Miscellaneous Religion

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feis

The Oxford Companion to Irish History | 2007 | Copyright

feis, a feast often involving the ritual or symbolic mating of a newly installed king with sovereignty as represented by its female aspect. Feis is the verbal noun of the verb foaid (‘spends the night’), related to other Indo‐European roots which designate feasting and enjoyment. Two types of feis are described in early texts, the banais (a compound of feis and ben, ‘a woman’) and tarbfheis (a compound of feis and tarb, ‘a bull’). The banais was the symbolic marriage of the king and sovereignty, while the tarbfheis was the ritual, often in the form of a vision, whereby a candidate for kingship was recognized. Symbolic marriages as a form of inauguration of kings continued to be celebrated into the late medieval period.

Edel Bhreathnach

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"feis." The Oxford Companion to Irish History. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"feis." The Oxford Companion to Irish History. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O245-feis.html

"feis." The Oxford Companion to Irish History. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O245-feis.html

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feis

A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology | 2004 | | Copyright

feis, feiseanna (pl.)., fes [Ir. foaid, to spend the night with, to sleep with]. Although this word had as many as six definitions in early Irish, it usually has but two in English usage. (a) A feast or celebration, especially in honour of, or commemorating, the marriage of a king; this would include a symbolic marriage to a sovereignty figure. Important examples were held periodically at Cruachain, Emain Macha, and, most prominently, at Tara. Distinguish from fair; féil; festival. See also BANAIS RÍGHE. (b) A competitive musical convention, comparable to the eisteddfod of Wales; the Feis Cheoil was founded in Dublin in 1897 to promote Irish music.

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JAMES MacKILLOP. "feis." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JAMES MacKILLOP. "feis." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-feis.html

JAMES MacKILLOP. "feis." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-feis.html

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FEIS

The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations | 1998 | | Copyright

FEIS Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland

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FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "FEIS." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH. "FEIS." The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations. 1998. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O25-FEIS.html

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