DeitiesHL

Herne: A horned god of fertility and the hunt. While Herne the Hunter is specific to Windsor Great Park in Britain, the name is known from Roman inscriptions in Gaul as Cernunnos. This name in Gaelic becomes Herne, because the 'C' becomes 'CH', pronounced 'H', and the Latin suffix--'unnos' is deleted. Probably originating extremely early in the Native European Tradition as a man dressed in skins and horns to aid in the hunt, his image remained popular into the Celtic era. It is likely Herne who is depicted sitting cross-legged holding a ram-headed snake on the Gundestrup Cauldron.

Hero-Light: The hero-light, the hero-halo, the warrior's-moon, the horns, the 'sparks and mists of the Badb', are descriptions of auric emanations from the body that become visible around great warriors such as Cuchulainn. It is customary to provide deities with such auras and halos in the world religious traditions, but they usually accompany statues of sublime exstasy rather than anger and battle madness. The wrathful deities of the Buddhist tradition, and the terrible forms of Hindu deities such as Shiva, Lord of Destruction, also possess such auric manifestations, perhaps providing a better parallel.

I

Imbas--(im-as): Inspiration or intuition; this is the Irish equivalent of the Welsh word 'awen'.

Imbolc--(immolc): The festival at the beginning of February which celebrates the returning light, the first lambs, and the flow of ewe's milk.

L

La Tene: The name given to the art style of the Celts that developed in central Europe from the mid fifth century BCE. It's abstract, often asymmetrical, curvilinear art of spirals, tendrils, and scrolls took Celtic craftsmanship to a new peak. Irish La Tene decorative work on high-status objects of metal is particularly noteworthy.

Laeg--(loy-gh): Charioteer of Cuchulainn.

Laeghaire--(leer-ry): A champion of the Red Branch of Ulster.

Lugaid--(Lew-ih): There are many Lugaids in Irish myth. Lugaid, the son of Curoi Mac Daire, kills Cuchulainn's charioterr Laeg, which leads to the death of Cuchulainn.

Lugh--(loo): Son of Cian of the Tuatha De Danan and Ethlinn of the Fomor. Lugh is fostered by a queen of teh Fir Bolg, thereby blending all the races of Ireland. Lugh means 'shining' or 'bright one'.

Lugh Lamhfada--(loo-law-fada): "Lugh of the Long Arm", is a solar deity and the master of all crafts, or 'samildanach'. He is the father of Cuchulainn and foster-son of Manannan.

Lughnasadh--(loo-na-sa): The festival of Lugh at the at the beginning of August that celebrated first harvest, and at which goods were traded, contracts were ratified, judgements given, and games held.