a chuid den tsaol: Irish Gaelic; “my share of life”

Ailech: a keep in Uí Néill

Aillen: Fomorian prince; half-brother to Aine; ruler of demons and changelings

Aillte an Mhothair: now the Cliffs of Moher; a famous site in western Ireland

Aine: goddess of the moon and time cycles; patroness of werewolves

álainn: Irish Gaelic; “beautiful”

amhasóg: Irish Gaelic; a little bitch, a little barking dog, or a woman being fierce or foolish

An bhfuil tú féin: Irish Gaelic; “do it yourself”

An bhfuil tú go hiomlán gan chiall, tá tú bean dÚsachtach

athair: Irish Gaelic; “father”

Balor: Fomorian king killed by Lugh; he of the evil red eye; killer of Nuada

Bav: the prime form of the goddess trinity known as the Morrighan; goddess of death, cycles and war; patroness of vampires. Her other forms are Anu, the crone; and Machu, the maiden.

brehon: judge, or arbitrator; also used in the term “brehon law.” This was a largely hereditary role taken on by several clans in ancient Ireland.

Bréifne: a keep in Connaught

Brian Boru: the last high king to be crowned at Tara

Brigid: goddess of hearth and home and fire

cábúnach: Irish Gaelic; a stupid or foolish person, a big talker

Cad é seo?: Irish Gaelic; “What’s this?”

Cashtal yn Ard: Manx Gaelic; “Castle of the Heights”; ruins on the Isle of Man

changelings or the Sluagh: undead creatures formed from lost and damned souls to do the bidding of Aillen

claíomh na gréine: Irish Gaelic; “sword of the sun”; a term used for Lugh’s sword, currently in Ronan Fitzpatrick’s possession. It can only be wielded with Lugh’s blessing.

Conchobar: man at arms to Connor Mac Nessa

Connaught: one of the ancient kingdoms of Ireland; in northwestern Ireland

Connor Mac Nessa: ancient king of Connaught

Craiceann a bhualadh le do thoin: Irish Gaelic; “Go fuck yourself.”

Cróeb Ruad: Irish Gaelic; “branch of red”; a legendary band of warriors loyal to Connor Mac Nessa

Cú Chulaind: Irish Gaelic; “Cullen’s hound”; a term applied to Cúchulainn

Cúchulainn: legendary hero of the Cróeb Ruad; half-human son of Lugh of the Long Hand

Damnú air: Irish Gaelic; “damn it” or “sod it”; an expression of frustration

Danu: queen mother of the Tuatha de Danaan; first of their race

daor: Irish Gaelic; “slave”

Dhraíocht: Irish Gaelic; “Are you completely without sense, you crazy woman?”

Dian Cécht: one of the Tuatha de Danaan; a healer and inventor

Du’n Dreach-Fhoula: castle of the vampire Abhartach; located in the area of County Kerry now known as Macgillycuddy’s Reeks

Eire: Irish Gaelic; “Ireland”

eirnin: Irish Gaelic; “iron”

Emain Macha: keep of Connor Mac Nessa

Emer: mortal wife of Cúchulainn

Fand: queen of the fae; former wife to Manannán mac Lir; believed to be a sometime-lover of Cúchulainn

faoladh: werewolf; Werewolves are not traditionally ‘evil’ in Irish folklore. They were more like protectors, though they were considered extremely dangerous.

Finn MacCool: a legendary hero of Irish mythology, much like Cúchulainn

Fomorians: the demon gods who ruled before the Tuatha de Danaan

ghrian siúlóir: Irish Gaelic; “sun walker” or “one who walks in the sun”

Go bhfuil tú ag tiomáint dÚsachtach dom. Ní féidir liom cuimhneamh seo: Manx Gaelic; “You’re driving me crazy. I can take no more of this.”

Le do thoil, a rún mo chroí, ní raibh mé chiallaíonn sé: Irish Gaelic; “Please, secret of my heart, I did not mean it.”

Leinster: one of the ancient kingdoms of Ireland; in the southeast; includes Dublin

Lia Fáil: legendary stone of destiny; said to have been broken by Cúchulainn

Lir: god of the sea (not Manannán mac Lir, but his father)

Litha: the summer solstice

luchóg: Irish Gaelic; “mouse”

Lugh of the Long Hand: current king of the Tuatha de Danaan, foster son to Manannán mac Lir and grandson to Balor, king of the Fomorians. Lugh killed Balor to end the war of the gods. He is the god of the sun, among other things. The term “long-hand,” or sometimes “long-arm,” is for his deadly prowess with the spear.

Mac Giolla Phadraig: ancient name of the Fitzpatrick clan

Manannán mac Lir: god of the sea and horses and weather; foster father of Lugh of the Long Hand

Manx: familiar term for The Isle of Man

mo ghrá: Irish Gaelic; “my love”

Munster: one of the ancient kingdoms of Ireland; in the southwest

Natilus: Catholic priest

Ní thuigim déithe: Irish Gaelic; “I don’t understand gods.”

Niall of the Nine Hostages, perhaps the same as Niall of the Red Hand: an ancient king in Ireland. Many stories are told of a man called Niall who was king for a time in Uí Néill. It is not clear if they are all one and the same man or merely related.

Nuada: former king of the Tuatha de Danaan; prosthetic arm of silver made for him by Dian Cécht after he lost it in battle; killed by Balor

Orthannach: demon henchman and executioner for Aillen

Peel: a city on the Isle of Man

Ramsey: city on the Isle of Man

ruad: Irish Gaelic; “red”

Shannon: well-known waterway in Ireland

Tá fáilte romhat sa teach seo, mo dheartháir: Irish Gaelic; “You are welcome in this house, my brother.”

Tá mé chomh mór sin i ngrá leat tá sé nimhneach: Irish Gaelic; “I am so much in love with you it hurts.”

Tá tú cheana féin: Manx Gaelic; “You already have.”

Tara: an ancient site in Ireland; once the seat of high kings; located in Leinster

Tarraing mó coileach: Irish Gaelic; “Suck my cock.”

Ti’rna No’g: a place of the Otherworld; a starry city in the sky that vanishes with the rising of the sun; a place mortals cannot go

Tuatha de Danaan: the people or tribe of the Danu, the gods of Ireland

Uliad: one of the ancient kingdoms of Ireland; in the northeast

Ulster: a province in Ireland, mainly the north

Valhalla: Norse; the Viking afterlife

*Please note: Gaelic translations, particularly of Manx Gaelic, are as accurate as the author can make them.