Celtic Mythology
The Gaels, Gauls, Britons, Irish, and
Galatians were all Celtic.
7th or 8th century B.C. First
evident.
Romans name: Galli and the
Greeks name: Keltoi–
both meaning barbarians.
3rd to 5th century B.C.
Occupied much of Europe
north of the Alps.
2nd to 3rd century B.C.
Arrived in British Island and
Ireland, probably displacing
and absorbing exiting tribes.
\
The Book of Invasions
Leabhar Gahbala
Pseudo-history.
One group of gods
conquers the older group
Reflects
This mythology roughly parallel
Invasions
of one
people
migrations
of various
people
groups
to Ireland.
group
after another
•
•
•
•
•
Partholonians
Nemedians
Formorians
Fir Bolg
Tuatha de
Danann
• Milesians
Tuatha De Danann
Means Tribes of the Gods
equivalent to Greek Olympians
Formorians
equivalent to greek Titans
Danu
Mother Goddess
Waters, Fertility,
Abundance & Protection
Mother of the Tuatha
de Dannan
Bile
Shining one
“Sacred Tree”
Welsh: King Beli Mawr
Greek: Zeus
Spring holiday “Beltane” build
a bonfire to celebrate spring.
daghdha
Eochaidh Ollathair –
The All Father
God of earth, magic, time,
protector of crops
Symbols:
Club
Cauldron
Harp
Unique to Irish Pantheon
During a war, a rival tribe stole
Dagda’s harp and took it to an
abandoned castle. Dagda followed
Harp continues to be a the tribe and called to the harp. The
harp came to Dagda and he struck
Celtic symbol
the chords. The harp let out the
Music of Tears and everyone in the
castle began to cry. Dagda struck the
chords again and the harp played
the Music of Mirth and all the
warriors began to laugh. Then,
Dagda struck the chords a final time
and the harp let out the Music of
Sleep. Everyone but Dagda fell into a
deep sleep, allowing him to escape
with his magical harp unharmed.
HARP
BRIGID
Three daughters of
Daghdha
Goddess of Sovereignty,
Fertility, Poetry,
Craftsmanship.Healing.
Fire
Welsh: Cerridwyn
Angus or aengus og
God of love, beauty,
dreams
Son of Daghdha
Lover of Caer
Symbols:
Harp
Four white birds
Unique to Irish Pantheon
Mannan mac lir
God of the Sea
Otherworld
NUADA
God of War, weapons, oceans,
poetry, writing, magic
First Leader, king
Silver hand
Abilities :Leadership
Invincible Sword
Welsh – Nudd
British – Nodens
Roman – Neptune
Norse – Tyr (also lost a hand)
Read his story here
Dian cecht
God of healing
Abilities:
Crafts
Healing
Welsh – Bran the Blessed
Greek – Apollo
LugH
Sun god
Abilities: Champion
(battle), Craftsman,
Poet, Historian,
Sorcerer
Symbol & gift –
Long Spear
Read his story here
The Morrigan
Goddess of battle,
strife, fertility, fate
Abilities:
Assist or hinder warriors
Sovereignty
Symbol: Raven
One of the Babd trio
Welsh
Similar to: Valkyries
Eponia
Goddess of Horses,
Fertility, Crops
Symbols: Cornucopia,
Crops
Eponia also worshipped by
Germans and Romans
Welsh – Rhiannon
(ushered dead into afterlife)
Greek - Demeter
balor
God of death
One-eyed giant
(The Greeks had those too!)
Fomorian – Evil Giants (similar
to the Titans or Frost Giants)
Welsh - Ysbaddaden, Chief of
Giants
Read his story here
donn
Lord of the dead
Father of the Irish race
Millesian – came after
the Tuatha de Danann
Welsh celtic mythology
Otherworld
avalon
Welsh called their
Otherworld Annwyn
or Afallon.
Eventually the
Arthurian Legends
called it Avalon.
faeries
Sidhe– a portal into the
Otherworld, a parallel
universe where fairy folk
dwell.
The myth is that the
Tuatha de Danann
retreated to the
otherworld and appear in
this one as fairies
Leprechauns
Tricksters
Spend most of their time
making shoes.
banshee
Fairy woman who
screams when someone
is about to die.
Scottish – Bean Nighe
Stone of destiny
• Stone of Destiny is used
as part of the coronation
ceremony for kings of
Ireland and Britain. The
Irish stone sits on a hill at
Tara. The mainland stone
was brought by Gaels
from Ireland to Scotland
and resided in Scone. It’s
travelled over the British
isles between Britain,
Scotland, Wales. In 1996
it was returned to
Scotland and sits with the
crown jewels in
Edinburgh Castle
Cu Chulainn
Celtic Hero
AKA Setana
Strong, brave ( like Achilles)
Demi-god son of Lugh
Also known as the Hound of
Chulainn
The hound of culann
Finn Mac Cool
AKA FIONN MAC CUMHAILL
Giant hunter-warrior
The Fianna
druid
“OAK – KNOWER”
Priests of Celtic religion
Mythology
Seers, magicians, wizards,
foretell future, shape-shifters
Tales with welsh celtic roots
Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight
King Arthur