Celtic fairy traditions
Midir
Midir is a king among the Sidhe and the earlier husband of Étaín. Her exile and rebirth as a mortal create the separation on which their later encounter depends. When Midir asks her to return, she does not recognize him through her human memory and requires her mortal husband’s permission. The tale entwines fidelity, altered embodiment, and competing claims across worlds.
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In the sources
Principal account
ReportedMidir is a king among the Sidhe and the earlier husband of Étaín. Her exile and rebirth as a mortal create the separation on which their later encounter depends.
Further detail
ReportedWhen Midir asks her to return, she does not recognize him through her human memory and requires her mortal husband’s permission. The tale entwines fidelity, altered embodiment, and competing claims across worlds.
Context & interpretation
Evans-Wentz combines named informants, manuscript narratives, and his own psychical theory in a 1911 survey. This entry preserves those distinctions: collected belief and literary tradition do not establish the physical existence of an Otherworld.
Original passages
Source 1
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries
Etain Echraide, daughter of Ailill and wife of Midir (a great king among the Sidhe people) was driven out of Fairyland by <Open this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Celtic fairy traditions; active reader leaf 405
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0045-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0045-E001-P0405
- Original scan leaf
- 406
- Recorded leaf number
- 406
- Current Reader position
- 401
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries
memory clouded her subconscious memory, and she did not recognize Midir, yet promised to go with him on gaining Eochaid's permission. After this event, curiouslyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Celtic fairy traditions; active reader leaf 406
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0045-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0045-E001-P0406
- Original scan leaf
- 407
- Recorded leaf number
- 407
- Current Reader position
- 402
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Étaín
Sidhe woman reborn as a mortal princess without her former memories.
Same subject and traditionAengus Óg
The youthful god associated with the enchanted palace of the Boyne.
Same subject and traditionDagda
Divine king who assigns the Sidhe palaces and negotiates with conquerors.
Same subject and traditionDana
The goddess whose name defines the Tuatha Dé Danann in Evans-Wentz’s survey.