The name Ireland is derived from an ancient Phoenician (Hebrews and Cretan) name Eriu, and Ulsterexamples of the various spellings you will find are Eri, Ere, Erin, Erin, Ire, Ierne, and Iran. The name Ierne, Kerne, or Herne was also the most westerly Phoenician settlement on the coast of Africa.

In Irish mythology Erin is the daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Erin was known as the ancient Triple Goddess of Ireland, and the Tuatha Dé Dannan means followers of the feminine, divine, or dannan meaning Lady. The Latin name for Ireland is Ibernia. Everywhere the Phoenicians had travelled in the world, they brought with them their religion of the Goddess. This is evident in every single country they colonized such as Ireland whom they named. Hence, the Land of Erin or Erin Land dedicated to the Goddess.

The national symbol of Ireland is the “harp of Erin” and subsequently called a “maiden” or “angel” harp.

erin and harp

Here is an old image showing the Goddess Erin with her Harp flanked by the Lions of Judah.

Harp of Erin Judah

The Phoenicians main colony and political center was at Crete for thousands of years. Their mountain of the Oath was on Crete and is known as Mount Ida. This mountain is where they get the biblical name of their tribe of Judah which they were once called the Idameans (Idumeans).

It is from on the island of Crete where the religion of the Mother Goddess was imported around the world. In Crete we find the goddess Demeter, the daughter of Rhea. In the Homeric hymn, we find the Goddess in the character of Snake Goddess Erinys.

Crete - Snake Goddess Image

There is also the Cretan cave deity named Eileithyia and is a cave divinity. This name would later become Britomartis in Crete. Here is an early image from Crete with her Harp.

Britomortis

Britomortis become the Goddess Britannia of Britain whose picture is below where she is shown flanked by the Lions of Judah and holding the Trident of the Cretan God of the Sea Neptune or Poseidon.(2)

Britannia-Statue

The name of the Goddess Erin is who the Greeks called in mythology the Eumenides (a euphemism meaning “the kind ones”) and, Hesiod calls them two “lovely-haired” creatures, the daughters of Thaumas and Electra (not to be confused with Electra, daughter of King Agamemnon), who were sisters of the Iris. They were sometimes known as female divinities of vengeance, infernal goddesses of the blood who were the avengers of iniquity. The Romans, Furiae or Furies of hell, Harpies on Earth and/or the Dirae in heaven.

Many of the beautiful women of ancient Ireland were named after this Goddess. Some of the various spellings you will find are Erienne, Erina, Erinn, Erinna, Erinne, Eryn, Eryna, Erynn, Erea, Erie, Errin Erinyes(Irish) A playful young woman Erlah Erlina (Spanish) Form of Hermelinda, meaning “bearing a powerful shield.” 

In Homer’s Iliad, they are invoked on “those who beneath the earth punish whosoever has sworn a false oath.” The oath in Ireland is signified by the Red Hand of Ulster (in Irish: Lámh Dhearg Uladh, in Ulster Scots: Rid Haun ay Ulstur) is a symbol used in heraldry to denote the Irish province of Northern Ireland or Ulster.

To swear by my right hand of God we see in the flag of Ulster, Ireland. The flag has an open right hand coloured red or scarlet, with the fingers pointing upwards, the thumb held parallel to the fingers, and the palm facing forward superimposed upon the Star of David and Solomon representing the Tribe of Judah.

This is where we get the national motto for Ireland which is based on the oath of the Irish Brotherhood branch which is “Éirinn go Brách,” and is used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as “Ireland Forever.”

erin go braugh

SOURCES:

1. History of England, by J.R. and C. Morell – Page 6

2. The Annual of the British School at Athens

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