Anu (deity)
- Not to be confused with Annan.
In Irish mythology, Anu (or Ana, sometimes given as Anann or Anand) is the name of a goddess. She may be a goddess in her own right,[1] or an alternate name for Danu. In the Lebor Gabála Érenn, "Anand" is given as an alternate name for Morrígu.[2] While an Irish goddess, in parts of Britain a similar figure is referred to as "Gentle Annie," in an effort to avoid offense, a tactic which is similar to referring to the fairies as "The Good People".[3] As her name is often conflated with a number of other goddesses, it is not always clear which figure is being referred to if the name is taken out of context.[1]
Etymology
This name may be derived the Proto-Celtic theonym *Φanon-.[4]
Paps of Anu
Anu has particular associations with Munster: the twin hills known as the Paps of Anu (Dá Chích Anann or the breasts of Anu), at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., near Killarney,[5] County Kerry are said to have been named after this ancient goddess.[2]
Works cited
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 MacKillop, James (1998) Dictionary of Celtic Mythology Oxford: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-280120-1 pp.10, 16, 128
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 R. A. Stewart Macalister. Lebor Gabála Érenn. Part IV. Irish Texts Society, Dublin, 1941. § VII, First Redaction.
- ↑ Black Annis, Gentle Annie
- ↑ Proto-Celtic—English lexicon and English—Proto-Celtic lexicon. University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. (See also this page for background and disclaimers.) Cf. also the University of Leiden database.
- ↑ The Paps of Anu - Prehistoric and Early Ireland
Bibliography
- MacKillop, James. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998: ISBN 0-19-280120-1.
- Wood, Juliette, The Celts: Life, Myth, and Art, Thorsons Publishers (2002): ISBN 0-00-764059-5
