, [Texts](languages) [Celtic](texts-celtic.md) [Irish](irish-texts.md) [Dindshenchas](dindshenchas.md) # Goddess Sinann: [SHIN-unn] The story of Sinann is quite similar to that of Boand, in that she was pursuing the illuminating property of imbas (‘Great Wisdom’) and followed red bubbles containing this property (perhaps hazelnuts? or amanita muscaria mushrooms) into the water, where she was drowned and became the spirit of the Shannon. There is a wonderful description of this episode in the Metrical Dindshenchas. [https://discoverdruidry.wordpress.com/2018/05/28/calling-to-the-hollow-hills-irish-gods-names-and-attributes/] # Poem "Sinann: The Shannon River" trans. (p-ford 1999p44-5) The River Shannon: why it is called so I'll say now in language true; I'll speak clearly, without complication, of the name itself and of its origin. I'll declare to each and every one the origin of the bright waters of Shannon, concealing nothing of its lofty fame, or the means by which it got its name. The raucous, gushing well of Connla -- beneath the blue-bordered sea it lay, six streams flowed from it, Shannon, the seventh, was above the rest. The nine hazels of wise Crimall strew their fruit upon the well; they possess the power of sorcery, enveloped by the dark mist of druidry. Strange to say, their leaves and flowers begin to sprout in the same hour; and though it seems a great virtue, the fruit is ripe at the same time too! When the crop of nuts has ripened so, they drop from the tree to the well below; they sink and settle on the bottom and salmon come and consume them. From the juice of the nuts -- important this -- come the magical bubbles of *imbas*; and the bubbles drift, hour by hour, down the green, flowing rivers. There was a girl, then, her hair golden, sprung from the Túatha Dé Danann; bright-eyed and sprightly Shannon, daughter of Lodan Luchair-glan. One night this lovely maiden, this sweet, full-mouthed woman, thought she had nearly everything, only the *imbas* was she lacking. So one day, this shapely beauty came to the river to see; she saw, indeed couldn't miss, the glorious bubbles of *imbas*. The girl, proud as she was, leapt in to seize the bubbles; but the effort came to nought there for she drowned; and thus the Shannon river.