Manannán mac Lir (deity)

Symbol: Triskelion (triton)

Culture: Irish Gaelic

Mother: Fand or Aineare

Father: Lir

Siblings: None

Children: Aine, Niamh, Cliodhna (daughters); Mongán mac Fiachnai (foster son)

Manannán mac Lir is a druidic deity of the sea for the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Bronze Age inhabitants of Ireland, the Isle of Man, and parts of Wales and Scotland. There are several local spellings of his name. Manannán mac Lir is the English rendition. In Welsh, it is spelled Manawydan fab Llyr, and in Manx (on the Isle of Man), it is written Manannan beg mac y lir.

The Isle of Man figures prominently in the Manannán mac Lir legends. The deity’s name comes from the island, which in Old Irish is called Manand. The mac Lir part of his name means "son of Lir." Lir was a great god of the sea. Manannán may have taken over Lir’s position in the mythology of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Manannán occurs in many guises, however, and in many different stories, making him an important figure in Celtic mythology.

In Mythology

As a god of the sea, Manannán mac Lir’s elements are oceans and other bodies of water, but he also has a hand in storms and mists. In Celtic beliefs, Manannán was connected to the Otherworld by mists, and he helped souls journey to the Otherworld after death. In Irish tradition, Manannán ruled over Emhainn Ablach, the Isle of the Apple Trees, which was one of the islands to which souls traveled.

A wide range of myths surround Manannán mac Lir. He was a master of trickery and often played pranks. Yet he was generous with people as well. The myths describe his white hair and transparent skin, through which seaweed could be seen. His hair and feet always dripped seawater.

His many magical possessions included a horse, Aonbarr or Enbarr, whose mane flowed like the surf; the creature could run on water as if it were dry land. The deity sailed in a ship called wave sweeper that could swiftly cross the waves without oars or sails. His cloak could adopt any color, and he was able to conceal himself inside a shroud of mist. According to Irish myth, he protected the Isle of Man with his cloak and mist.

He also carried a magical crane bag, a Druid tool that contained language, birds, hunting dogs, and pigs. According to legend, any pig that was slaughtered for food appeared in Manannán’s crane bag the following day. According to another myth, Manannán’s pigs provided an endless supply of food for the gods. The pigs could be slaughtered for a feast one day, and they would have regenerated themselves by the next.

Manannán’s most fearsome weapon was his sword, Fragrach, a word that meant "answerer" or "retaliator." According to legend, the mere sight of the sword would make men weak with fear. Every wound delivered by Fragrach was fatal, no matter how seemingly minor.

In some legends, Manannán’s mother was the beautiful goddess Fand, and in others, Fand was his wife. Likewise, some sources say his wife was the goddess Áine, but this goddess is sometimes named as Manannán’s daughter. He definitely had one daughter named Niamh, who was sometimes known as Niamh Of the Golden Hair. Other stories give him a second daughter named Cliodhna.

Manannán’s foster son, Mongán mac Fiachnai, is actually a historical figure from the sixth century CE. But in legend, Mongán was a son of Fiachnai, who was at war with the Scots. Fiachnae was victorious because of a deal he made with Manannán that would give Manannán a son. Mongán was the child. Manannán took the baby to the Otherworld to raise him. In keeping with this tale, Manannán often has the role of a foster father in Celtic myths.

According to legends on the Isle of Man and in Ireland, Manannán is the foster father of Lugh. Manannán gave four gifts to Lugh to aid the boy in battle. One was his own magical cloak. If Lugh wore the cloak, he could not be injured. Manannán also gave Lugh his impenetrable breastplate and his helmet. The most important gift of all was Manannán’s sword. Lugh also rode Manannán’s horse into battle with the blessing of his foster father, and the son would stand in the waves wearing his color-changing cloak.

One of the best-known myths of Manannán involves the Irish king, Cormac mac Airt. Cormac is considered one of the greatest of the High Kings of Ireland. He is known as a lawgiver. According to Celtic mythology, Manannán taught wisdom to Cormac.

Manannán promised a great treasure to Cormac if the king would give Manannán whatever he asked for three times. Cormac agreed, but in return, Manannán would give the king a silver branch loaded with solid gold apples.

Manannán then requested Cormac’s only daughter. His second request was for Cormac’s only son. Third, Manannán asked for Cormac’s wife. When Cormac finally realized that he had given away everything he had in return for the silver branch and gold apples, he went after Manannán with an army.

Manannán confused the army by wrapping it in a thick mist and led Cormac alone to Tir na N’og, the Island of Perpetual Youth, where Cormac faced the permanent loss of his family. In the end, Manannán relented, Cormac’s family was restored, and Manannán gave the king a magic chalice that would break if three lies were told over it. It could be healed by telling three truths. In Celtic myth, Cormac was killed by a Druid curse for having converted to Christianity.

Origins and Cults

Manannán mac Lir does not figure in a large number of Celtic tales, but he is mentioned in several important medieval sources. In the Yellow Book of Lecan (Leabhar Buidhe Leacáin), written around 1400 CE, he appears as four different individuals who lived at four different times. He is variously a Druid, a master seaman, a merchant, and the king of the Isle of Man. Manannán appears in all four cycles of Irish mythology as well as in other old Irish texts.

His most enduring importance is with the Isle of Man, where a traditional ballad names him as the first ruler of the island. He was the recipient of offerings from the Manx people every midsummer’s night. Bundles of meadow grasses, reeds, and flowers were offered in a ritual called Paying the Rent, a ritual that is accompanied by prayers for his help and protection. Manannán repaid the offerings with good weather for fishing and planting, and he protected the Isle of Man inside a cloak of mist.

Bibliography

Ellis, Peter B. Celtic Myths and Legends. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2002. Print.

Heaney, Marie, ed. Over Nine Waves: A Book of Irish Legends. London: Faber & Faber, 1995. Print.

MacCulloch, John A. Celtic Mythology. Mineola: Dover, 2004. Electronic.

Macleod, Sharon. Celtic Myth and Religion. Jefferson: McFarland, 2011. Print.

MacQuarrie, Charles W. The Waves of Manannan Mac Lir: The Irish God of the Sea. Isle of Man: Lily, 2013. Print.

"Who is Manannan Mac Lir?" The Temple of Manannan Mac Lir. The Temple of Manannan Mac Lir Areas, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.