Flidais' Daughters

I've made a post about Flidais herself, and in that post, I mention that she has quite a few daughters. She also has one son, but we explored most of what there is on him in that original post. But her daughters are intriguing on their own and in my opinion deserve their own post. The order they're listed in is alphabetical and does not denote any sort of order of importance.

Arden

There is only one mention of Arden in the original sources. She appears briefly in the Lebor Gabála Érenn alongside 3 of her sisters in the quote: "Flidais, of whom is the "Cattle of Flidais"; her four daughters were Argoen and Be Chuille and Dinand and Be Theite." [sic] (2). Even though this is the only mention of her, scholar John Carey sees a potential connection between Arden and Arduinna (1).

Arduinna is a Continental Gaulish Goddess of the Ardennes forest, which is mostly within Belgium, Germany, and France. Arduinna might have been a forest/woodland Goddess herself, as she is depicted riding on the back of a boar, (1) was identified with the Roman Diana, and gave her name to the region. The Ardennes forest might seem far from Arden's native Ireland, and it is, but the connection is linguistic (1). Arduinna's name survives in the Ardennes forest and in The Forest of Arden in Warwickshire, England. It is compelling to me personally that the two geographical locations left surviving with the name are forests, the names come from a forest Goddess, and Flidais also has associations with forests/woodlands. While the connection with Arduinna isn't absolute or concrete, I think it does give support to the idea that Arden could be a woodland Goddess, through both her mother and her namesake.

Bé Chuille

Bé Chuille is mentioned in at least four sources, making her one of the less obscure daughters. She appears in the same quote as Arden (2), and this is where she is confirmed as a daughter of Flidais. It is also the only reference of her relation to Flidais. Beyond this, in every other source she appears in she is almost always noted to be a sorceress alongside her sister Dinand. The only exception is in the Lebor Gabála Érenn where she is referred to as a "she-farmer", also alongside Dinand (2). Interestingly, in the Banshenchus she is listed as a sorceress of the Tuatha Dé alongside some of the Morrígna (3). Another connection with her and the Morrígna is seen in Cath Maige Tuired Cunga, where her and Dinand are said the be the foster-mothers of the three Morrígna: Badb, Macha, and The Morrígan (6). But it's in Cath Maige Tuired that we see her sorcery actually described. Here, Lugh asks her and Dinand what power they will contribute to the upcoming battle, they answer: "Not hard to say, we will enchant the trees and the stones and the sods of the earth, so that they shall become a host under arms against them, and shall route them in flight with horror and affliction" (7).

Here we see her magic is both earth-based and combative. Another source that confirms her magic is for battle is The Metrical Dindshenchas, where she confronts Carmun alongside three men (4). Her being listed as a "she-farmer" (2) seems, to me, to be a nod to her connection with the earth, especially since Dinand is listed as a "she-farmer" alongside her. Her being a daughter of Flidais might be another subtle link between her and the earth.

Aside from her appearances in the original sources, her name also gives some insight into who she is. Bé Chuille might from "coll" which means "hazel", which would make her name "Woman of Hazel" (1). If this is the case, it definitely enforces her earth-based magical power, as hazel is a tree often associated with magic and wisdom in Irish myth. However, her name might also come from "Olr coll" which would make it "Woman of Destruction" (1). Even if her name means "Woman of Destruction", in my opinion this would still illustrate her magical power considering we see her using her magic for destruction in Cath Maige Tuired (7).

Bé Chuille is obviously a Goddess of great magical power, MacKillop even goes as far as to call her "one of the most witch-like women of the Tuatha Dé Danann" (9). To me, she seems to almost be the archetypal druidess with her powerful earth-based magic.

Bé Teite

Bé Teite is the fourth sister listed in the Lebor Gabála Érenn quote (2). She also appears in the Metrical Dindshenchas (3)(4) and Acallamh na Senórach (8). In these sources, Bé Teite herself hardly appears. Instead, she is usually mentioned in relation to someone or something else. For example, in the Metrical Dindshenchas she is stated to be the daughter of Mac Nia and the wife of Find mac Regamna, and to be who Oenach Teite (Assembly of Teite) is named after (5). In this same source, she is also stated to be the daughter of Fainche Tré-Chichech (Fainche the Three-Breasted)(5). While this could be simply a different strand of tradition, and Flidais is never described this way, Flidais is associated with an abundance of milk, which the "Three Breasts" mentioned here could be alluding to (1).

In Acallamh na Senórach she is mentioned in order to explain how the Shore of Téite got its name and to serve as foreshadowing for Clidna (8). In this source, three of Manannán mac Lir's daughters: Clidna, Aífe, and Etáin Fholtfinn (Etáin Fair-Haired) sail with three men to the Shore of Téite with the intention to elope with them. The Shore of Téite is apparently so-named because Téite Brecc (The Freckled) went there with one hundred fifty women to play in the waves, and all of them drowned. After this explanation is given, a very similar story plays out where Clidna drowns on the same shore, giving her name to the Wave of Clidna. After this, both the Fort of Téite and the Grave of Téite (which was on the north of the shore) are mentioned (8). This connection to Manannán mac Lir and/or the ocean is an interesting one to note, as we'll see when we get to Fand that Bé Teite is not the only daughter of Flidais to be connected to the sea God. I also noticed that Etáin Fholtfinn (Fair-Haired) has a very similar epithet to Flidais Foltchaoin (Soft-Haired). Etáin is never mentioned in relation to Flidais, but I thought it was interesting to note that she appears in a story where one of Flidais' daughters appears, as a daughter of Manannán mac Lir no less.

Bé Teite's name is often translated as "Wanton Woman" (1)(9), but the translation "Woman of Assembly" (or "Woman of Gathering) might be more likely (1). This makes sense when we remember that in the Metrical Dindshenchas, she does have an assembly named after her (5). Through this connection with assemblies, we can see a potential association with abundance, particularly with abundance of food and/or wealth. This is strengthened further when we remember that Flidais is also associated with abundance of food through her association with abundance of milk. So, Bé Teite is likely a deity of abundance at least, though I do think there's more to her that has been lost or obscured.

Dinand

Dinand is mentioned in almost every source Bé Chuille is mentioned in, with the exception of The Metrical Dindshenchas, where she is absent (4). In the sources she does appear in, she is always beside Bé Chuille (2)(3)(6)(7). She, along with Bé Chuille, is a foster-mother of the three Morrígna: Macha, Badb, and The Morrígan (6). She (and Bé Chuille, of course) is a sorceress of the Tuatha Dé, being listed alongside members of the Morrígna (3). Essentially, any associations Bé Chuille might have, Dinand also has claim to. Dinand is obviously a Goddess of great magical power, just like her sister.

Where Dinand diverges from her sister is in the meaning of her name. Dinand (also seen spelled Dianann, Danand, and Danann) could derive from "dían" which means "rapid, swift" and "find" meaning "white, bright, blessed" (1). This could make her name mean "Bright Swift One" (1). However, it could also be derived from "dia anann", which could mean "The Goddess Anu" or, according to Sharon Paice MacLeod, could reflect confusion with the deity name Danu/Danann (1).

Here we come to Dinand's potential association with Danu. An exploration of Danu on her own is way outside the scope of this post, so I'm going to focus only on Dinand and what this would mean for her. MacLeod's book seems to assert that Dinand (Danann) is not the same as Danu (1). However, most of the other sources I consulted do equate them. If we accept that Dinand is Danu, then this brings a lot of meaning to the table. Everything about Dinand from here-on-out is my own personal thoughts.

First of all, Danu is potentially "The Mother of the Gods". This alone would obviously bring a lot of weight to Dinand's name. Danu is often thought to be a river or land Goddess, sometimes both. If we consider her a river Goddess, Dinand's name meaning "Bright Swift One"(1) might make some poetic sense. Rivers can be swift, and they are often seen with reverence in Irish mythology, perhaps making "Bright" a compliment or praise. An association with rivers would give Dinand associations of knowledge and abundance (10). If we think of her as a land Goddess (12), then Dinand's associations make sense. Dinand is a "she-farmer", wields earth-based magic, is always alongside Bé Chuille, and is a daughter of Flidais. All of this already gives her associations with the land, if Danu is thought of as a land Goddess, then that would reinforce all of that.

Danu is often equated with Anu. Anu is then often thought to be The Morrígan. However, not all scholars agree that Danu and Anu are the same being, with some thinking they are separate beings. Ravenna agrees with them being separate beings in hir book (10), and brings up some interesting points. One being that Ernmas, the mother of Macha, Badb, and The Morrígan, is described as a "she-farmer"; Dinand is also described as a "she-farmer" and is stated to be one of the foster-mothers of those same three Morrígna (10). Remember that Dinand is also listed alongside the Morrígna as a sorceress of the Tuatha Dé in the Banshenchus (3). I found this closeness to the Morrígna interesting, as it does bring her close to Anu (if we think Anu is The Morrígan), but still keeps her noticeably a different figure.

So what does this mean? If we reject that Dinand is Danu, then Dinand is still a Goddess of great magical power, just like her sister Bé Chuille. If we think that Dinand is Danu, then she is a Goddess of not only great magical power, but of great knowledge, wisdom, and abundance. Flidais would be the mother of the mother of the Gods.

Fand (and Lí Ban?)

Fand is identified as Flidais' daughter in The Metrical Dindshenchas in the poem about Loch Léin: "I have heard of Len with hammers in plenty, as being under the marge of its booming bank, where he shaped by no feeble forceless work, the shining vessels of Fand daughter of Flidais" (3).

Fand famously plays a role in Sergilge Con Chulainn where she appears as the wife of Manannán mac Lir and the affair partner of Cú Chulainn. This story is also where we meet her sister Lí Ban.

Lí Ban's only confirmed parent is Áed Abrat, who is also Fand's father. Since her mother is never confirmed, we can't say for sure that she a daughter of Flidais. However, Flidais is a reasonable guess to make not only because she is the mother of Fand, but also because Lí Ban being one of Flidais' daughters would bring the total count of her known daughters to seven. In Gaelic folklore, the seventh daughter was believed to inherit certain powerful boons, such as gifts of music, healing, and/or prophecy (1). The birth order of Flidais' daughters is never specified or even hinted at; so who exactly would be the seventh daughter is up to individual interpretation, if Lí Ban is even accepted as one of her daughters. I will also say that if Lí Ban is a daughter of Flidais, it would make Lí Ban and Fand's relationship dynamic similar to that of Bé Chuille and Dinand.

Back to Fand, in Sergilge Con Chulainn she first appears alongside Lí Ban, both in the form of beautiful sea-birds whose songs put men to sleep. Cú Chulainn, not knowing they are actually women, throws stones and his spear at them, injuring one of them. He then goes to sleep and they both appear in his dream, beating him violently with whips nearly to death. The assault causes him to be extremely ill for over a year, and he is only healed because Fand falls in love with him and sends Lí Ban to collect him. Lí Ban's husband restores Cú to strength. In the end, Fand leaves Cú Chulainn (despite still loving him) and returns to her husband Manannán mac Lir (13).

Throughout the story, many of Fand's attributes are mentioned. In Cross and Slover's Ancient Irish Tales her name is explained: "Fand was the daughter of Aed Abrat; Aed means fire, and he is the fire of the eye: that is, of the eye's pupil: Fand moreover is the name of the tear that runs from the eye; it was on account of the clearness of her beauty that she was so named, for there is nothing else in the world except a tear to which her beauty could be likened" (14). Though some other sources say her name could mean "helpless" (9). Regardless, her beauty is further cemented when Loeg (Cú Chulainn's charioteer) describes Fand to Cú: "They are beautiful women, victorious, never knowing the sorrow of the vanquished, The daughters of Aed Abrat. The beauty of Fand deserves glittering renown; no king or queen is her equal" and "But the woman I speak of now, Would drive entire armies to madness" (14).

Fand's unparalleled beauty is made clear, but there's also some hints of fear towards her. Calling her "victorious" and that she could "drive entire armies to madness". Loeg also says this about her: "In the house I heard the musicians playing for Fand. If I had not made haste to go away I would have got hurt from the music" (14). So Fand enjoys music that is capable of harm, or perhaps is capable of withstanding it, maybe both? Remember also that in her sea-bird form her bird-song puts men to sleep.

Another attribute of Fand that bears mentioning is her intelligence. During her lament for leaving Cú Chulainn and returning to her husband she says: "... When Manannán, the great one, espoused me, I was a worthy wife for him; For his life he could not win from me the odd game of fidchell" (14). Fidchell was a board game similar to chess that the ancient Celts enjoyed, so for Fand to be capable of besting someone as great as Manannán mac Lir at the game shows that she is incredibly intelligent.

Before Fand's lament, Cú Chulainn describes most of her virtues as a way of explaining to his wife Emer why he thought Fand was worthy of him: "... For she is fair, pure and bright, and well skilled, A fit mate for a monarch, filled with beauty, and can ride the waves of the ocean: She is lovely in countenance and lofty in race, and skilled in handicraft, can do fine needlework, Has a mind that can guide with firmness" (14). Here there is another mention of her intelligence, and beauty of course. There is also another hint of power worth being fearful of, being "well-skilled" which is apparently distinct from handicraft, and able to "ride the waves of the ocean" which mimics Manannán's motif of riding atop the ocean waves on a chariot.

One last hint that Fand is powerful on her own, again during her lament, she says: "I shall go with my own husband, because he will not show me disobedience" (14). This shows that her marriage to Manannán is truly one of equals, and that she is just as powerful as him.

So, putting all this together, Fand is obviously a powerful woman. She is capable of shape-shifting and violence, and is both exceedingly beautiful and intelligent. If we remember the poem from The Metrical Dindshenchas, it seems the "vessels of Fand" might be cups (1), which would lend to an association with liquids. Flidais is heavily associated with milk, which could also be a sign of a liquid association, particularly pointing to liquids of wealth and abundance. Think, perhaps, of a cup that never goes empty.

Fand does also seem to be associated with the sea or at least salt-water both on her own and through her marriage to the God of the sea. Her name might mean "tear" and of course tears are salty water, she can take the form of a sea-bird, and she can apparently "ride the ocean wives".

I also personally took note of some similarities between her and her mother in regards to their personalities and stories. In Flidais' main story, the Táin Bó Flidais, Flidais actually does have two armies fight over her, akin to how Loeg said Fand could drive armies mad. Flidais' story also revolves around her having an affair on her husband, though in her case she leaves her husband. The man Flidais leaves her husband for is none other than Fergus mac Róich, foster father to Cú Chulainn. There is also this quote about Flidais from the Banshenchus: "Flidais ... Though slender she destroyed young men. She decreed hard close fighting" (3). Does Fand not nearly destroy Cú Chulainn alongside her sister, by whipping him mercilessly?

Both her and her mother's main stories involve falling in love with men that are not their husbands. In Flidais' case, she encouraged (but didn't participate in beyond healing) the violence and left her husband, while Fand avoided violence (towards herself) and went back to her husband. Even though their personal choices were opposites, they found themselves in remarkably similar situations and both of them were passionate and fully autonomous in their choices.

Fand is at the very least a Goddess of passion, perhaps love. Viewing her as a Goddess of the sea is also reasonable as she does have sea or at least sea-adjacent associations, and is of course married to the God of the sea. Her other potential associations include wealth or abundance, personal power, magic, and maybe martial skill. She is a being of passion and power, just like her mother.

Flann

Flann is only found in Acallamh na Senórach in the quotes: "Flann, daughter of Flidais will wash your head for you ... every head she washes suffers no pain afterwards nor balding. One who has his head washed seven times by her can see equally well by day or night" (8) and "Flann, daughter of Flidais, washed Cailte's hair, and he had no deficiency of sight or of hearing as long as he was alive" (8).

Not much on Flann, but it is apparent that she is a skilled healer, particularly in regards to head. Flidais is seen healing men in the Táin Bó Flidais, so that lines up. There is also another reference to Flidais' daughters and healing; in a healing spell that was written in the margins of Leabhar Breac, a manuscript dated to the eighth century (15). The spell is a bit lengthy but around midway it says: "I invoke the three daughters of Flidais. Snake, heal the swelling!" (15)

Perhaps Flann is one of the three daughters invoked in this healing spell. None of the other known daughters have any significant healing associations, so it makes some sense.

Sources

1. Celtic Cosmology and The Otherworld: Mythic Origins, Sovereignty and Liminality by Sharon Paice MacLeod, 2018 print.
2. The Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabála Érenn) Lebor Gabála Érenn pt 4 line 62, 229-231
3. The Lore of Women (Banshenchus) Banshenchus
4. The Lore of Place Names vol. 3 (The Metrical Dindshenchas) The Metrical Dindshenchas
5. The Lore of Place Names vol. 4 (The Metrical Dindshenchas) The Metrical Dindshenchas
6. The First Battle of Mag Tuired (Cath Maige Tuired Cunga) Cath Maige Tuired Cunga
7. The Second Battle of Mag Tuired (Cath Maige Tuired) Cath Mage Tuired
8. The Colloquy of the Old Men (Acallamh na Senórach) Acallamh na Senórach, Acallamh na Senórach
9. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by James MacKillop, 1998 print.
10. The Book of the Great Queen by Morpheus Ravenna, 2015 print.
11. Ireland's Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish Myth by Mark Williams, 2016 print.
12. The Lore of Ireland: An Encyclopedia of Myth, Legend, and Romance by Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, 2006 print.
13. The Sick-Bed of Cú Chulainn (Sergilge Con Chulainn) Sergilge Con Chulainn
14. Ancient Irish Tales by Cross and Slover, 1996 print.
15. 'A spell called Éle' by J. Borsje in G. Toner & S. Mac Mathúna (Eds.), Ulidia 3: Proceedings of the Third Internation Conference on the Ulster Cycle of Tales, University of Ulster, Coleraine 22-25 June, 2009; in memoriam Patrick Leo Henry (2013) A spell called Éle (pdf download available)