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Medb, also known as Maeve, was the Warrior-Queen of Connacht, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, King of Leinster. According to the Hybernian legends, no king could reign in Connacht unless he was married to Medb, who was believed to hold the kingdom's sovereignty in her person. It was also said that she "never was without one man in the shadow of another". Medb's most talked of endeavour was The Táin Bó Cuailnge, the great cattle raid. Invading Ulaid, her forces attempted the capture of the great brown bull. Cu Chulainn, Ulaid's greatest champion stood alone against their onslaught and was triumphant. Medb plotted Cu Chulainn's death, to avenge the defeat. Through the intervention of sorcerers Cu Chulainn was slain.
She was herself assassinated, by Furbaide Ferbend, her nephew and son to the tyrannical King Conchobhar Mac Nessa. Having discovered that Queen Medb was in the habit of regularly taking her bath in Lough Ree on Inchcleraun island. Furbaide very carefully measured the exact distance between the spot where she bathed and the shore,
then returning to the Ulster stronghold of Emain Macha he practised with slingshot until he was able to knock an apple from the top of a pole over the same distance. Satisfied at last that his aim was perfect, he stealthily made his way back to the pool and upon her arrival struck Queen Medb with such force as to crack open her forehead.
Thus was Ulster and the hound of Chulainn avenged.
Medb
Name: Medb meaning: intoxicated
Province: Mainly Connaught but also Leinster
Properties: Goddess of Intoxication, Goddess of Sovereignty
Associated Sites: Cruachain : Medb's Mound Co. Sligo
Associated Herbs, Trees & Fungi: Hemp, Fly Agaric, Liberty Cap, Coltsfoot, Yew
The Goddess Medb was the goddess of Intoxication, and had a role similar to that of the Greek God Bacchus in that she presided over all functions involving the consuming of intoxicating substances such as alcohol, mushrooms such as the Fly Agaric, Liberty caps, intoxicating herbs such as hemp and all things which would produce a state of transcendence.
Pagan Kings of Ireland married the Goddess at the time of their coronations tossing back flagons of mead to produce the necessary intoxication.
Queen Medb of Connaught was named after the Goddess and is often confused with the Goddess and given attributes similar to that of the Goddess. She may be a human incarnation of the Goddess.
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