Ériu

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In Irish mythology, Ériu (/ˈeːrʲu/), daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was the eponymous patron goddess of Ireland. Her husband was Mac Gréine (‘Son of the Sun’).^[1] She was the mother of Bres by Prince Elatha of the Fomorians.

The English name for Ireland comes from the name Ériu and the Old Norse or Anglo-Saxon word land.

[edit] Role and mythic portrayal

With her sisters, Banba and Fodla, she was part of an important triumvirate of goddesses. When the Milesians arrived from Spain each of the three sisters asked that her name be given to the country. This was granted to them, although Ériu (Éire) became the chief name in use (Banba and Fodla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland, much as Albion is for Great Britain).

Eriu, Banba and Fodhla are interpreted as goddesses of sovereignty. [2]

According to Seathrún Céitinn she worshipped the Badb, who is also sometimes named as a daughter of Ernmas. The two goddesses may therefore be seen as equivalent.^[2]

[edit] Name and etymology

The University of Wales' reconstructed Proto-Celtic lexicon gives *Φīwerjon- as the Proto-Celtic etymology of this name.[3] This root appears to be related to φī-wer-jō(n) meaning ‘earth’ or ‘land’. If Ériu was an earth goddess, this would make her comparable to the Roman Ceres, Greek Demeter and Egyptian Isis. Apparently, an inherited form of the Proto-Celtic was transcribed in Ancient Greek as Ierne and in Latin as Hibernia.