As legends grow with time, these stone beds became known as spots which could endow fertility on barren women and cement love between lovers.Much time passed in this way. A Sun Goddess and master herbalist, Grainne rules herbs, knowledge, the sun, and fire.Today Grainne is most known from the elopement story of Diarmaid and Grainne, with a similar theme to the later Welsh story of Trystan and Iseult and to the even later tale of King Arthur and Guinivere. In an older version of the story Grainne tried to avoid marriage to the older Finn by setting him an impossible task. She is one of the central figures in the Middle Irish text Finn and Gráinne and, most famously, in the 17th-century tale The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne, which tells of her betrothal to Fionn mac Cumhaill, leader of the Fianna, and her subsequent elopement with Fionn's warrior Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. When Grainne saw him at the wedding banquet she realised Fionn was too old for her and put a “geis,” a love spell on Fionn’s nephew, Diarmuid. Grainne in ancient Ireland was the patron of the harvest. First she asked those three if they would go with her. Usually the woman is married to or promised to the older, more powerful man yet is in love with the younger man. This joining of opposites is seen in the elopement story – Grainne says in Her sleep-song for Diarmaid “To separate us two is to separate children of one home, it is to separate body from soul…”Diarmuid, also called Diarmuid Donn, would suggest that he was the son of Donn, God of the Underworld.

He told them that “where they had slept once, never to sleep again.” They would have to keep moving to avoid Finn and the Fiana.The two lived roughly, taking shelter in great beds of stone all the while pursued by Finn.

This similarity of names is another link indicating Grainne’s more ancient association with Donn.The earliest fragments of the elopement tale date from the tenth century. As usual there is much more to report than space allows. iTunes. Beautiful sharing, thanks, Judith.One other thing that strikes me about Grainne is the echo of relationship with the Greek story of Demeter- that contact/union with the Underworld and the growing of grain. But interestingly the proto-Celtic story does not involve violence or rape like the Greek myth does. Queens: G. Every version I’ve read of the Demeter/Persephone myth has presented Persephone’s descent as a rape/abduction. Personal observation…Second thought: “A’Ghrian” Track 22 of The Pilgrim, by Shaun Davey, 1994, Tara Music Co Ltd. On Earth, Demeter is stronger than Zeus because she commands all life on the Planet. They refused. So the two left together. One other thought – in these elopement stories there is always some magic that creates the sudden and deep love to occur. But Finn remembered Diarmaid’s betrayal and lingered too long with aide.Some versions of the story recount that Grainne mourned Diarmaid for the rest of her life. Though I have seen that Zeus arranged it, but without Demeter or Persephone’s permission. And all those wonderfully exotic names, like Aengus Óg, in the myth give it a sense of true mystery and magic, ancestral and ancient.

She is both Winter Queen/Dark Goddess, nurturing seeds through winter, and Solar Sun Goddess, welcoming the rebirth of spring. I refer anyone who is interested in learning more of the details of the story to my sources links. So it isn’t so much a rape, as it is an abduction, at least as the story is told in the Hymn to Demeter, and which was traditional. In ancient Greek times, marriage involved a ceremony where the groom sweeps up the bride and carries her off in a chariot. I like the Hymn to Demeter for lots of different reasons that are actually too complex maybe for a myth. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. In this situation the love affairs of young women with young men (especially when one is poor) are often thwarted. Diane Rayor has a fabulous translation from the Greek in her book, titled “The Homeric Hymns,” which I’d recommend — very beautiful and powerful.Hi Sarah, Thanks for that info. It’s as if Goddess intervenes to thrwart the patriarchal plan of wealth and property as pertains to marriage (as you mentioned Carol) – Love triumphs (thank you Sappho)Sarah, the Celtic names are really interesting.

Arrow Auto Sales - Providence, Ri, Narrabri Lake, 1968 Ford Mustang, Jeep Renegade Limited, Child 44 Trailer, 2001 Jeep Cherokee Problems, Orthodox Easter 2021, Cooma News, The Dark Hour, Ford S-max For Sale, Marbled Murrelet, Gary Lineker Stats, 2021 Bmw X5 Xdrive45e Specs, Difference Between Welsh And English Breakfast, Highest Scoring Football Game, 2009 Dodge Stratus, Jeep Wrangler Jl Soft Top Parts Diagram, My Love In Welsh, Range Rover Pickup Conversion, Opal Moe,