Everything you need to know about Tír na nÓg

If you’re interested in Irish history and culture, then you might have heard of the mysterious Tír na nÓg.

But what exactly is it? If you want to get in touch with your Irish roots, or are simply keen to find out more about Irish folklore, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Tír na nÓg.

How Is Tír na nÓg Pronounced?

First things first: how do you actually say Tír na nÓg? Although it might seem like a difficult name if you’re not familiar with Irish, the pronunciation isn’t drastically different to what you’re probably imagining when you read it. It’s pronounced “tear na noog”, where the first word sounds like tears you cry, rather than tearing a piece of paper. 

What Is Tír na nÓg?

Tír na nÓg is one of the names for the Celtic Otherworld. It literally translates as “land of the young” and is considered either to be the Celtic Otherworld, or part of it. It is sometimes thought of as the Irish equivalent to Elysium which is, in Greek mythology, the paradise in which heroes were granted immortality after death.

However, there’s an important difference in Irish folklore, as Tír na nÓg isn’t the “afterlife” as such. Rather, it’s thought of as an earthly place which can only be reached through magic. In Irish mythology, it’s depicted as an earthly paradise – sometimes a flower-filled meadow, sometimes a lush, forested wilderness – and unlike its heavenly counterparts in the folklore of other countries, Tír na nÓg is seen instead as a supernatural realm – or “otherworld” – where everlasting youth, health, beauty and joy are experienced by all who dwell there.

The inhabitants of the island of Tír na nÓg are the Tuath(a) Dé Danann which translates as “the folk of the goddess Danu”, although they are sometimes also known by the earlier name “Tuath Dé”, translating as “tribe of the gods”. The Tuatha are a supernatural race who live in the Otherworld but interact with humans and spend time in the human world. This group is usually thought to be the gods of pre-Christian Ireland, and the god that rules over Tír na nÓg – usually named as Manannán mac Lir – is said to be the first ancestor of the human race and the god of the dead.

As the legends go, the residents of Tír na nÓg often invite humans to their realm, and it’s from these invitations that many famous Irish folklore stories stem. These stories are known as echtrai (adventures) or baili, which translates to “visions” or “ecstasies”. The visitors reach Tír na nÓg in a variety of ways, from venturing across the seas in a treacherous days-long journey to entering via ancient burial grounds.

Whilst it’s a place of joy for those who live there, Tír na nÓg can be a dangerous place for humans, particularly those who remain there for a period of time that’s a multiple of three, such as three days or years. So why would any humans visit such a place? Well, often they were tempted by the beautiful women of the island of Tír na nÓg. In folklore tales, the Tuatha women often left Tír na nÓg and brought men back there.

What Is the Story of Tír na nÓg?

Tír na nÓg is best known for the tale of Oisín and Niamh. Oisín was the son of the legendary Fionn Mac Cumhaill – who you might know better as Finn MacCool in English. Fionn was the leader of the Fianna, and Oisín was, as well as a great warrior like his father, also a great poet. It’s said that the great stories of Foinn’s battles that we know today as an essential part of Irish folklore were passed down through Oisín’s poetry. 

One day when Fionn and Oisín were hunting around the Ring of Kerry, they stopped for a rest on a hillside overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, keeping one eye out for invaders. Soon, in the distance, they saw a white horse approaching them – and on its back was the most beautiful woman Oisín had ever seen, with long golden hair that flowed behind her as she rode.

That woman was, of course, Niamh, a name which translates as “radiance” or “brightness”. She had been watching Fionn and Oisín for some time and had come to earth to make Oisín her husband and bring him back to the Otherworld. Oisín fell in love with Niamh immediately, and although he was sad to be leaving his father and the rest of the Fianna behind, he was excited about a future married to Niamh, who was the very personification of her name.

They rode off together on Niamh’s horse to Tír Na nÓg, where they spent many magical months together. Niamh promised him that Tír Na nÓg was a land of happiness where everyone lived forever and felt no sadness. Whilst this was mostly true, Oisín did miss his homeland and his father, and longed to see him again.

After what seemed to be three years together in the Otherworld, Oisín begged Niamh to let him return to Ireland to see Fionn. She agreed and let him take her magical white horse to return earth-side to see his family. However, she begged him not to get off the horse, and never let his feet touch the ground – or he wouldn’t be able to return to Tír Na nÓg.

When Oisín arrived back in Ireland, he didn’t recognise the place, or any of the people. He came across some men struggling to move a rock, and stopped to ask them where he could find Fionn and the Fianna. 

The tale of Tír Na nÓg – The land of eternal youth by PATRICK LYNCH

The men replied that stories used to be told about the great warrior Fionn, his mighty son Oisín and the fearsome Fianna – but that was a long time ago, and no one told such tales anymore. It was then that Oisín realised that time slows down in Tír Na nÓg and rather than three years, it had actually been three hundred since he had last seen his father. 

To prove that the stories the men had heard weren’t just tales, Oisín said that any of the Fianna would have been able to pick up the rock with just one hand. He remembered Niamh’s warning about not getting off the horse, so he leaned over to pick up the rock whilst still mounting the white horse – and fell off. 

His feet touched the ground and he immediately aged 300 years, becoming an old frail man. Niamh’s horse galloped away, knowing that Oisín could never return to Tír Na nÓg and his love, and Oisín died soon after.

Who Is the Queen of Tír Na nÓg?

Niamh was the daughter of Manannán mac Lir, a sea deity. Her mother may have been Fand, a sea goddess who was later described as the “Queen of the Fairies”. Fand and Niamh shared many of the same characteristics, such as their long, golden locks, which makes many believe they were related, although Manannán mac Lir is linked to several different partners, so this is unclear.

What is clear, though, is that Niamh was one of the queens of Tír Na nÓg and together they had a daughter, Plor na mBan, which translates as “the flower of the lady”.

Tír Na nÓg in Culture and Around the World

The tragic tale of Oisín and Niamh, Tír Na nÓg, and the concept of a land of eternal youth, has inspired many storytellers both in Ireland and further afield.

A TV show, Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog, ran on Fox Kids between 1998 and 1999. Inspired by, and loosely based on, Irish mythology, the show was set in a fantasy version of ancient Ireland and followed Queen Maeve of Temra as well as the Mystic Knights including Rohan, Ivar and Deirdre, on their quests and adventures. 

Fans of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series of books will remember a familiar-sounding land, Tir Nani Ogg, which was the homeland of the witch Nanny Ogg, whilst music fans will know the beautiful song Tir Na Nog by famous Northern Irish singer-songwriter, Van Morrison. 

In the film Titanic, there’s a poignant scene as the ship is sinking when a mother in a third-class cabin tells her two young children a story. That story is the tale of Oisín and Niamh.

The story even inspired a rock opera in Wales, Nia Ben Aur. The first rock opera to be performed in Welsh, it made its debut in 1974 at the National Eisteddfod in Carmarthen. It’s based on Oisín and Niamh’s story, where the ‘Prince of Ireland’ is forced to choose between his fairy lover and his country.

Mystic Knights TV Show. Image courtesy of imdb.com