ARD-RIGH. – High-King. The title of the over-king of Ireland.
ATTACOTTI. – An under-race in ancient Ireland who overthrew the aristocracy for a time, and made one of their number king, but were finally defeated.
AIRE-DESA. – The lowest order of nobles in Ancient Ireland.
ABHAINN MHOR. – A great river.
A GRADH. – O love.
AIRMEDA. – A woman physician in Irish mythology, daughter of the leech-god Dianket.
AODH (pron. Ee) O’NEILL. – Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, the chief figure in the Nine Years’ War in Ireland in the sixteenth century. He died in Rome, 1616, and was accorded a public funeral by the Pope, and was buried in the Franciscan church of San Pietro di Montorio.
AODH RUADH O’DOMNAILL. – Red Hugh O’Donnell, the young prince of Tirconnell (Donegal), who joined Hugh O’Neill in the Nine Years’ War. He died in Spain, 1602, and was buried by the king’s order with royal honours in the Cathedral of St. Francis in Valladolid.
BREHON. – Judge, who heard the pleadings in the law courts (Dals) of ancient Ireland.
BRIGH BRUIGID. – A woman judge in ancient Ireland.
BADBH. – Pronounced Bove. One of the war-goddesses in Irish mythology. She sometimes took the shape of a bird, sometimes that of a hideous hag.
BRUIGHEAN. – The public free hostels in Ireland maintained by the public. There were two classes, one class being for kings and nobles.
BRUIGID. – Keeper of a public hostel.
BEANTIGHEARNA. – Pronounced ban-tee-hearna. A noble lady, wife of a Tighearna or lord.
BAILE-ATHA-CLIATH. – The town of the Ford of the Hurdles. The Irish name of Dublin, pronounced Bla-Cleea.
CUCHULLAIN. – A famous figure in Heroic Ireland.
CONALL CEARNACH. – Conall the Victorious, another famous figure in Heroic Ireland.
CATH. – A battalion, consisting of three thousand men. Pronounced Cah.
CEANN. – Head. Used in the story for a sergeant.
CEAN-FEADNA. – Pronounced cann-fana, a captain of one hundred men.
CATH-MHILIDH. – Pronounced Cah-vella. Commander of a battalion.
CONNACHT. – The correct spelling of the province of Connacht. Pronounced Connut.
CARBAD. – A chariot used in ancient Ireland.
CARR. – A rough cart in ancient Ireland, generally drawn by oxen.
DUNGEANAIN. – Now Dungannon. The ruins of Hugh O’Neill’s castle are near the town.
DUINE-UASAL. – Gentleman. Literally, noble man, or noble one.
DRUIMCLI. – Head Professor in the ancient Bardic Schools of Ireland.
DUN BULL OF CUAILGNE. – One of the Two Bulls in the ancient Irish tale, Tain Bo Cuailgne (the cattle raid of Cuailgne), in which Cuchullain and the Red Branch heroes, and Queen Meve of Connacht, figure.
DAGHA. – One of the greatest of the gods in Irish mythology.
DUN-EASA. – A famous cataract.
EMER. – The lovely young wife of Cuchulainn, who had the six gifts; the gift of voice, of sweet speech, of needlework, of wisdom, of chastity, of beauty.
EOGHAN RUADH O’NEILL. – Red Owen O’Neill, a brilliant general who held Arras for the Spaniards against the French, in 1640. Returning to Ireland, he raised an army and defeated the Puritan Commander, General Monroe, at the battle of Benburb, 1646. He was nephew of Hugh O’Neill.
FAT-NECK, SON OF SHORT-HEAD. – A giant who put Cuchulainn to severe tests.
FER-LEIGHNI. – Man-of-learning. A title in the ancient schools of Ireland.
GEIS. – Taboos. The High-Kings had several.
LAIGIN. – Leinster.
LIA FAIL. – The stone at Tara upon which the High-Kings were inaugurated. According to tradition this stone shouted when a king of the true Gaelic race stood on it, but was silent after the birth of our Lord. Petrie believes the pillar-stone now at Tara to be it.
MUMHA. – Munster
MAELMUIRE. – A man’s Christian name (the servant of Mary, i.e. the Virgin) now anglicised Miles.
MACHAE. – One of the three war goddesses in Irish mythology. A malignant being, who feeds on the heads of the slain in battle. Hence she is said to be ‘mast-feeding’ after a battle.
MIDIR. – The fairy king of Bri-leith, now Slieve Golry in County Longford. One of the gods in Irish mythology.
MIDHE. – Meath. It was one of the five sub-kingdoms of ancient Ireland.
NAOMH PADRAIG. – Saint Patrick.
OLLAMH. – Pronounced Ollave. Professor, or doctor of learning; the highest degree.
RIGH-DAMNA. – Heir Apparent of the High-King of Ireland. Literally ‘King-material.’
SRAID CRAOBH RUADH. – Pronounced Srawid creeve-rue. Red Branch Street.
STARUIDHE. – Historian. One of the seven ‘Orders of Wisdom’ in the schools of ancient Ireland.
SAI. – Pronounced see. Professor ‘with noble wealth of knowledge,’ in the schools of ancient Ireland.
TANIST. – Elected successor to a king, chief, or professional man.
TREN-FHER. – Literally Strong-man. A champion who answered challenges in the household of the king.
TIR-CONNEL. – County of Connel, now Donegal. The O’Donnells ruled there from the fifth century to the beginning of the seventeenth century.
TIR-EOGHAIN. – Country of Owen, now known as Tyrone, ruled by the O’Neills for centuries.
TLACHTGA. – The ancient palace of the kings of Meath.
TIR-NA-N-OG. – The Land of Youth. Elysium of the ancient Pagan Irish.
TUATHA DE DANAAN. – The people of Danaan. The gods of Ireland.
ULADH. – Ulster.