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In Irish mythology, Ériu (), daughter of Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was one of the eponymous patron goddesses of Ireland. Her husband was Mac Gréine (‘Sun's son’).Lebor Gabála Érenn. * She was the mother of Bres by Prince Elatha of the Fomorians.
The English name for Ireland is from the Anglo-Saxon (mis)pronunciation of the name Ériu plus the Anglo-Saxon word land.
Role and mythic portrayal
With her sisters, Banba and Fodla, she was part of an important triumvirate of goddesses. When the Milesians arrived from Spain each of the three sisters asked that her name be given to the country. This was granted to them, although Ériu (Éire) became the chief name in use (Banba and Fodla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland, much as Albion is for Great Britain).
Eriu, along with Banba and Fodhla, is interpreted as a goddess of sovereignty.
It is quizzical that in one moment this goddess was portrayed as being a beautiful queen and in the next moment a sharp beaked crow.
According to Seathrún Céitinn she worshipped the Badb, who is also sometimes named as a daughter of Ernmas. The two goddesses may therefore be seen as equivalent.Seathrún Céitinn, Foras Feasa ar Érinn. CELT online translation.
Name and etymology
The University of Wales' reconstructed Proto-Celtic lexicon gives *Φīwerjon- as the Proto-Celtic etymology of this name.* This root appears to be related to φī-wer-jō(n) meaning ‘earth’ or ‘land’. If Ériu was an earth goddess, this would make her comparable to the Roman Ceres, Greek Demeter and Egyptian Isis. Apparently, an inherited form of the Proto-Celtic was transcribed in Ancient Greek as Ierne and in Latin as Hibernia.
References
"Ériu"