List of Irish mythological figures

Figures in Irish mythology include the following:

Mythological Cycle

Tuatha Dé Danann

Notable figures

• Aengus - god of passionate and romantic love, youth and poetic inspiration
• Áine - goddess of parental and familial love, summer, wealth and sovereignty
• Banba, Ériu and Fódla - patron goddesses of Ireland
• Bodb Derg - king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Brigid - daughter of the Dagda; associated with healing, fertility, craft, platonic love, and poetry
• Clíodhna - queen of the Banshees, goddess of fantasized love, beauty, and the sea
• The Dagda - supreme god and king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Danu - mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Dian Cecht - god of healing
• Étaín - heroine of Tochmarc Étaíne
• Lir - god of the sea
• Lugh - legendary hero and High King of Ireland, god of leadership, skills, the sun, and alliances, associated with friends.
• Maine mac Darthacht - owner of a cloak fastened by eight stones
• Manannán mac Lir - god of the sea, like his father Lir
• Nuada Airgetlám - first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Ogma - warrior-poet, said to have invented the Ogham alphabet
• Trí Dée Dána - three gods of crafting
  • Creidhne - artificer of the Tuatha Dé Danann, working in bronze, brass and gold
  • Goibniu - smith of the Tuatha Dé Danann
  • Luchtaine - carpenter of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• The Triple Goddess
  • Badb - war goddess who caused fear and confusion among soldiers, often taking the form of a crow
  • Macha - goddess associated with war, battle, horses and sovereignty
  • The Morrígan - goddess of battle, strife and fertility

Lesser figures

• Abartach - also known as the Giolla Deacair ("the hard servant"), he was associated with Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Abcán - dwarf poet of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Abhean - poet of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Aed - god of the underworld
• Aoi Mac Ollamain - god of poetry
• Airmed - daughter of Dian Cecht; associated with healing
• Anann - another name for the Morrígan
• Beag - minor goddess, known for possessing a magic well
• Bé Chuille - sorceress of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Bébinn - goddess associated with birth
• Boann - goddess of the River Boyne
• Brea - minor god of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Bres - unpopular and treacherous fomorian king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Brian - son of Tuireann and murderer of Cían
• Caer Ibormeith - princess cursed to spend every second year in the form of a swan
• Cermait - son of the Dagda, killed by Lugh
• Cían - father of Lugh; able to shapeshift at will
• Danand - daughter of Delbáeth
• Delbáeth - king of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Ecne - god of wisdom and knowledge
• Egobail - foster son of Manannan mac Lir and father of Aine
• Elcmar - chief steward to the Dagda
• Ernmas - mother goddess
• Fand - sea goddess and lover of Cú Chulainn
• Fiacha mac Delbaíth - legendary High King of Ireland
• Fionnuala - daughter of Lir, who was transformed into a swan and cursed by her stepmother
• Flidais - goddess of cattle and milking
• Fuamnach - witch of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Iuchar - son of Tuireann and murderer of Cían
• Iucharba - son of Tuireann and murderer of Cían
• Lí Ban - sister of Fand
• Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine - trio of brothers who killed Lugh and shared the kingship of Ireland between each other
• Miach - healer and son of Dian Cecht, killed by his father out of jealousy due to his superior healing talents
• Midir - son of the Dagda
• Nechtan - father and/or husband of Boann
• Neit - god of war
• Nemain - a goddess of war; possibly an alternative name for Badb
• Niamh - queen of Tír na nÓg
• Tuireann - father of Creidhne, Luchtaine and Goibniu

Fir Bolg

• Eochaid mac Eirc - High King of Ireland, the last Fir Bolg king and the first king to establish a system of justice
• Fiacha Cennfinnán - High King of Ireland
• Fodbgen - High King of Ireland
• Gaillimh iníon Breasail - mythical woman from whom the river and city of Galway derive their name
• Gann and Genann - joint High Kings of Ireland
• Rinnal - High King of Ireland and the first king to use spearheads
• Rudraige mac Dela - second High King of Ireland
• Sengann mac Dela - High King of Ireland
• Sláine mac Dela - first High King of Ireland
• Sreng - champion of the Fir Bolg who cut off Nuada's arm
• Tailtiu - wife of Eochaid mac Eirc

Fomorians

• Balor - last king of the Fomorians, capable of killing with his deadly eye
• Buarainech - parent of Balor
• Cethlenn - prophetess and wife of Balor
• Cichol Gricenchos - early leader of the Fomorians
• Conand - oppressive leader of the Fomorians
• Elatha - Fomorian prince
• Tethra - ruler of Mag Mell following his death during the Second Battle of Mag Tuired
• Ethniu - daughter of Balor and mother of Lugh

Milesians

• Amergin Glúingel - druid, bard and judge
• Eber Finn - High King of Ireland
• Érimón - High King of Ireland
• Míl Espáine - Irish ancestral figure

Ulster Cycle

Major characters

• Ailill mac Máta - king of Connacht and husband of Medb
• Conchobar mac Nessa - king of Ulster
• Cú Chulainn - mythological hero known for his terrible battle frenzy
• Deirdre - tragic heroine of the Ulster Cycle; when she was born it was prophesied that she would be beautiful, but that kings and lords would go to war over her
• Donn Cuailnge - Brown Bull of Cooley, an extremely fertile stud bull over whom the war known as the Táin Bó Cúailnge was fought
• Fergus mac Róich - former king of Ulster, now in exile
• Medb - queen of Connacht, best known for starting the Táin Bó Cúailnge

Ulster characters

• Amergin mac Eccit - poet and warrior in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Athirne - poet and satirist in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Blaí Briugu - Ulster warrior with a geis which requires him to sleep with any woman who stays at his hostel unaccompanied
• Bricriu - hospitaller, troublemaker and poet
• Cathbad - chief druid in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Celtchar - hero of the Ulaid
• Cethern mac Fintain - Ulster warrior who assists Cú Chulainn
• Conall Cernach - hero of the Ulaid
• Cruinniuc - wealthy cattle owner who marries a mysterious woman, later revealed to be the goddess Macha
• Cúscraid - son of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Dáire mac Fiachna - Ulster cattle-lord and owner of Donn Cuailnge, the Brown Bull of Cooley
• Deichtine - mother of Cú Chulainn
• Éogan mac Durthacht - King of Fernmag
• Fedlimid mac Daill - harper and chief storyteller in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Fergus Mac Roich - Former king of Ulster. Narrator of Tain Bo Cuailnge.
• Findchóem - sister of Conchobar mac Nessa and wet nurse of Cú Chulainn
• Furbaide Ferbend - son of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Láeg - charioteer of Cú Chulainn
• Lóegaire Búadach - hapless Ulster warrior who functions largely as comic relief
• Mugain - wife of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Naoise - lover of Deirdre
• Ness - mother of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Súaltam - mortal father of Cú Chulainn

Connacht characters

• Bélchú - warrior of Connacht
• Cet mac Mágach - warrior of Connacht
• Ferdiad - warrior of Connacht
• Findabair - daughter of Ailill and Medb
• Fráech - warrior of Connacht, who woos Findabair
• Nera - warrior of Connacht

Ulster exiles

• Cormac Cond Longas - eldest son of Conchobar mac Nessa
• Dubthach Dóeltenga - cynical ally of Fergus mac Róich

Other characters

• Achall - daughter of Cairbre Nia Fer
• Áed Rúad, Díthorba and Cimbáeth - three brothers who shared the kingship of Ireland
• Aífe - rival of Scáthach
• Bláthnat - wife of Cú Roí and lover of Cú Chulainn
• Connla - son of Cú Chulainn and Aife
• Cairbre Nia Fer - king of Tara
• Cú Roí - warrior king of Munster
• Emer wife of Cú Chulainn
• Erc mac Cairpri - son of Cairbre Nia Fer
• Fedelm - female prophet and poet
• Fedelm Noíchrothach - daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa, unfaithful wife of Cairbre Nia Fer and lover of both Cú Chulainn and Conall Cernach
• Flidais - lover of Fergus mac Róich
• Lugaid mac Con Roí - son of Cú Roí and killer of Cú Chulainn
• Mesgegra - king of Leinster
• Scáthach - legendary warrior woman who trains Cú Chulainn in the arts of combat
• Uathach - daughter of Scáthach

Fenian Cycle

The Fianna

• Fionn mac Cumhaill - legendary hunter-warrior and leader of the Fianna
• Caílte mac Rónáin - warrior of the Fianna who could run at remarkable speed and communicate with animals, and was a great storyteller
• Conán mac Morna - warrior of the Fianna, often portrayed as a troublemaker and a comic figure
• Cumhall - leader of the Fianna and father of Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Diarmuid Ua Duibhne - warrior of the Fianna and lover of Fionn's betrothed, Gráinne
• Goll mac Morna - warrior of the Fianna and uneasy ally of Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Liath Luachra - Fionn's foster mother and a great warrior
• Liath Luachra - tall, hideous warrior of the Fianna who shares his name with Fionn's foster mother
• Oisín - son of Fionn mac Cumhaill, warrior of the Fianna and a great poet
• Oscar - warrior son of Oisín and Niamh
• Cú Chulainn - likely a demigod of Lugh

Other characters

• Aillen - monstrous being killed by Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Bodhmall - druidess, warrior woman and aunt of Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Cormac mac Airt - legendary High King of Ireland
• Finn Eces - poet, sage, and teacher of Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Gráinne - lover of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, betrothed to Fionn mac Cumhaill
• Mug Ruith - powerful blind druid
• Plor na mBan - daughter of Oisín and Niamh
• Sadhbh - mother of Oisín by Fionn mac Cumhaill

Other

• Aibell - fairy queen of Thomond
• Amadan Dubh - trickster fairy known as the "dark fool"
• Cailleach - divine hag
• Canola - mythical inventor of the harp
• Medb Lethderg - goddess of sovereignty associated with Tara
• Tlachtga - powerful druidess