Tuatha de Danann

The Irish race of Gods founded by the celestial goddess Danu. These gods and goddesses, who had originally lived on 'the islands in the west' , perfected the use of Magick. They traveled on a big cloud to Ireland and settled there. Shortly after their arrival they defeated the Firbolgs at the first battle of Mag Tuireadth. In the second battle they fought and conquered the Formorians, a malevolent race of giants who were the primordial inhabitants, driving them into Connacht. There was also some intermarriage between the two races. This reflects the same Norse and Greek stories of the defeat of the Frost Giants and the Titans, and the intermingling of those races with the Aesir and Olympians. The Dananns were later driven underground by the Milesians. There they still live as invisible beings and are known as the Aes Sidhe, though more familiar as the Leprechauns, who in turn are named after their once great god Lugh. Other important deities are Dagda, Brigid, Nuanda, Dian Cecth, Giobniu, Ogma and Llyr. The goddess Danu equates to the Welsh goddess Don.

The Morrigan

The Morrigan is a Celtic Goddess who has been known as the Great Queen, Specter Queen, Supreme War Goddess and Queen of Phantoms, Great Mother, Moon Goddess, Great White Goddess, Queen of the Fairies, Patroness of Priestesses and Witches, and Goddess of Magick. She is a trifold Goddess, a Goddess in three parts, a shapeshifter, and a warrior. Yet, the Morrigan Herself seldom actually killed; rather, She used her power and magick to stir up the warriors she favored and to weaken those She wanted to lose. It was believed that She was the washerwoman who would be seen by the lake or river washing out their clothing; whoever saw Her was going to die. Basically,She is a Goddess of battle, strife and fertility. But like all the Celtic Goddesses, She is not totally evil or good. She is a balance. Like the Greek goddess Athena, the Morrigan often steps in to wage a justifiable war. She is called upon by warriors, and if She agrees with their battle and motives, She aids them. War was always loved by the Celts; they loved nothing more than a fight, and built whole cities around schools of warfare. They were fierce warriors who cowed even the Romans for a time. Women often fought with the men, and it is said that Celtic women, when sending their men of to war, told them, "Come back carrying your shield or on it." It was the custom to carry the dead home on their shields if at all possible, so in effect the women were saying "win or die." The Celts looked at nature, and saw the fields grow cold and empty, all dead in winter, and then saw the earth reawakened the fields come to life in the Spring. They knew death was necessary for rebirth. And worshipped the Morrigan as the one who bought honorable death so there could be rebirth. She was the one who led the armies, the one who bought death, but also life, through Her aspect as a fertility Goddess; She was a symbol of life not never ending death. She is not evil, although she is dark. By bringing death, She causes new life, this death causes fertility--Look at the idea of composting, if you doubt it--and She also brings fertility. May the Goddess bless your path....Blessed Be.

Brighid

Brighid~Daughter of the Dagda, patroness of Druids and Bards, Goddess of healing, smithcraft, music and poetry. She is the patroness of all artists, craftsmen and stock animals. Her symbol is the pure white bull. The horns are said to represent the physical portal of the human female through which childbirth takes place, as well as the portal of spiritual rebirth. It is believed by some that Brighid used to be known as the Great Goddess, female creator, and All-Mother. She is known today in many forms, such as St. Brighid, or St. Bride of Kildare. Kildare in Gaelic "Cill Dara" meaning Church of the Oak. St. Bride according to legend (patroness of childbirth) was said to have been the midwife to the Virgin Mary. Fire is sacred to this Goddess, and to this day in Kildare perpetual flames are tended in Her honor. Like the flame that is sacred to her, She is the spark of knowledge in smithwork and metalworking. From her flames of inspiration came legends, poetry, and music to the bards

Cerridwen

The name, Cerridwen has been translated both as Cauldron of Wisdom and Fortress of Wisdom, caer meaning fortress, and cerru meaning cauldron. The powers attributed to Her show Her nature as one imbued with great wisdom, prophetic foresight, and magickal shapeshifting abilities. Mighty in magic, enchantment and divination, the ancient Cerridwen lived upon an island in a lake, a place known as The land Beneath the Waves. It was on this island she bore a son and named him Morfan, because he was as black as a raven, but some called him Afagddu saying that his darkness was ugly, so that Cerridwen worried that the life ahead of him would not be one of ease or pleasure. Therefore, She decided to give her son a birth gift of the magickal powers that she possessed, hoping to make his years on earth easier for him. Thus She prepared the cauldron, known as Awen, the Cauldron of the Deep, from which she planned to give him three drops of the liquid which would provide him with those powers that were his birthright. Into it She poured the waters of prophesy and inspiration and, carefully observing the movements of the Moon and Sun and each and every star, she was able to add each herb, each root, even the foam from the ocean, all at the proper times. As the Cauldron brew began to boil, She arranged for a blind man to keep the fires burning, and for a young lad named Gwion to stir the contents of Her Cauldron. Nine women stood by. Some say they were Druidesses who could take on the form of any animal, who could also blow the seas into a rage with their perfect poetry, and could heal all wounds and illnesses and foretell events of the future. All believed that these nine women breathed upon the magick Cauldron as it boiled night and day for one year. When the one day beyond a years time arrived, which was the required time for brewing, Cerridwen placed young Morfan by the Cauldron to receive the legacy She had prepared for him. In her fatigue, after all she had done for her son, She fell asleep and while she was sleeping young Gwion pushed young Morfan aside and quickly scooped up three precious drops of the brew and placed his hand in his mouth. The remainder of the water split the Cauldron apart and poured out upon the ground. The thundering noise of the Cauldron woke Cerridwen from her sleep and after realizing what had happened, She moved to punish Gwion. He quickly used the powers gained from the brew and changed himself into a hare and hopped off as quickly as his legs would carry him. Cerridwen took the form of a greyhound and followed in swift pursuit. But just as She was about to catch him, he changed into a fish and slipped in the river. Cerridwen quickly became an otter and continued after Gwion. About to be caught again, he once more changed his form, this time into a bird and flew off into the sky, only discovering that Cerridwen was close behind having taken the shape of a Hawk. Fearing for his life, Gwion noticed a pile of wheat on the land below and changing himself into the tiniest of grain's, dropped into the pile. Cerridwens sharp eye's saw what he had done and taking the form of a black crested hen, She pecked at the grain until she found and ate the grain that had been Gwion. But the tiny grain took root within her womb and began to grow. For nine months, Cerridwen proclaimed that on the day that Gwion would be reborn She would destroy him, but when the day arrived She relented. She placed him in a leather sack and threw him into the raging waters of the river, this being just two days before the 1st of May. Taliesin, thought to be the wisest and most profound of all the Gaelic poets, claimed that he had been that Gwion, born of the Cerridwen's womb, Her Cauldron of transformation. Saying that his black leather sack had been fished from the river on All Hallows Eve, Holy Samhain, when the dead souls rise, he made it very clear to all that listened that Celtic wisdom, poetry, magick and foresight, the riddles beneath which divine knowledge lie's, had once been stolen from the Cauldron of the Ancient Cerridwen. The powers of the Sacred Female were stolen, taken from Her, and that his powers came from her and The Cauldron of Magickal inspiration.

Herne

Herne, the intelligence of nature. His secure, stolid, sexual presence reflects qualities of being common to vegetative and animal life forms unburdened by the human quest for rationality. This is the Wild Man archetype revived by Robert Bly. Horned, satyr-like, bophallic. He is an allomorph of the Celtic Cernunnos, or the randy Gaulish giant Grangousier. In medieval times he was identified as Herne the Hunter with Jack 'O the Green, the sacrificial year king surrogate of harvest festivals; He shares qualities of fertility also with the foliate-headed Green Man carved into chapel cloisters throughout western Europe.

The Dark Side of Herne

Herne, most ancient of the Celtic Gods; lover, protector and ruler of all that is free. From the beginning of time He cared for all mankind and they worshiped him. Along with his mate and consort, the Goddess Hecate, they nurtured and assured mankind's survival. He is all of this and much more. In modern times he is known as Cernunnos, forest lord. He is the gentle, loving God of Nature. But to know him this way is not to know the real Herne. There is another side of him that people wish to ignore....His dark side. Balance is the law of nature, you cannot have one without the other. To know him you must embrace his dark side and accept that which you do not understand, light and dark go hand in hand. He is the Dread Lord of Death. The Dark Lord of Vengeance. He who rode the nights and stands guard at the gates of the underworld know him, love him and embrace him in whatever manner you wish. But, worship him with truth and strength for this is the only way you can ever truly know him. Epona Celtic Gaul Lunar Goddess, Her name literally means Mare Epona is often depicted with one or more horses and/or a dog. Many depict her with three birds following behind her. It is said that these three birds were from the Otherworld (home of the Gods/Goddesses) and their song contained the Magical power to restore the dead to life, and to heal pain and sadness. Epona also accompanied souls on their final journey and can also be associated with a figure of death. Other popular images found with Epona are the cornucopia (symbolizing abundance & plenty), as carrying a goblet, and with corn on her lap. Epona as the Goddess of Horse, had specific significance and power, for during this time period horses were rare, and a sign of importance and/or value.....often used by great warriors. Their are legends that ancient kings were ritually wed to Epona as a way of solidifying their power. Other stories are of kings going through a ritual of symbolic birth from Epona (in the form of a white mare) as part of claiming their kingship and kinship to the land. Epona also has the distinction of being the only Celtic Goddess adopted in her original form by the Romans (no name change). It is said that the Romans were so impressed with the riding skills of the Celts that they decided to take Epona back with them. The Romans gave Epona a temple in the Capital City, and even had a feast day for her on December 18th.

Lugh

Lugh was the Irish Sun God. He was the son of Ethlinn and the Danann God Kian, and the grandson of the Fomori god Balor and the Danann healer god Dian Cecht. He represents the younger generation of gods with multiple skills and abilities that allow us to draw parallels with the Greek god Apollo and the Nordic god Frey, both of whom were also young and handsome sun-gods and equally revered in those cultures. Indeed, Frey's origin as a Vanir god and adoption into the Aesir as a major god seems suspiciously similar to Lugh's half Fomorian heritage and subsequent appearance in the Danann court. Apollo also earned a late entry into Olympia as the half Olympian son of Zeus and the Titan Leto. Lugh's sacred symbol was a magic spear, The signature weapon of the I.E."heavenly sky god". He was always accompanied by two Ravens. Sometimes he is shown as one eyed. Lugh and his nature goddess consort Rosmerta were worshipped during the 30 day Lugnasadh Midsummer Feast in Ireland. Beginning on August 1st, fertility magic during the festival ensured ripening of the crops and a good harvest Not coincidentally, when the Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar chose Lugdunum as the capital of Gaul, a festival in his commemoration was held on August 1st in an obvious synthesis with an older Gaulish festival for Lugus.

Dagda

He was the Irish lord of knowledge and like many of the Irish Danann was a sorcerer. He was the god of the earths fertility and abundance's and also of treaties, and ruler over life and death. He was a fearsome warrior and many skilled artisan, portrayed with superhuman strength and appetite to match. He was originally the supreme ruler of the Dananns and as Ollathair, he ruled over the world. He was also known as Aed and Ruad Rofessa. His attributes included an ever full bottomless cauldron of plenty, that could feed an entire army. He had a harp made of Oak, with which his music changed the seasons. He also had two marvelous pigs, one always roasting and one always growing, and ever laden fruit trees. His main attribute, however, was his mighty club. With this weapon the Dad could slay nine men with a single blow, yet with its small end he could bring them back to life. In the Danann family, he was the son of Danu, consort of the Morrigan and Boann, father of the great goddess Brigid and Aengus Mac Oc. He was portrayed as something less than a heroic figure, to say the least. He was an ugly, portly man in simple attire, wearing horsehide boots with the hairy side out, and a brown low necked tunic which left his private parts exposed front and back. His club was so huge it took eight men to lift it, and he carried it by dragging it on a wheel, or in a cart. The ancient tracks of Ireland, some of which were animal trails existing since the Mesolithic, were ascribed as being made by Dagda's wheeled club. In Irish myth, Dagda's encounters with the Morrigan and Boann, were both on the Feast of Samhain (Nov. Ist), and auspicious day in Celtic mythology. The first was prior to the second battle of Magh Tuireadh, after which the Morrigan promised to aid him in the upcoming battle. The Dagda seems to have been a composite god of sorts with some characteristics found elsewhere in the IE mythologies. In Celtic Mythology he has been compared to the Welsh god Gwidion and the Gallo-Roman god Sucellos. The latter, whose name is translated as the good striker, also had a bludgeon as his signature weapon, but is otherwise largely obscure. Finally the Dagda's ability to change the seasons and control the earths abundance suggests that he was a weather god, which commonly are associated with fertility in IE mythology.

Cuchullain

Those days when Conor MacNessa sat on the throne of Ulster were brilliant days in the history of Ireland. Then was the sun of glory in the zenith of Eire's Heroic period - the period of chivalry, chiefly created by the famous Royal or Red branch Knights of Emania. Though two other famous bands of Irish warriors gave added lustre to the period- the Gamanraide of the west who were Firbolgs and the Clanna Deaghaig of Mulster led by Curoi MacDaire. All three warrior bands had their poets and seanachies, who chanted their deeds in imperishable songs and story, which down the dim ages, have since held spell bound the clan of the Gael. But the greatest, the most belauded, and the most dazzling of all the hero's of the heroic age was undoubtedly Cuchullian, of whose life and wondrous deeds, real and imaginary, hundreds of stories still exist. CUCHULLIAN was the foster son of King Conor.' I am little Sentanta, son to Sualtim, and Dectaire your sister' he told the questioning King, when as a boy in whose breast the fame of the Red Branch warriors had awakened the thirst for glory, he came up to the court of Emania. When he arrived there, the youths in training were playing Caman on fifth green. Having taken with him from home, his red bronze hurl and silver ball, the little stranger, going in amongst them, so outplayed the others that the attention of the court was drawn to him. And it was then the little stranger gave the above reply to the question of the admiring king. The eager attention of the warriors of The Red Branch was drawn to the lad, and they foresaw great things for him, when they heard him express himself so nobly and wonderfully, on that day in Emania, in the Hall of Heroes he took arms. He stood before the Druids in the Hall of Heroes and exclaimed, " I care not whether I die tomorrow or the next year, as long as my deeds live after me". The greatest, most exciting portion of this Heroes's stories is the account of his fight with his friend Ferdiad, at the ford, where single handed, he is holding at bay the forces of Connaught. Ferdiad is the great Connaught champion, chief of the Connaught knights of the sword, The Fir Domniann and a dear friend and comrade of Cuchullian, since in their youth, they were training for a profession of arms. And it is now sore for Cuchullian to fight the soul friend whom the Connaught host had pitted against them. He would dissuade Ferdiad from fighting by reminding him of their comradeship, when they were together learning the art of war from the female champion, Scathach,in Alba."We were heart companions." We were companions in the woods,WE were fellows of the same bed, where we used to sleep the balmy sleep. After mortal battles abroad, In countries many and far distant, Together we used to practice, and go through each forest learning with Scathach". But Ferdiad had not the tenderness of Cuchullain, and would not let fond memories turn him from his purpose. Indeed lest he might yield to the weakness of temptation, he forced himself to answer Cuchullian's tenderness with taunts, so as to provoke the combat. And fight they finally did. They fought for four days. On the fourth day, Cuchullian rallies to the fight more fiercely, more terribly, more overpoweringly than ever, and at length gives his old friend the coup de grace. Cuchullain laid Ferdiad down then, and a weakness fell on Cuchullian over Ferdiad there. Cuchullian died as a hero should-on a battlefield, with his back to a rock and his face to the foe, buckler on arm, and spear in his hand. He died standing, and in that defiant attitude (supported by the rock) was many days dead ere the enemy dared venture near enough to reassure themselves of his exit-which they only did when they saw the ravens alight on him, and undisturbed peck at his flesh.