"ecstasy, lords dance a serpent dance; great descending snakes adorn and support buildings from Chichen Itza to Tenochtitlan, and the Nahuatl word ""coatl"" meaning serpent or twin, forms part of primary deities such as Mixcoatl, Quetzalcoatl, and Coatlicue."" In Christianity and Judaism, a serpent appears in Genesis 3:1 to tempt Adam and Eve with the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. In Neo-Paganism and Wicca, the snake is seen as a symbol of wisdom and knowledge. A legend tells that Saint Patrick banished snakes from Ireland; there are no extant native snakes there. The legend of Saint George and"
"snakes. Aaron's snake-staff prevails by consuming the other snakes. However, all evidence suggests that . ""At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so [there was] nothing for St. Patrick to banish"", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records. The snakes, rather, were a metaphor for the druids, who Patrick is said to have driven out of Ireland when he established Christianity there. Some Irish legends involve the Oilliphéist, the Caoránach, and the Copóg Phádraig. During"
"to take him home. After making his way home, Patrick went on to become a priest. According to tradition, Patrick returned to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity. The ""Declaration"" says that he spent many years evangelising in the northern half of Ireland and converted ""thousands"". Patrick's efforts against the druids were eventually turned into an allegory in which he drove ""snakes"" out of Ireland (Ireland never had any snakes). Tradition holds that he died on 17 March and was buried at Downpatrick. Over the following centuries, many legends grew up around Patrick and he became Ireland's foremost"
"to have banished them from the island, chasing them into the sea after they assailed him during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill. In reality, no species of snake ever inhabited Ireland, due to it losing its land-bridge to Britain before snakes came north after the Ice Age. Three amphibians are found in Ireland, the common European brown frog, the smooth newt, and the natterjack toad. There are questions over whether the frog is actually native to Ireland, with some historic accounts stating that the frog was introduced in the 18th century. The natterjack toad"
"it was washed in again. Mac Creiche Mac Creiche (or Maccreehy, MacCrecius) of Liscannor is described by various old texts as an early Irish saint, a hermit who slew monsters and persuaded kings to submit to him through miracles. He was probably not a historical figure. The stories of his life are most likely derived from earlier pagan legends, and he may be equated with a pagan god. The civil parish of Kilmacrehy on the west coast of County Clare is named after him. Mac Creiche is said to have lived in the late 6th century and to have been"
"is in the British Museum. As late as the 19th century, stones from Ireland were considered efficacious against snake-bites in northern England, presumably because Ireland is famously free of snakes. Apparently any stone would do, so long as it came from Ireland; failing that, Irish sticks and Irish horse-teeth would work, and live cattle from Ireland were also believed to have active powers against snakes, to kill or paralyze them. Unlike fetishes they are not figural. Their purpose has been the subject of varying interpretations; researchers have speculated that they might have been fishing weights or have some other utilitarian"
"the tale as a harvest myth in which the god Lugh wins the harvest for mankind by overcoming Balor who represents blight, drought and the scorching summer sun. Both Ó hÓgáin and Máire MacNeill associate Lugh's defeat of Balor with the festival of Lughnasa and the later tale of Saint Patrick overcoming Crom Dubh. In his book ""The Myths of the Gods: Structures in Irish Mythology"", Alan Ward interprets Balor as the god of drought and blight. He interprets the tale of Balor as follows: The Drought God (Balor) seizes the cow of fruitfulness (Glas Gaibhnenn) and shuts her in"
"Wolves in Ireland Wolves in Ireland were once an integral part of the Irish countryside and culture, but are now extinct. The last wild wolf in Ireland is said to have been killed in 1786, three hundred years after they were believed to have been wiped out in England and a century after their disappearance in Scotland. Wolves feature prominently in Irish mythology. Airitech was a mysterious creature whose three daughters were werewolf like creatures, eventually killed by Cas Corach. The Irish word for wolf is ""Mac Tíre"" meaning literally the Son of the Country(side) and association with human transformation"
"Cú Chulainn Cú Chulainn, also spelled Cú Chulaind or Cúchulainn (; Irish for ""Culann's Hound"") and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the mortal Deichtine, sister of Conchobar mac Nessa. Born Sétanta, he gained his better-known name as a child, after killing Culann's fierce guard-dog in self-defence and offered to take its place until a replacement could be"
"There are no snakes in Ireland and only one species of reptile (the common lizard) is native to the island. Extinct species include the Irish elk, the great auk, brown bear and the wolf. Some previously extinct birds, such as the golden eagle, been reintroduced in about the year 2000 after decades of extirpation. Until medieval times Ireland was heavily forested with oak, pine and birch. Forests today cover about 12.6% of Ireland, of which 4,450 km² or one million acres is owned by Coillte, the Republic's forestry service. As of 2012, the Republic is one of the least forested"
"lived. [56-61] However once there, they found it deserted, derelict, and overgrown. The next day they set off for ""Inis Gluairé"" - there many birds congregated around them at the lake. Eventually Saint Patrick and Christianity came to Ireland, and one day the holy man ""Mochaomhóg"" arrive at ""Inis Gluairé"" - the swans heard him ringing a bell calling matins, and became frightened at the sound. However Fionnghuala declared the sound of the bell would liberate them from the curse of the spell, and so they listened to it. When it finished they sang a song. The holy man heard"
"writes, ""We can perhaps see St Patrick drawing upon the visual concept of the ""triskele"" when he uses the shamrock to explain the Trinity"". The absence of snakes in Ireland gave rise to the legend that they had all been banished by Patrick chasing them into the sea after they attacked him during a 40-day fast he was undertaking on top of a hill. This hagiographic theme draws on the Biblical account of the staff of the prophet Moses. In , Moses and Aaron use their staffs in their struggle with Pharaoh's sorcerers, the staffs of each side turning into"
"Mac Creiche Mac Creiche (or Maccreehy, MacCrecius) of Liscannor is described by various old texts as an early Irish saint, a hermit who slew monsters and persuaded kings to submit to him through miracles. He was probably not a historical figure. The stories of his life are most likely derived from earlier pagan legends, and he may be equated with a pagan god. The civil parish of Kilmacrehy on the west coast of County Clare is named after him. Mac Creiche is said to have lived in the late 6th century and to have been descended from the god Ercc,"
"often been thought to represent the people of Israel, who were not producing 'good fruit'. In Irish legends, Patrick supposedly banished snakes from Ireland. When on the island of Malta, he could pick up poisonous snakes without being bitten. At the end of Mark's gospel, Jesus told his disciples that they would perform this sign. Some have contested whether the final verses of Mark's gospel were original or a later addition, however. In recent years, some Pentecostal churches in the United States have claimed to replicate this miracle, believing it to be a sign of the Holy Spirit's presence. However,"
"of Ireland, the name Magh Senaig was changed to Magh Slécht (""The plain of prostrations"") as it became the nationwide centre of the cult of the god Crom Cruach. Another interpretation is Magh Sleacht meaning the ""Plain of the Monument"". St. Patrick is said to have thrown down Crom Cruaich when he stretched out the Bachal Isu from a neighbouring hill causing it to fall over with its head pointing toward the Hill of Tara. The twelve surrounding idols were then swallowed up by the earth. Another name for the plain was Magh Lecet or Magh Leced. The ancient Irish"
"be the place where the early Irish saint Mac Creiche defeated the ""Brioch-Seach"", or badger monster. The demon badger killed both cattle and men, and was not subdued by the prayers of six local saints. When Mac Creiche arrived the monster, as high as a tall tree, was pursuing and killing the people, discharging balls of fire from its mouth. The saint drove the monster into the waters of the lake, which turned red. The monster rose up again, and Mac Creiche took his cowl and threw it over the monster. The cowl grew so it was ""like a cowl"
"continued fighting. It would heal any wound but decapitation. It was Dian Cecht who once saved Ireland, and was indirectly the cause of the name of the River Barrow. The Morrígú, the heaven-god's fierce wife, had borne a son of such terrible aspect that the physician of the gods, foreseeing danger, counselled that he should be destroyed in his infancy. This was done; and Dian Cecht opened the infant's heart, and found within it three serpents, capable, when they grew to full size, of depopulating Ireland. He lost no time in destroying these serpents also, and burning them into ashes,"
"Crom Dubh Crom Dubh (, ), meaning ""dark crooked [one]"" (also ""Crum Dubh"", ""Dark Crom"") is a mythological and folkloric figure of Ireland, based on the god ""Crom Cruach"", or ""king idol of Ireland"", mentioned in the 12th-century ""dinnseanchas"" of Magh Slécht. The festival for Crom Cruach is called ""Dé Domhnaigh Crum-Dubh"" (Crom Dubh Sunday) in Ireland, the first Sunday in August, but in Lochaber a term for Easter) as in the Scottish Gaelic saying ""DiDòmhnaich Crum Dubh, plaoisgidh mi an t-ugh."" ""Crooked black Sunday, I’ll shell the egg."" Crom Cruach is called the chief Celtic idol of Ireland by"
"have been brought to Ireland. The Lebor Gabala, dating to the eleventh century, states that it was brought in antiquity by the semi-divine race known as the Tuatha Dé Danann. The Tuatha Dé Danann had travelled to the ""Northern Isles"" where they learned many skills and magic in its four cities Falias, Gorias, Murias and Findias. From there they travelled to Ireland bringing with them a treasure from each city – the four legendary treasures of Ireland. From Falias came the ""Lia Fáil"". The other three treasures are the Claíomh Solais or Sword of Light, the Sleá Bua or Spear"
"credited as the eponymous ancestor of the Gaels and creator of the Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx). In the story Goídel Glas, who was the son of Scota and Niul, was bitten by a snake and was saved from death by Moses placing his staff on the snakebite. As a reminder of the incident he would retain a green mark that would stay with him and he would lead his people to a land that would be free of snakes. This is emphasized in his name Goídel which was anglicised to the word Gaelic and Glas which is the"
"on these islands. In the 1970s a dug-out canoe from the Stone Age was recovered from the lake by employees of the Tullynally estate. Lough Derravaragh is best known for its connection with the Irish legend of the Children of Lír. The legend relates how the four children of King Lír were turned into swans and spent 300 years on Lough Derravaragh before moving to the Straits of Moyle (between Ireland and Scotland) for 300 years, and then spent 300 more years on the Atlantic Ocean by Erris and Inishglora. Legend tells that Saint Cauragh was expelled by Saint Columcille"
"of Ireland and the King of Connacht, the Eóganachta the King of Munster—when their ancestral figures had been defeated by Mac Con, whose own descendants the Corcu Loígde were no longer a force after the 7th century. As such it forms part of the common origin legends of the Uí Néill and the Eóganachta. Mac Con belonged to the ancient Dáirine, who were cousins of the Ulaid. The ancestors of the Eóganachta are known as the Deirgtine. The Battle of Mag Mucrama has been translated by Whitley Stokes (""The Battle of Mag Mucrime"", ""Revue Celtique"", 13, 1892), by Standish O'Grady"
"Danann, who played for St. Patrick. He follows Caílte to learn of the patriotic lore of the Ferians, as told in the Alccallam na Senòrach. It makes no reference to Airitech or his werewolf daughters. Werewolves are not native to Irish folklore and mythology and therefore if he killed female wolf-like creatures they would not have been werewolves in a true sense. Cas Corach In Irish mythology, Cas Corach was a hero who helped Caílte mac Rónáin kill three werewolf-like creatures, the daughters of Airitech who would come out of the Cave of Cruachan every year around Samhain and destroy"
"Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the ""Apostle of Ireland"", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, along with saints Brigit of Kildare and Columba. He is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Churches, Anglican Communion, the Old Catholic Church and in the Eastern Orthodox Church as equal-to-the-apostles and ""Enlightener of Ireland"". The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty, but there is broad agreement that he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the second half of the 5th century."
"demons and allowing the Atlanteans to settle peacefully in Ireland; both armies united against Odacon and his Sea Demons. Slaine was able to free the Atlantean leader Gael from being Odacon's Golamh by handing over Sethor to take Gael's place; and they led their armies to bolster the city of Tara. While the tribes fought a defensive battle, Slaine was sent to the Otherworld to secure the blessings of Danu for the Tribes of the Earth Goddess to settle there; this done, he returned with her power behind him and led a charge that decimated Odacon's forces. The Tribe was"
"the only members of the fianna to survive that final battle. They are both central figures in the tale ""Acallam na Senórach"" (""Colloquy of the Ancients""), in which they survive into Christian times and recount tales of the Fianna to a recently arrived Saint Patrick. In Irish mythology, Cas Corach was a hero who helped Caílte mac Rónáin kill three werewolf-like creatures, the daughters of Airitech who would come out of the Cave of Cruachan every year around Samhain and destroy sheep. The she-wolves liked music, so he aided in their slaying by playing a harp to attract and distract"
"of the 12 chief loughs of Ireland. The origin of the lake and its name is explained in an Irish tale that was written down in the Middle Ages, but is likely pre-Christian. According to the tale, the lake is named after Echaid (modern spelling: Eochaidh or Eachaidh), who was the son of Mairid (Mairidh), a king of Munster. Echaid falls in love with his stepmother, a young woman named Ébliu (Ébhlinne). They try to elope, accompanied by many of their retainers, but someone kills their horses. In some versions, the horses are killed by Midir (Midhir), which may be"
"in ancient Irish myths and legends, in a number of place names (both Irish and English), in archaeological sites, along with a considerable number of historical references. The ringforts, a common feature of the Irish landscape, were built partly as a defence against wolves and to protect livestock, over the period 1000 BC to AD 1000. According to the Annals of Loch Cé, the poet Cúán úa Lothcháin (died 1024) was ""slain by the men of Tethfa. God performed a ‘poet's miracle,' manifestly, on the party that killed him, for they died an evil death, and their bodies were not"
"poetic names for Ireland. Their three husbands, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine, who were kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann at that time, asked for a truce of three days, during which the Milesians would lie at anchor nine waves' distance from the shore. The Milesians complied, but the Tuatha Dé Danann created a magical storm in an attempt to drive them away. The Milesian poet Amergin calmed the sea with his verse, then his people landed and defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann at Tailtiu. When Amergin was called upon to divide the land between the Tuatha Dé"
"wish the fairies good morning or afternoon when passing over it. Other types of fairies are the (???) and the or ""Arc-Vuc-Soney"" ""Lucky-Boar-Pig"". An Irish folktale attributes the formation of the Isle of Man to Ireland's legendary hero Fionn mac Cumhaill (commonly anglicised to Finn McCool). Finn was in pursuit of a Scottish giant, and hoping to prevent his escape by swimming across the sea, scooped a huge mass of clay and rock from the land mass and hurled it; but he overshot, and the chunk of earth landed in the Irish Sea, thus creating the island. The hole he"
"Ciarán of Saigir Ciarán of Saigir (5th century – ), also known as Ciarán mac Luaigne or Saint Kieran (), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and is considered the first saint to have been born in Ireland, although the legend that he preceded Saint Patrick is questionable. Ciarán was bishop of Saighir (Seir-Kieran) and remains the patron saint of its successor, the diocese of Ossory. His feast day is celebrated on 5 March. He is sometimes called Saint Ciarán the Elder ( or ""Ciaranus Maior"") to distinguish him from the other 6th-century Irish Saint Ciarán, who was"
"until the eve of Judgement Day. Mac Creiche accepted the thanks of the people but warned that if they did not pay the promised tribute they would be cursed with disease, pestilence and internal strife. Another version of the legend says Ireland was afflicted by a plague called ""Crom Chonnaill"". The men of Kerry (his kinsmen, the Cíarraige) invited Mac Creiche to meet them in Ulster to turn the plague away from them. Three sons of the brother of MacCreiche's mother came from the east, but were felled by the ""Crom Chonnaill"". When Mac Creiche saw this he raised his"
"to pieces, men weak from want. The dogs rooted from the graves rotten carcases partly decomposed. And so there was nought but abundance of misery ..."" Throughout most of the first half of the 17th century, Ireland had a substantial wolf population of not less than 400 and may be as high as 1000 wolves at any one time. One of the nicknames used for Ireland at this time was “wolf-land”. The first instance of legislation against Irish wolves dates back to 1584 when John Perrot, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, ordered Robert Legge to come up with a scheme"