Knowra Irish mythology Irish mythology Irish mythology is a body of traditional narratives and beliefs from Ireland, preserved in medieval manuscripts and oral traditions. Its stories include divine peoples, heroic cycles, and accounts of the Otherworld.
Lebor Gabála Érenn : A medieval Irish narrative that recounts successive peoples settling Ireland, combining origin traditions with biblical and classical history. It frames Ireland’s past as a succession of peoples, including the Tuatha Dé Danann.
Lebor na hUidre : The oldest surviving Irish manuscript, copied around the turn of the twelfth century and containing important narrative texts. It preserves early versions of major tales, including the Táin Bó Cúailnge.
Cath Maige Tuired : An Irish tale of battles between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomorians, including the rise of Lugh. It dramatizes conflict among supernatural peoples and the struggle for sovereignty.
Celtic mythology : The mythological traditions associated with Celtic-speaking peoples across ancient and medieval Europe. Irish stories are one major strand within the wider Celtic mythological world.
Tuatha Dé Danann : A supernatural people in Irish tradition, associated with Ireland’s gods, magical arts, and legendary past. They are the divine people at the heart of many mythological tales.
Book of Leinster : A twelfth-century Irish manuscript containing poetry, genealogies, historical writing, and narrative literature. It preserves a substantial version of the Táin and other traditional stories.
Tochmarc Étaíne : An Irish mythological tale about Étaín, her transformations, and her relationships with Midir and Eochaid. Its transformations and Otherworld passages exemplify mythological storytelling.
Sovereignty goddess : A female figure in Irish tradition who embodies a territory’s sovereignty and grants legitimate rule to a worthy king. Marriage or encounter with such a figure can symbolize rightful kingship.
Ulster Cycle : A group of medieval Irish tales centered on the heroes and kingdoms of Ulster, especially Cú Chulainn. Its heroic narratives form one of the tradition’s major story groups.
Táin Bó Cúailnge : An Irish epic tale about Queen Medb’s cattle raid on Ulster and Cú Chulainn’s defense of the province. Its surviving manuscript versions show how medieval scribes transmitted heroic tradition.
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