Everything Irish-Blog Marathon

Aideen ("ay + deen") Formed like Aidan from aed "fire." Aideen loved her husband Oscar, a grandson of Fionn Mac Cool (read the legend), so much that when he fell in battle she died of a broken heart.

Ailis,
Ailish
Eilis,
Eilish "ay + lish" Irish version of the Norman Alice or Alicia from Elizabeth "God is my oath."

Aoibheann "eve + een" Eavan aoibhinn "pleasant, beautiful sheen, of radiant beauty." Often interpreted as "little Eve." One Aoibheann was the mother of St. Enda of Aran who died c. 530 AD.

Caitlin ( "koit + leen" )
or
Cathleen ("kath + leen" ) Catherine, Kathleen Devotion to St. Catherine came to Ireland with Christianity. Revered for her courage and purity, Catherine in the Irish form, Cathleen, became such a popular name that W. B. Yeats chose it for the heroine of his 1899 play "The Countess Cathleen" which was inspired by an Irish folktale. In a time of famine the Devil offers food to the starving poor in exchange for their souls. But Cathleen convinces Satan to take her soul instead. When she dies the Devil comes to collect her soul but God intervenes and carries Cathleen to heaven, saying that "such a sacrificial act cannot justly lead to evil consequences."

Cara, Caragh ( "car + a")
or
Caera ( "keer + a" ) In Irish cara simply means a "friend."

Deirdre ( "deer + dre" or "dare + dreh" ) The most beautiful woman in ancient Ireland, she was bethrothed to the High King Conchobhar Mac Nessa but she fell in love with his nephew Naoise. Deirdre and Naoise eloped to Scotland where they lived a blissful exile for many years. By offering forgiveness, Conchobhar tricked them into returning to Ulster where Naoise was slain by the jealous Conchobhar. Deirdre threw herself from Conchobhar's chariot rather than live with the man who had caused Naoise's death. It was said that her grave was near to Naoise's and that a yew tree grew from each plot. The yew trees grew toward one another till their branches intertwined, joining the two lovers even after death.

Kerry - ciar means "dark" and probably implies "dark hair and brown eyes." County Kerry means "the land of the descendant of Ciar" who was the love-child of the High King Fergus Mac Roth and the legendary Queen Maebh.

Maebh ( "may + v" ) Maeve From an old Irish name Madb, "the cause of great joy" or "she who intoxicates." The great warrior queen of Connacht and embodiment of sovereignity she stars in Ireland's greatest epic "The Cattle Raid of Cooley" (read the legend). She left king Conchobhar Mac Nessa for Ailill because "you are a man without meaness, fear or jealousy, a match for my own greatness." But the couple quarrelled over who had the most possessions. Maebh's bull had defected to Ailill's herd and so she bought Daire's brown bull. When Daire went back on the deal she went to war with Cuchulainn (read the legend) and the province of Ulster to recover the bull.

Maire ( "my + ra" ) Mary The name that was used in Ireland for Our Lady was Muire and interestingly, her name was so honored that it was rarely used as a first name until the end of the fifteenth century. Then Maire became acceptable as a given name but the spelling Muire was reserved from the Blessed Mother.

Mairead or Muiread "mawr + aid" "mur + aid"
Margaret The Irish form of Margaret, it became popular around the fourteenth century.
Roisin ( "ro + sheen" ) Rosaleen From the Latin name Rosa and means "little rose." Records show that the name has been in use in Ireland since the sixteenth century. When the expression of Irish patriotic poetry and song was outlawed during Ireland's troubled and turbulent past, the Irish bards would disguise their nationalistic verse as love songs. In the figure of Roisin Dubh ("Dark Rosaleen"), a Gaelic poem translated by James Clarence Mangan in 1835, the name became a poetic symbol of Ireland, reflecting the Irish tradition of disguising outlawed patriotic verse as love songs where she is told not to be downhearted for her friends are returning from abroad to come to her aid.

Saoirse ( "sear + sha" ) Irish word saoirse "freedom, liberty." It has only been used since the 1920s and has strong patriotic overtones.

Shauna ( "shaw + na" ) The feminine form of Sean. It is currently a very popular name in Ireland.

Siobhan ( "shiv + awn" ) Shevaun, Shavon, Chevonne Siobhan is another Irish form of Joan meaning "God is gracious." A popular name in Ireland where the anglicised versions are often used. Siobhan McKenna, an Irish actress who died in 1986, was considered by many as a woman who personified all that was good about being Irish.

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