of the churchyard" Slúagh na Marbh: "Host of the dead" Slúagh Sídhe: "Immortal host" Slúagh-Sídhe-Thúatha-Dé-Danann: "Immortal host of the Túatha Dé Danann" na Uaisle: "The noble" or "The highborn" Daoine maithe Daoine maithe is Irish for "the good people", which is a popular term used to refer to the fairies in Irish folklore. Due to the oral nature of Irish folklore the exact origins of the fairies is not well defined. There are stories enough to support two possible origins. The fairies could either be fallen angels or the descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann; in the latter case this is equivalent with Aos Sí. In the former case, it is said that the fairies are angels who have fallen from heaven, but whose sins were not great enough to warrant hell. They are generally human-like, though there are exceptions such as the púca and the mermaid. The defining features of the Irish fairies are their supernatural abilities and their temperament. If treated with respect and kindness, Irish fairies can be quite benevolent; however, if they are mistreated they will react cruelly. Types The banshee or bean sídhe (from ), which means "woman of the sídhe", has come to indicate any supernatural woman of Ireland who announces a coming death by wailing and keening. Her counterpart in Scottish mythology is the bean sìth (sometimes spelled bean-sìdh). Other varieties of aos sí and daoine sìth include the Scottish bean nighe: the washerwoman who is seen washing the bloody clothing or armour of the person who is doomed to die; the leanan sídhe: the "fairy lover"; the cat sìth: a fairy cat; and the Cù Sìth: fairy dog. The sluagh sídhe — "the fairy host" — is sometimes depicted in Irish and Scottish lore as a crowd of airborne spirits, perhaps the cursed, evil or restless dead. The siabhra (anglicised as "sheevra"), may be a type of these lesser spirits, prone to evil and mischief.Joyce, P.W. A Social History of Ancient Ireland, Vol. 1, p. 271 However, an Ulster folk song also uses "sheevra" simply to mean "spirit" or "fairy". List Abarta Abhartach Alp-luachra Bean nighe/Caoineag Banshee Cat sìth Cù Sìth Changeling Clíodhna Clurichaun Dobhar-chú Dullahan Ellén Trechend Fachen Far darrig Fear gorta Am Fear Liath Mòr Fetch Fuath Gancanagh Ghillie Dhu / Gille Dubh Glaistig/Glashtyn Leanan Sídhe / Leannan Sìth Leprechaun Merrow Oilliphéist Púca Sluagh Creideamh Sí is Irish for the