Boann
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In Irish mythology, Boann or Boand ("white cow") was the goddess of the River Boyne. She was the wife of Nechtan or Elcmar. In the story "Tochmarc Étaíne", her lover was the Dagda, by whom she was the mother of Aengus. In order to hide their affair, the Dagda made the sun stand still for nine months; therefore, Aengus was conceived, gestated and born in one day.[1]
As told in the metrical Dindshenchas,[2] Boann created the River Boyne. Though forbidden to by her husband, Nechtan, Boann approached the magical well of Segais (also known as the Well of Wisdom), which was surrounded by hazel trees. Nuts from the hazels were known to fall into the well, where they were eaten by the speckled salmon (who, along with hazel nuts, also embody and represent wisdom in Irish myth). Boann challenged the power of the well by walking around it counter-clockwise; this caused the waters to surge up violently and rush down to the sea, creating the River Boyne. In this catastrophe, she was swept along in the rushing waters, and lost an arm, leg and eye in the flood.
She also appears in Táin Bó Fraích as the maternal aunt and protector of the mortal Fróech.[3]
Modern-day commentators and Neopagans sometimes identify Boann with the goddess Brigid[1] [2], or believe Boann to be Brighid's mother; however there are no Celtic sources that describe her as such. It is also speculated by some modern writers that, as the more well-known goddess, and later saint, the legends of numerous "minor" goddesses with similar associations may have over time been incorporated into the symbology, worship and tales of Brighid.
[edit] References
- ^ Tochmarc Étaíne at CELT (Corpus of Electronic Texts) (ed. and trans. Osborn Bergin and R. I. Best).
- ^ Metrical Dindshenchas, "Boand I" at CELT (Corpus of Electronic Texts) (ed. Edward Gwynn).
- ^ “The Cattle-Raid of Fróech”. Trans. Jeffrey Gantz, Early Irish Myths and Sagas. Penguin 1982.
[edit] Further reading
- Yann Brekilien, La Mythologie celtique, Éditions du Rocher, Monaco, 1993. ISBN 2-268-01631-5
- Albert Grenier, Les Gaulois, Petite bibliothèque Payot, Paris, 1970. ISBN 2-228-88838-9
- Christian-J. Guyonvarc'h, Magie, médecine et divination chez les Celtes, Bibliothèque scientifique Payot, Paris, 1997. ISBN 2-228-89112-6
- Christian-J. Guyonvarc'h and Françoise Le Roux, Les Druides, Ouest-France University Collection De mémoire d’homme : l’histoire, Rennes, 1986. ISBN 2-85882-920-9
- Christian-J. Guyonvarc'h and Françoise Le Roux, La Civilisation celtique, Ouest-France University Collection De mémoire d’homme : l’histoire, Rennes, 1990. ISBN 2-85882-920-9
- Christian-J. Guyonvarc'h and Françoise Le Roux, Les Fêtes celtiques, Ouest-France University Collection De mémoire d’homme : l’histoire, Rennes, 1995. ISBN 2-7373-1198-7
- Venceslas Kruta, Les Celtes, Histoire et Dictionnaire, Gallimard collection Bouquins, Paris, 2000. ISBN 2-7373-0297-8
- Jean-Paul Persigout, Dictionnaire de mythologie celte, Éditions du Rocher, Monaco, 1985. ISBN 2-268-00968-8
