In Irish mythology , Eriu ( Old Irish: [?eːr?u] ; Modern Irish : Eire [?eː???] ^ⓘ ), daughter of Delbaeth and Ernmas of the Tuatha De Danann , was the eponymous matron goddess of Ireland .

The English name for Ireland comes from the name Eriu and the Germanic ( Old Norse or Old English ) word land .

Since Eriu is represented as goddess of Ireland, she is often interpreted as a modern-day personification of Ireland, although since the name Eriu is the Old Irish form of the word Ireland, her modern name is often modified to Eire or Erin to suit a modern form.

Name and etymology [ edit ]

The name Eriu has been derived from reconstructed Archaic Irish *?weri? , ^[1] which is related to the ethnic name Iverni . ^[2] The University of Wales derives this from Proto-Celtic * Φ?werjon- (nominative singular Φ?werj? ). ^[3] This is further derived from Proto-Indo-European *piHwerjon- ("fertile land" or "land of abundance"), from the adjective *piHwer- "fat" (cognate with Ancient Greek pieira and Sanskrit p?vara , "fat, full, abounding"). ^[2] The Archaic Irish form was borrowed into Ancient Greek as ??ρνη Iern? and ?ουερν?α Iouernia , and into Latin Hibernia . ^[2]

Epithets [ edit ]

In the Banshenchas (a mediaeval text describing legendary and historical Irish women), ^[4] Eriu and her sisters are called:

• fair women of the Tuatha De Danand
• a famous throng
• clear voice of achievement
• three fair daughters of Fiachra
• bright women of spirited speech

Family [ edit ]

Different texts attribute differing personal relationships to Eriu. Eriu's sisters are consistently named as Banba and Fodla, who are members of the Tuatha De Danann, and the three sisters share a trio of brothers as husbands. In the Banshenchas , Eriu is described as the wife of Cetar, while Banba and Fodla are named as the wives of Etar and Detar, respectively. ^[4] More commonly, she is named as the wife or lover of Mac Greine ("Son of the Sun"), a grandson of the Dagda , although in the Banshenchas , her husband is simply named Grian ("Sun"). ^{[5] [6] [4]} Eriu is also portrayed as the lover of Elatha , a prince of the Fomorians , with whom she produces a son named Bres , and as the mistress of Bres's enemy - the hero Lugh . Both Elatha and Eriu are described in some sources as the children of Delbaeth , indicating they may be half-siblings. ^[7] Elsewhere Eriu is named as the daughter of Fiachra, ^[4] and her mother is named as Ernmas. Her foster-father in the Rennes Dindsenchas is named as Codal the Roundbreasted, and it is said that when he fed Eriu on a peak called Benn Codail , it caused the land in Ireland to heave toward the sky, and it would have kept rising until the entire land would have been the peak or otherwise until the sun would have scorched Eriu and the wind pierced her ears. ^[8]

Role and mythical portrayal [ edit ]

With her sisters, Banba and Fodla , Eriu forms a triumvirate of goddesses. When the Milesians arrived from Galicia , each of the three sisters asked that her name be given to the country. This was granted to them, although Eriu (Eire) became the chief name in use. ^[6] (Banba and Fodla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland, much as Albion is used as a poetic name for Great Britain .)

According to the 17th-century Irish historian Geoffrey Keating ( Irish : Seathrun Ceitinn ), the three sovereignty goddesses associated with Eire, Banbha and Fodla were Badb , Macha and The Morrigan . Eriu, Banba and Fodla are also interpreted as goddesses of sovereignty . ^[9]

References [ edit ]

Bibliography [ edit ]

• Boydell, Barra. "The female harp: The Irish harp in 18th- and early?19th-century Romantic nationalism", RIdIM/RCMI newsletter XX/1 (spring 1995), 10?17.