alanna � �little one�
Anam-Dabh - "Black Soul" The name a bardd gave Kerry after the Battle of Tiar for her fury in battle.
Annwn � the Underworld, equivalent to Elysia. Tartarus would be Ifrinn which is a cold, dark region where venomous reptiles and wild beasts roam.
Annwyn n� Rydian � Eldest child. Fostersister to Gwydion and Kerry. Fosterdaughter to Rohan ap Lorcan, the Chieftain of Clann � Brien.
anwyl � �sweetheart�
Badb - One of three wargoddess that form a triad. Her name means "crow" or "raven" and she is known for visiting battlefields shapeshifted as a crow.
Badb Catha - "Raven of Battle" Kerry's nickname that she was given by her fellow Fians after her first battle, Tiar, for her returning after the battle and mutilating/beheading the enemy corpses and killing their wounded.
bardd/bardain � both mean bard. A class of poet/historians whose duty it was to create epics about great events and heroes, to memorize poems, epics, satires, genealogies, histories (of Ireland as a whole and individual clan histories). There are four ranks, each taking three years of learning and tests to complete. Apprentice, journeyman, master, and ollave. Bardds are not allowed to teach until after they have passed their journeyman tests. (I�m taking certain liberties with history here, but for the most part this is all correct.)
"Black Irish" - often taken to mean Irish people with dark hair and eyes. There are several explanations for this genetic deviation from the norm, but the legend that the "black Irish" were the original inhabitants of the island and all the rest were just blow-ins, is how I�m explaining Kerry�s and her ancestors dark looks. These original inhabitants were said to be the Milesians. Descendents of mythical Spanish king Milesius who supposedly conquered Ireland around 1300 BC from the Tuatha de Dannan (Sidhe).
Brehon� the Gael lawmakers. Gaelic law was actually very complex and covered almost every constituency. Fines, in cows, were the majority of penalties in breaking brehon law, but in extreme cases, like treason, death was the consequence. Exile was also a penalty for serious cases, making the exiled person a Gael without family or clann.
Bydd i ti ddychwelyd 'There shall be a returning for thee.'
carraid � �heart�, �beloved�
Cathair an R�gh � means �The King�s Throne�
Ceallach - the name of the clann which the Fians fought against at the Battle of Tiar.
Ceideach � means �pet lamb�
ceili � a party
Ciolam � (Kerry�s horse.) also is an Irish vessel
clann� the Gaelic spelling of clan
coire ainsec � means basically �guest-right�, the obligation to provide shelter and food to any who ask it. Considered a sacred duty.
d�n � �doom� �fate�
Declan ap Tadhg � Illegitamite son and only child and heir of Tadhg ap Corlam.
Donn - The Dark One, Lord of The Dead. He lives on an island off the south-west coast of Ireland, were the Irish must go to after death.
druidd - the druidds of Ireland (and my story) were natural philosophers, lore masters, teachers, and wizards (it was the druids of Britan and the rest of the Celtic world that were priests. Ireland druidds were not priests. This also explains why the Irish Druids were the only Celts who did NOT practice human sacrifice).
d�n � means "fortified place" fort, castle, etc� usually a fortified holding
D�n Carraig-ban - means "Fort White-rock". It's the home of the chieftain of the clann � Brien.
Fergus ap Cathal - the Ard-R�gh's own riogh-bardain and Gwynne's foster father and teacher
Fian � a warrior of the Fianna
Fianna (Fee-na)> - Here's an even better description of the Fianna as of 5/2/98. FIANNA
fudir - An outcast. An exile from clann and family. A Celt who is fudir has no rank among other Celts. Kerry is an anamoly for although she is fudir, she has a rank among the Fianna, since she is a Champion.
Go n-ithe an cat thu, is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat - May the cat eat you, and may the cat be eaten by the devil.
Gwydion ap Fionnbh�rr �Youngest of two children. Brother to Kerry. Son of Fionnbh�rr ap Cormac, Chieftain of the mac Namara and �na inghean u� Mahon. Fosterbrother to Annwyn. Fosterson to Rohan ap Lorcan, the Chieftain of Clann � Brien.
Gwynne n� Rhydian � Youngest of three children. Bardd of the ollave rank. Fosterchild and former pupil of the great riogh-bardain, Fergus ap Cathal.
gyrfalcon - the biggest bird in the falcon family. There are two types (that I know of)- The majority are primarily white with brown or grey tipped feathers. There are also some that are grey with white tips. Falcon is fierce and swift. No land creature can hope to match the speed of a diving falcon. They are the masters of flight and possess an incredible intelligence. They are closely connected to Air and Fire. Falcon magic involves speed, hunting, and mastery of flight. Here's two good pictures of what I envisioned for Chapter 7. Gyrfalcon Picture 1/2.
Ifrinn - The cold, dark region of Annwn where venomous reptiles and wild beasts roam. Reserved for kinslayers and cowards.
inghean u� � means �daughter of a male descendant of�. Dearbhorgaill inghean u� Conchobhair which means Dearbhorgaill daughter of a male descendant of Conchobhar.
kenning � means basically a �deep understanding�
kern - a light-armed foot soldier of Ireland.
Kerry n� Fionnbh�rr � Eldest of two children. Sister to Gwydion. Daughter of Fionnbh�rr ap Cormac, Chieftain of the mac Namara and �na inghean u� Mahon. Fostersister to Annwyn. Fosterdaughter to Rohan ap Lorcan, the Chieftain of Clann � Brien.
laird � means �lord� the head of the house, usually nobility.
Nemhain� (Kerry�s wolfhound bitch.) Named after the war goddess of �Frenzy� who creates panic among fighting men.
n� � means �daughter of� Pre- Christian Gaels didn�t have last names like we do now.
mac � means �son of�. ap is more commonly used. Pre- Christian Gaels didn�t have last names like we do now.
maenor � means �manor�
Morr�gu � �Phantom Queen.� Morr�gan or Morr�gu is the Old Irish name of an ancient Irish war-goddess. The word is sometimes used as a generic term for a group of three war goddesses, along with Nemhain and Badb.
Niall ap Fearghas - Kerry's Fian lover who died at the Battle of Tiar.
� - � or ua means "(male) descendant of." Donnchadh � Conchobhair which means Donnchadh male descendant of Conchobhar.
Ogham - the runic line language based on tree lore, used by the druidds. It's also used for divination. It's the ONLY written language of the celts and is only known to the druidds and some of the bardain.
Ollave � bardic title. Takes twelve years of training and tests to achieve this highest of the bardic ranks. Exceptional Ollave�s are often entrusted with diplomatic or social missions between kingdoms. All bardds above the rank of journeyman are allowed to teach.
puca - a mischevious dark spirit. Usually seen in the shape of kind of a horse/dog. Big, fangs, etc...
raven - Raven is crafty and menacing. Raven embodies paradox and contradiction, and it is also quite self-important. Raven is associated with Air and Water.
riogh-bardain � means �royal ollave�, a bardd of the ollave rank who�s sponsored by a royal family, very exceptional talent.
Ru�n Fuildh�rtair mac Eochaidh � guest of Tadgh � Brien.
Sidhe � �The Fair Folk�, also known as the Tuatha de Danaan, who ruled the island before the Gaels came. It is said they are an immortal race that went below the hill.
Scathach � A legendary woman warrior who taught men and women at a kind of advanced military academy on the Isle of Shadow.
Tadhg ap Corlam � Is the laird of D�n Carraig-ban and the current Chieftain of Clann � Brien.
Tara - in the county Meath, was the seat of Irish kings. There is a stone that stands on it which is thought to be the same one called Lia Fail, Stone of Destiny, upon which the Ard Righ (High King) was inagurated. The stone would "cry out" if a worthy king stood upon it.
torc � an open-ended neck ornament of either gold or silver worn by Celts of rank.
trews � pants
Thuit mo ghrian gu sior - My sun has set forever.
usqueba � �water of life� Whiskey
Here are approximate transiliterations for the letters that don't exist in English. The slash above the letter is called a fada in Irish, meaning long, because it lengthens the vowel).
� = aw - awe, crawl (a - flat in Ulster)
� = ay - hay, bray
� = ee - feed, creep
� = o - owe, flow
� = oo - cool, fool (more like the French word for "where")
Some of the consonants are pronounced differently.
s = sh (when it is in the stressed syllable)
bh = v
dh = g
mh = w
th = h
Links to some of the Resources.
(most of my information comes from books)
Irish Wolfhounds with some great links.
Gaelic and Gaelic Culture
Quick and Easy Gaelic Bynames
Irish Names
Old Irish Names Modernized
Tracing Your Irish Ancestors
Irish Poetry -HUGE- where I get all of the poetry (except for what I write). Every poem in ...And Beyond was written by an Irish poet.
Gramadach Lexicon Simple Gaelic Dictionary - *G* I don't use this much. I've got access to a great Gaelic/English/Gaelic dictionary I use.
Irish Timeline and History - Ancient through present. Short and sweet. ;}
Fionn and the Fiann - a brief history of the Fianna.
Celtic Religion