Glossary in N (Celtic)

Here is a glossary of mythology Celtic : Dwarves, Nantosuelta, Nechtan, Nédé, Nemed (Nemediens), Nemeton, Nemhain, Ness, Niall Noigiallach, Nodons, Noise, Nuada

Celtic Glossary

Celtic Glossary

Nechtan, in Irish Celtic mythology, appears notably in an epic text from the Middle Ages: Immram Brain Maic Febail ocus a echtra andso sis, or “The navigation of Bran, son of Febal and his adventures hereafter”. This text, written in a Christian context, narrates the stay of warriors in the sidh, the Celtic Other World.

Nechtan, son of Collbran, is one of the “three times nine” travelers who follow Bran Mac Febail on a voyage, in search of Emain Ablach, the “Land of Apple Trees” (symbol of eternity). It is an island in the middle of the ocean whose delights a bansidh praised to her companion. They meet Manannan Mac Lir, the sovereign god of the Sidh who welcomes them with a song. When they arrive near the Island of Women (Tir na mBân), the queen throws a line to haul the boat, and everyone disembarks. The island is populated only by young and beautiful women and they stay there for several “months”, living in total bliss. After some time, Nechtan becomes prey to nostalgia and tells Bran of his desire to return to Ireland. The leader of the expedition ends up being convinced despite the queen's warning that they should not disembark anywhere.

As they approach their island, they recognize no one and no one recognizes them. Nechtan descends to the ground, he instantly turns into a pile of ashes. Bran, who understands, sets sail again for endless navigation. In fact, their stay in the sidh lasted several centuries and they are long dead. The return to the human world is accompanied by the influence of time from which they had escaped.


Nédé, in Irish Celtic mythology, is a formidable druid (file according to literary terminology) who we meet in two episodes of the mythical story of Érenn. He is Adnae's son.

In the Immacallam in Da Tûaraid (Dialogue of the Two Sages), he appears as a claimant to the rank of ollam in a scientific dispute facing the druid Ferchertne (son of Coipre), after an apprenticeship in Scotland at Eochu Echbel. This text is fundamental to the knowledge of Celts of antiquity.

Subsequently, he becomes the archetype of the abusive druid, like Aithirne Ailgesach. Taken in by his uncle, King Caier of Connaught, he commits adultery with the latter's wife and steals the royal throne from her. Then he asks him for a fabulous blade that the fallen king cannot get him. Nédé then utters a glam dicinn which causes three boils to appear (shame, stain and ugliness) on Caier's face and leads to his social death through shame. Nédé is killed by the explosion of a rock at Dun Cermnai, where his uncle is hiding, because he has committed the three faults of the Druid: adultery with a queen, usurpation of royal sovereignty and abusive satire (the glam dicinn) .


Nemain (or Nemhain), in Irish Celtic mythology, is a warrior goddess, who appears notably in the mythical story of the Cooley Cow Roundup (Táin Bó Cúailnge). It is a representation of Bodb, herself an avatar of Morrigan, the goddess of death.

Its name means "frenzy", "panic" and in the final battle of the Táin Bó Cuailnge, which opposed the armies of Ulster and Connaught, it caused the death of many warriors, by the fear it inspired.

When a warrior encounters her at a ford, washing his own clothes, it is a sign that his end is near. Cúchulainn, the champion of Ulster, encounters a washerwoman who soaks her laundry in a river, shortly before her heroic death.


Nemed, whose name means sacred, is the leader of the inhuman people who bear his name, the Nemediens, sometimes called “the deer people”. In the mythical history of Ireland, as told to us in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (the Books of the conquests of Ireland), their occupation of the island is between that of the Partholonians and that of the Fir Bolg. After a period of peace, they had to resist the Fomoires who tried to reconquer the island. The Fomoire kings Gann and Sengann were beaten, but the enemies managed to prevail. The Nemediens must pay them tribute every year. After a final revolt, they had to flee to the province of Munster. Nemed is the son of Agnoman and the nephew of Tuan Mac Cairill; he is the father of Iarbonel the Soothsayer, Anniend and Fergus-au-côté-Rouge.

Its name is similar to the name of Celtic sanctuaries: the Nemeton.


Ness is known as a warrior queen of Ulster, her name meaning "the weasel". She is the daughter of Eochaid Salbuide.

While she is at war with the druid Cathbad who had murdered her twelve tutors, he surprises her naked while bathing and takes the opportunity to steal her clothes and weapons. He offers her a deal, her life will be saved if she accepts three conditions: peace, friendship and marriage. The marriage will be temporary, but they will have two children: Conchobar Mac Nessa, future king of Ulster, and a daughter, Findchoem who will be the wife of Amorgen.

Subsequently, she married King Fergus Mac Roeg and obtained the throne for Conchobar, for a period of one year. The past year, the Ulates (people of Ulster) no longer want Fergus and keep Conchobar as king.


Niall Noigiallach (Niall "of the Nine Hostages") is a legendary ard ri Érenn (paramount king of Ireland) in Irish Celtic mythology. He would have reigned in the 5th century in Tara and would have been the last pagan king before the hagiographic evangelization of the island by Saint Patrick.


Noise, in Irish Celtic mythology, is a hero of the Ulster Cycle, he appears notably in the story of Longes mac nUislenn (The Exile of the Sons of Usnech). He is the son of Usnech (sometimes named Uisliu) and nephew of the King of Ulster, Conchobar Mac Nessa. The meaning of his name is “man of reputation”.

At her birth, the Druid Cathbad prophesied that Deirdre's unique beauty would cause wars between the kings of Ireland and devastation of the island. Promised, against her will, to Conchobar as a concubine, she prefers to be kidnapped by Noise, a renowned warrior and singer, for a tragic wandering, with the latter's two brothers. In Scotland, Noise must defend himself from a king who tries to kill him to take the young girl. Back in Ireland, Conchobar sends Fergus Mac Roeg as an embassy to them with a message of peace and the assurance that no harm will be done to them. Arriving at Emain Macha, Conchobar has Noise and his brothers murdered and confines Deirdre to the rank of concubine; she kills herself by throwing herself head first into a rock. Fergus and his companions, furious at the king's treachery, took refuge in Connaught from where every day they attacked Ulster. The druid Cathbad pronounces a curse on the capital Emain Macha, which is destroyed by fire.


Nuada is nicknamed “Airgetlam”, that is to say “at the Silver Arm”.

Nuada is a mythical king of the Tuatha Dé Danann (the People of the goddess Dana) and belongs to the second warrior class, his function is to assume royalty and ensure the redistribution of wealth. (See Georges Dumézil and the tripartite ideology of the Indo-Europeans).

During the “First Battle of Mag Tuireadh” against the Fir Bolg his right arm was cut off, a discriminatory disability for the exercise of kingship. He must give way to Bres of the people of the Fomoires whose reign will be short-lived. Diancecht the doctor god makes him a silver prosthesis, which allows him to regain sovereignty. Subsequently, Miach son of Diancecht, will graft his severed arm. He died during the “Second Battle of Mag Tuireadh”.

At Wales, his name is Nudd (or Llud) and in Gaul Let's nod.