[I] Wife of Lugh Lámhfada who died at the site of Nass, Co. Kildare, which bears her name.
[I] “Modesty.” A goddess who took the High King Crebhán to the Otherworld and gave him fabulous treasures.
[I] See Naoise.
There are many references to the Celtic custom of stripping naked to do battle or to engage in single combat. They did so from their religious concepts. Naked and at one with the world around them, the “aura” and life force of the warriors was increased. Polybius recorded, in his account of the Battle of Telamon in 225 b.c., that a Celtic tribe he designates as the Gaesatae hurled themselves naked into battle against the Romans. He did not realise that the word meant “spearmen” (Irish gae, Welsh gwayw = spear) and that they were probably a group of élite warriors like the Fianna, the Red Branch warriors, or Gamhanrhide. See Knights.
Gaulish goddess probably connected with water (Welsh nant = a brook).
[I] Also given as Noisiu, Noise, and Naisii. The eldest son of Usna and his wife, Elbha, daughter of Cathbad the druid. With his brothers Ainlé and Ardan, he was a champion of the Red Branch. When Deirdre came to wed the king, Conchobhar Mac Nessa, Naoise fell in love with her and she with him. They eloped and fled to Alba accompanied by Naoise’s brothers. After some years, Fergus Mac Roth arrived in Alba to say that Conchobhar had forgiven them and invited them to return to Ulster. In spite of Deirdre’s forebodings, they did so. Fergus, in fact, had been tricked by Conchobhar. They journeyed to Emain Macha under the protection of Fergus’ sons, Buinne and Iollan, and spent the night in the Red Branch Hostel. Conchobhar then ordered the hostel to be
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