Irish Folklore, Myth & Legend: The Goddess Ériu

It is said that Ériu and her sisters were asked to represent the Tuatha Dé Danann when meeting the Milesians, a rival race who arrived in Ireland long after the Tuatha Dé Danann, intent on dominating the country. A patriarchal society, the Milesians were led by their druid, Amergin.

Ériu and her sisters, with their intuitive powers, sensed that the age of the Milesians was coming upon Ireland, and it was time for them to return through the spiritual veil. Amergin met the three sisters atop Uisneach, the sacred hill in the heart of Ireland, where they requested that Amergin name Ireland after them.

Ériu’s sovereign presence and connection to the land greatly impacted Amergin. So he named the land after her, leaving their powerful feminine legacy embedded in the land for future generations to come. In Irish poetry, Banba and Fódla are occasionally referenced as alternative names for Ireland as well.

Ériu’s reach is long, and her influence is strong. It is also a female name in Ireland today, often spelt Éirin, showing the goddess’s continued importance. Said to be the meeting point of the five ancient provinces of Ireland, historical records show that her burial site has remained an influential meeting point for thousands of years. Many Irish leaders have delivered inspired speeches and hosted meetings at this powerful point of confluence with legendary origins.

Today, the four recognised provinces are Leinster in the east, Ulster in the north, Connacht in the west and Munster in the southeast. In Irish mythology, the fifth ancient province was Míde (meaning centre), at which Uisneach is centrally located. Scholars and folklorists theorise that the fifth province may once have referred to a spiritual gateway, the pathway connecting our world to the spiritual world from which the Tuatha Dé Danann once appeared.

Ériu’s existence reminds us that in Celtic civilisation, female goddesses were recognised and respected, with powerful women revered as leaders in bygone communities.

Ériu’s legacy of leadership and the power of the feminine still inspires Irish culture and leadership to this day.

The Bealtaine Fire Festival

Amazingly, the ancient pagan festivals celebrating the transition from one season to the next are still celebrated in Ireland. On February 1st, we celebrate St Brigid’s Day (Ireland’s newest bank holiday) to mark the start of spring. Samhain, celebrated at Halloween (did you know the origins of Halloween are Irish?), is the start of the winter season – heralded by the folklore figure, the Hag of Beara. Lughnasadh (August 1st) is the start of autumn.

And May 1st – the festival of Bealtaine – is the start of summer. Nowhere is this celebrated more than atop the hill of Uisneach, where a huge fire festival lights up the night skies each year. The modern reincarnation of this ancient festival clearly takes its inspiration from the old pagan ways. In fact, the prime star of the show? None other than the goddess Ériu is honoured throughout the festival.