Badb

Badb, Badhbh, Baobh, Bave [Ir., hooded or hoodie crow, the scald crow in Ireland or the Royston in England; crow or raven with implications of deadly, fatal, or dangerous]. Also Badb Catha [Ir., crow or raven of battle]. A supernatural woman, perhaps a goddess or demon, who frequents places of battle, both before and after conflict, in early Irish literature. In general she is an evil personality who delights in slaughter. She incites armies against one another and fills warriors with fury. She appears as a woman promising victory to the Dagda before the Second Battle of Mag Tuired. She is also a woman when she puts a spell on Niam (1), but she is a 0crow when she appears to Cúchulainn. Badb is the daughter of either Cailitin or Ernmas and the wife or granddaughter of Néit. Sometimes Néit is described as having two wives, Nemain and Badb, but Badb's place may be taken by Fea. Less commonly, Badb may be the wife of Tethra.

Badb is one of a trio of battle-goddesses, the Mórrígna, along with Mórrígan and Macha. Nemain, perhaps an aspect of Badb, is sometimes also in the trio; she is another battle-goddess who is also married to Néit. In addition Badb appears to be closely related to the Gaulish battle-goddess whose name is reported as Bodua, Catubodua, or Cauth Bova. In later Irish folklore Badb appears to have lent much to the figure of badhbh chaointe [Ir., keening or weeping crow], a figure who haunts battlefields and may presage death. In this function she has much in common with the banshee. Her name is commemorated in the Co. Kerry townland of Lisbabe [Ir. lios baidbhe, Badb's fort], near Aghadoe, named for the ancient ruin once thought to be Badb's residence. See also BÁNÁNACH; BOCÁNACH; WASHER AT THE FORD.

Bibliography

See Charles Donahue , ‘The Valkyries and the Irish War Goddesses’, PMLA 56 (1941), 381–409;
Françoise Le Roux and Christian-J. Guyonvarc'h , La Souveraineté guerrière de l'Irlande: Mórrígan, Bodb, Macha (Rennes, 1983);
Rosalind Elizabeth Clark , Great Queens: Irish Goddesses from the Morrígan to Cathleen Ní Houlihan (Gerrards Cross, 1990). Folk motifs: A132.6.2;
A485.1.