Editing Manannán mac Lir (section)

=== Characteristics ===
{{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}} rode his chariot over the sea, meeting with {{lang|ga|Bran|italic=unset}} and his crew sailing by ship, in the tale "The Voyage of {{lang|ga|Bran|italic=unset}} son of {{lang|ga|Febal|italic=unset}}", considered an early work.<ref name="meyer-imram-brain" /> In this story, he told {{lang|ga|Bran|italic=unset}} that sea was not actually water to him but rather "I [{{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}}] see in the Plain of Feats red topped flowers without fault".{{sfnp|MacQuarrie|2004|p=}}{{page needed|date=July 2024}}{{better source needed|date=July 2024|reason=Edwin Mellen Press has been identified as a vanity self-publisher, and is on our blacklist.}} He goes on to tell Bran about how he is heading to Ireland to have relations with Caintigern who would go on to bear {{lang|ga|[[Mongán mac Fíachnai|Mongán]]|italic=unset}}.{{sfnp|MacQuarrie|2004|p=}}{{page needed|date=July 2024}}{{better source needed|date=July 2024|reason=Edwin Mellen Press has been identified as a vanity self-publisher, and is on our blacklist.}}

In late sources, {{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}} visits the land of the living, his movement is compared to the wind, a hawk or swallow, and sometimes takes the form of a thundering wheel rolling across the landscape, such as in the "Pursuit of the {{lang|ga|Gilla Decair|italic=unset}}",<ref name="Gilla">[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T303025/index.html "The Pursuit of the Gilla Decair and His Horse"]</ref><ref>[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T301042/index.html ''Scél Baili Binnbérlaig'']</ref> a 16th-century comic tale.<ref name="mackillop-ghiolla-dhecair" /> There is also the local lore that {{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}} moved like a wheel turning on [[Coat of arms of the Isle of Man|his three legs]], a tradition widespread on the [[Isle of Man]], but also found in some eastern counties of Leinster according to John O'Donovan, though this folklore was unfamiliar to Whitley Stokes.<ref name="odonovan-cormacs-gl" />

====Abode====
{{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}} is lord and guardian of the [[Blessed Isles]], {{lang|ga|Emhain Abhlach|italic=unset}} ('Isle of Apple-trees', cognate with the [[Avalon]] of the Welsh [[Arthurian cycle]]), and {{lang|sga|[[Mag Mell]]|italic=unset}} or {{lang|ga|Magh Meall|italic=unset}} ('Plain of Delights'). Manannán sings a verse describing his sea as {{lang|sga|Mag Mell|italic=unset}},<ref name="CCHE-imram" /> in "The Voyage of {{lang|ga|Bran|italic=unset}}", stating that the steeds on the plain cannot be seen, thus alluding to his concealment of his dwelling using the shroud of invisibility ({{lang|ga|féth fíada}}).{{efn|"In Mag Mell of many flowers&nbsp;/ There are many steeds on its surface&nbsp;/ Though them thou seest not".}}<ref>{{harvp|Meyer|1895}}, '''1''', str. 39, pp. 20–21. commentary by [[Alfred Nutt]], p. 149.</ref> {{lang|ga|Emhain Abhlach|italic=unset}} was the place of origin of the [[Silver Branch]] brought to {{lang|ga|Bran|italic=unset}}.<ref>{{harvp|Meyer|1895}}, '''1''', pp. 2–5 and str. 3, ''{{URL|1=https://archive.org/details/voyageofbransono01meye/page/2/mode/2up/ |2=Voyage of Bran}}''.</ref>

{{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}} is also said to dwell in the Land of Promise ({{lang|ga|[[Tír na nÓg|Tír Tairngire]]}}), as in the tale "[[Echtra Cormaic|The Adventure of {{lang|ga|Cormac mac Airt|italic=unset|nocat=y}}]]".<ref name="stokes-echtra-cormaic" />

====Over-king====
An over-king's role for Manannán among the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] is described in the narrative ''Altram Tige Dá Medar'' ('The Nourishment of the Houses of Two Milk-vessels') in the 14th to the 15th century manuscript, the ''[[Book of Fermoy]]''.<ref name="dobs-altram" /><ref name="duncan-altram" /> [[Máire MacNeill]] gave a summary of the work.<ref name="macneill-altram" />{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|Manx writer [[Arthur William Moore]] gave a crude paraphrase from the Book of Fermoy as follows: "he was a pagan, a lawgiver among the Tuatha Dé Danann, and a necromancer possessed of power to envelope himself and others in a mist, so that they could not be seen by their enemies".{{sfnp|Moore|1891|p=3}}}}

After the Tuatha Dé Danann were defeated by [[Érimón]] of the [[Milesians (Irish)|Milesians]] (humans), [[Bodb Derg]] was chosen as king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and Manannán as co-king or perhaps the king's overseer.{{efn|"Bodb Derg was made king by the men and Manannán&nbsp;... over them" (Duncan tr., p. 207)}} In one passage Manannán declares he has assumed over-kingship above the petty kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann.<ref>{{harvp|Duncan|1932|p=184–185}}: "Manannan&nbsp;... appears to have, and indeed claims, an overlordship over all the Tuatha De Danann kings".</ref><ref>{{harvp|Duncan|1932|p=209}}: "I am over-king of your kings".</ref>

Manannán was tasked with allotting which [[sídhe]] or fairy mounds the surviving members of the Tuatha Dé Danann were to be settled.{{sfnp|Duncan|1932|pp=206–207}} Manannán's own dwelling was at [[Emain Ablach]], in the city of Cruithin na Cuan, as the tale later reveals.{{sfnp|Duncan|1932|pp=215, 217}} Manannán ensured the welfare of the Tuatha Dé Danann by concealing in the ''[[féth fíada]]'' or a mist of invisibility,{{efn|Cf. Manannan's poem re Mag Mell in ''Imram Brain'', below.}}{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|Cf. also O'Curry's copious notes for ''Feth Fiadha'' (n15), ''Fleagh Ghoibhneann'' or "Goibhneann's Banquet" and "Manannan's Pigs" (n17), in his recapitualation of this portion of the tale (which he calls the "Tale of Curchóg").<ref name="ocurry-altrom" />}} holding the Feast of Goibniu (Fleadh Goibhneann) which conferred eternal youth,{{Refn|A. C. L. Brown considered this to be the "ale of Góibniu the Smith".{{sfnp|Brown|1910|p=38}}}} and feeding them Manannan's Swine (Mucca Mhannanain) which gave an inexhaustible supply of food.<ref name="dobs-altram" />{{sfnp|Duncan|1932|p=207}}<ref name="macneill-altram" />{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|Such a revivifying pig is also mentioned in {{lang|sga|Echtra Chormaic}},<ref name="stokes-echtra-cormaic" /> and in the modern version,<ref name="ogrady-faghail" /> seven such pigs belong to the youth who is Manannan in disguise.{{sfnp|O'Grady|1857|pp=220–223}}}} Arbois de Jubainville stated that these seven pigs here and {{lang|ga|Manannán|italic=unset}}'s swine of the ancient text parallel each other.{{sfnp|Arbois de Jubainville|1903|at=187 and note 2}} The routine for reviving the seven pigs was to put the bones in the sty (or manger).<ref>{{harvp|O'Grady|1857|pp=220–223}}; {{harvp|Arbois de Jubainville|1903|p=187}}</ref>{{efn|See [[#Parallels|§ Parallels]], below, for similar swine in other mythologies.}}

====Gifts to Cormac mac Airt====
Manannán in the tale "[[Echtra Cormaic]]" owned two magical items which he gave away to [[Cormac mac Airt]], high king of Tara: a soothing musical [[silver branch]] with [[Golden apple|apples made of gold]], and the Goblet of Truth.<ref name="stokes-echtra-cormaic" /><ref>{{harvp|Meyer|1895}}, '''1''', pp. 190–192, [https://archive.org/details/voyageofbransono01meye/page/190/mode/2up/ summary of "Cormac in Fairy"].</ref>{{efn|This tale exists in several manuscripts of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; i. e. Book of Ballymote, and Yellow Book of Lecan, as edited and translated by Stokes. There are also other recensions, edited from the [[Book of Fermoy]] by Vernam Hall, and from an unknown modern manuscript by Standish H. O'Grady.<ref name="hull-echtra-cormaic" /><ref name="ogrady-faghail" />}}

Manannán initially appeared in the guise of a warrior, and described without naming his homeland as a place where old age, sickness, death, decay, and falsehood were unknown. He eventually coaxed the king to arrive as guest to this Land of Promise ([[Tír na nÓg|Tír Tairngire]]).<ref name="stokes-echtra-cormaic" />

====Gifts and Loans to Lugh====
[[File:4 Bear us swiftly, Boat of Mananan, to the Garden of the Hesperides.jpg|thumb|[[Stephen Reid (artist)|Stephen Reid]]'s illustration of the [[Sons of Tuireann]] in Manannán's boat]]
Manannán had other magical items according to the ''Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann'', a romance that only survives in early Modern Irish recensions.{{sfnp|Bruford|1966|p=264}}

He had a self-navigating boat called "Manannán's [[currach]]" (coracle), {{lang|ga|Sguaba Tuinne}}<ref name="oduffy-sguaba" /> ({{lang|sga|Scuab-tuinne}}{{sfnp|O'Curry|1863|pp=191–192}}) or 'Wave-sweeper'<ref name="joyce-oct-wavesweeper" /> was self-navigating, as well as a horse that could travel over land or sea called Aonbharr of Manannan,<ref name="oduffy-sguaba" />{{sfnp|O'Curry|1863|pp=191–192}} translated in popular re-telling as "[[Enbarr]] of the Flowing Mane".<ref name="joyce-oct-wavesweeper" />{{efn|Note that Scuab-tuinné is not in O'Curry's Irish text and is interpolated by him. He glosses Scuab-tuinné as the 'besom or the sweeper of the waves'.}} Both the horse and boat were on loan to [[Lugh Lamhfada]], but the [[Brian (mythology)|Sons of Tuireann]] managed to borrow the boat.{{sfnp|O'Curry|1863|pp=191–192}}

Manannán also supplied Lugh with a full array of armor and weapon as the [[Tuatha Dé]] gathered their host to battle the [[Fomorians]]. Lugh rode Manannán's steed Aonbharr, and was girt with Manannán's sword [[Fragarach]] ("Retaliator"{{sfnp|O'Curry|1863|pp=162–163}} or "The Answerer"{{sfnp|Joyce|1894|p=38}}).{{Refn|Only rendered into English as "Freagarthach" by O'Duffy.<ref name="oduffy-fragarach" />}} Any wound this sword gave proved fatal, and its opponent was reduced to the weakness of a woman in [[childbirth]].<ref name="oct-fragarch">{{harvp|O'Curry|1863|pp=162–163}}, {{harvp|O'Duffy|1888|p=71}}, {{harvp|Joyce|1894|p=38}}</ref>{{sfnp|Spaan|1965|p=176}}

Lug also wore Manannán's helmet Cathbarr,<ref name="oduffy-fragarach" /> which O'Curry amends to Cennbhearr, which he regards as a common noun and not a proper name.<ref>{{harvp|O'Curry|1863|pp=}}, pp. 162 (Irish only); 176–177; note 177.</ref>{{refn|group="lower-alpha"|"Canbarr" in Joyce's retelling.{{sfnp|Joyce|1894|p=49}}}} This helm was set with two precious gems on the front and one in the rear.{{sfnp|O'Curry|1863|pp=162–163}} Manannán's {{lang|ga|lúirech}} or body armour<ref name="dil-luirech" />{{efn|{{harvp|O'Curry|1863|pp=162–163}}: "Manannan's Lorica"; {{harvp|O'Duffy|1888|p=71}} "armour of Manannain" (note genitive).}} and Manannán's ''scabal'' ([[gorget|neck-piece]]<ref name="dil-luirech" /> or [[breastplate]]<ref>{{harvp|O'Curry|1863|pp=162–163}}; {{harvp|O'Duffy|1888|p=71}}</ref>) were also part of Lugh's panoply.<ref name="oct-fragarch" />

====Gifts to the Fíana ====
;({{visible anchor|Crane-bag}})
Manannán was also the owner of the "crane-bag" ({{langx|ga|corrbolg}}) full of treasures,<ref name="duanaire-crain-bag" /> according to the Middle-Irish Fenian lay "The Crane-Bag" ({{lang|mga|Duanaire Finn}} Poem VIII) datable to the 13th century,{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|{{lang|mga|Duanaire Finn}} was copied by Aodh Ó Dochartaigh (O'Doherty) dated 12 February 1627.<ref>{{harvp|MacNeill|1908|pp=xix–xx, xxiv, 135}}, {{harvp|Murphy|1953|p=165}}: "the scribe".</ref>}}

To Manannán was sent a woman transformed into the shape of a crane. She was Aoife, daughter of Dealbhaoth ({{langx|ga|Áiffe ingen Dealbhaoíth|italic=no}}), and mistress of Ilbhreac of many beauties ({{langx|ga|Ilbric Iolchrothaigh|italic=no}}).<ref name="duanaire-crain-bag" /> Ilbhreac here may have been Ilbhreac son of Manannán.<ref name="matthews-BIM-crane-bag" />{{unreliable source?|certain=y|date=July 2024|reason=Notorious peddler of wiccan/neopagan/neodruid "Celtic twilight" nonsense.}}{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|Although he does not directly address Ilbhreac "of many beauties" of this crane-bag episode, [[George Lyman Kittredge]] remarks that Ilbhreac son of Manannán is mentioned in the ''[[The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne|Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada]]'', and that his name meaning "the variously spotted one" is connected with shape-shifting.<ref name="kittredge" /> Ilbrec's nickname in the crane-bag lay is shared by the protagonist of the werewolf tale, ''Eachtra Iollainn iolchrothaigh''. Kittredge also says another name mentioned alongside in the ''Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada'' Ábartach mac Alchaid Ioldathach (whose nickname means "of the Many-Colored Raiment"), also to be connected with shape-shifting.<ref name="kittredge" /> It is Iuchra daughter of Ábartach, the rival, who transforms Aoife into the crane. Ábartach also figures prominently in the Gilla Decair story (cf. ''infra'').}} Aoife was transformed by the druidery of her jealous love-rival (Iuchra daughter of Ábartach), whose spell was to last 200 years.<ref name="duanaire-crain-bag" />

When Aoife died, Manannán crafted her crane's skin into a magical treasure bag, whose contents were only visible when flooded during full tide, and would seem empty when the tide had ebbed.<ref name="duanaire-crain-bag" />{{sfnp|Spaan|1965|p=182}} The bag was in the possession of [[Lugh Lamhfada]], then taken by Lugh's killers, the three sons of Cermait. Later Manannán endowed it to [[Conaire Mór]] the high king at Tara.<ref name="duanaire-crain-bag" /> The crane-bag was eventually owned by Cumhall mac Trénmhóir, as told at the outset of this lay.<ref>"The Crane-bag", str. 1. {{harvp|MacNeill|1908|p=}} ed. p. 21, tr. p. 118.</ref>''[[Macgnímartha Finn]]''. This is assumed{{sfnp|MacNeill|1908|p=ix}}{{sfnp|Brown|1910|p=39}} to be the "treasure-bag" that was lost to Cumhall's "servant-turned-traitor", [[Liath Luachra]],<ref name="breatnach-nagy-review" /> who treacherously wounded Cumall in the [[Cath Cnucha]], but recovered later by [[Finn mac Cumhal|Cumhall's son, Finn]] when he grew up.<ref name="meyer-tr-macgnimartha" />
 
;({{visible anchor|Shield of Finn}})

Manannán also commissioned the craftsman Lucra (recté [[Luchta]]{{sfnp|Spaan|1965|p=182}}) to make him a shield to be made of wood, and this later passed on to Finn, according to the [[Ballad|lay]] ({{lang|ga|duan}}) "Shield of Fionn". The wood came from a withered [[hazel tree]], on the fork which Lugh had set the severed head of [[Balor]]. The venom had penetrated this tree, killing or blinding workers trying uprooting or handling it. Various owners are named, such as [[Tadg mac Nuadat]], but was given by Manannán to Crimall mac Trenmor, Finn's uncle, after the death of Finn's father.<ref name="duanaire-shield-of-fionn" /><ref name="buttimer" />

==== Parallels ====
Manannán is furthermore identified with several [[trickster]] figures including the Gilla Decair and the ''[[Bodach an Chóta Lachtna]]'' ('the Churl in the Drab Coat').<ref>[http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095514704 Bodach an Chóta Lachtna] in the Oxford ''Dictionary of Irish Mythology''. ''Eachtra Bhodaigh an Chóta Lachtna'' ("Tale of the Carle in the Drab Coat") is the title of a 17th-century Fenian tale.</ref>

The similarity of Manannan's inexhaustible swine to [[Odin]]'s boar [[Sæhrímnir]] in [[Norse mythology|Scandinavian myth]] has been noticed.{{sfnp|Spaan|1965|p=185}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Aldhouse-Green |first=Miranda J. |author-link=Miranda Green (academic) |title=Celtic Myths |publisher=[[University of Texas Press]] |date=1995 |page= https://archive.org/details/celticmyths00aldh/page/17 p. 17]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Oosten |first=J. G. |date=1985 |title=The War of the Gods |publisher=[[Routledge]] |page=73}}</ref> Mannanán also owned a speckled cow that he and [[Aengus]] retrieved from India along with a dun cow, two golden goblets, and two [[spancel]]s of silk.<ref name="dobs-altram" />{{sfnp|Duncan|1932|pp=214–215}}