Gofannon. [W] Son of Don. His name bears a resemblance to the Irish Goibhniu (also Gobhniu), the donor of the Feast of Immortality and the divine smithy. It obviously derives from the same root-gabha in Irish and gof in Welsh means smith. He slays his nephew Dylan and this seems cognate with the slaying of Ruadin at the hands of Goibhniu. He makes an appearance in the story of Culhwch and Olwen.

Gogigwr. [W] A doorkeeper at Arthur's fort, named with Huandaw and Llaesymin.

Goibhniu. [I] The smithgod. Founder of artistry and handicraft. He had two brothers, Cian and Samhan-again constituting the Celtic triune godhead. He could make a spear or sword by three blows of his hammer. He presided over the Otherworld feast of Fled Ghobhnenn, at which he served a special ale that rendered all who drank it exempt from disease and death. The word "smith" in all the Celtic languages has a common provenance: Irish, gabha; Scottish Gaelic, gobha; Manx, gaaue; Welsh, gof Cornish, gof and Breton, gof In later Irish legend a figure called G6bhan Saer, the Wright, became a master mason and architect for the fairies.

Goidel. [I] Also given as Gaedhal and Gael. Son of Niul and Scota, daughter of the pharaoh Cingris. He is acclaimed as the progenitor of the Goidelic or Gaelic Celts (Irish, Manx, and Scots). In what seems to be a Christian embellishment, Goidel was healed by Moses, for his father had beftiended Aaron during the Hebrew enslavement in Egypt. Goidel's son was Esru, whose son Sru was father or Eber Scot.

Goidelic. Usually given as the Gaelic language. The Q-Celtic branch of the Celtic languages spoken by the Irish, Manx, and Scots.

Golamh. [I] Original name of Milesius.

Golden Pillars, Kingdom of. [I] See Easal.

Goleuddydd. [W] Wife of Cilydd and mother of Culhwch. She is said to have gone mad and run into the forest to give birth to Culhwch. Knowing she was about to die, she had her grave measured and made Cilydd take an oath that he would not remarry until a briar with two heads grew from her grave. Only in the seventh years does such a briar grow and Cilydd takes another wife.

Goll. [I] The name means "blind of one eye" or "one-eyed," and therefore we meet several people of this name in Irish mythology, most of them unsavoury characters. We have the son of Garb the Fomorii, whose wife, Lot, has bloated lips in her breasts and four eyes in her back. His son was Cichol Gricenchos. Then there is Goll Mac Golb, ruler of Magh Mell, who abducted the wife of Fiachna Mac Retach. He was finally slain by Laoghaire Mac Crimthann, who rescued Fiachna's wife and married their daughter Der Greine (tear of the sun). But the most Goll of them all was Goll Mac Morna, leader of the Fianna before Fionn Mac Cumhail. He slew Fionn's father, Cumal, to gain leadership of the Fianna. He married Fionn's daughter, Cebha, and features prominently in the tales of the Fenian Cycle. Goll eventually slew Cairell, Fionn's son. He fled, was pursued, and was finally trapped by the Fianna. Refusing to surrender, he died after twelve days from lack of food.

Golwg Hafddydd. [W] "Aspect of a Summer's Day." Maid to Esyllt and lover of Kae Hir, a companion ofTrystan.

Gonemans. [W] A warrior who trains Peredur .

Gorias, City of. [I] One of the four great cities of the De Danaan- Falias, Finias, Gorias, and Murias. It was from Gorias that Lugh brought his invincible sword.

Gorm Glas. [I] "Blue green." Conchobhar Mac Nessa's sword.

Gorsedd. A bardic gathering, thought to derive from uerensed, a high seat. In Welsh myth the Gorsedd of Arberth is mentioned and Taliesin is claimed as founding an Order of Bards of Britain. Edward Williams (1010 Morganwyg) inaugurated a Gorsedd ceremony on June 21, 1792. In this he claimed to have revived the rituals of the druids in their nature worship. At Carmarthen, in 1819, the Gorsedd ceremony became an integral part of the EiSteddfod, in spite of criticism by scholars. Today, after two centuries, the Gorsedd Cymru has become, of itself, a historical tradition, presenting a unique and colourful national spectacle. In 1901 the Bretons inaugurated a Breton Gorsedd (Gorzez Breizh), and in 1928 the Cornish Gorsedd (Gorseth Kernow) came into being. In September 1971 it was agreed that the three Gorseddau- the Gorsedd of the Bards of the Isle of Britain-while retaining their independence in domestic matters, should recognise the supreme authority of the Archdruid of Wales.

Gortigern. [I] The language spoken by all mankind before the development of different languages. This is a parallel to the Tower of Babel story .

Grail. "The Holy Grail" is the cup that Jesus drank out of at the Last Supper. The quest for it features prominently in the Arthurian saga. The origin of the idea of a quest for this magical vessel lies in the original Celtic idea of the cauldron of abundance; one of the best examples features in the tale "The Spoils of Annwn." The mass of Grail literature, both ancient and modern, is enormous. The stories of Peredur, in the Mabinogi, is the most archaic form of the story . From Peredur comes Chretien de Troyes' "Perceval" adaption and then Wolfram von Eschenbach's "Parzival." The main features of the later bowdlerisation of the Celtic myths is that Joseph of Arimathea caught some of Jesus' blood in the Grail at the crucifixion and carried it to Britain, where it was handed down from generation to generation. Galahad is the last descendent of Joseph and he is the noblest of Arthur's knights. He alone achieves the quest for the Grail and brings fertility back to the land. When he sees the uncovered chalice, he renounces the world and asks God to release him from his material existence. The story is best known from Malory's Morte D'Arthur.

Grainne. [I] The daughter of Cormac Mac Art, the High King. She was promised to Fionn Mac Cumhail, who, though still a renowned warrior, had grown old at this time. On the night before the wedding, Grainne speculated on which one of the younger, handsome Fianna warriors she could persuade to save her from marriage to an old man. Oisin was approached but refused. However, Oiarmuid Ua Ouibhne is beguiled by her and agrees to elope with her, having been placed under a geis by her to do so. Thus begins the famous "Pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne." They are pursued by an enraged Fionn and his Fianna. Diarmuid, who had been a friend of Fionn's, seeks to assure him that he has not slept with her, leaving subtle symbolic messages. Grainne mocks Diarmuid for refusing to make love to her and eventually he does so. The pursuit lasts 16 years, until the love god Aonghus Og intercedes and persuades Fionn to forget his anger. Diarmuid and Grainne eventually set up residence close to Fionn at Tara (at Rath Grainne), where they have four sons and a daughter.
Fionn, however, still nurses thoughts of revenge, and Diarmuid is eventually slain by a magic boar, fulfilling the destiny ordained at his birth. Fionn could have saved his life but does not do so. Grainne at first swears vengeance and begins to train her four sons in skill with arms to kill Fionn. But Fionn woos her and bears her back to his fortress on the Hill of Allen as his bride. Grainne is well drawn in the Irish myths, and is always consistent, as a wilful, ruthless, and passionate person, rather shallow and neurotic.

Grannos. Gaulish sun god and god of healing who, according to Dio Cassius, was invoked by the emperor Caracalla in A.D. 215. He was usually paired in Gaul with the goddess Sirona, whose name derives from the word for a star. Grannos could be cognate with the Goidelic word for sun-grian. He was invoked in Musselborough in England; in Auvergrie, France, he is still remembered in a "non- sense chant" around harvest time. People dance around a harvest festival bonfire with a sheaf of corn, cut and set light to-, while the chant is given: "Granno, my friend, Granno, my father, Granno, my mother."

Grec. [I] A Connacht warrior who rescues Cormac Mac Art, when a baby, from a pack of wolves.

Grey of Macha. [I] Liath Macha. One of Cuchulainn's two famous horses that were foaled at the same time as he was born. The other was the Black of Sainglenn. Before he went on his final battle foray, the Grey of Macha refused to be saddled and bridled by Cuchulainn and shed tears of blood. During the last fight the beast was wounded by Erc, king of Leinster, but still managed to kill fifty warriors with its feet, and thirty more with its hoofs before it died.

Grian. [I] A solar female deity. Her palace was at Cnoc Greine at Pailis Greine (Pallis Green), Co. Limerick.

Grianainech. [I] Synonym for the god Ogma, meaning "sunny countenance.

Gronwy Pedbyr. [W] Lord of Penllyn, lover of Blodeuwedd, wife of LIeu LIaw Gyffes. Their plot to murder LIeu fails and LIeu slays him.

GrlIacach. [I] Often used as a term for an ogre or monster, also an enchanter or wizard. The name signifies haity, long-haired, or mane.

Grudye. [W] Son of Muryel, one of the seven survivors of the battle between Bran and Matholwch.