Name:  Manannán / Orbsen

Title:  The Lord of the Sea

Race:  Tuatha Dé Danann

Properties:  God of the Sea and the Tides

Father:  Lír Master of the Waves

Wife:  Fann

Consort:  Caintigern mother of Fiachna

Sons: Ilbhreac Fiachna Gaidiar

Daughters:  Áine Aoife   Grian

Country:  The Isle of Man

Sea:  The Irish Sea

Waves:  The Tonns, off Donegall Coast

Symbol:  The Triskele

Weapons:  Sword 'The Answerer'

Spear - Crann Buidhe 'Yellow-Tree'

Armour:  Breastplate (which magically protected one from wounds)

Foster Son:  Lugh Lámhfada 

Horse:  Enbarr of the flowing mane (which he gave to Lugh)

Treasure Bag:  Made of the skin of Aoife a lover of his son Ilbhreac's who had been turned into a crane.

Associated Herbs, Trees & Fungi:  Alder Hawthorn Ragwort  Burdock 

In the early texts Manannán is not associated with the Tuatha Dé Danann and does not appear in accounts of the Battle at Magh Tuiredh (Moytura). 

His association with the Tuatha Dé Danann appears in later texts  from about the ninth century onwards. 

He is believed to have three legs and his form of locution was to roll in a circular motion on his three legs like a wheel in order to get from place to place.  His symbol the Triskele represents his three legs in a circle, and can be seen in illustrations on certain Manx coins.

The Irish hero Fionn had an association with him when he called on his help against the son of a King from the Britons and Manannán caused a magical ship to appear which carried Fionn and his men over the sea in order to be able to catch him.  This story is related in 'How the Fianna Got their horses.'  King Cormac Mac Art also has an association with him.

Manannán is said to be buried in the Tonn Banks off the coast of Donegall.  Many shipwrecks occur here; and the spirit of Manannan is supposed to ride on the storm.  The Tonns form one part of a triad known as "The Three Waves of Erin".  The Wave of Rury in Dundrum Bay; and the Wave of Cliona off Cape Clear, are the other parts.  The Tonns are known as the Northern Wave.  Whenever the hero Cúchulainn lifted his shield and smote it the three waves of Erin echoed this signal and roared over the ocean. 

Manannán is said to have sailed around the headlands of Inishowen often with his daughters Áine and Aoife.

Stories, Myths and Legends associated with Manannan Mac Lír

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