Biróg (Biroge of the Mountain, Birog), in

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 ...

is the ''

leanan sídhe The ' (; gd, leannan sìth, gv, lhiannan shee; ) is a figure from Irish Folklore. She is depicted as a beautiful woman of the ''Aos Sí'' ("people of the tumulus, barrows") who takes a human lover. Lovers of the ''leannán sídhe'' are said to l ...

'' or the female

familiar spirit In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to ...

of Cian who aids him in the

folktale A folktale or folk tale is a folklore genre that typically consists of a story passed down from generation to generation orally. Folktale may also refer to: Categories of stories * Folkloric tale from oral tradition * Fable (written form of the a ...

about his wooing of Balor's daughter Eithne. She is reinvented as a

druidess A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

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, ...

and T. W. Rolleston's retellings.

Attestations

A version of the folktale recorded by John O'Donovan in 1835 relates how the

Fomorian The Fomorians or Fomori ( sga, Fomóire, Modern ga, Fomhóraigh / Fomóraigh) 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 eart ...

warrior Balor, to frustrate a prophecy that he would be killed by his own grandson, imprisons his only daughter Ethniu, Eithne in the tower of Tory Island, away from any contact with men. But Biroge of the Mountain helps a man called Mac Cinnfhaelaidh (Mac Kineely), whose magical cow (Glas Gaivlen ''recté'' Glas Gaibhnenn) Balor stole, to gain access to the tower and seduce her. Eithne gives birth to triplets, but Balor gathers them up in a sheet and sends a messenger to drown them in a whirlpool. The messenger drowns two of the babies, but unwittingly drops one in the harbour, where he is rescued by Biróg. She takes the child back to his father, who gives him to his brother, Goibniu, Gavida the smith, in fosterage. The boy (identified in the tale only as the "heir of Mac Kineely") who grows up to kill Balor, is more explicitly identified as Lugh in Lady Gregory and T. W. Rolleston' retelling. Lady Gregory refers to her as Birog the druidess, and T. W. Rolleston gives her orthography as Biróg.

References

Mythological cycle Fairies Female legendary creatures {{celt-myth-stub