If you chance to stray into the Golden Vale of Ireland, you'll find soon that the gravity there is different, as are the cardinal directions. There in North Munster, things are a bit twisted 'round.

Not the least of it, is that the centre of it all is very particular lake, which encircled and sheltered an island - Knockadoon/Cnoc a Dúin - Hill of the People. The lake is called Guir... "nurturing place" or "warm nest." Lough Guir.

And holding it in place, to the extremes of view are four hills, the hills of Fírinne (Truth) - Lugh (Multi-Skilled) - Gréine (Nurturing Sun) - and Áine (Leaper - Jumper).

Áine - An (that is, of the Tuath Dé Danann... Tribe of the Children of An) and heart-mother of the Danube River, among other sources finding her touch is the shape-shifter, swift-mover, slider between the visible and invisible, seer of all things and blesser/healer bringing together diverse elements of magic and knowledge. Libra.

And Áine's Hill - Cnoc Áine - noted by Westropp as the former ancient home of a pillared "temple of the law" is also annual site of the multi-millenia old Blessing of Cattle. And also here the ancient North Munster kings came hoping to win a tryst with Áine, knowing that only those chosen by her could rule with authority in Ireland. Here, indeed, it is rumoured that the Stone of Fál was set... the stone which cried out in recognition when stepped upon by a true king.

Áine - Queen of May - blessing the cattle at Béltaine starting at dusk, walking anonymously out among the people and surreptiously choosing (often enough) a human mate. Áine... lovely to behold, powerful to embrace, terrible to betray or take by force... embued with liveliness and the ability to slip between the worlds.

She can glamour you away, or invite you of your own free will. Queen of May, Maker of Kings, Healer, Blesser, Truth-Seer, Leaper-Jumper.

Áine