Manannán

Manannán mac Lir is a figure in Irish mythology, a sea deity and a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His name is typically translated as "Manannán, son of Lir." In medieval sources he is described as the lord or guardian of the Western Sea and of the Otherworld, and in some traditions as king of the realm beyond the western ocean, Tir na nÓg, the Land of Youth.

In myth, Manannán serves as an intermediary between worlds: a ferryman for travelers and, at times, a guide or tester of heroes. He is closely linked with the border region of the Otherworld and Tir na nÓg, and several tales cast him as a protector of mariners or as a gatekeeper to the land beyond the sea.

Manannán is said to possess magical items, most famously a cloak or mantle of invisibility that allows him to appear and vanish at will, and a magical boat capable of traversing sea and mist with extraordinary speed. These powers reinforce his role as a boundary figure who can move between realms.

He appears in a number of medieval Irish texts, including Acallam na Senórach (Colloquy of the Ancients) and various tales connected with Tir na nÓg. In these narratives he is depicted as wise, enigmatic, and sometimes playful, shaping encounters between mortals and the Otherworld.

Today Manannán remains a prominent figure in Irish folklore and modern fantasy. Scholars view him as an early Celtic sea deity and a potent symbol of maritime power, memory, and the liminal border between worlds.