~Preface~

Before this book, I created 3 tales of women who lived in Ireland and were affected by its mystic history and cultural ways. ​

It seems that I have been haunted by these tales and have begun to question why my childhood library was strangely absent of them.  (Most of them being English, German, and Scandinavian.)  
 
This then, becomes the reason that I couldn’t go on without attempting to share some of these Irish tales with those who will come after me.  The retellings in this book are sprinkled with my own imaginings, but, my true desire is that they stay close to the way they were told to me.   

 Old Irish tales passed down in the oral tradition have been divided into four cycles or times.  The first, is the Mythology Cycle, which includes godlike ones who first invaded the isle.  They are tribes who fought one another for leadership.  They include the Fir Balg clan, the Tuatha de Danaan, and the Milesians.​​

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                           ~Contents~

           
Preface
Chapter 1 
Isolde’s Muse
Tuatha de Danaan
Brigid and Bre
Cian and Eithne
Lugh
Aine
Manannan and Fand
Children of Lir
​
 
Chapter 2
Aine’s Intentions
​Macha
Chochobar
Queen Medb
​CuChuain and Emer and Fand
Etain and Midir


            


Chapter 3
Maire Muses
Conn of One Hundred Battles
Queen Ethne
Cormac and Ethne
                                                                                                              Finn and the Fianna
​                                                                                                             Grain and Diarmuid and Finn
                                                                                                             Oisen and Niam
Chapter 4 
 Women in Irish Myth
Chapter 5
​Tristan and Isolde
​

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                  The Mythological Cycle

                      Fand and Manannan

​The magical palace of the God of the Sea, Manannan Mac Lir and his Queen Fand was carved out of the Isle of Mann, built skillfully into a cliff which overlooked the North Sea.
The glowing life waters of the sea ran through it, the walls stood strong around it.
It was created by the very hands of its master and was adored by its mistress.
A beacon at a distance....the palace of Manannan Mac Lir was the heart of the Isle 
of Mann.  No intruder, nor evil would dare invade its portals or it would have hell to pay~ the thickest fog would hide it from the whole world for ever more.

 


"It is gorgeous, my love," Fand beamed as she noticed the crystal windchimes hanging from the silver leaved trees lining the pathway which led to the entrance.  She could hear the tingle of tiny bells, and whistles...which made her hide a smile.  Her faeries
had already found their way to the mounds underneath the foundation...or maybe they
had always been there.....
They lived there happily until Manannan was called away.
 

She knew when she agreed to be his queen, that he would not stay.  Manannan was god of the Sea, roaming the waters following the waves of time, cleansing the lands of darkness.  In her heart she held hope, as it had only been months, since their joining on the shores of the Irish Sea.  It had all been so perfect at Beltaine, a time of renewal and rebirth of gathering and of love…….
Then one night in winter, she felt his presence, and a chill flew over her, the corners of her lips curving uncontrollably…he had been gone so long, her soul was hollow, willing him  to return.  Combing her ginger locks, while primping in her looking glass, she was startled by the din throughout the land….the cheers roared, causing the  earth to rumble….Hurrying to his study, Fand, threw open the door , her lips in an .O….
”Did you solve all the problems of the earth?…..” she smiled, and then gazing at him she softened….
”my love…I have missed you,” she purred as she moved swiftly into his arms.
This was the way of it, and she too, often ventured off.

                     Finn Cycle

                       Queen Ethne

                     The fields were gold in Ireland one year with three harvests…..a sacred sign that Ethne, wife                 of Conn Cethathach was Goddess of Sovereignty. 
 
                    Ethne whose name means grain was daughter of Cathair Mor, High King of Tara until he was murdered by Conn.  Cathair was a descendant of
Conchobar.  Her bloodlines were golden as were her son’s; the Fair One, Connla who lived in Tir na nOg and Art mac Cuinn who followed his father to become High King.  He was the one who fathered the greatest king of all; Cormac mac Art.
 
                   We remember her…Ethne, golden Queen of Ireland and mother of Kings lived up to her calling in the waving fields of barley.