Celtic Mythology
Celtic myths tend to follow the same sort of format. Romance and love affairs are likely to be a tale of two
gentlemen, one young and handsome and the other an oppressive guardian, trying to win the love of a fair
maiden . There is a theory about why this formula is so popular in love stories. It is said that the young,
handsome man is a symbol of the Lord of Summer and the oppressive guardian is the symbol of Lord of Winter
both fighting for the love of the Spring Maiden1
The formula for an epic battle is normally one hero, who posses magical powers, goes to combat with some sort
of evil to defend his country1.
The Celts also have their own myths about how the creation of things, like the earth, streams, woods, and
nature, came to be. The story of the creation of fire is that the mythical hero Aidne rubbed his hands together
creating flashes of light, some the size of apples, which was the first flame in existence 2.
Fionn
Fionn was is the hero of Leinsten and a legend of the
people who were hunters, fishers, and love-makers. In
some parts of the Celtic religion Fionn is also call Finn
MacCool1.His most legendary stories are that of his
great army, called the Feinn who are the defenders of
Ireland.3
Fionns story begins when he was in infant because it
was then that he was taken away from his home for
his own safety and raised in the deep woods. This is
where when he was a child he strangled a polecat
with his bare hands2
Fionn was not his birth name, it was Deimne but at
the young age of ten he wandered into the fortress
of Liffy where he met a group of local boys and he
beat them at a fair game of hurley. These young
boys told their master of Deimne and the master
though that since he played a fair game he must
have been a fair person, and that is how Deimne got
changed to Fionn, which means “fair”. The master
warned the boys of him and told them to kill him
upon his next arrival to the fortress. Fionn slew
seven of the boys at that time and a week later
another nine drowned during a challenge of
swimming2.
Tuatha De Danann
The Tuatha De Danann said to come from the tribe or the
folk people of the Goddess Danu. They were said to be a
tribe of Celts who took over Ireland and ruled for
thousands of years until the uprising of the Milesian tribe.
This uprising divided Ireland into two parts, the realm of
the Lord of Light, above ground was given to the Milesian
tribe to rule over and the realm of the Lord of the
Underworld, underground was given to the De Danann.3
Fionn catching the Salmon of Wisdom
The stories of Fionns great wisdom and knowledge come from the myth of his teacher instructing him to catch the salmon of
knowledge. Once he caught it, his teacher told him to cook the salmon but warned him that he must not eat it. When cooking
the salmon of knowledge, Fionn burnt his thumb and in response stuck it in his mouth, and with that act he gained all the
knowledge of the supernatural. Once it was fully cooked, his teacher inquired him if he ate the salmon, and with honesty Fionn
responded with a no, then his teacher granted him the privilege to eat the salmon of knowledge. This story is another way
Fionn got his name by being honest with his teacher2.
The Goddess Danu watching over two Tuatha De Danann fairies
Underground, the De Danann tribe lived with the Sidhe, mythical creatures who some claim to be fairies, who gave them
a sanctuary privilege to preserve their sacred arts. In other variants of the story they were with the Sidhe being held
under arrest. The De Danann tribe also possessed the key to magical doors between the realms and when they passed
over to the Otherworld, the realm that paralleled the worldly realm, their descendants would then awaken to find these
keys to unlock the door and join them4.
Cuchulain
Cuchulain was a demigod. His father is said to be the god Lug, and with his aid, Cuchulain slew the watchdog of Culann,
which is how he gained his name meaning “Culann’s Hound”. Lug was the Lord of skills. He was a tribal god who was
skilled in the use of a spear and sling, both of which were blessed with magical powers.3
At the young age of seven, Cuchulain defeated three champions and as he proceeded to grow in age, he also grew in
strength, wisdom, and skill3. He deemed himself the warrior protector and willed himself to be a hero and the champion
of Ireland4. He was the champion of Ulster for over ten years3 and during that time it is said that he fought the entire
army of Maeve, the legendary queen of Connaught, after she put Ulster into an enchanted sleep because she wished to
have the finest bull in all of Ireland4.
The main focus of his tales is his romantic love affairs and epic battles3. One tale of his love affair is with Find, the wife
of the god of sea. It is said that once Cuchulain’s wife, Emer, discovered this forbidden affair she confronted Fand with
an army of her handmaids and in an attempt to dissolve the conflict Cuchulain declares his love for both women. Fand
calls upon her husband, Manannan, god of the sea who posses the ability of invisibility and erasing minds, to rescue her
and erase the minds of Cuchulain and Emer. In later versions of this story, Emer remembers the betrayal of her husband
and she gives him a potion to forget his love for her4.
Cuchulain standing over the dead hound of Culann.
1.Cortell, Arthur and Storm, Rachel, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology: A-Z Guide to Myth and Legend of the Ancient World Copyright1999 Anness Publishing Limited
2. Maccullah, John Arnott, The Mythology of All Religions Volume 3 Copyright 1918, Marshall Jones Company, London
3. Barton, George A., The Religions of the World Copyright 1917-1919; Published 1917; The University of Chicago Press,Chicago, Illinois
4. Jordan, Micheal, Encyclopedia of Gods: Over 2,500 Deities of the World;Copyright 1993
The Goddess Danu Picture: www.mythicalireland.com
Cuchulain Picture: www.timelessmyths.com
Fionn Picture: www.loc.gov
Celtic Spiral: www.gnostictemplars.org