Afagddu. [W] "Utter darkness." The most ill-favoured man in the world. Son of Tegid Foel of Penllyn and Ceridwen. To compensate for his ill looks his mother boils a cauldron of inspiration and science so that her son will become learned and know the mysteries of the world. The kettle has to be boiled for a year and a day. Ceridwen puts Gwion Bach in charge of stirring it while Morda, a blind man, is to supply the firewood. Things go wrong and Afagddu is denied this gift. See Gwion Bach. Afagddu has a brother, Morfan, who is a warrior with Arthur and who is so ugly that when he fought at the battle of Camluan no man would engage in combat with him, fearing he was a devil.

Afallon. [W] See Avalon.

Age, Feast of.[I] Fleadh Aise. One of the annual festivals of the Tuatha De Danaan held at each of their palaces in rotation.

Agnoman. [I] Father of Nemed who led his people from Scythia to Ireland but who had to fight with the Fomorii.

Agrona. British goddess of slaughter, found in the river named Aeron (Wales), cognate with the Morrigan. There is a "Washer at the Ford" legend surviving here that tends to confirm the idea that the two goddesses of death and battle may be cognate.

AI [I] Sometimes given as Aoi Mac Ollamain. The poet of the Tuatha De Danaan. When his mother was pregnant the house was rocked by a great wind and a druid foretold that he would have wonderful powers. The king ordered the child to be slain but his father , Olloman, saved him and he fulfilled the prophecy.

Aibell. [I] Sometimes Aiobhell. She ruled a sidhe in north Munster but little is known of her before she was relegated in popular folklore to the status of a "fairy." She became the guardian spirit of the Dal gCais, the Dalcassians or O'Brien clan. Her dwelling was at Craig Liath, the grey rock, near Killaloe. Her name means "beautiful." She possessed a magic harp, but those who heard its music did not live long afterwards.

Aichleach. [I] He slew Fionn Mac Cumhail during a rebellion of the Fianna. See Uigreann.

Aidin. [I] A foreigner who became the wife of Oscar. Hearing of his death at the battle of Gabhra, she died of grief and was buried by Oisin, Oscar's father, on Ben Edar (Howth) where an Ogham stone was set up in her memory.

Aige. [I] A daughter of Broccaid Mac Brice. Because of the envy of a druidess, she was turned into a fawn and slain by the warriors of Meilge, the High King. See Meilge.

Ailbe. [I] A daughter of Cormac Mac Art who answered a set of riddles put to her by Fionn Mac Cumhail, won his love, and was invited to live with him. The name also occurs as that of the hound of Mac Da Tho'.

Aileach. [I] A major fortress in Ulster whose ruins still stand five miles northwest of Derry in Co. Donegal. It was said to be built by the Tuatha De Danaan, and it was here that Mac Cuill, Mac cecht, and Mac Greine and their wives, the goddesses Banba, Fotla, and Eire, decided to divide Ireland between them. It was also the royal residence of the kings of Ulster and later the kings of Ireland until the fourth century A.D. It became the seat of the O'Neill kings until the early twelfth century , when it was destroyed by Murchertagh, of Munster.

Ailill. [I] A common name in Irish myth, in which there are about eight prominent Ailills. It was the name of a king of Leinster who was poisoned by Cobthach, king of Bregia, and whose son was made to eat his flesh. The son was struck dumb and became known as Mo'en (dumb). Perhaps the most famous of the Ailills was Ailill Mac Mata, king of Connacht and husband of Medb. He features prominently in the Tain Bo Cuailgne saga. He was eventually slain by Conall Cearnach in revenge for the death of Fergus Mac Roth. Ailill is also the name given to the brother of the High King of Ireland, Eochaid. This Ailill fell in love with his brother's wife, Etain. But Etain did not reciprocate his love and arranged for Ailill to fall into an enchanted sleep from which he awoke cured of his love. Ailill Agach, "Edge of Battle," was the father of the famous Mael Duin whose death started him on his fabulous voyage. Then there was Ailill of Aran, who offered his three daughters in marriage to the ocean god Lir. Another was Ailill Dubh-dedach, who, rather like Achilles in Greek mythology, could be harmed by no weapon and yet had a weak spot and so was slain by Art during his quest for the beautiful Delbchaem. Ailill Olom of Munster raped the love goddess Aine, who had her revenge and slew him. Finally, there was the Ulster king Ailill, who was father of Etain Echraide.

Alille. [I] Wife of Meargach of the Green Spears, who was slain by Oscar at the battle of Cnoc-an-Air. In revenge Aille had her druid, Fer Gruadh, drug and capture Fionn Mac Cumhail, Oscar's grandfather. The Fianna pursued Fer Gruadh, but the druid placed them all under his control until Conan tricked him into releasing them. Oscar killed him and Aille committed suicide.

AIllen. [I] Son of Midhna. A malevolent Otherworld creature that came out of the cave of Cruach each year at the feast of Samhain and burned down the royal residence at Tara after lulling the defenders asleep with enchanted music. Fionn Mac Cumhail was able to resist the music by pressing his spear to his forehead. Fionn then drove off the beast and beheaded it. In one of the several variants, Amairgen is given as the slayer of the beast.

Aillinn. [I] Also Ailinn. The daughter of Laoghaire Mac Fergus Fairge (in another version, the daughter of Eoghan Mac Daithi). The granddaughter of the king of Leinster who falls in love with Baile, son of Buain and heir to the kingdom of Ulster. Ulster and Leinster were deadly enemies, and here we have a "Romeo and Juliet" tragedy. Aillinn and Baile arranged to meet on a shore near Dun Dealgan (Dundalk). Baile reached the appointed place first. A stranger approached and told him. that Aillinn had died when she was prevented from coming to the meeting place. Baile dies from a broken heart. The stranger then appears to Aillinn and tells her of Baile's own death. She dies of grief. We are not told who the malevolent stranger is apart from the fact that he is one of the gods. Baile is buried at Traigh mBaile (Baile's Strand) and a yew tree grows from his grave; from Aillinn's grave grows an apple tree. The poets of Ulster and Leinster cut branches from the trees and carved the story of the tragedy in Ogham on the wands made from the branches. According to the end of the story, 200 years later, when Art the Lonely was High King, the Ogham wands were gathered from Ulster and Leinster and taken to the Tech Screpta, or library, at Tara. As the wands were put into the library they sprang together and could not be separated.

Aimend. [I] A sun goddess who was daughter of the king of Corco Loigde.

Aine. [I] Goddess of love and fertility .She was the daughter of Eogabail, foster son of the sea god Manannan Mac Lir. She has also been identified with Anu, mother of the gods as well as the Morrigan, goddess of battles. These identifications seem suspect. Aine was continually conspiring with mortals in passionate affairs. One tale has her being raped by Ailill Olom. There are many later tales of Aine, and even during the last century the love goddess was worshipped on Midsummer Eve [D. Fitzgerald, "Popular Tales of Ireland,"Revue Celtique, vol. IV].

Ainle. [I] Sometimes Ainnle. Son of Usna and one of the two brothers of Naoise who followed him into exile and was eventually slain at the Red Branch Hostel.

Airgtheach. [I] The White House, one of the islands of earthly paradise seen during the Voyage of Bran.