This Celtic divine hag, An Cailleach, has strong links with locations all around Ireland. The legends of the winter goddess and the locations and ancient Irish folklore, including Saint Brigid, the goddess of summer, linked to her.
Explore the International Appalachian Trail, which runs from West Donegal to the North Coast in County Antrim, and discover these spectacular gems along the way. Discover historic monuments, dramatic coastlines, rugged mountains, areas of outstanding natural beauty, and a World Heritage Site.
The Legend of Aine’s Encounter with Ailill Aulom
One of the unpleasant legends speaks of a man who didn t want to learn the meaning of love, but was only driven by his sexual desires. This lout was the King of Munster called Ailill Aulom. According to the traditional story, he raped Aine, so she bit off his ear - which made people call him ‘One-eared Aulom.’
In Old Irish law, kings needed to have a perfect appearance and a complete body. Thus, Aulom lost his authority. This story shows that Aine was also a powerful goddess of sovereignty. As a deity, she granted power to good people, but also took it away from the bad ones.