Geas

"Gaesa" redirects here. For the heavy metal band, see Geasa (band)

A geas (also ges, geis, gease geissi, plural geasa) has two interpretations in Irish mythology and folklore.

First, it is a vow or obligation placed upon a person (usually a hero, such as Cuchulainn) in Gaelic mythology. Traditionally, the doom of the hero comes about due to his violation of such geasa, usually by accident.

Later, it took the aspect of a taboo or prohibition. A geas can also be compared with a curse. If someone placed under a geas breaks it, the infractor will suffer dishonour or even death.

There is a considerable similarity between geasa (which are a phenomenon of Gaelic mythology) and the foretold deaths of heroes in Welsh mythology. This is not surprising given the close origins of all the variants of Celtic mythology.

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