Boann the Sorrowool

Gender: Female
Origin: Irish
Meaning: The Irish goddess of the River Boyne (Bóinn)

Boann or Boand is the Irish goddess of the River Boyne (Bóinn), an important river in Ireland's historical province of Meath. According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn and Táin Bó Fraích she was the sister of Befind and daughter of Delbáeth, son of Elada, of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Her husband is variously Nechtan or Elcmar. With her lover the Dagda, she is the mother of Aengus.

Her name is interpreted as "white cow" (Irish: bó fhionn; Old Irish: bó find) in the dinsenchas, where she is also called "White Boand". Ptolemy's 2nd century Geography shows that in antiquity the river's name was Bouvinda [Βουουίνδα], which may derive from Proto-Celtic *Bou-vindā, "white cow". An alternate version of her name is given as Segais, hence Well of Segais. We are also told that Eithne was the wife of Elcmar and that another name for Eithne was Boand.