1. Meaning of Name: There are two main schools of thought. Green argues that the name is “etymologically related to ‘star’”. In this she is supported by Mackillop, who translates the name as “divine star”. Olmsted, on the other hand, argues for the meaning “the heifer”.1
4. Interpretatio Romana: Diana in at least one inscription. Eoghain mac Cuaig, an internet scholar, notes a resemblance of her iconography to that of Hygeia. Olmsted and Green both note that she is in a divine couple with the Celtic Apollo, usually by the name Grannus, or Apollo Grannus.2
5. Irish Equivalent: Boann.3
6. Indo-European Equivalent: Gwouwinda, the Indo-European Cattle and Motherhood Goddess.4
7. Realm: Mostly Andernadâ, Underworld Goddess, as the moon, she is Ueronadâ in that aspect.
8. Iconography: Olmsted describes her iconography as cow or cattle, serpent, and patera. Green describes it slightly differently: diadem, eggs, serpent, and springs. Some authorities also mention a star symbol in one inscription.5
9. Significance: Sironâ is the Goddess of the night sky, wells, serpents, and healing. If we can reason from her identification with Diana and from Daragh Smyth’s association of the Irish Boann with the moon, then she is also the Moon Goddess, with associations with time, tides, and the calendar.6
- Green, Dictionary, p. 191; Mackillop, p. 347; Olmsted, Gods of the Celts and Indo-Europeans, p. 356
2. Pronunciation: Sir-AWN-aa, the “s” may have been a “ts” “st” or hard “th” sound, depending on which scholars one asks.
3. Other Names and Epithets: Green mentions that the name may be spelled Tsirona and Sarana. Olmsted mentions Bovinda, Bovovinda, Borvoboendoa, Borvobovindona, Damona, Matuberginnis, and Đirona as bymanes. Mackillop mentions Divona.[2. Green, Dictionary, p. 192; Olmsted, Gods of the Celts and Indo-Europeans, pp. 353-357; Mackillop, p. 347 ↩ - Epigraphik-Datenbank, http://db.edcs.eu/epigr/epi_einzel_en.php?p_belegstelle=AE+1992%2C+01304&r_sortierung=Belegstelle; Eoghain mac Cuaig, Đironae: á Đirona, on the Deo Mercurio website, http://www.deomercurio.be/fr/sironae.html; Green, Dictionary, p. 191; Olmsted, Gods of the Celts and Indo-Europeans, p. 356 ↩
- Olmsted, Gods of the Celts and Indo-Europeans, p. 354 ↩
- Serith, Deep Acenstors, pp. 67-69 ↩
- Olmsted, Gods of the Celts and Indo-Europeans, pp. 354-357; Green, Dictionary, pp. 191-192 ↩
- Daragh Smyth, Guide to Irish Mythology, pp. 22-23 ↩