The ancient cult of the sun goddess Áine can still be traced at her sanctuary hill, Cnoc Áine, and the nearby sacred lake of Lough Gur, which are central to Munster's mythology. In a peace treaty recorded in the twelfth century, each province is allowed a share of Cnoc Áine. This is confirmed by the arrangement of monuments on the summit of the hill. Through the warmth of the southern goddess comes the connection with the earth, fertility and the sun. All over Ireland, Áine is known as the wife of Manannan the Sea God from whose bed she climbs each morning. She is also said to be the wife of Echdae the sky horse. By leaping regularly from one to the other, she joins the sky and sea together, landing at Cnoc Áine on the mound atop the hill. This mound is at the eastern end of the hill and balanced by the traditional site of her cave. Unfortunately the cave was destroyed in 1900 by quarrymen, but it once lay at the western (sunset) foot of the sacred hill. In the nineteenth century, many families living around Cnoc Áine still claimed direct descent from her. They spoke of her endearingly as "the best-hearted woman that ever lived" although sometimes she is seen as a cailleach or an old hag. Those who comply with her modest demands enjoy good luck but whoever offends her will soon experience trouble. I will tell you a story to prove my point.

In the time when Eire was new and even greener than it is today, The Dagda was dividing up the land between his sons. Eoghabhal, though only a distant nephew, sought a bit of land for himself. The Good God told him to go and take the hill called Collchoille, and build his brughean upon the high point. This was all well and good, but the people who were already living there took exception to being moved out. They fought fiercely, and would not let Eoghabhal have the hill. Áine was daughter to Eoghabhal and, even though she was still young, had considerable magical powers. She promised the victory to her father, if he would but name the hill after her. Eoghabhal thought this was a small price to pay for his own place, and so agreed.

Áine gathered her magic to her and with it, produced numerous demons of the air and made many frightful screeching sounds. She made the boulders strewn about the fields to stand up and march upon the enemy like so many giant warriors. All this put a great fear into those who held the hill, and they scattered like leaves before the wind. Áine and Eoghabhal, and his warrior sons as well, climbed to the top of the hill. There, he struck the ground with the butt of his great spear and proclaimed for all to hear, that this place was to be called Cnoc Áine, the Hill of Áine, from now until the end of the world.

And here's another tale which I heard from old Quirke, down in the village…

The story is told of the Earl of Desmond, who once happened upon the Fairy Queen as she was bathing in Lough Gur. Wanting her for his own, he stole her cloak and would not return the magical garment until she consented to be his wife. The product of this union was a son who was to become a powerful magician, being half human and half sidhe. When the babe was weaned, he was given unto the care of the Earl with a warning to NEVER be surprised at anything the lad would do. With those few words, Áine changed into her swan-form, and swam off across Lough Gur.

As the boy grew to maturity, he performed more and stranger magical feats. True to his word, the Earl never so much as blinked an eye at these miracles. That is until one day he was showing his father how he could take on this shape or that, according to his whim. A dog, a badger, a great stag... the four-footed forms were simple. Then he changed himself into a beautiful songbird. He tried his wings and flitted about the garden, singing merrily. Still, the Earl managed to contain his amazement. At last, full of his own confidence, the boy-magician soared high into the air. His bright plumage drew the unwonted attention of a great hawk, which dove for the lad. The songbird raced back to the garden with the hawk in hot pursuit. The finch flew to his father's breast and immediately resumed his human form, just as the hawk crashed into the both of them. The Earl was taken by surprise and let out a great shout. Before his very eyes, the lad vanished. Some say he sleeps in a cave with a great troop of warriors, waiting until the time is ripe to drive the foreigners from Eire. Others say that he has gone to live with his mother in Lough Gur. Whenever they see a swan and a goose swimming together, they will tell you that Áine is with her son again.