The myths and legends of ancient Ireland are arguably as powerful and compelling as those of ancient Greece. There are stories of gods and heroes, goddesses and heroines, of high adventure, the triumph of love, and the conflict of good and evil. Irish mythology has become increasingly popular in recent years, not only through the innumerable retellings of the sagas but by the use of its themes and characters in many modern works of fantasy literature. The dictionary is arranged alphabetically and does not pretend to be an all-embracing guide for academic reference but is a work esssentially for the lay reader - a guide for enthusiasts by which they may pick their way through the fascinating labyrinth of one of Europe's oldest mythologies. It is simply a who's who and what's what of the epic sagas and tales, an accessible handbook giving immediate reference to the gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, magical weapons, fabulous beasts and Otherworld entities that populate the stories of Irish mythology.