Also called Clídna, Cliona, Clíona of the Fair Hair.
Their story
Clíodhna was a woman of the Tuatha Dé Danann who left the Otherworld with her mortal lover. While she slept on the shore at Glandore in County Cork, a great wave swept her away, and the waves there are still called Tonn Chlíodhna. Later folklore makes her the fairy queen of south Munster, living in a rock near Mallow, with three birds whose song could heal the sick and send them to sleep. She was also said to cry as a banshee for certain Munster families.
Best times to give to them
- Samhain
- Bealtaine
- by the sea at dusk
What they like being given
- a shell returned to the shore after you hold it
- milk left on a doorstep
- a song
- birdseed for garden birds
How to honour them
- Listen to birdsong in the morning and let it ease you, in memory of her birds.
- Walk by the sea and say her name to the waves.
- Feed wild birds through the winter.
How they can help you
- love and heartbreak
- rest and sleep
- grief
Symbols
- the wave of Clíodhna
- three bright birds
- the rock of Carraig Chlíodhna
Her link to the Blarney Stone is a modern tourist tale.
Sources
- The Metrical Dindshenchas
- MacKillop, Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
More Celtic goddesses
- Brigid Keeper of the sacred flame
- The Morrígan Great Queen of battle and prophecy
- Danu Mother of the Tuatha Dé Danann
- Rhiannon The queen on the white horse
- Cerridwen Keeper of the cauldron of inspiration
- Epona Great Mare, protector of horses
- Arianrhod Lady of the silver wheel
- Airmed Keeper of the healing herbs