Badb

 

"Delbaeth...has three daughters, the famous war-furies Badb, Macha, and Mórrígu, the latter sometimes called Anand or Danand." (Macalister, 1941).
   The name Badb, also spelled Badhbh or Bodb, means a hooded crow, deadly, dangerous, warlike, and venomous (eDIL, n.d.). It is also used as a word to describe different types of supernatural women, sometimes translated as witch in English. The hooded crow is a form taken by Badb as well as the Morrigan. She may also be called Badb Catha, or battle crow, causing some people to relate her to the Gaulish Cathbodua. 
   In mythology Badb is described as both a sister of the Morrigan and given the title of Morrigan herself. She is the sister to Macha and Morrigu/Anann and daughter of Delbaeth and Ernmas, and is said to have two children, Ferr Doman and Fiamain (Macalister, 1941; Gray, 1983). Some people believe that Badb is the Morrigan who slept with the Dagda on Samhain, possibly because the Banshenchus says she is the wife of the Dagda. Badb is also sometimes said to be the wife of the war god Neit. 
   In the Tain Bo Cuilaigne Badb often appears inciting Cu Chulain to fight, and in te hstory of Cu Chulain's death she appears in the form of a crow and flies over him signaling his death (Smyth, 1988; Green, 1992). She is able to influence battle because her cries cause confusion, panic, and chaos among warriors; it is said that in the 9th century she appeared and incicted the armies to slaughter each other (Green, 1992; O hOgain, 2006). 
   Badh is often linked to prophecy. In the Cath Maige Tuired, after the battle, it's said that she prophecies a time of peace followed by a time of trouble. In many stories she appears as a washer-at-the-ford, washing the clothes or weapons of doomed warriors as an omen of their death (Green, 1992). Before Cu Chulain goes to his final battle he sees a beautiful young woman, often identified as Badb, washing bloody clothes and keening (O hOgain, 2006). 
  

References:
Berresford Ellis, P., (1987). A Dictionary of Irish Mythology
Smyth, D. (1988). A Guide to Irish Mythology
Gray, E., (1983) Cath Maige Tuired
Macalister, R., (1941). Lebor Gabala Erenn part IV
Green, M., (1992). Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend
Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language, eDIL, (n.d.)
O hOgain, D., (2006) The Lore of Ireland