AINE Aine is one of the Great Goddesses of Ireland. She is a Moon goddess,
a Love goddess who encourages humanlove, and the Fairy Queen of Munster.
Aine (pronouced 'aw-ne') rules agriculture, fertility, crops, and
animals. She was originally a Sun goddess who could take the form
of a Lair Derg, a red mare that no one could outrun. It is possible
that Aine and Grainne alternated as goddesses of the waning and waxing
solar year, changing place at the solstices.
Aine's father, King Egobagal, is one of the Tuatha de Danann. Also
called Aine Marine and Aine of Knockaine, she is associated with Dnoc
Aine/Knockainy (Aineis Hill_ in Munster, and with Dun Aine (Dunany
Point) in County Louth. People with the surname O'Corra are said to
be her descendants.
There are several myths about Aine who some say was a mortal woman
who was taken and enchanted by the fae. She possesses a magical ring
that can reveal faeries. Aine liked humans and often mated with men,
producing faery children. She once made a magickal vow to never sleep
with a gray-haired man. Aine kept this vow even after her jealous
sister Miluchrach used enchantment to turn her beloved Fionnis hair
that color. She used magick to kill Aillil Olom, the King of Munster,
when he tried to rape her.
There are several stories about how Aine came to marry Gerald, the
Earl of Desmond. Gerald came across her bathing in a river and fell
in love with her at first site. He stole her cloak and refused to
return it until she agreed to marry him. In another version he found
Aine combing her hair beside the river, and used her own cloak to
capture her. In yet another version, Aine enchanted the Earl, who
them married her.
In any case, they had a son, Geroid Iarla, Earl Fitzgerald, who was
called The Magician. Gerald who was under a taboo to never show that
he was surprised by anything thier son did, but he broke his taboo
by exclaiming loudly when Geroid jumped in and out of a bottle. The
Magician then turned into a wild goose, and flew away. Disgusted with
her human husband, Aine disappeared into Knock Aine. She is said to
dwell there still, in a faery castle. Geroid is said to live beneath
a lake, but will return one day to expel all foreigners from Ireland.
Others say that Geroid rides forth every seven years, as a phanton
upon a spectral white horse that is shod in silver shoes.
Invoke Aine for love spells, fertility, faery magick, abundance, prosperity,
punishing sex crimes, keeping magickal vows, revealing faeries, bearing
magickal children, and leaving unsuitable mates. The Sun and Moon
are her planets, South West is her direction, and Air is her element.
The red mare, rabbit, and swam are her sacred animals. Midsummer Eve
(Summer solstice) is Aine's main feast day, when she is traditionally
worshiped with torchlit processions through the fields at night. The
first Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Lughnassad (August 1) are
also her sacred days. Some say that she claims a life at that time.
AIRMED
Airmed or Airmid is an Irish fairy goddess of witchcraft and herbal
lore. She is Dian Cecht's daughter, one of the Tuatha de Danann, and
helps him to protect his sacred healing spring. Airmed mourned so
keenly when her brother Miach died that all the herbs of the world
sprung from his grave while she tended it, and taught her their uses.
Invoke Airmed for fairy magick, Magickal herbalism, and Witchcraft.
Earth is her element.
CAER
Caer (yew berry) is a beautiful fairy maiden of Connacht, Ireland.
She lived in the guise of a swan, adorned with necklaces of golden
chains and tinkling golden bells. Angus, the handsome God of Love,
saw Caer in a dream and fell so in love with her that he became seriously
ill.
According to one myth, when Angus finallly learned who she was, he
asked her father Ethal, one of the Tuatha De Danann if he could marry
her. Etha replied that it was her decision, but that Angus could propose
to her if he could pick her out of a flock of swans. On Samhain, Angus
went to the Lake of the Dragonis Mouth, knew Caer immediatley, and
called out her name. He was instantly transformed into a swan, and
they flew away together.
An alternate version of the myth has it that Angus had to get his
own father, the Dagda to imprison Ethal in order to persuade him to
give Caer to him in marraige. There is even another version in which
it was Caer who enticed Angus to the lake, in order to change him
into a swan. Caer and Angus are said to dwell happily as swans in
the megalith of Brugh na Boinne, where they sing together beautifully.
Call upon Caer for transformation, fairy magick, and happy endings
after dificult beginnings. Air and water are her elements, the swan
her sacred animal.
CLIODNA
Beautiful, lusty, Cliodna of the Fair Hair is the Irish goddess of
beauty, the sea, and the afterlife. One of the Tuatha de Danann, she
is Mannan's daughter and rules the Land of Promise, an otherworld
where there is no violence or death. Her name, which means "shapley
one", is pronounced "klee-nah". It can also be spelled
Cliodhna, Clidn, or Cleena. A fairy queen of Munster, she is said
to be the daughter of Geban, the last druid in Ireland. Cliodna is
associated with the coastline near Cork. Carrige Cliodna, in County
Cork, is her sacred hill. Tonn Cliodna, the great wave of Cliodna,
is mentioned in Irish mythology as being off the coast at Glandmore,
in Country Cork.
Clidona has three magickal birds that heal the sick by singing to
them sleep. She is the matron of waves, especially large waves and
the ninth wave of every series of waves that brake the shore. Cliodna
is the protectress of the O'Keefe family, who some say are her descendants.
When she assumes human form, Cliodna is the most beautiful woman on
earth. She often taken mortal men for lovers but being loved by Cliodna
can mean being loved to death, for if she takes them to the otherworld
they are never seen again.
There are many legends about her. Cliodna fell in love with a young
human, Ciabhan of the Curling Lock, and she escaped from the otherworld
to be with him. They reached the shore of Ireland together. Ciabhan
(pronouced Keevan) went hunting and Mannan, the Sea god, put Cliodna
into an enchanted sleep and sent a wave that drew her back to the
Land of Promise. There is another version of this legend where it
is Cailleach, the Crone goddess, who sent her faeries to lull Cliodna
into the enchanted sleep, and then sent the wave that drowned her.
Invoke Cliodna for beauty, Healing, faery magick, love spells, and
life after death. Songbirds and sea birds are her sacred animals:
nine is her number. A beach is the best place to call upon her, since
she may take the form of a sea bird or a large wave. Another Celtic
goddess strongly associated with water is Eri (see below).
ERI
Eri of the Golden Hair is an Irish fairy goddess, one of the Tuatha
de Danaan. Bres, Brigid's consort, is her son. His father is Elatha,
a handsome Fomorian King.
Eri and Elatha met at the seashore and were so struck by eachother's
beauty that they immediatley made love, despite the fact that thier
people were enemies.
According to some myths Eri was a virgin when they met, but other
myth's say that she was married to another one of the Tuatha de Danann
and allowed her fairy husband to assume that he was the father of
Bres.
FINNINE
Finnine, or Fennel, is Aine's sister, a fairy
goddess. She is associated with Cnoc Finnine (Finnine's Hill) in Munster,
Ireland.
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