Etain and Midir

Today I offer an Irish legend celebrated in a mosaic glass mural at Millennium Forum in Derry city, Northern Ireland. It was fabricated by Kinney Design from paintings by Desmond Kinney.

This is the story of a woman who is immortal but for a long time doesnt know it. It is also a classic love story.

It happened that Eochaid Airem, the high king of Ireland decided he needed a wife,for it is not proper he thought,for a king to be without a queen. A search was made throughout the land and messengers came back to say that in Ulster the fairest maiden in Ireland had been found. She was called Etain.

When the king saw her he instantly fell in love and he quickly proposed marriage.Etain consented and preparations were made. They were married in Tara and everyone welcomed their new queen.

Etain"s beauty,charm,singing & playing of the harp was admired by all men including the king"s brother Ailill Anglounach. Ailill became overpowered with a lust for Etain. He obsessed until it made him sick. The queen came to visit him when she heard that he was unwell and eventually he confessed that it wasnt a physical malady but something else. "A passion?" asked the queen "is it love for one of my handmaidens that causes you such distress?" Ailill answered "love indeed has brought me low.It is love for you my queen that has brought me to this-and you alone can heal me " 

Reluctantly the queen arranged to secretly meet Ailill at a house of his between Dun Tethba & Tara.

He never showed up for the meeting but Etain was there and she witnessed a person looking like Ailill approach the house,then mysteriously hold back,complain of his sickness,turn and leave.

Later she found out that Ailill had been in bed in a deep sleep all this time.She went to see him and he told her that on waking,amazingly, the troubling passion was gone.

   One day when Etain was alone in her garden, a stranger appeared. He was handsome,well dressed and he sang to her.Then he said" Etain, the time has come for you to return to me" Etain was bewildered.

The man continued "I am Midir the Proud, a prince of the Tuatha de Dannan- and your lover"

Etain was astonished. The man went on to tell a fabulous tale of how he loved Etain and she loved him

but the sorceress Fuamnach was jealous of Etain and had transformed her into a butterfly and contrived a storm that blew her far away from their homeland. Seven years she had blown here and there til she was borne into the palace of Aengus Og at Brugh na Boinne. Aengus realised enchantment was at work and he built a special glass pavilion for Etain the butterfly to live in and flourish.

But Fuamnach found this out and blew up another storm that drove poor Etain away again for seven years.

Finally she fluttered into a goblet of ale served to the wife of the Dun of Etar. The woman drank down the ale and swallowed the butterfly too. In due course Etain was reborn as a mortal child to the Dun of Etars wife.

"You see "said Midir "you are truly of my people and we are immortal"

Midir claimed that he had caused Ailill to fall into the deep sleep that day of the secret meeting and had appeared himself in the likeness of Ailill.

They stood in the garden but Etain was not persuaded to go away with Midir.

   Time passed while Etain reflected in her palace on these revelations. She told her husband nothing of the matter. Meanwhile Midir, through charm and guile, befriended Eochaid Airem.

They took to playing chess. At some point the king suggested they play for stakes."The stake to be whatever the winner shall demand" said Midir. The king lost this vital game and so asked Midir what he would have.

Midir answered" to hold Etain in my arms and kiss her"

The king was silent,contemplating and then replied "come back in one month from this day and it shall be paid"

But Eochaid Airem then gathered together all the warriors of the Gael and they fortified Tara. The king & queen were in the palace which was bristling with fully armed guards for they expected Midir would arrive with an army to carry off Etain.

Suddenly, as the royal couple were dining, Midir appeared in splendour." you have received me as I expected to be received" he announced" now let the debt be paid"

The king shouted out" you shall not have her!"

Then Midir took hold of Etain and they rose up above the people gathered in the palace,passed through a roof window and into the sky.

The people looked out but could see only two swans that circled in the sky and then flew away towards 

the fairy mountain of Slievenamon.