Fedelm

Fedelm [ 'f'eðʴelm ], also Feidelm ("prophetess, seer", after the protoceltic root word wēd- / wid- "know, see"), is a seer ( banfháith ) in the Celtic mythology of Ireland .

mythology

In the main legend of Ulster , Táin Bó Cuailnge ("The Robbery of Cooley "), Fedelm is the seer at the court of the King of Connacht , Ailill mac Máta . She warns him and Queen Medb of the campaign against Ulster and threatens the fall of the Connacht army. In a long poem she praises the strength and wisdom of the Ulter Cú Chulainn and prophesies the heroic deeds he will accomplish in this war. Her warning, however, remains unheard, like that of the Trojan Cassandra .

Fedelm Noíchride [ 'f'eðʴelm' noiçrʴiðe ] is called a daughter of Conchobar mac Nessas in the same legend . She is the wife of the sub-king Cairbre Nia-Fer and the mother of Erc mac Cairbri Niad-fer, who was killed in action against Cú Chulainn. In the story Fled Bricrenn ("Bricrius Fest") the wife of the hero Loegaire Buadach bears the same name.

Another figure is Fedelm Foltcháin ("F. Fairhair") in the short, difficult-to-interpret text Noínden Ulad ("The Affliction of the Men of Ulster"), where she becomes the lover of Cú Chulainn.

See also

• List of Celtic gods and legendary figures
• Myths and legends from Ireland
• Celtic women
• Druid

literature

• Helmut Birkhan : Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. 2nd, corrected and enlarged edition. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1997, ISBN 3-7001-2609-3 .
• Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 .