The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance

GLOSSARY

Ard Rí

High (or Supreme) King.

A chuisle

My pulse.

A nighean ruadh

Red-haired girl.

Aos si(dhe)

The faerie race (see also «Sidhe»); singular «Aes si(dhe)».

Banshee/Bean sí

Female spirit whose screams herald death. Also called a «washer woman», she’s often seen washing bloody linens at a stream; woman of the fairy mounds.

Berserker

In Viking lore, a warrior who gained the blood-lust of fighting, and charged into battle so fiercely that nothing or no one could stop him. Some say his form even changed into that of a raving beast.

Bog-oak

Ancient wood found buried in peat bogs.

Chainse

A white long-sleeved undertunic of fine linen worn in the early Middle Age.

Chausses

Armour for the legs, usually made from mail.

Colcannon

Irish traditional dish consisting of mashed potatoes and cabbage.

Cohuleen druith

A red cap made of swan feathers that enables merrows (see entry) to swim through the ocean.

Compeer

Partner.

Craic

Gossip/chatter.

Dun

Fort; usually covered a whole hilltop with walls protecting many buildings.

Drùth

Harlot.

Éire/Ériu

Ireland.

Fine

Clan.

Gael

Celtic, Gaelic-speaking ethnic group of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

Gardai

The police force of the Republic of Ireland.

Gasún

Child.

Geis

A curse, spell, or incantation.

Guraiceach

A blockhead, oaf.

Imbolc

An ancient Celtic religious festival, celebrated on 1 February to mark the beginning of spring.

Imeacht gan teacht ort

«May you leave without returning».

Irish acre

Unit of measurement historically used in Ireland, slightly larger than a standard acre. One Irish acre equates to 1.62 English acres.

Jig/Reel

Lively Irish/Scottish folk dance. Also refers to the accompanying music.

Leannán Sidhe

Female «faery lover» in Celtic mythology. She seeks out artists and poets, and in return for inspiration, she feeds off their life force.

Lios

Ring fort or enclosure; property belonging to a chieftain or group.

Lir

King of the ocean.

Lughnasa

The Celtic harvest festival named for Lugh, one of the chief gods of the Tuatha Dé Daman.

Màistreàs

Mistress.

Mavourneen

My darling.

Merrow

Mermaid.

Mo chroí/A chroi

My heart.

Nuada Airgethlam

Lord of Tir na Nóg, first king of the Tuatha Dé Danaan.

Og

Irish for young. Tomás Og is «young Tomás».

Ollphéist

Monster.

Pict

An ancient Celtic warrior race.

Publican

Proprietor/Licensee of a public house (pub).

Ráth

A walled enclosure in Irish antiquity.

Sidhe

The people of the Tuatha Dé Danaan (see entry), aka the Fair Folk; Daoine Sidhe; the faerie race (as «sidhe» (lower case) it refers to the mythological underground palaces in which the Sidhe live, aka Fairy Hills); singular «Sidh», a faerie.

Sithen

A fairy mound.

Tiarna an Ama

Lord of time.

Tir fo Thoinn

The Land Beneath the Waves.

Tir na Nóg

The Land of Eternal Youth.

Tuatha Dé Danaan

Mythical Irish race.

Will o’ the wisp

The fabled lights of the fey.