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 aintaining production and trade in metal objects requires a complex and well organized network of mine operators, suppliers, middlemen, craftsmen and traders, much as any modern industry. As trade increased, metal workers began to occupy an increasingly important place in society. The importance of their craft is expressed in Triad 148: the three renovators of the world; the womb of a woman, the udder of a cow, the molding block of a blacksmith.
Particularly skilled smiths, and there were grades of achievement, an ollave-goba or flaith-goba being the highest, were granted a high degree of social status and a personal value of 7 sets1. In addition to status came a certain amount of wonder and mystery because of the nature of their work. Taking dark, bland raw ore and transforming it into useful, and in some cases deadly, shinning objects. Because of this, smiths were considered people of magic, as the phrase; briochta ban agus gabann agus druad, "the spells of women and smiths and druids," indicates. One 8th century hymn asks "God" for protection against the spells of blacksmiths. Because of the seemingly occult aspect of the craft, the listing of the required three skills for high status, as written in the Bretha Nemed toísech2 differs from that of other professions. For others, three specific skills are listed, in the case of blacksmiths the authors refer to pagan mythology: "three things which confer status on a blacksmith; the cooking spit of Nethin3, the cooking spit of the Morrígan, the anvil of Dagda." Cold Iron is master of them all as the Baron said. Cold iron meant stronger weapons. Stronger weapons meant stronger, braver warriors and higher status, more wealth. Is it any wonder then that Gobhniu, whose skill in weapon making was unrivaled, should have remained a vital part of Irish literature and folklore when many of his contemporaries passed into obscurity? As I mentioned above, the folklore of Gobhniu finds him associated with many dissimilar things. In some cases an association can easily be made. A note before we get into the particulars. Many of these "traits" have been taken from a variety of literary sources, the Mythological cycle, the Finnian cycle, common era folklore. Without doing extensive background checking it is difficult to determine the age and origin of any particular characteristic. I'm including here all those that I have found for the purpose of fostering a greater understanding of the early people's relationship with Gobhnui. Let's begin with Gobhniu's healing abilities. There is record of early Irish charms invoking his aid in the removal of a thorn or splinter. This one, obviously from Christian times, comes from the monastery of St.Gall: "Nothing is higher than heaven,This charm was charged into butter. The butter was to be smeared on the thorn, but not on the point or the wound. If there was no thorn on actuality then one of the two front teeth would be lost by the way, the word for the pointed root of the tooth is -- ga --can you see a connection? The association of Gobhniu and the removal of thorns can be traced directly to an incident preceding the second battle of Mag Tuíred. A Formorian spy, Ruadhán, was sent to assess the weapons and readiness of the Danann. Seeing the wonderful spear that Gobhniu was making, he took one and threw it at the smith hoping to kill him. Unfortunately for Ruadhán and the Formorian army, Gobhniu was able to extract the spear and launch it at his would be killer, wounding him mortally. Gobhniu then made his way to the Well of Slaine into which Airmeed, Miach, and Dianchect had placed one of every healing herb of Ireland, creating a wonderful healing bath that restored Gobhniu and all who bathed in it to perfect health. There is another healing reference in a story relating a bad case of unrequited love between Oengus, the archetypal handsome youth of the Danann, and a lovely young maiden who had come to him in a dream. It seems that Oengus had such a bad case of lovesickness that neither of Dianchecht medicine or Goibhniu's magic could not heal him. A slightly different yet equally tantalizing reference to healing is the Fled Gobhneenn, Goibhniu's Feast. In this case a drinking feast, an ever-popular theme in early Irish minds. This "feast", instituted by Mananann mac Lir after the dispersal of the Danann following their defeat at the hands of the Milesian invaders, consisted of partaking of a drink from Gobhniu's cauldron. The ale contained in this cauldron had the property of protecting the drinker from old age and decay, the very fountain of youth itself! While we're on the subject of consumption, lets head for the kitchen. There is this question of butter. Why call upon Gobhniu for a good yield of butter? Is it in reference to the up and down pounding like movement of the butter churn? Is it in reference to the Glas Ghaibhlnean, the Grey of Gobhniu, the marvelous cow. This lovely beast had an inexhaustible supply of milk. She was considered so blessed that if by chance she happened to graze within your pastures then some of her qualities would rub off on your own cattle. Could there be a connection between the cow, the butter and the contents of the cauldron? Cattle were of prime importance to many Celtic people including the pre-Gaelic and Gaelic tribes of Ireland. They gave milk, meat and hides. So important in fact, that eventually the standard object of value by which fines and other monetary concerns were measured was a milk cow. There are several ancient terms for milk as well as its products, butter, cheese, curds, whey. Dairy products with their protein and strengthening calcium certainly are healthy foods. As long as the cow is fertile and in good health she will give milk.There is work to do in this area. Any volunteers? The last reference to Gobhniu we'll look at concerns certain items of his found in Mananann's Crane Bag. (The crane and the Crane Bag have a rich iconography which is outside the realm of this essay, so you'll excuse me if I don't get into the details, we'd be here till forever.) The Crane Bag was said to appear full at high tide and empty at low tide. The Crane, is a shore bird, a borderland bird, its place in myths usually indicates the Otherworld, the source of Vision, Knowledge and Wisdom. So it is likely that it is associated with poetic power, and shamanistic type mysteries. According to a collection of poems called the Duanaire Fionn, the bag contained seven mysterious items including "Gobhniu's girdle" and "a smith's hook from the fierce man." For most of us the word "girdle" brings to mind plump women trying to fit into tight dresses, however, the word also means a sash or wide belt. In another translation the item is referred to as a belt. I wonder if this could have originally, and since I don't have the original Gaelic I can't verify the exact word, meant the leather apron which smiths wore to protect themselves from hot metal and flying sparks? The other item, "a smiths hook from the fierce man" is more than likely the tongs or pincers used to hold the red hot metal while it is being worked on the anvil. Again, what does it mean? Again, hard to say, especially without having access to the Gaelic text. The smith's items in the Crane Bag have to do with the working of metal, the creation process from a blank piece of iron, for instance, to a tool. One, an item of protection, the other, of control-of holding that which is being transformed. Both to be found in a magical bag possibly having to do with Otherworld mysteries, Wisdom, etc. Back tracking a little, we know the root word for Credne is associated with artistry and poetry. Poetic ability was highly regarded by the ancients. Language was very important to the Irish, words had great power, and as such poets had very high status. So perhaps these items and their inclusion in the bag have to do with the vocation of the word-smith. Being able to hold on to the radiant spark of inspiration without getting burned by the fire of creation... Healing, mortality, immortality, creativity, protection, abundance, poetry. And we thought he was just a simple black-smith. I do believe we've been well and truly riddled.
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