View source for Aillen

{{Short description|Fire-breathing entity in Irish mythology}}
{{for|the hill fort in County Kildare|Dún Ailinne}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:Heroes of the dawn (1914) (14750481494).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Fionn mac Cumhaill]] fighting Aillen, illustration by [[Beatrice Elvery]] in Violet Russell's ''Heroes of the Dawn'' (1914)]]
'''Aillen''' or '''Áillen''' is an incendiary being and evil deity in [[Irish mythology]]. He played the harp or [[tiompan|timpán]] and would lull his victims into a deep sleep with his music.<ref name="MacKillop"/><ref name="slavin"/>
==Character==
Called "the burner",<ref>{{cite book | title = Fionn Mac Cumhail: Celtic Myth in English Literature | first = James |last = MacKillop | date = 1986 | page = 15 | isbn = 9780815623533 | publisher = Syracuse University Press | quote = Aillén, "the Burner." According to the most frequently repeated story, Aillén harasses Cormac's court at Tara every November 1 at Samhain}}</ref> he is a member of the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] who resides in [[Mag Mell]], the [[underworld]].{{fact|date=March 2024}}
==Deeds==
According to ''[[The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn]]'', he would burn [[Hill of Tara|Tara]] to the ground every year at [[Samhain]] with his fiery breath after lulling all the inhabitants to sleep with his music.<ref name="slavin">{{cite book | title = The Book of Tara | first = Michael | last = Slavin | page = 64 | date = 1996 | publisher= Wolfhound Press | isbn = 9780863275074 | quote = Aillen of the Flaming Breath had each year caused chaos at the Assembly by burning Tara down. He came during the night and played such sweet music on his silver harp that everyone present fell into a deep slumber }}</ref> This only ended with the arrival of [[Fionn mac Cumhaill]],<ref name="MacKillop">{{citation|chapter-url = https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095357590 | chapter = Aillén mac Midgna | title = A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology | first = James | last = MacKillop | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 9780198609674 | date = 2004 | accessdate = 20 March 2024 }}</ref> who inhaled the poison from his spear to keep himself awake and slew Aillen. The act won him the leadership of the [[Fianna]].
==Names==
Áillen was also a popular personal name in [[ancient Ireland]] and was used by several personages. The fertility goddess [[Áine]] is also sometimes known by this name.{{fact|date=March 2024}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Celtic mythology (Fenian)}}
[[Category:Fenian Cycle]]
[[Category:Fire gods]]
[[Category:Tuatha Dé Danann]]
{{celt-myth-stub}}