R, ruis, the dwarf elder in Ogham. The rochat, or ... - Rodney Mackay

to the sacrifice of horses in ancient times. More recently
we have record of the ritual killing of white mares in
twelfth century Ireland. According to Giraldus Cambrensis,
a white mare was then essential to inauguration of the
chief of one clan in Ulster. This king appeared before his
people on his hands and knees (like a stallion) and declared
himself to be a horse. He then had ritual sex with the mare
after which it was slaughtered and cooked. The king sat in a
bath made of broth from the animal, and there ate the flesh
and drank its body liquids. In this rite the mare represents
fertility, a necessary virtue supposedly transferred to the
king by this peculiar act.
ROITHEACHTAIGH. The inventor of the wheel and the
chariot. Literally, “the possessor of wheels.” Note that the
sun was imagined to be a wheel that rolled daily across the
heavens. The Gaullis god Taranis, who is the Gaelic Tar and
the Old Norse Thor is sometimes pictured as a “wheel-god.
An altar at Tullie House, Carlisle is decorated with a wheel
on the left lateral face. Rice says that the presence of this
wheel suggests dedication to “a native sky-god” rather than
a Roman deity. In Chester this god is mentioned as Tanarus.
Numerous votive wheels have been recovered throughout
Britain and in the Welsh mabinogi mention is made of a god
named Taran. In the Irish Tain one of the heroes is described
as wearing a wheel-shaped broooch. When Elathu came to
Ireland to mate with Eriu it is recorded that he had coic
roith oir, “three wheels of gold” at his back. Thunder gods
were smiths and tinkers and the movement of their carts in
the upper air was equated with the roll of thunder.
ROMHAN, wild talk, raving, the Eng. row and Roman (from
their dark hair and evil dispositions?) See roin. Cf. Cy.
rhamant, romance and the Ir. ramas from which the G.
imrama, a sea-quest.
RONAG, ROINAG, a hair, especially a horse hair, Cymric,
rhawn, long coarse hair. Confers with ruain, hair of the tail
of a cow, the English rowan. At the quarter-days saining
rites were required. Old women gave special care to cattle