btw re: my tags on that post about academia, the joke that irish scholars will write a whole article discussing a hypothetical version of a text that existed in cin dromma snechta is a) not even an exaggeration, they do that, and b) something that has been going on for so long that there are eighteenth century jokes about it (or at least, about the idea that cin dromma snechta may or may not have contained literally anything you want it to have contained):
A delightfully impudent parody of the learned digression occurs in the eighteenth-century Eachtra Chuinn Laidir, whose author, after describing his invented hero's encounter with a lady in a magic castle, says that he will not commit himself to saying that they had sexual relations, but according to Cin Dromma Snechta (the most famous and ancient of lost Irish MSS.) he had a son by her.
bruford, gaelic folk-tales and mediaeval romances, p40
Professions of my divisions (Tokyo, Nagano and Koto) and those of my moots @/trivializetriven (Takasaki, Suzuka and Akihabara) and @/nozomi-tokyod w/ me (Chiba and Kobe)
Clíodhna (Clídna, Clionadh, Clíodna, Clíona) is a Queen of the Banshees of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Clíodna of Carrigcleena is the potent banshee that rules as queen over the sidheog (fairy women of the hills) of South Munster, or Desmond.
In some Irish myths, Clíodhna is a goddess of love and beauty, and the patron of County Cork. She is said to have three brightly coloured birds who eat apples from an otherworldly tree and whose sweet song heals the sick people. She leaves the otherworldly island of Tír Tairngire ("the land of promise") to be with her mortal lover, Ciabhán, but is taken by a wave as she sleeps due to the music played by a minstrel of Manannan mac Lir in Glandore harbour in County Cork: the tide there is known as Tonn Chlíodhna, "Clíodhna's Wave". Whether she drowns or not depends on the version being told, along with many other details of the story.
Pic by SineadMeehan on DeviantArt
She had her palace in the heart of a pile of rocks, 5 mi (8.0 km) from Mallow, which is still commonly known by the name of Carrig-Cleena, and numerous legends about her are told above the Munster peasantry.
In general, it has been observed that Clíona is especially associated with old Irish families of Munster. Clíona has long been associated with the lands that had been the territory of the Ui-Fidgheinte (O'Donovans and O'Collins) during their period of influence (circa 373 A.D. to 977 A.D.), or were later associated with what had been the Ui-Fidghente territory (MacCarthys and FitzGeralds).
Clíona is referred to as an unwelcome pursuer in Edward Walsh's poem, O’Donovan’s Daughter. And, in an ode praising Donel O'Donovan upon his accession to the chiefship of Clancahill, Domhnall Ó Donnabháin III he is referred to as the "Dragon of Clíodhna".
Clíodhna is also associated with the MacCarthy dynasty of Desmond, who adopted her as their fairy woman, and the O'Keeffes and FitzGerald dynasty, with whom she has had amorous affairs Clíodhna appears in the name of one O'Leary in a medieval pedigree, as Conor Clíodhna or "Conor of Clíodhna", and it is notable that the family were originally based in the area of Rosscarbery, very near to Glandore, before moving north to Muskerry. The O'Learys belong to the ancient Corcu Loígde.
Surviving traditions of Clíodhna in narrative and poetry associate her with the O'Keeffes and O'Donovans. The latter, originally from Uí Fidgenti in North Munster with its own traditions, where their original goddess was Mongfind, later moved south to Carbery on Cuan Dor Harbour, Clíodhna's traditional abode on the South Munster coast, and she then features in poetry associated with them. The O'Keeffe narrative tradition is more extensive, and Clíodhna has other Desmond associations too.
Clíodhna is said to be a rival of Aibell, in one tale, Clíodhna cast a spell that turned Aibell into a white cat.
The most traditional story of the famous Blarney Stone involves Clíodhna. Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, the builder of Blarney Castle, being involved in a lawsuit, appealed to Clíodhna for her assistance. She told him to kiss the first stone he found in the morning on his way to court, and he did so, with the result that he pleaded his case with great eloquence and won. Thus the Blarney Stone is said to impart "the ability to deceive without offending". He then incorporated it into the parapet of the castle. To be fair, Clíodhna does not take credit for all the blarney of the MacCarthys. Queen Elizabeth noted in frustration that she could not effect a negotiation with Cormac MacCarthy, whose seat was Blarney Castle, as everything he said was 'Blarney, as what he says he does not mean'.
A recent dnd character for an upcoming campaign! His name is Laidir beinn, origin: Gaelic meaning strong mountain. He is a mountain dwarf druid.
A message from Laidir:
I 've spent the last 20 years of my life underneath the misty, wuthering welsh mountains, destined to work as a stone mason, working on the vast chambers with intricate stone work teeming with jewels.
My masonry gave me great strength, and my time in the mountains, great wisdom and health. But it was never enough for me, I dreamed of the outside word, and magic that we where tought about, but was never allowed to dabble in.
The day I turned 20 I climbed out of the ground, and ventured for days, weeks even, exploring and observing the vegetation and curious animals, I grew a particular liking to bears. I never touched them, just watched and observed their ways.
I ran into a druid, a human at the age of 60. She was in the form of a bear, one that I had became particularly fond of. I think that she was the one observing me more than I saw to her.
Over the last ten years of my life she have been teaching me the way of druids, and the day I reach 30, I will be initiated into the circle of the land. Through this I will learn to draw my magic from the strongest and wisest mountains, no matter how far I travel away, I will remember their power.
★: Carson nach bu choir dhomh? Tha thu laidir. Tha thu breagha. Tha mi gad iarraidh. Co nach biodh gad iarraidh?
『 " chan eil mi gu bhith fo sheilbh. " 』
ˑ༄ؘ ۪۫۫ ▹ ; YOU CAN FEEL the suspicion & irritation rise in you like the broad , dark ocean. were they trying to please you in your own tongue ? trying to get something out of you ? either way , you stood your ground. you were no doll. not anymore.
Eoghan has been around the mercenaries for as long has he can remember, his dad running the pub before him. St. Marie's began running when Eoghan was 16, in 1998 just after the final IRA ceasefire and the beginning of the Peace Process, most of the first wave of mercenaries being ex-IRA members.
When Eoghan took over he changed things up a bit, not allowing as many of the ex-IRA members to go to business in the pub, not approving of some of their reasons for joining in the first place. While the pub is a safe space for outcasts and many homeless people the mercs are always vetted and nothing will get past the algorithm Eoghan asked Jess to make.
Eoghan is very protective over his regulars and his mercenaries, especially the young ones. The first young mercenary he worked with was Davy Moran, though he was only ever known to everyone as Lad, short for Laidir which means strong. Davy isn't around the place much anymore, having been able to move out of the shitty neighborhood he was in and getting a stable job but he always drops by every now and then. He's like a son to Eoghan and always treats Fianna like a little sister even though they barely know each other.
When Liam brought Fianna to Eoghan he had already heard about her. Most of the mercs had, the story spreading like crazy within the outcasts of the city. A lot of mercs and patrons were weary of her being brought there, not just because she was so young but because she was a young girl. But Eoghan stood by his choice and most mercs stood with him, willing to protect the young girl at all costs.
Eoghan always shadowed his da in the beginning of the place being open. Some of the regulars joked that he was like a wee lap dog following Ciaran around this giving him the nick and of "Madra" meaning dog in Irish. He was the one to give Fianna the nickname "Mactíre" (which means wolf in Irish) and jokes were made by regulars about the two names being so similar. This began the basis for Fianna and Eoghan's father-daughter like relationship.
Eoghan introduced Mackenzie and Fianna, hoping they'd get along. Eoghan knows what goes on with Liam and Mackenzie and while he can't get the lad away from his da he tries to give him a safe space, Fianna was the perfect person to help him. Eoghan doesn't like Liam but Liam is a dangerous person, he was an ex-IRA captain, part of the old old guard and he never could get rid of him. When he found out that Mackenzie split he was glad that the boy got out of his situation but is scared for what the world could do to him.
Even while running a bar and mercenary business Eoghan has strict morals and rules. Yes he deals some shady shit but he isn't a complete savage. Fianna and Mackenzie are allowed in the bar part of the building after 9pm, following the laws of the country. They also aren't allowed to drink or work behind the bar, no matter how badly they want to.
He lets people stay in the rooms behind the bar, St. Marie's being an old almost rundown Catholic school. Some rooms are reserved for full time residents, Eoghan, Fianna, Jess etc whereas others are for the part-time residents such as Liam or Davy. Then there are a few other rooms, in there Eoghan let's homeless people stay, there aren't a lot of rooms, definitely not a lot of room but he tries to fit in as many people as he can while keeping the conditions as best he can.
He was there for Fianna when Pietro died, though he still doesn't forgive himself for everything he let her do. Some of her coping mechanisms were not as good as others and while they never hurt her he still wishes he could go back and stop her erratic and almost self-destructive meltdown.
Eoghan was heartbroken to find out that Fianna wasn't coming back to Ireland for the foreseeable future but understood her reasoning. He gave Tony advice on how to 'deal' with Fianna's aggressiveness and has the number saved in case Tony needs more help or if he remembers something that the man might need to know.