deity · mythological cycle

Boann

BOH-an

Goddess of the River Boyne and mother of Aengus by the Dagda.

Boann gives her name to the River Boyne, and the Dindsenchas (the medieval lore explaining Irish place-names) tells how the river came to be: she defies a taboo by walking around a forbidden well, which rises up and chases her to the sea, becoming the Boyne in the process. Her affair with the Dagda produces Aengus — conceived and born, by trick of the Dagda's magic, within a single day, so that Boann's husband Elcmar never learns of it. That same trick is what later lets Aengus claim Newgrange, in the Boyne valley Boann herself is named for.

As a name: Boann is still given to children today. See its meaning, pronunciation and popularity on NameCipher →

Connections

parent Aengus Boann is Aengus's mother by the Dagda, conceived and born within a single trick-shortened day.
located at Newgrange The River Boyne, which she gives her name to, runs past Newgrange in the valley long associated with her son Aengus.

The Four Cycles of Irish mythology
Cycle	Entries here	Focus
The Mythological Cycle	17	The oldest of the four cycles, telling of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the successive invasions of Ireland.
The Fenian Cycle	6	Tales of Fionn mac Cumhaill and his band of warriors, the Fianna, set generations after the Ulster Cycle in a world of hunting, romance, and roaming adventure.
The Ulster Cycle	12	The heroic tales of Conchobar mac Nessa's court at Emain Macha, centered on Cú Chulainn and the great cattle raid of the Táin Bó Cúailnge.
The Historical Cycle	1	Also the Cycle of the Kings — legendary and semi-legendary tales of Ireland's High Kings, treated by medieval scribes as genuine national history.

Sources

Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Boann?

Boann is the goddess associated with the River Boyne, said to have formed the river itself when she defied a warning and walked around a forbidden well, which rose up and swept her to the sea.

What is Boann's connection to the Dagda?

Boann is the Dagda's lover and, in most versions, the mother of Aengus, conceived during the single day the Dagda magically extended into nine months so their affair would go undetected by her husband, Elcmar.

Is the River Boyne named after Boann?

Yes — the River Boyne takes its name directly from Boann, and the Brú na Bóinne valley along it, home to Newgrange, is closely tied to her and to Aengus in the mythology.