In
Irish mythology, the
sídhe (pronounced
shee) are the
elves or
fairy folk, quite distinct from humankind, who live beneath the earthen mounds. There are a number of different types of sídhe: the sluagh sídhe can fly through the air and shift shape at will, the sídhe who walk the earth at dusk and the guardian sídhe of the lakes of both
Ireland and
Scotland.
The sídhe were originally the Tuatha dé Danaan, who, after their defeat by the Milesians (the Celts), went to live beneath the earth.
Alternative: aes sídhe