Figures in Irish mythology include the following:
Mythological Cycle Tuatha Dé Danann Notable figures Aengus - god of passionate and romantic love, youth and poetic inspiration Áine - goddess of parental and familial love, summer, wealth and sovereignty Banba, Ériu and Fódla - patron goddesses of Ireland Bodb Derg - king of the Tuatha Dé Danann Brigid - daughter of the Dagda; associated with healing, fertility, craft, platonic love, and poetry Clíodhna - queen of the Banshees, goddess of fantasized love, beauty, and the sea The Dagda - supreme god and king of the Tuatha Dé Danann Danu - mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann Dian Cecht - god of healing Étaín - heroine of Tochmarc Étaíne Lir - god of the sea Lugh - legendary hero and High King of Ireland, god of leadership, skills, the sun, and alliances, associated with friends. Maine mac Darthacht - owner of a cloak fastened by eight stones Manannán mac Lir - god of the sea, like his father Lir Nuada Airgetlám - first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann Ogma - warrior-poet, said to have invented the Ogham alphabet Trí Dée Dána - three gods of crafting Creidhne - artificer of the Tuatha Dé Danann, working in bronze, brass and gold Goibniu - smith of the Tuatha Dé Danann Luchtaine - carpenter of the Tuatha Dé Danann The Triple Goddess Badb - war goddess who caused fear and confusion among soldiers, often taking the form of a crow Macha - goddess associated with war, battle, horses and sovereignty The Morrígan - goddess of battle, strife and fertility
Lesser figures Abartach - also known as the Giolla Deacair ("the hard servant"), he was associated with Fionn mac Cumhaill Abcán - dwarf poet of the Tuatha Dé Danann Abhean - poet of the Tuatha Dé Danann Aed - god of the underworld Aoi Mac Ollamain - god of poetry Airmed - daughter of Dian Cecht; associated with healing Anann - another name for the Morrígan Beag - minor goddess, known for possessing a magic well Bé Chuille - sorceress of the Tuatha Dé Danann Bébinn - goddess associated with birth Boann - goddess of the River Boyne Brea - minor god of the Tuatha Dé Danann Bres - unpopular and treacherous fomorian king of the Tuatha Dé Danann Brian - son of Tuireann and murderer of Cían Caer Ibormeith - princess cursed to spend every second year in the form of a swan Cermait - son of the Dagda, killed by Lugh Cían - father of Lugh; able to shapeshift at will Danand - daughter of Delbáeth Delbáeth - king of the Tuatha Dé Danann Ecne - god of wisdom and knowledge Egobail - foster son of Manannan mac Lir and father of Aine Elcmar - chief steward to the Dagda Ernmas - mother goddess Fand - sea goddess and lover of Cú Chulainn Fiacha mac Delbaíth - legendary High King of Ireland Fionnuala - daughter of Lir, who was transformed into a swan and cursed by her stepmother Flidais - goddess of cattle and milking Fuamnach - witch of the Tuatha Dé Danann Iuchar - son of Tuireann and murderer of Cían Iucharba - son of Tuireann and murderer of Cían Lí Ban - sister of Fand Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine - trio of brothers who killed Lugh and shared the kingship of Ireland between each other Miach - healer and son of Dian Cecht, killed by his father out of jealousy due to his superior healing talents Midir - son of the Dagda Nechtan - father and/or husband of Boann Neit - god of war Nemain - a goddess of war; possibly an alternative name for Badb Niamh - queen of Tír na nÓg Tuireann - father of Creidhne, Luchtaine and Goibniu
Fir Bolg Eochaid mac Eirc - High King of Ireland, the last Fir Bolg king and the first king to establish a system of justice Fiacha Cennfinnán - High King of Ireland Fodbgen - High King of Ireland Gaillimh iníon Breasail - mythical woman from whom the river and city of Galway derive their name Gann and Genann - joint High Kings of Ireland Rinnal - High King of Ireland and the first king to use spearheads Rudraige mac Dela - second High King of Ireland Sengann mac Dela - High King of Ireland Sláine mac Dela - first High King of Ireland Sreng - champion of the Fir Bolg who cut off Nuada's arm Tailtiu - wife of Eochaid mac Eirc and foster mother of Lugh, who died clearing plains of Ireland for agriculture
Fomorians Balor - last king of the Fomorians, capable of killing with his deadly eye Buarainech - parent of Balor Cethlenn - prophetess and wife of Balor Cichol Gricenchos - early leader of the Fomorians Conand - oppressive leader of the Fomorians Elatha - Fomorian prince Tethra - ruler of Mag Mell following his death during the Second Battle of Mag Tuired Ethniu - daughter of Balor and mother of Lugh
Milesians Amergin Glúingel - druid, bard and judge Eber Finn - High King of Ireland Érimón - High King of Ireland Míl Espáine - Irish ancestral figure
Ulster Cycle Major characters Ailill mac Máta - king of Connacht and husband of Medb Conchobar mac Nessa - king of Ulster Cú Chulainn - mythological hero known for his terrible battle frenzy Deirdre - tragic heroine of the Ulster Cycle; when she was born it was prophesied that she would be beautiful, but that kings and lords would go to war over her Donn Cuailnge - Brown Bull of Cooley, an extremely fertile stud bull over whom the war known as the Táin Bó Cúailnge was fought Fergus mac Róich - former king of Ulster, now in exile Medb - queen of Connacht, best known for starting the Táin Bó Cúailnge
Ulster characters Amergin mac Eccit - poet and warrior in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa Athirne - poet and satirist in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa Blaí Briugu - Ulster warrior with a geis which requires him to sleep with any woman who stays at his hostel unaccompanied Bricriu - hospitaller, troublemaker and poet Cathbad - chief druid in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa Celtchar - hero of the Ulaid Cethern mac Fintain - Ulster warrior who assists Cú Chulainn Conall Cernach - hero of the Ulaid Cruinniuc - wealthy cattle owner who marries a mysterious woman, later revealed to be the goddess Macha Cúscraid - son of Conchobar mac Nessa Dáire mac Fiachna - Ulster cattle-lord and owner of Donn Cuailnge, the Brown Bull of Cooley Deichtine - mother of Cú Chulainn Éogan mac Durthacht - King of Fernmag Fedlimid mac Daill - harper and chief storyteller in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa Fergus Mac Roich - Former king of Ulster. Narrator of Tain Bo Cuailnge. Findchóem - sister of Conchobar mac Nessa and wet nurse of Cú Chulainn Furbaide Ferbend - son of Conchobar mac Nessa Láeg - charioteer of Cú Chulainn Lóegaire Búadach - hapless Ulster warrior who functions largely as comic relief Mugain - wife of Conchobar mac Nessa Naoise - lover of Deirdre Ness - mother of Conchobar mac Nessa Súaltam - mortal father of Cú Chulainn
Connacht characters Bélchú - warrior of Connacht Cet mac Mágach - warrior of Connacht Ferdiad - warrior of Connacht Findabair - daughter of Ailill and Medb Fráech - warrior of Connacht, who woos Findabair Nera - warrior of Connacht
Ulster exiles Cormac Cond Longas - eldest son of Conchobar mac Nessa Dubthach Dóeltenga - cynical ally of Fergus mac Róich
Other characters Achall - daughter of Cairbre Nia Fer Áed Rúad, Díthorba and Cimbáeth - three brothers who shared the kingship of Ireland Aífe - rival of Scáthach Bláthnat - wife of Cú Roí and lover of Cú Chulainn Connla - son of Cú Chulainn and Aife Cairbre Nia Fer - king of Tara Cú Roí - warrior king of Munster Emer wife of Cú Chulainn Erc mac Cairpri - son of Cairbre Nia Fer Fedelm - female prophet and poet Fedelm Noíchrothach - daughter of Conchobar mac Nessa, unfaithful wife of Cairbre Nia Fer and lover of both Cú Chulainn and Conall Cernach Flidais - lover of Fergus mac Róich Lugaid mac Con Roí - son of Cú Roí and killer of Cú Chulainn Mesgegra - king of Leinster Scáthach - legendary warrior woman who trains Cú Chulainn in the arts of combat Uathach - daughter of Scáthach
Fenian Cycle The Fianna Fionn mac Cumhaill - legendary hunter-warrior and leader of the Fianna Caílte mac Rónáin - warrior of the Fianna who could run at remarkable speed and communicate with animals, and was a great storyteller Conán mac Morna - warrior of the Fianna, often portrayed as a troublemaker and a comic figure Cumhall - leader of the Fianna and father of Fionn mac Cumhaill Diarmuid Ua Duibhne - warrior of the Fianna and lover of Fionn's betrothed, Gráinne Goll mac Morna - warrior of the Fianna and uneasy ally of Fionn mac Cumhaill Liath Luachra - Fionn's foster mother and a great warrior Liath Luachra - tall, hideous warrior of the Fianna who shares his name with Fionn's foster mother Oisín - son of Fionn mac Cumhaill, warrior of the Fianna and a great poet Oscar - warrior son of Oisín and Niamh Cú Chulainn - likely a demigod of Lugh
Other characters Aillen - monstrous being killed by Fionn mac Cumhaill Bodhmall - druidess, warrior woman and aunt of Fionn mac Cumhaill Cormac mac Airt - legendary High King of Ireland Finn Eces - poet, sage, and teacher of Fionn mac Cumhaill Gráinne - lover of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, betrothed to Fionn mac Cumhaill Mug Ruith - powerful blind druid Plor na mBan - daughter of Oisín and Niamh Sadhbh - mother of Oisín by Fionn mac Cumhaill
Other Aibell - fairy queen of Thomond Amadan Dubh - trickster fairy known as the "dark fool" Cailleach - divine hag Canola - mythical inventor of the harp Medb Lethderg - goddess of sovereignty associated with Tara Tlachtga - powerful druidess