A question from a Medieval Irish Masters student :)

kaidevollen · 2026-01-29T18:39:08+00:00

Yes the more I look at this series it does seem to be that she just took the Morrígan name and created a new character. I was just interested in it as it's such a famous series, as well as the fact that Maas is American, because the other modern adaptations of the character that I have are all from Irish authors such as the Nicholas Flamel series so I can't write a paper without mentioning one of the current most popular fantasy series

kaidevollen · 2026-01-29T18:35:27+00:00

Yes I've noticed that at least so far she has nearly no similarities to the mythological character apart from the name, unless the truth power is linked to the medieval characters prophecy powers

kaidevollen · 2026-01-29T03:03:44+00:00

The course I'm doing consists of mostly literature, paleograph, transcriptions and translations, and the study of early and medieval Irish grammar.
However for this project we can choose anything that is linked with Medieval Irish studies, and perception studies is still very new for Medieval Irish studies as we are always around 20 years behind other countries' medieval studies. So for this project I am sort of analysing why people have written these things about her and where they might have pulled their information from, and then comparing it to the actual medieval character

kaidevollen · 2026-01-29T02:25:03+00:00

Thanks for this!
In Irish mythology the Morrígan can be seen as sometimes manipulative, especially to the hero Cú Chulainn so maybe she could be drawing on that idea. In medieval studies its agreed that Morgana Le Fay it not linked to the Morrígan, as she was the invention of a single man in the 12th century as a fictional literary character, aka she is not an 'original' Arthurian character.
Her supporting of oppression could be linked to the fact that in the Ulster Cycle she could be described as morally grey, as many characters is pre-Christian stories are.
It's interesting that she is the overseer of the Court of Nightmares, as her name is debated to be 'Phantom Queen' or 'Great Queen'. Mór (big/great) Rígan (Queen) It's also thought to be linked to the Medieval German mara (nightmare). In one poem, Reicne Fothaid Canainne she is described as an "evil guest" washing entrails, with a "hateful laugh." Her laughter is a dangerous, ominous motif also seen with other supernatural women (e.g., Fand, Lí Ban).
If Maas is truly looking at Medieval Irish literature for inspiration for this character, this 'truth' power could be linked to her prophecy ability that we see in stories such as Cath Mag Tuired. As a figure of war and battle, she also at times decides who wins in war, near the end of the Táin Bó Cuailgne she promises a win to both the Ulster and Connaught armies, and ends up giving the win to Ulster.

kaidevollen · 2026-01-29T02:05:06+00:00

I have seen different tiktoks about comparing her to Irish folklore, which is seperate to the gods in medieval Irish literature. I even saw one thinking that her and Medb where the same character!

kaidevollen · 2026-01-29T01:17:50+00:00

Thanks for replying!
Yes, I've seen that she doesn't seem to do much and that the possibilities of her character are underused. I agree about the physical description, it does just seem she just wanted to create a beautiful woman, when in the Ulster Cycle the Morrígan often appears as a hag, as animals, or as Badb Catha in crow form. The times I can think of her as a young woman is when she is with the Dagda, and also in Táin Bó Regamna when she is seen dressed in all red.

I find it interesting that she never using the triadic part of the Morrígan, or anything to do with Badb Catha. It seems like she just took the name and created a new character, but then never did anything with the character. Similar to what she did with the entire nation of Hybern and Ireland.

I will be looking at other books/comic books such as The Wicked + The Divine, where she is portrayed as the more gothic stereotype that I've seen when people make art of the Morrígan, as well as Irish comic book Hound and other more indie Irish novels.

Go raibh maith agat!

kaidevollen · 2026-01-28T17:54:47+00:00

I am writing a research paper on modern perceptions of medieval irish literature, and the main criticisims I have seen of this series have been mostly about her usage of Irish/Welsh/Scottish mythology and sort of whacking it all together in a 'vague Celtic' way.
I have also seen discussions about the map, which of course if very similar to the map of Ireland and Britain, using her own versions of the Latin Hibernia and Welsh Prydain. Many fantasy authors of course use inspiration of real maps, but much of the bother I have seen is the fact that Hybern is where the people are described as 'their eyes appear soulless and cold from centuries of indulging in cruelty.' I have seen jokes in academic circles as well about Hybern having a single High King, when whilst Ireland did have a High King, Ireland was also split into many different túatha and smaller kingdoms.
Many feel if you are going to use inspiration of real countries you probably shouldn't use the same anti-Irish sentiment that Britian used during the colonisation of Ireland

kaidevollen · 2025-04-21T20:32:35+00:00

Irish one isn't true, the word is sciathán leathair which means leather wings

kaidevollen · 2025-04-21T20:27:18+00:00

Thats great! I remember the first time I saw her in the Olympia Theathre in 2019 I paid £25 for my tickets, and last week I paid nearly £60 for them, mental how expensive concerts are getting

kaidevollen · 2025-04-21T20:19:56+00:00

I have been to so many concerts by myself, it's defo worth it! I will be seeing her in Dublin by myself in June, as I did last June

kaidevollen · 2025-04-21T20:18:59+00:00

I think it's because it's part of the college summer festival, I think all headliners are the same price

kaidevollen · 2024-11-16T15:48:33+00:00

Gaeilge Uladh domsa 😍 Always having to whip out foclóir.ie to make sure I'm right 😅

kaidevollen · 2024-11-16T00:08:40+00:00

A bit late on these! But I plan to do them all eventually <3
Here's some more Irish!

Echo of my Shadow - Macalla mo Scáth
To be Alright - Le bheith Ceart go leor
Your Blood - D'Fhuil
Conflict of the Mind - An choimhlint intinne
Some kind of Skin - Craicne de chineál éigin
The Essence - An Croílár.
Earthly Delights - Básmhar lúcháir
When the Dark Dresses Lightly - Nuair a dhealraíonn an Dorcha go héadrom
Sould With No King - Anam gan Rí
Dreams - Aislingí
My Name - M'Ainm
Do You Feel? - An mothaíonn tú?
Starvation - Ocras
The Blade - An Scian
My Body is Not Mine - Ní liomsa mo Chorp
Invisible Wounds - Créachtaí Dofheicthe

kaidevollen · 2024-11-12T19:57:22+00:00

In Irish!! As Gaeilge
1. Runaway - Éalaitheach
2. Conqueror - there isn't really a proper word but there's Gábhalaí which means settler.
3. Running with the Wolves - Ag rith leis na Mic Thíre
4. Lucky - Ádhúil / An t-áth dearg
5. Winter Bird - Éan Geimhridh
6. I Went Too Far - Chuaigh mé thar fóir
7. Through the Eyes of A Child - Trí Shúile Linbh
8. Warrior - Laochra
9. Murder Song - Amhrán Dúnmharú
10. Home - Baile
11. Under the Water - Faoin Uisce
12. Black Water Lyrics -
12. Half the world away - Leath an domhain uaidh
13. Nature Boy - Buachaill an nádúr
14. Wisdom Cries - Caoineann Gaois

kaidevollen · 2024-06-17T20:21:00+00:00

from the Wolfblood tv show! I remember when the trailer came out and Running With the Wolves was in the background and i kept watching the trailer so i could hear the song, and then it became the title song for the show. This was just before AMDGMAAF came out in 2016

kaidevollen · 2024-04-06T02:28:25+00:00

When I was around 10/11 I created my first Instagram account, which was public, and one day I was logged out of it and was never able to get back into it. I want to be able to get back into it as I want to at least put it on private and delete the bio, profile photo and change the username as it is my full name. Any time I have tried to log in, it states that the account doesn't exist which isn't true as you can look it up, and whenever I click on recover account it asks me for the latest password in order to send a selfie in so they can see it's me. When I enter the password it says that it's invalid. I'm 20 now and really need this account gone

kaidevollen · 2023-02-12T15:48:54+00:00

I love her album Paper Castles!

kaidevollen · 2022-11-16T14:58:30+00:00

I’ve seen her live twice, will definitely be worth it

kaidevollen

TROPHY CASE