Aos Sí
Encyclopedia
The aos sí are a supernatural
race in Irish mythology
and Scottish mythology
are comparable to the fairies or elves. They are said to live underground in the fairy mounds, across the western sea, or in an invisible world that coexists with the world of humans. This world is described in the Book of Invasions (recorded in the Book of Leinster
) as a parallel universe
in which the aos sí walk amongst the living. In the Irish language
, aos sí means "people of the mounds" (the mounds are known in Irish as "the sídhe"). In Irish literature the people of the mounds are also referred to as the daoine sídhe ('diːnʲə 'ʃiːə), and in Scottish Gaelic literature as the daoine sìth. They are said to be the ancestors, spirits of nature, or goddesses and gods.
Some later English texts have referred to the aos sí as "the sídhe". While this is linguistically incorrect it has become a widespread usage in English.
ic tales the aos sí are later, literary versions of the Tuatha Dé Danann
("People of the Goddess Danu") – the deities and deified ancestors of Irish mythology. Some sources describe them as the survivors of the Tuatha Dé Danann who retreated into the Otherworld
after they were defeated by the Milesians
– the mortal Sons of Míl Espáine
who, like many other early invaders of Ireland, came from Spain. Geoffrey Keating
, an Irish historian of the late 17th century, equates Spain with the Land of the Dead.
Aos sí are sometimes seen as fierce guardians of their abodes – whether a fairy hill, a fairy ring, a special tree (often a hawthorn) or a particular loch
or wood. The Gaelic Otherworld is seen as closer at the times of dusk and dawn, therefore this is a special time to the aos sí, as are some festivals such as Samhain
, Beltane
and Midsummer
.
each tribe of the Tuatha Dé Danann was given its own mound.
In a number of later English language texts the word sídhe is used both for the mounds and the people of the mounds. However sidh in older texts refers specifically to "the palaces, courts, halls or residences" of the ghostly beings that, according to Gaedhelic mythology, inhabit them.
The fact that many of these sídhe have been found to be ancient burial mounds has contributed to the theory that the aos sí were the pre-Celtic occupants of Ireland. "The Book of Invasions", "The Annals of the Four Masters", and oral history support this view.
Others present these stories as mythology deriving from Greek cultural influence, deriving arguments mainly from Hesiod
’s "Works and Days
", which portrays the basic moral foundation and plantation techniques of the citizens of Greece and describes the races of men, created by the Greek deities.
The story of the Aes Sídhe is found all over Scotland and Ireland, many tales referring to how the Norse invaders drove Scottish inhabitants underground to live in the hills. This part of the legend contributes to the Changeling
myth in west European folklore.
or bean sídhe, which means "woman of the sídhe", has come to indicate any supernatural woman of Ireland who announce a coming death by wailing and keening
. Her counterpart in Scottish mythology
is the bean sìth (sometimes spelled bean-sìdh). Other varieties of aos sí and daoine sìth include the Scottish bean nighe
– the washerwoman who is seen washing the bloody clothing or armour of the person who is doomed to die; the leanan sídhe
– the "fairy lover"; the Cat Sìth – a fairy cat; and the Cù Sìth
– fairy dog.
The sluagh sídhe
– "the fairy host" – is sometimes depicted in Irish and Scottish lore as a crowd of airborne spirits, perhaps the cursed, evil or restless dead. The siabhra (anglicized as "sheevra"), may be a type of these lesser spirits, prone to evil and mischief. However an Ulster
folk song also uses "sheevra" simply to mean "spirit" or "fairy".
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
race in Irish mythology
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
and Scottish mythology
Scottish mythology
Scottish mythology may refer to any of the mythologies of Scotland.Myths have emerged for various purposes throughout the history of Scotland, sometimes being elaborated upon by successive generations, and at other times being completely rejected and replaced by other explanatory narratives.-...
are comparable to the fairies or elves. They are said to live underground in the fairy mounds, across the western sea, or in an invisible world that coexists with the world of humans. This world is described in the Book of Invasions (recorded in the Book of Leinster
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
) as a parallel universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
in which the aos sí walk amongst the living. In the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
, aos sí means "people of the mounds" (the mounds are known in Irish as "the sídhe"). In Irish literature the people of the mounds are also referred to as the daoine sídhe ('diːnʲə 'ʃiːə), and in Scottish Gaelic literature as the daoine sìth. They are said to be the ancestors, spirits of nature, or goddesses and gods.
Some later English texts have referred to the aos sí as "the sídhe". While this is linguistically incorrect it has become a widespread usage in English.
In Gaelic mythology
In many GaelGaël
Gaël is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies southwest of Rennes between Saint-Méen-le-Grand and Mauron...
ic tales the aos sí are later, literary versions of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
("People of the Goddess Danu") – the deities and deified ancestors of Irish mythology. Some sources describe them as the survivors of the Tuatha Dé Danann who retreated into the Otherworld
Otherworld
Otherworld, or the Celtic Otherworld, is a concept in Celtic mythology that refers to the home of the deities or spirits, or a realm of the dead.Otherworld may also refer to:In film and television:...
after they were defeated by the Milesians
Milesians (Irish)
Milesians are a people figuring in Irish mythology. The descendants of Míl Espáine, they were the final inhabitants of Ireland, and were believed to represent the Goidelic Celts.-Myth:...
– the mortal Sons of Míl Espáine
Míl Espáine
In Irish origin legends, Míl Espáine or Míl Espáne is the ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the "sons of Míl" or Milesians, who represent the vast majority of the Irish Gaels....
who, like many other early invaders of Ireland, came from Spain. Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
, an Irish historian of the late 17th century, equates Spain with the Land of the Dead.
In Gaelic folklore
In folk belief and practice, the aos sí are often appeased with offerings, and care is taken to avoid angering or insulting them. Often they are not named directly, but rather spoken of as "The Good Neighbors", "The Fair Folk", or simply "The Folk". The most common names for them, aos sí, aes sídhe, daoine sídhe (singular duine sídhe) and daoine sìth mean, literally, "people of peace". The aos sí are generally described as stunningly beautiful, though they can also be terrible and hideous.Aos sí are sometimes seen as fierce guardians of their abodes – whether a fairy hill, a fairy ring, a special tree (often a hawthorn) or a particular loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
or wood. The Gaelic Otherworld is seen as closer at the times of dusk and dawn, therefore this is a special time to the aos sí, as are some festivals such as Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
, Beltane
Beltane
Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...
and Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
.
The sídhe: abodes of the aes sídhe
As part of the terms of their surrender to the Milesians the Tuatha Dé Danann agreed to retreat and dwell underground in the sídhe (modern Irish: sí; Scottish Gaelic: sìth; Old Irish síde, singular síd), the hills or earthen mounds that dot the Irish landscape. In some later poetryPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
each tribe of the Tuatha Dé Danann was given its own mound.
In a number of later English language texts the word sídhe is used both for the mounds and the people of the mounds. However sidh in older texts refers specifically to "the palaces, courts, halls or residences" of the ghostly beings that, according to Gaedhelic mythology, inhabit them.
The fact that many of these sídhe have been found to be ancient burial mounds has contributed to the theory that the aos sí were the pre-Celtic occupants of Ireland. "The Book of Invasions", "The Annals of the Four Masters", and oral history support this view.
Others present these stories as mythology deriving from Greek cultural influence, deriving arguments mainly from Hesiod
Hesiod
Hesiod was a Greek oral poet generally thought by scholars to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer. His is the first European poetry in which the poet regards himself as a topic, an individual with a distinctive role to play. Ancient authors credited him and...
’s "Works and Days
Works and Days
Works and Days is a didactic poem of some 800 verses written by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod around 700 BC. At its center, the Works and Days is a farmer's almanac in which Hesiod instructs his brother Perses in the agricultural arts...
", which portrays the basic moral foundation and plantation techniques of the citizens of Greece and describes the races of men, created by the Greek deities.
The story of the Aes Sídhe is found all over Scotland and Ireland, many tales referring to how the Norse invaders drove Scottish inhabitants underground to live in the hills. This part of the legend contributes to the Changeling
Changeling
A changeling is a creature found in Western European folklore and folk religion. It is typically described as being the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. Sometimes the term is also used to refer to the child who...
myth in west European folklore.
Types of aos sí
The BansheeBanshee
The banshee , from the Irish bean sí is a feminine spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld....
or bean sídhe, which means "woman of the sídhe", has come to indicate any supernatural woman of Ireland who announce a coming death by wailing and keening
Keening
Keening is a form of vocal lament associated with mourning that is traditional in Scotland and Ireland.-Etymology:"Keen" as a noun or verb comes from the Irish/Scots Gaelic term "caoineadh" and references to it from the seventh, eighth and twelfth centuries are extensive.-History:Written sources...
. Her counterpart in Scottish mythology
Scottish mythology
Scottish mythology may refer to any of the mythologies of Scotland.Myths have emerged for various purposes throughout the history of Scotland, sometimes being elaborated upon by successive generations, and at other times being completely rejected and replaced by other explanatory narratives.-...
is the bean sìth (sometimes spelled bean-sìdh). Other varieties of aos sí and daoine sìth include the Scottish bean nighe
Bean Nighe
The bean nighe , is a Scottish fairy, seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. She is a type of bean sìth .-Legends:...
– the washerwoman who is seen washing the bloody clothing or armour of the person who is doomed to die; the leanan sídhe
Leanan sídhe
In Celtic folklore, the "Barrow-Lover" is a beautiful woman of the Aos Sí who takes a human lover. Lovers of the leannán sídhe are said to live brief, though highly inspired, lives...
– the "fairy lover"; the Cat Sìth – a fairy cat; and the Cù Sìth
Cu Sith
The Cù Sìth of Scottish mythology is an enormous, otherworldly hound, said to haunt the Scottish Highlands. Roughly the size of a cow or large calf, the Cù Sìth was said to be dark green in color with shaggy fur and a long braided or curled tail...
– fairy dog.
The sluagh sídhe
Sluagh
In Irish and Scottish folklore, the Sluagh were the spirits of the restless dead. Sometimes they were seen as sinners, or generally evil people who were welcome in neither heaven nor hell, nor in the Otherworld, who had also been rejected by the Celtic deities and by the earth itself. Whichever...
– "the fairy host" – is sometimes depicted in Irish and Scottish lore as a crowd of airborne spirits, perhaps the cursed, evil or restless dead. The siabhra (anglicized as "sheevra"), may be a type of these lesser spirits, prone to evil and mischief. However an Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
folk song also uses "sheevra" simply to mean "spirit" or "fairy".
List
- AbartachAbartachIn Irish mythology, Abarta , was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and is associated with Finn MacCool.One tale of Abarta's trickery is where he offered himself as a servant to Finn MacCool, shortly after MacCool had succeeded his father as leader of the Fianna, a band of mighty Milesian warriors...
(Note: not to be confused with the similarly Abhartach, a Gaelic prototype of Dracula) - Alp LuachraAlp-luachraAn Alp Luachra is an evil, greedy fairy from Irish mythology. When a person falls asleep by the side of a stream, the Alp-luachra appears in the form of a newt and crawls down the person's mouth, feeding off the food that they had eaten...
- Bean NigheBean NigheThe bean nighe , is a Scottish fairy, seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. She is a type of bean sìth .-Legends:...
/CaoineagCaoineagCaoineag is a Scottish spirit, her name meaning ‘the weeper’ and one of the names given to the Highland Banshee, Caointeach is another.... - Bean Sídhe/Bean SìthBansheeThe banshee , from the Irish bean sí is a feminine spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld....
- Cat Sídhe/Cat Sìth
- Cu Sídhe/Cu SìthCu SithThe Cù Sìth of Scottish mythology is an enormous, otherworldly hound, said to haunt the Scottish Highlands. Roughly the size of a cow or large calf, the Cù Sìth was said to be dark green in color with shaggy fur and a long braided or curled tail...
- ClurichaunClurichaunThe clurichaun , or clobhair in O'Kearney, is an Irish fairy which resembles the leprechaun. Some folklorists describe the clurichaun as a night "form" of the leprechaun, who goes out to drink after finishing his daily chores. Others regard them as regional variations on the same...
- DullahanDullahanThe Irish dullahan is a type of unseelie fairie. It is headless, usually seen riding a black horse and carrying his or her head under one arm. The head's eyes are massive and constantly dart about like flies, while the mouth is constantly in a hideous grin that touches both sides of the head...
- FachenFachenThe Fachen is a creature with only half a body in Scottish and Scots-Irish folklore. Supposedly its appearance, which includes a mane of black feathers tufted at the top and a very wide mouth, is so frightening that it induces heart attacks. It can destroy an orchard with a chain in its strong,...
- Fear DeargFar darrigA far darrig or fear dearg is a faerie of Irish mythology. The name far darrig is an Anglophone pronunciation of the Irish words fear dearg, meaning Red Man, as the far darrig is said to wear a red coat and cap...
- FuathFuathA Fuath is an evil, Gaelic mythological water spirit. In Irish Gaelic, the word "fuath" means "hate".Its name is sometimes used as a regional variance for Kelpie or Uisges in Northern Ireland or the Bean-Nighe. The Scottish use the name to refer to generic water spirits who inhabit the sea,...
- Gean CánachGancanaghA Gancanagh is a male faerie in Irish mythology that is known for seducing human women.The Gancanagh are thought to have an addictive toxin in their skin that make the humans they seduce literally addicted to them...
- Gille DubhGhillie DhuIn Scottish folklore the Ghillie Dhu or Gille Dubh is a faerie, a guardian spirit of the trees. He is kind to children, but generally wild and shy. Said to be dark haired, he is described as clothed in leaves and moss . He especially likes birch trees, and is most active at night...
- GlaistigGlaistigThe glaistig is a creature from Scottish mythology, a type of fuath. It is also known as maighdean uaine , and may appear as a woman of beautiful or monstrous mien, as a half-woman half-goat similar to a satyr, or in the shape of a goat...
/GlashtynGlashtynIn Manx folklore the is a water horse similar to examples in Celtic tradition and folklore, especially in Scotland and Wales. This particular creature often appears as a dark, splendidly handsome young man, with flashing eyes and curly hair. However, he may be distinguished from a real human being... - Leanan Sídhe/Leannan SìthLeanan sídheIn Celtic folklore, the "Barrow-Lover" is a beautiful woman of the Aos Sí who takes a human lover. Lovers of the leannán sídhe are said to live brief, though highly inspired, lives...
- LeprechaunLeprechaunA leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology...
- PúcaPúcaThe Púca is a creature of Celtic folklore, notably in Ireland, the West of Scotland, and Wales. It is one of the myriad fairy folk, and, like many fairy folk, is both respected and feared by those who believe in it....
- Sluagh Sídhe/Sluagh SìthSluaghIn Irish and Scottish folklore, the Sluagh were the spirits of the restless dead. Sometimes they were seen as sinners, or generally evil people who were welcome in neither heaven nor hell, nor in the Otherworld, who had also been rejected by the Celtic deities and by the earth itself. Whichever...
See also
- Daoine maiteDaoine maiteDaoine maithe is Gaelic for "the good people", which is a popular term used to refer to the fairies in Irish folklore. They are generally human like though there are exceptions such as the Puca or Mermaid. The defining features of the Irish fairies are their supernatural abilities and their...
- Enchanted Moura
- Fairy ridingFairy ridingFairy riding was a term used for a kind of paralysis found in livestock in Scotland...
- Fir BolgFir BolgIn Irish mythology the Fir Bolg were one of the races that inhabited the island of Ireland prior to the arrival of the Tuatha Dé Danann.-Mythology:...
- Other worldOther WorldThe Otherworld is a concept in Celtic mythology, referring to a realm of the dead, the home of the deities or spirits....
- StrontianStrontianStrontian is the main village in Sunart, an area in western Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, on the A861 road. It lies on the north shore of Loch Sunart, close to the head of the loch...
Primary sources
- Lebor Gabála ÉrennLebor Gabála ÉrennLebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
(The Book of Invasions) in Lebor LaignechBook of LeinsterThe Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
(The Book of Leinster) - Annala na gCeithre MháistríAnnals of the Four MastersThe Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
(The Annals of the Four Masters) - Leabhar Bhaile an MhótaBook of BallymoteThe Book of Ballymote , named for the parish of Ballymote, County Sligo, was written in 1390 or 1391....
(The Book of Ballymote) - Lebor na hUidreLebor na hUidreLebor na hUidre or the Book of the Dun Cow is an Irish vellum manuscript dating to the 12th century. It is the oldest extant manuscript in Irish. It is held in the Royal Irish Academy and is badly damaged: only 67 leaves remain and many of the texts are incomplete...
(The Book of the Dun Cow) - Leabhar Buidhe LecainYellow Book of LecanThe Yellow Book of Lecan , or TCD MS 1318 , is a medieval Irish manuscript written no later than the dawn of the 15th century. It is currently housed at Trinity College, Dublin and should not be confused with the Great Book of Lecan.-Overview:The manuscript is written on vellum and contains 344...
(The Yellow Book of Lecan) - Leabhar (Mór) LeacainGreat Book of LecanThe Book of Lecan is a medieval Irish manuscript written between 1397 and 1418. It is in the possession of the Royal Irish Academy....
(The Great Book of Lecan)
Secondary sources
- Briggs, Katharine (1978) The Vanishing People: Fairy Lore and Legends. New York, Pantheon
- Carmichael, Alexander (1992) Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations. Hudson, NY Lindisfarne. ISBN 0-940262-50-9
- De Jubainville, H. D'Arbois and Richard Irvine BestRichard Irvine BestRichard Irvine Best , often known as R. I. Best, was an Irish scholar who specialised in Celtic Studies.Best was born into a Protestant family in Derry and educated at Foyle College before working for a time in a bank...
(1903), The Irish Mythological Cycle and Celtic Mythology - Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1966, 1990) The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. New York, Citadel
- Keating, GeoffreyGeoffrey KeatingSeathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
, A History of Ireland - MacKillop, James (1998). Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. London: Oxford. ISBN 0-19-860967-1
- Nennius, The History of Britum
- Rolleston, T.W. (1902) Celtic Mythology