Chapter IX: Part 9

_ConAin Maol MacMorna_, the Gaelic Thersites, always railing, causing trouble, unpopular, and attracting attention. This species of person is as well known in the mythology of the North American Indians as in Aryan myths.

_Diachbha_ (pronounced DyeA(C)achva), "divinity," or the working of a power outside of us in shaping the careers of men; fate.

_Diarmuid_ (pronounced Dyeearmud), the final _d_ sounded as if one were to begin to utter _y_ after it, one of the most remarkable characters in Gaelic mythology, a great hunter and performer of marvellous feats. The prominent event of his life was the carrying off of Grainne, bride of Fin MacCumhail, at her own command. After many years of baffled pursuit, Fin was forced to make peace; but he contrived at last to bring about Diarmuid's death by causing him to hunt an enchanted boar of green color and without ears or tail. The account of this pursuit and the death of Diarmuid forms one of the celebrated productions of Gaelic literature. Diarmuid had a mole on his forehead, which he kept covered usually; but when it was laid bare and a woman saw it, she fell in love with him beyond recall. This was why Grainne deserted Fin, not after she was married, but at the feast of betrothal. The evident meaning of the word is "bright" or "divine-weaponed." It is very interesting to find Diarmuid called also Son of the Monarch of Light, in another story.

_Donoch Kam cosa_, "Donoch, crooked feet."

_Draoiachta_ (pronounced DreA(C)achta), "Druidism," or "enchantment."

_Erineach_, or _Eirineach_, "a man of Erin."

_Gil an Og_, "water of youth."

_Gilla na Grakin_ (_Gilla na g-croicean_), "the fellow (or youth) of the skins,"--_i. e._, the serving man of the skins. This word "Gilla" enters into the formation of many Gaelic names, such as Gilchrist, Gilfillin, MacGillacuddy.

_Gruagach_ (pronounced _GrA cubedoagach_), "the hairy one," from _gruag_, hair. We are more likely to be justified in finding a solar agent concealed in the person of the laughing Gruagach or the Gruagach of tricks than in many of the sun-myths put forth by some modern writers.

_Inis Caol_, "light island,"--_i. e._, not heavy.

_Iron-back-without-action_ (_Ton iaran gan tapuil_).

_Knock an Ar_, "hill of slaughter," a mountain near the mouth of the Shannon in Kerry.

_Lun Dubh MacSmola_, "blackbird," son of thrush.

_Mal MacMulcan._ Mulcan in this name is evidently Vulcan, substituted for some old Gaelic myth-power.

_Oisin._ In the Gaelic of Ireland this name is accented on the last syllable; in that of Scotland on the first, which gives in English Ossian, the poet made known to the world by Macpherson. The poems of Ossian are of course nothing more nor less than the ballads of Fin MacCumhail and the Fenians of Erin, taken from Ireland to Scotland by the Gael when they settled in the latter country, and modified in some degree by Macpherson. Oisin is pronounced UshA(C)en in Ireland, _u_ sounded as in _but_.

_Ri FohA-n_ (_Ri fo thuinn_), "king under the wave."

_Sean Ruadh_, "John the Red," pronounced Shawn Roo.

_Tisean_ (pronounced _TishyAin_; _an_ as in _pan_), "envy." Son of King Tisean means "Son of King Envy."

_UrfA(C)ist._ This word is made up of _Ur_ and _pA(C)ist_. _Ur_ is kindred with the German _Ur_, and in a compound like this means the "original" or "greatest." _PA(C)ist_--"worm," "beast," "monster"--is changed to _fA(C)ist_ here, according to a rule of aspiration in Gaelic grammar.

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Transcriber's note:

This e-text has been produced from the 1975 Dover edition of _Myths and Folk Tales of Ireland_ (ISBN 0-486-22430-9), which is an unabridged republication of the work originally published in Boston by Little, Brown and Company in 1890 under the title _Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland_. The 1975 Dover edition did not contain the original introduction, frontispiece and dedication.

Text in italics is enclosed by underscores _like this_.

Text in small capitals are indicated by full capitalization _LIKE THIS_.

Minor punctuation errors have been changed without notice.

Archaic inconsistent spelling and all other anomalies such as _if_ and _when_ used interchangeably are as in the original.

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