Niamh (mythology)

Common card · No. 324613

Niamh (Irish: [n̠ʲiəw]), also known as Niamh Cinn-Óir ("Golden-headed Niamh" or "Golden-haired Niamh") is the lover or spouse of Oisín, son of Fionn mac Cumhail, in the Fianna Cycle of Irish mythology. In the story of Niamh, she was an otherworldly woman who fell in love with an Irish man named Oisín and carried him away to live with her in her domain of Tír na nÓg, the Land of Youth. She had two sons and a daughter with Oisín. After more than 300 years of living together, Niamh reluctantly allowed Oisín to visit Ireland, imposing on him a taboo not to touch the ground there, and once he did, he turned old and was unable to go back to see Niamh ever again. In the medieval version, Niamh was a mortal princess of Munster who eloped with Oisín to Ulster but committed suicide when her father's army arrived in pursuit.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Beatrice Elvery, Public domain