fand

Fand is a figure encountered in Irish and Celtic mythology and literature. She is typically portrayed as a powerful female enchantress with connections to the sea, beauty, and magical prowess. In various tellings she may be described as a goddess, a mortal queen, or a shapeshifter, reflecting the flexible nature of folk tradition.

In medieval Irish narratives, Fand appears in several variants with different relationships to other figures. In some versions she is the wife or former lover of Manannán mac Lir, the sea god, while in others she is presented as a daughter of a sea deity or as a being who moves between the mortal world and the Otherworld. The divergent portrayals illustrate how mythic characters can be reinterpreted across regions and texts.

Fand has influenced later literary works and modern retellings. In English-language literature she is associated with W. B. Yeats, who wrote works titled Fand that explore themes of love, longing, and transcendence. The character has also appeared in modern poetry and fantasy fiction, where writers draw on her sea-born, magical aura to evoke an otherworldly atmosphere.

Etymology and scholarship on the name are not settled. The origins of the name Fand are debated, with proposals linking it to Old Irish roots related to beauty, enchantment, or sea imagery, though there is no definitive consensus. Because of its varied appearances across sources, Fand remains a persistently enigmatic figure within Irish myth and its literary afterlife.

See also: Irish mythology, Manannán mac Lir.