chorthi emtair hua/nge c brith rabuiddonlDundChuaangeria feral/b Erend, ocus rogabat a acallain, OtUSmnaith,a thruaig, duind Cuailnge ar inJiorrigy,deni fatchinsdaig ardotrosetfirh/Erenn, cusnot beratdochtum longphoirtmanl denafaitchis; octurogab ic breith rabeid do samlaid, oCItsdosbertna briathra sa ar aird.."" It was on thatveryday the onn Cuailnge came toCrich-IMargin, ndfifty eifers about him. It was the same day ullorrlgn,thedaughter ofEr-nmas,from heSidhe, came [in the form fabird-Iebor na hUldhre],and perched on the pillar stone inTemair ofCuailnge, giving notice totheDonn Cuailnge before themen ofEriu; and she proceeded to speaktohim, and said, 'Well, thoupoor thing, thouDonn Cuailnge; takecare, forthemen ofEriu are approaching thee, and theywill take theeto their fortress if thou dost not watch.' Arnd shewerntonwarningbim in thiswise, and uttered thesewords aloud." . . . . [Herefolows a shortpoem to the same effect]. " Book ofLeinster," fol. 50,a 1.Immediately afterthe foregoing ncident, thenarrative,as preservedin ILeborna iUidhre, represents uchullain andXorrigan as playing atcross purposes. I have suggested thatCuchullain did not appear torecognise theMlorriganwhen he met her in the form of a womanin the scene quoted from theTain Be Aingen. He seems similarlyignorant of her identity on other occasions, when she is said to havepresentedherself beforehim in female shape. Let us take, for xample,the episode entitled " Inacalleirn na Mborignefri Coincullain" Dialogue of theMoryigen with Cuchullain," which precedeshis fightwith Loch, son ofErnonis." Conacee Cu I.nnotoebntaci conetuch.aci dat/ta mpe, ocus delb roderscaigthefm/irri. Ce teaslhor Cu. IngenBuain ind rig, or si; dodeochadh ctuchutse; rotcharus ar thairscelaib,ocus tucu8smzo seotu lUn,octsmomndi7i. iV malth, cm, ind inb/id fltonnanac,ach is olet n n//ath



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488oitumorti. NVt aurusa danisa dan acomrcari banscail ceinnombeo sindnith so. Bid ia chobairsedaiesin .i. do gensa conguons tall) oc suden.Ni ar thoinmna dana gabussa ingso.Bi ansa daitsin or s5, in tan doragsa ar do chend oc comnracris na finru; doraysa irrichtescongan otchossczaibssind althco taithis. Dochk lim,on, oldas ingenrig; notgebsa,or se, ins adair comntebsalt'asnai, ocus bia fond anirnsin coro sechabratbbennachtan fort. Thmorcsa in cethri forsind ath do dochnmsa irrickt soideglaisse. Leitfesa cloichdaitsin as in tailm cocomrart do suil tt eindt, cusbia fond anita co ro secha bratl bennac/tIan ort. lTo rach dait irrichtsamaiscei aile derceriasind eit, cotnensatorsna tathn,ocus fors na hathn,ocusfors na linnin, cusnimaircechasaar do chend.Tolecubsa cloichdeitSiot,or se, commemadofergarafot, ocus bia fo ind anim s/hco ro sechtabrathi ennachtan ort. Lasodain teitnaed."

" Cu saw theyoungwoman dressed ingarments of every liue, andofmost distinguished form, pproaching him. 'Who art thou?' askedCu. 'The daughter ofKing Buan,' said she; ' I have come to thee;I have loved thee for thy renown, and have broughtwith me my jewelsandmy cattle.' 'Not good is the time thouhast come,' said he. ' tis not easy forme to associatewith a woman whilst I may be engagedin this conflict. II shall be of assistance to thee therein,' replied she.'Not by woman's aid have I assumed my place here,' responded Cuchullain. ' t will be hard forthee,' said she, 'when I go againsttheewhilst encounteringmen. I will go in the formofan eel underthyfeet in the ford, so that thou shalt fall.' 'More likely, indeed,than a king's daughter; but I will grasp theebetween my fingers,'said he, 'so thatthyribs shall break, and thou shalt endure thatblemishfor ver.' ' will collect the cattle upon the ford towards thee, inthe shape of a river-hound,' said she. 'I will hurl a stone at theefrom the sling,' said he, 'which will break thine eye in thyhead; andthou shalt be under that blemish forever.' ' I will go against thee inthe form f a redhornless heiferbefore the herd, and they shall defilethepools, and fords, nd linns, and thou shalt not find wre eforethee.'' I will flinga stone at thee,' said he, 'which will break thy leg underthee; and thou shalt be under that blemish for ever.' With that shedeparted fromhim."In some MISS. (the Yellow Book of Lecan, for example) thedialogue just read formsthe principal feature in a romantic tale calledTain Bo Regamhna, which, like the TaimiBe Aingen, is one of theprefatory tories to the greatCattle Spoil. Like theTain Be Aingen,also, it introduces the forrigan n the character of a messenger oftheFate that had decreed the death of Cuchullain when the issue oftheDonn Cuailnge and theConnacht cow should have attained a certainage. But theTain Bo Regamhna is further mportant as connectingtheHorriganwith Cuchullain, in therelation ofhis protector.The tale,which is too longtoquote inextenso, epresents uchullain as onemorningmeeting the Jiorrigan in the form f a red-hairedwoman, driving acow through the plain ofMfilurthemne,s related inTain Be Aingen.



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434Cuchullain, in his quality of guardian of the borderdistrict, tries topreventher from roceeding; and after great deal ofargument,duringwhich Cuchullain seems not to know his opponent, thewoman andcow disappear, and Cuchullain observes birds on a tree, the badb andher cow, apparently. Cuchullain, as soon as he becomes aware that hehad been contendingwith a supernatural being, confident n his ownmight, boasts that, ifhe had known the character of his opponent, theywould nothave separatedas theydid; whereupon thefollowingexchangeof sentiments takesplace:

-Cid andarignisiu, ol si, rodbia otcde. Ni cuma dam olCuchullain.Cumcim eicinol tnben; is ac [do] diten do baissiu, atusa ocus biad, olsi.Do fecus in nmboinsea sithCruachka, condarodart in Dub Cuailnge12m Cuailnge .i. tarb airi mic Fiachna. Ised aired biasu imbeathaidcorop dartaig in laeghfib imbroindna bo so, ocus ise consoithbe lainBoCuailbuge."" IWhat hast thou done ? ' asked she; 'evil will ensue to theetherefrom.' ' I care not,' said Cuchullain. 'But I do,' said thewoman (i. e. thebird or badb); it is protecting thee I was, am, andwillbe,' said she. 'I brought this cow fromSidh-Cruachna, so that theDubh Cuailnge, i. e. Daire Mac Fiachna's bull, met her inCuailnge.The length of time you have to live is until the calf that is in thiscow's body will be a yearling ; and it is it that shall lead tothe Tain Bo Cuailnge.'" Lebor Buid/heLecain, col. 648. Then the3eorr ganthreatens to act toCuchullain in theway detailed in the dialogue qQoted in page 433; and, as the tale concludes, "'the badbafterwardsgoes away" (" luid ass inbhadbarum").

The leorrigan uts her threats into execution during Cachullain'sfightwith Loch, son of Enonis. The narrative inLebor na hUid/redescribes theencounter in the followingmanner:"0 ro chomraicset iarom indfir for sind ath, ocus o rogabsat ocgliaid ocus oc imesorcain nd, ocus o rogab cach dib for truastad chilifocheird in escongontriol .i. tricuru) imchossa Conculaind comnboifaenfotarsnu isind ath ina liqu. Danautat (.. buailis) Loch cosin chlaidiubcombu chrodetg intathdia fuilriud . . . . Lasodain atraig, ocusbenaid in nescongain come/dIatar hasnai indi, ocus comboing n cethiridars na slt'aga sair ar ecin, combertatar a puple innan adarcaib lasatoreandolessarigeinsat in da lathgaile isind ath. Tanautat som ind sodmactir-e o imairgno bui air siar. Lecid somcloich s a tailm omebaid

a suil ina cind. Tjite irricht amaiscema'ile dergemuitte rias na buaibforsna linniocus na hathu. Is and asbert som ni airciu (.i. nti rochim)oathu lo linni. Leicidsom cloichdont samaiscemail duirgcomemaid,gergaraoi." Lebor na hUid/re, fol. 37, a. 1."When themen met afterwards in the ford,and when they commenced fighting, ndmutually contending, andwhen each man beganto strike the other, the escongon (eel) made a triple twist round



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43aCuchullain's legs, so that he was lyingdown prostrate across in theford. Loch struck him with his sword, and the fordwas gory-redfromhis blood. . . . Thereupon he arose and struck the eel, sothat her ribs broke in her. And the cattle rushed violently past thehost, eastwards, carrying the tents on theirhorns, at the soundmadeby the twowarriors in the ford. He (Cuchullain) drove to the westthewolf-hound that collected the cows against him; and cast a stoneout ofhis sling at it,which broke its eye in its head. Then she (Morrigan)went in the shape of a hornless red heifer, and advanced beforethe cows into the linns and fords; when he said-' I see not the fordswith thepools.' He cast a stone at the red hornless heifer, and brokeher leg." It is added that "it was then truly that Cuchullain did totheMforrigacn he three thingswhich he had promised her in theTainBo Regamna;" (is andsin trado teni ucullainnfirisinAtorrigaina trededo rairngert i hi tain boRegamna).

The next meeting between Cuchullain and the badbMorrigan isvery curious. It is thus related in the Book of Leinster (fol. 54,a 2.)_Andsfn tanic inM6rrigan ingen rnmais a sidaib irricht entainnecorrabi ic bleguboI tri sinena fiadnaisse. Is imrnTiainic si sin ar bithaforithene Choinchullaind; daig ni gonad Cuchnllainn nech ara tern6adcombethuit do6fiin na legus. ConattechCuchullain blegon uirri iarnadechraddittaid. Do brethasiblegonsini d6. Rop slaina neirm arnsafo.Ba sca'n lethrosc a rigna. Conattech somblegon cnifuir-i, do brethsido, ineimr-op lahn ntzmoridnacht. Conaittecht sorn n tresndiq, ocusdobrethasibleon sinedo. Bendacht die ocucs ndee forta ingen (batare a ndee int aes cumachta, ocus andee intaes trebaire); ocus ba slantndrigan.'"Then the 3lorrigan, daughter ofErnmas, came from the Sidhe,in the form f an oldwoman, and was milking a three-teated ow inhispresence. The reasonshe came was, inorder tobehelped byCuchullain;for o onewhomCuchullain wounded could recoverunilesshe himselfhadsome share in the cure. Cuchullain asked her formilk, being troubledwi t thirst. She gave him themilk of one teat. 'May I be safefrompois n therefor.' The queen's eyewas cured. He asked her again forthemilk of a teat. She gave it tohim. 'May thegiver be safe frompoison.' He asked forthe thirddrink, and she gave him the milk ofa teat. 'The blessing of gods andmen be on thee,woman' (thepeopleofpowerwere their gods, and thewise people were their andee-nondivine); and thequeen was cured."When the time approached in which Cuchullain should succumbtothe decree of fate, as previously announced to him byMorrigan, theimpendingloss of her favouritehero appears to have affected erwithsorrow. The night before the fatalday onwhich his head and spoilswere borne off n triumphby Ere Mac Cairpre, Morrigan, we are told,disarrangedhis chariot, to delay his departure for the fatedmeeting.Thus we read in the "Aided Conchullainn," or " Tragedy ofCuchullain," contained in the Book of Leinster (fol. 77, a 1), that



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436when he approached his horse, theLiath Macha, in the lastmorning ofhis existence, this faithful companion of hismany victories "sthriceturnedhis left side" towardshismaster, as an augury of thedoom sosoon to await him; and he found that " theMorrigan had broken thechariot thenight previous, forshe likednot thatCuchulain should goto the battle, as she knew that he would not again reach EmainMacha."Teite Cuchullainn adochum [in LeithMacha], oew ro impa int echa chlefrissfothri, ocus roscail inMorrigan in carpat issind aidechi emi,ar nir bo ail le a dul Coneulainn dochum in chatha,ar rofitir oco riefadErnain AMacha frithis."

Then follows a curious poetical dialogue between Cuchullain andtheLiath Macha, or " grey horse ofMacha," when the formerremiindshis steed of the timewhen the badb accompanied them in theirmartialfeatsatEmain Macha, or Emania.The grief of the Liath Macha and the arts ofMorrigan were ofnoavail; Cuchullain would go to the fieldofbattle, impelled by theunseen powerwhich ruledhis destiny. But beforehe approaches the foehe meets with three female idiots, blind of the left eye, cooking acharmed dog on spits made of the rowan tree-creat-ures of hatefulaspect andwicked purpose.In theold battle-piece called Bruid/hin-da-choga hese " ban-tuathcaecha," orwomen blind of the lefteye, are introduced smessengers offate; and in the still older, and most ancient tract, called BrutdhinDaderga, where the agent is aman, similarly blind,he is said tobe theemissary of Bodb Derg, son of theDagda, the great fairy chief ofMunster, whose name seems cognatewith that of badb (genit. haidb),and forms ts genit. (boidb) like it. The following extract from thelast-named tale will not be out of place:",At Connare andfer tuathehaech co sUilmilledhaigh. Cend muiccilais for tenidossi oc sir eigem . "Narth/uath caech sainmuccaid Boidb a sidArfemnin.Nach fled oca raibi riam dodrortadfulloce." 11I saw therea man blind of the lefteye, with a destructive eye.Ile had a pig's head on the fire, nd it shouted continually . . . '" That is Narthuath the blind, the swineherd of Bodb from SidhArfjemhin. Blood has been shed at every feastwhere he has been."Lebor na hUidhre.

To return:Cuchullain's strengthmust be annihilated, or theFates will havedecreed in vain; and this can only be done throughhis partaking of thehorriddish, made of the fleshofhis half-namesake ou (a dog), whichhe resolves to do rather than tarnishhis chivalrous reputation by refusing the request of thewitches, although aware of the tragical results(aboutto ensue. The strengthof the hero is paralyzed by the contactwith theunclean foodhanded tohim from thewitch's lefthand; and



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437Cuchullain rushes headlong tohis doom. But still theMorrigan doesnot abandon him, although apparently quite powerless to assist him;for as he comes near to the enemy, "Ia bird of valour" is seen flyingabout over the chief in his chariot (en blaith, i. e. Iongaile, etarluamnach uasa erra oencharpait). And afterhe has receivedhis death woundshe perches beside him a while, before winging her flightto the fairypalace beside the Suir, fromwhich she came. The following is thedescription ofCuchullain's proceedings after receivinghismortal wound,extracted from the " Book ofLeinster," fol. 78, a 2

"1Do dechuid iarum crichm6r ond loch (Loch Lamraith im 3laghMfuirthemne)siar, ocus rucad a rose airi, OCt2te'itdochumcoirthi cloichefile isinmaig cotarat a choimchriss mmi, narablad na suidiu,nachmtial4c, conbad ina sessamatbalad. Is iarsin do dechatar na,firimmatnairt,oGeuni rolamsatar dul a dochum. Andarleo ropobeo. Is mebol duib, olEre mac Cairpre, cen vend ind fAir do thabhairt lib in digail chindm'atarsa rucad leis co ro adnacht fri airseeEbhdachNiafer. JRucadchendassaide co il i sidNenta iar nusciu. . . larsin tra do dechaidinLiath Macha co Coinculaind dia imchoimet n ce'inrob6ia anim and,oeus romair in Ion laith ass a etan. Th arum bert in Liath Macha natri derg ruathar immima cuairt, co torehair1. leis conafiaclaib, ocusxxxcach cri do issed romarbdont sluag. Conid de ala nitathebuadremmendind leithMacha iarmarbad Conculainn. Conid iarsin dolluid ind ennachfor a gualaind. Ni bognath in corthe tfo enaibar Ere mac Carpre."

"He (Cuchullain) thenwent westwards, a good distance fromthelake (Loch Lamraith inMagh Muirthemne), and looked back at it.And he went to a pillar stonewhich is in theplain, and placed his sideagainst it, thathemight not die sitting,or lying,but thathemight diestanding. After this the men went all about him, but dared not approach him, for they thoughthe was alive. ' t is a shame foryou,'said Erc Mac Cairpre, 'not tobring thatman's bead in retaliationformyfather's head, which was borne offby him, and buried against AirseeEchdachNiafer. His head was taken fromthence, so that it is in SidhNenta.'Afterwards,moreover, theLiath Macha went toCuchullain, to guardhim whilst his spirit lived inhim, and whilst the Ion laith (bird ofvalour?) continued out fromhis face. Then the iath Macha executed thethree red routs about him, when fifty en fellby his teeth,and thirtyby each shoe, all of theenemy'shost; and hence theproverb-' Not morefuriouswas the victorious rout of the Liath Macha, after the killingofCuchullain.' Tnereupon the birdwent, and perched near his shoulder." 'That pillar stonewas not usually the resortofbirds,' saidEraMac Cairbre, who supposed theMorrigan to be a mere carrion crowawaiting the feastprepared by his hand. Then theyadvance, and cutoff uchullain's head, and the illorrigandisappears from the scene.I have not met with any statement identifying he bird ofvalouLrwith the scare-crow, or, indeed,with any bird inparticular, althoughthe principal heroes in the Irish battle pieces, fromCuchullain to



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438Murchadh, son ofBrian, have each his " bird of valour " flyingoverhim in the thick of the fight. In the account of the battle ofMaghRath, we are told that Congal Claen, excited to fury ndmadness bythe exhortations of one of his servants, in thebanqueting hall at Tara,"stood up, assumed his bravery, his heroic fury rose, and his 'bird ofvalour' fluttered ver him, and he distinguished not friend fromfoeatthe time." (Magh-Rath, p. 33.) So, when Murchadh, son of Brian,after the repulse of theDal-Cais by theDanes at the battle ofClontarf,prepares toassail theenemy, it is said that " he was seizedwith aboiling terrible nger, an excessive elevation and greatness of spirit andmind. A bird of valour and championship rose inhim and flutteredover his head and on his breath." But this Ion laith, engaile, or birdof valour, which hovered about Cuchullain, not only excited his mindto fury, as is represented,but also produced a strangebodily transformation, from hich he obtained the sobriquet of theRiastartha or transformed. Thus, in a passage in the tale fromwhich I have so oftenquoted already,where King Ailill deems itadvisable tobeoCuchullain'spermission for theConnacht army to retire from a position ofdanger,the followingaccount of the effects f thisparoxysm of furyis given:

"Denaid comarliforA ilill. Gudid Concullain in for lecud asindinudsa ar ni ragaid ar ecin tairis uair rodleblainga Ion lafath,r ba beedosomintan no linged Ion faith ind imureditis traigthi iarma OCUSescada remi ocusmuil a orcanfor a lItrynib, cus in dala suil tnachend,ocus aradifria chend neehtah-; do coisedfer chendfor a beolu. Nachfndae bidfair ba hathithir delca sciach, oeusbannafola for eachfifnnu.lVi aithgnead coemu na cairdiu, eummano slided riam ocus iarma. IsdesendoberfirnOlneemacht nrisartarthudoanitnmdoCoinctlainn." Laborna h'lidhre, fol. 34, b. 1." ' Take counsel together,' saidAilill; 'entreatCuchullain thathemay permityou to leave thisplace, sinceyou cannot pass by him forcibly, because his Ion laith has sprung. For itwas usually the casewith himwhen his Ion faith started in him, thathis feet turnedbackwards and his hands forwards, nd the calves of his legswere transferredtohis shins, and one of his eyes sank deep intohis head, whilst theother was protruded, and aman's head would fit nhismouth. Everyhair on his headwas sharper than the thornsofwhitethorn, and a dropof blood stood on each hair. He would know neither friendsnorrelations, and he slew equally backwards and forwards. Hence itwas that theFeara-Olnegrnacht (men ofConnacht) applied the nameof 'Riastartha' toCuchullain."In the Irish mythological tracts a well-marked distinction is observable between the attributes of the scald-crow and those of theraven; the scald-crow, or cornix, being representedin thewritten as inthe spoken traditions of the country, not alone as a bird of omen, butas an agent in the fulfilment fwhat is in dono (in dan), or decreed fora person,whilst the raven is simply regardedas a bird ofprey, which



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440in a conversationbetween Cailte Mac Ronain and his companionFinichadh:

"1 a hiat fein do rinde both doibh i^idoldehi sin, ocus do rindedindeonadhleo,ocus teidC'ailte oMs Findchadh do indlad a labnha um interotha. Inadfulachta so ar Eindchadh, ocu8s s cian o do rinded. Isfirar Cailte, ocne fulacchtna XJorriglena80, OCU8ni denta gan nisce."" It was theywho made a hut forthemselves thatnight; and indeonad(cooking places) were made by them. AindCailte and Finchadh wentto the stream towash their hands. 'Here is the site of a fulacht,' saidIFinchadh. 'True,' said Cailte; 'and this is a fulacht-na-morrighnawhich is not tobe made withoutwater' (i. e. there should be a supplyof water near at hand).The name of theAliorrigan ntersnot a little into the compositionof Irish topographicalnames. In the present county ofLouth there isa district anciently known by the name ofGort-na-Morrigna, or the"Morrigan's Field," which herhusband, theDagda, had given toher."4 ook ofFermoy," fol. 125, a 2.The "1 ook of Lismore" (fol.196, b. 1) mentions a Crich-na-Morrigna as somewhere in thepresent county ofWicklow. Among the remarkable monuments of theBrugh on the oyne wereMur-na-Morrigna(themound of the AMorrigan);two hills called the Cirr and Cuirrel (orcomb and brush) of the Dagda's wife, which Dr. Petrie has inadvertentlytransformed nto two proper names; and Da cich naMorrigna,or the "Morrigan's twopaps" inKerry, not far fromwhich is a largefort, earing the suggestivename ofLis-baba.The name ofMorrigan is also probably contained in thatofTirreeworrigan, in the countyofArmagh.

XLYII.-ON ANCIENT SEPrnIHcnAL ONUMENTSFOUND N THECOUNTYGALWAY. By M. BROGAN.[Read February 8, 1869.]

WEEN travelling through the country on officialduty, I frequentlymeet with antiquarian remains, someofwhich may not have as yet beenbrought under the notice of theAcademy. Being recentlyemployed oninspectionduty in the county ofClare, my attentionwas attracted bywhat I at first onceived tobe immensecromleacs,ordruidical altars; butwhich I concluded, on closer inspection,to be sepulchralmonuments ofsome of those stalwartheroes of the olden timewho had been " deadand turned to clay" long ere theMilesian adventurers left the sunnyshoresofSpain to seek andwin a new home in thegreen island of Innisfail.The precise localityof these antiquarian remains is a little south ofthe public road leading from ort toFeakle, and aboutmidway betweenthese two towns, in the townland ofDroomandoora. The situation is

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The Goddess of War of the Ancient Irish