The ' (; gd, leannan sìth, gv, lhiannan shee; ) is a figure from

Irish Folklore Irish folklore ( ga, béaloideas) refers to the folktales, balladry, music, dance, and so forth, ultimately, all of folk culture. Irish folklore, when mentioned to many people, conjures up images of banshees, fairies, leprechauns and people gat ...

. She is depicted as a beautiful woman of the ''

Aos Sí ' (; older form: ) is the Irish name for a supernatural race in Celtic mythology – spelled ''sìth'' by the Scots, but pronounced the same – comparable to fairies or elves. They are said to descend from either fallen angels or the Tuat ...

'' ("people of the barrows") who takes a human lover. Lovers of the ''leannán sídhe'' are said to live brief, though highly inspired, lives. The name comes from the Gaelic words for a sweetheart, lover, or

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...

and the term for inhabitants of

fairy mound A fairy (also fay, fae, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, English, and French folklore), a form of spirit ...

s (fairy). While the leannán sídhe is most often depicted as a female fairy, there is at least one reference to a male leannán sídhe troubling a mortal woman. A version of the myth was popularized during the

Celtic Revival The Celtic Revival (also referred to as the Celtic Twilight) is a variety of movements and trends in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries that see a renewed interest in aspects of Celtic culture. Artists and writers drew on the traditions of Gael ...

in the late 19th-century. The leannán sídhe is mentioned by

Jane Wilde Jane Francesca Agnes, Lady Wilde (née Elgee; 27 December 1821 – 3 February 1896) was an Irish poet under the pen name Speranza and supporter of the nationalist movement. Lady Wilde had a special interest in Irish folktales, which she help ...

, writing as "Speranza", in her 1887 ''Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Superstitions of Ireland''.

W. B. Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

popularized his own 'newly-ancient' version of the leannán sídhe, emphasizing the spirit's almost

vampiric A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...

tendencies. As he imagined it, the leannán sídhe is depicted as a beautiful

muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

who offers inspiration to an artist in exchange for their love and devotion; although the supernatural affair leads to madness and eventual death for the artist:

In literature and pop culture

A number of traditional Irish tales feature characters that appear to draw from the ''leannán sídhe'' legend for inspiration. These include

Katharine Mary Briggs Katharine Mary Briggs (8 November 1898 – 15 October 1980) was a British folklorist and writer, who wrote ''The Anatomy of Puck'', the four-volume ''A Dictionary of British Folk-Tales in the English Language'', and various other books on fairie ...

's "The Fairy Follower" in ''Folktales of England'', the story "

Oisin Oisín (, approximately ) is an Irish male given name; meaning "fawn" or "little deer", derived from the Old Irish word ("deer") + ''-ín'' (diminutive suffix). It is sometimes anglicized as Osheen ( ) or spelt without the diacritic (''fada'') ...

in the Land of Youth" in ''Ancient Irish Tales'', "The Dream of Angus" in

Augusta, Lady Gregory Isabella Augusta, Lady Gregory (''née'' Persse; 15 March 1852 – 22 May 1932) was an Irish dramatist, folklorist and theatre manager. With William Butler Yeats and Edward Martyn, she co-founded the Irish Literary Theatre and the Abbey Theatre, ...

's ''Cuchulain of Muirthemne''. The old Irish song "

My Lagan Love "My Lagan Love" is a song to a traditional Irish air collected in 1903 in northern Donegal. The English lyrics have been credited to Joseph Campbell (1879–1944, also known as Seosamh MacCathmhaoil and Joseph McCahill, among others).''Songs of ...

" uses her as a metaphor for consuming love: "And like a love-sick lennan-shee/She hath my heart in thrall,/Nor life I own nor liberty/For love is lord of all." Modern fantasy novels often include characters based on Irish mythology. Examples include ''

The Dresden Files ''The Dresden Files'' is a series of contemporary fantasy/ mystery novels written by American author Jim Butcher. The first novel, '' Storm Front''—which was also Butcher's writing debut—was published in 2000 by Roc Books. The books are wr ...

'', by

Jim Butcher Jim Butcher (born October 26, 1971) is an American author., He has written the contemporary fantasy ''The Dresden Files'', ''Codex Alera'', and ''Cinder Spires'' book series. Personal life Butcher was born in Independence, Missouri, in 1971. He ...

, with a recurring character named Leanansidhe (or Lea for short) and '' The Iron Fey Series'', by

Julie Kagawa Julie Kagawa (born October 12, 1982) is an American author, best known for publishing and writing '' The Iron Fey Series'' consisting of 15 books including: ''The Iron King'', ''The Iron Daughter'', ''The Iron Queen'', and ''The Iron Knight''. ...

. Also the book '' Ink Exchange'' (April 2008), a part of the ''

Wicked Lovely ''Wicked Lovely'' is a young adult/urban fantasy novel by author Melissa Marr. The story follows protagonist Aislinn, who has the Sight (the ability to see faeries), and whose life begins to unravel when it seems the fey-folk develop a sudden in ...

'' series, by

Melissa Marr Melissa Marr (born July 25, 1972) is an American author of young adult/urban fantasy novels. Biography Marr, a former university English teacher, currently resides in Arizona. Her first novel was published in 2007, the New York Times bestseller ...

. Starring in the Japanese manga "Mahoutsukai no Yome (

The Ancient Magus' Bride is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kore Yamazaki. It is serialized in Mag Garden's ''Monthly Comic Garden'' magazine and is licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. A three-part prequel anime Original vide ...

)" volume 3, by

Kore Yamazaki is a Japanese manga artist born in Hokkaido, Japan. She is best known for her manga series ''The Ancient Magus' Bride'', which was adapted into an anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside o ...

a leannan sidhe lives with Joel Garland where Chise meets in his rose garden. The 2017 horror movie ''MUSE'', written and directed by John Burr, features her as the mythical and deadly spirit who becomes the muse and lover of a painter.

In literature and pop culture

See also

References

Further reading