Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era. In the History of Ireland (795–1169), early medieval era, myths were ...

, Uaithne (, ) is

Dagda The Dagda ( , ) is considered the great god of Irish mythology. He is the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, with the Dagda portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO ...

's harp, or rather the Dagda's

harper Harper may refer to: Names * Harper (name), a surname and given name and place names, for example: Harper Islands, Nunavut. Places ;in Canada * Harper Islands, Nunavut * Harper, Prince Edward Island ;In the United States *Harper, former name ...

, according to a number of modern translators (cf. ).

Attestations

Úaithne figures as the name of Dagda's harper captured by the

Fomorians The Fomorians or Fomori (, Modern ) are a supernatural race in Irish mythology, who are often portrayed as hostile and monstrous beings. Originally they were said to come from under the sea or the earth. Later, they were portrayed as sea raider ...

according to the narrative ''

Cath Maige Tuired ''Cath Maige Tuired'' (modern spelling: ''Cath Maighe Tuireadh''; ) is the name of two saga texts of the Mythological Cycle of Irish mythology. It refers to two separate battles in Connacht: the first in the territory of Conmhaícne Cúile Tu ...

'' ("Second Battle of Mag Tuired"). After this battle, Dagda discovered his harp hanging on a wall, in a feasting-house wherein

Bres In Irish mythology, Bres (or Bress) was a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is often referred to by the name Eochaid / Eochu Bres. He was an unpopular king, and favoured his Fomorians, Fomorian kin. Name ''Eochu Bres'' has been translated as " ...

and his father

Elathan In Irish mythology, Elatha, Elotha, Elier or Elada (modern spelling: Ealadha) was a king of the Fomorians and the father of Bres by Ériu of the Tuatha Dé Danann, as well as Delbaeth, Ogma, Elloth (another name for Lir the father of Manannán ...

were also. The harp had two names, ("Oak of Two Meadows") and ("Four-Angled Music" or perhaps rather "Four-sided Rectitude"). On this harp, the Dagda bound the music so that it would not sound until he would call to it by its names. After he called to it, it sprang from the wall of its own accord, came to the Dagda, and killed nine men on its way. According to the ("The Cattle-Raid of Fraech"), Úaithne, the Dagda's harper, had three sons by the Bóand of the '' síthe'', and the three sons became harpers themselves, each being named after Úaithne's musical strain, i.e., Goltraige ("weeping-strain"), Gentraige ("laughing-strain") and Súantraige ("sleeping-strain"). The ''TBF'' narrative further explains: "The time the woman (Bóand) was at the bearing of children it had a cry of sorrow with the soreness of the pangs at first: it was smile and joy it played in the middle for the pleasure of bringing forth the two sons: it was a sleep of soothingness played the last son, on account of the heaviness of the birth, so that it is from him that the third of the music has been named".

Etymology

Úaithne presumably means "Childbirth". Úaithne is glossed as "Orpheus" in the Irish Glossaries. The word has multiple meanings beside Dagda's harp. Úaithne can also mean "concord in music"eDIL s.v. "" and Philippe Jouët endorses the interpretation that Dagda's harp indeed means "concordance" or "harmoniousness", which would be consistent with interpreting the byname as "quadrangular harmony". Jouët also notes that since Uaithne (Uaitniu) could mean "wood", "work", "pillar" or "harmony", those different meanings could be the consequence of successive metaphors.

In popular culture

"An Uaithne" is also the original name of Irish choir

Anúna Anúna (stylized in all caps) is a vocal ensemble formed in Ireland in 1987 by Irish composer Michael McGlynn under the name An Uaithne. Taking the current name in 1991,AllMusic Biography/ref> the group has recorded 18 albums and achieved a ...

. Appears in the

Symphogear , also known as simply ''Symphogear'', is a Japanese anime television series produced by Satelight. The original season aired on Tokyo MX between January and March 2012. The second season entitled ''Symphogear G'' aired between July and ...

anime series as a relic owned by Carol Malus Dienheim.

Explanatory notes

References

;Citations Tuatha Dé Danann Irish harpists Mythological musical instruments {{Celt-myth-stub