Simply get to know these Celtic goddesses by name to enrich your practice. (2022). Celtic mythology frequently associates Rhiannon with horses and songbirds. The history of Ireland is rich with tales of magic and superstition, from the folklore of the Tuatha De Danann to the legendary banshees that haunt the countryside. Circe is featured in numerous stories, including Homers Odyssey in which the men of Odysseus ship drank of her wine and were turned into swine. She was thought to protect the pharaohs from enemies, and she is also seen as Basts more fierce side. Hosted by Mhara Starling, a Welsh folk Witch who grew up in North Wales. Her association with witchcraft and witches may well have originated before the medieval witch trialsthis provides evidence that witches existed long before people grew frightened of them. Shes the grandmother. In Celtic mythology, the Morrighan is known as a goddess of battle and war. Here are some of the most well-known Celtic deities. The Celtic Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Ireland Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. But when her father discovered her task, he became enraged, scattering them once more. In Celtic pantheon, Aengus was revered as the deity of youth and love. Maeve, also known as Madb or Medb, is an Irish-Celtic Goddess of Intoxication, War, and indulgence. Take a second to support kitty fields on Patreon. He was associated with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and was seen as the bringer of abundance and prosperity. Often times, Aengus was depicted in the company of swans. She is a death goddess, guarding bones of those who have passed, and ushers us to let the old die away to allow for the new. The church regarded witchcraft as a pagan belief and associated it with the devil and evil. Its said that his father purposely did this in order to prevent other gods from knowing of his affair with Boann, who by the way was a married to another god. Under this act, those accused of practicing witchcraft could be sentenced to death by burning or hanging. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. She is Vassalissas teacher. In addition to his powerful horse-drawn chariot, he also possessed powerful weapons such as his thunderbolts and shield. Helios, the sun, who played a role in love-magic, and according to Pindar, lovesick men would pray to him. The Thunderer, a powerful Celtic god of thunder and storms. Her name means blessed raven. Bronwyn is a modern day version of this name. Every deity has a light and dark side. He is often depicted wearing many jewelry, particularly the golden chain that hangs from his tongue. Crone Goddess Vercana points up the difficulty of deciding anything based on a deitys name alone. As the young lady in white, she brings fertility and prosperityif crossed, however, the crone will bring forth misery, illness, and death. Life is both good and bad at times, there is both light and dark. 2023. The Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven, or is seen accompanied by a group of them. However, not all witches were seen as benevolent figures. O hOgain, D. (2000). The Morrighan. She is the one who purges the world of evil. These schools are typically categorized based on the type of magic they practice, including elemental magic, divination, healing, and others. The word brigand comes from this tribe of fierce warriors. Sedna (Inuit) - Mistress of life and death. As a result, many of the ancient Celtic beliefs and practices were suppressed and forbidden. She is also a goddess who teaches powerful and toxic herbs and their uses to those practitioners who have a close connection with the plant-world. In this tale, a young woman goes out into the forest seeking fire for her family. Great article and great content on your site. Translated as Queen, or Great Queen, some modern pagans more loosely interpret Rhiannons name as White Witch.. Her name, meaning white footprint, alludes to her lore. Moody Moons Handmade Gets Ready for Lammas. Some were believed to be in league with the devil and to use their magic for evil purposes. Freya is a Norse Goddess of Love, Fertility and Sex. Her tale is told in the Ulster Cycle where she rules as queen of Connacht. twitter: @CeridwenWardemail: [emailprotected].com, The Christian Influence on Irish Witchcraft, The Beliefs and Practices of Irish Witches, Common Celtic Deities and Their Representations, The Cultural Significance of Irish Witches, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today, https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/history/book-of-irish-witches, https://www.history.com/topics/witch-trials/witch-trials-in-ireland, The King of Wands Tarot Card Meanings Simply Explained, The Ace of Swords Tarot Card Meanings Simply Explained. Celtic Gods and Goddesses - List and Mythology - CD These common Celtic deities, along with many others, were worshipped in various ways, including rituals, sacrifices, and offerings. Celtic Gods Mythopedia Most accounts of Circes story say her father was Helios, a Greek Sun God, and her mother was Perse, a nymph of the ocean. Here are some tips for practicing Celtic Wicca as a modern-day Wiccan: Understanding the myths, legends, and stories of the ancient Celts is essential to practicing Celtic Wicca. Spend time in nature, observe the cycles of the moon, and celebrate the eight sabbats of the Wiccan calendar. Morrigan, or The Morrigan, is sometimes depicted as the Celtic triple goddess. These witches were granted these powers by the great feminine spirits known as the Orisha. With the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, the practice of witchcraft became shrouded in secrecy and fear. Her cult was so powerful that the Celtic Christian Church had to adopt her as a Saint, and the Roman Catholic Church followed suit, for her people would not abandon her. He was also associated with the wheel and horses. Dark Goddesses: Our 11 FAVORITES From Around the World Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. They spread their goddess worshipping practices across the areas they conquered. [5], While many African tribal men are highly respected as practitioners of medicine-related magic, women who do so are more often viewed with suspicion, if not considered downright malevolent. In some of the legends, Morgan Le Fay saves King Arthur by whisking him off to Avalon after a fatal battle. Connecting with Celtic deities is a key aspect of Celtic Wicca. Arianrhod (Welsh) - Goddess of fertility, rebirth and the weaving of cosmic time and fate. Look him up on Facebook and keep an eye out for his articles on Listverse. List of love and lust deities Belisama (Celtic) Goddess of light and fire, the forge and of crafts. She is said to wear a red cape and hood and is also associated with fertility as she had at least seven sons during her reign as Queen of Connacht. Depictions of Cernunnos are found in many parts of the British Isles and western Europe. Today, many Wiccans revere her as one who leads nocturnal hordes of merry witches through the air, stopping at households to eat and drink of the feasts set out for them. She is often depicted as a goddess accompanied by crows whose domain is on a battlefield. Irish gods and goddesses of mythology | Celtic Attic Finally, and perhaps most famously, Circe was the goddess who fell in love with Odysseus after he and his crew landed on her island home of Aeaea. He was usually referred to as the Roman equivalent of Mars; hence his other name Mars Albiorix. Celtic Wicca is a modern revival of ancient Celtic pagan beliefs, incorporating elements of Wicca, a modern pagan, witchcraft religion. Like me, you can honor and carry on the tradition of Celtic Wicca by incorporating many of its ancient traditions into your own craft and practice. Flidais was a figure of Irish mythology, surnamed Foltchin, beautiful (or soft) hair. Omissions? Corrections? In the Greek pantheon, she was known as Artemis. Moreover, she possessed the ability to cross into other worlds and realms. For further reading about The Morrigan, check out Celtic Lore and Spellcraft of the Dark Goddess: Invoking the Morrigan. Cerridwen(Irish) Keeper of the cauldron, goddess of the moon, magic, agriculture, poetry, music, art and science. Her name means chiding love. Other common spellings of her name include Cerridwen, Caridwen and Keridwen. He also has a face on his posterior, which witch hunters claimed existed so witches could kiss it in adoration during their evil gatherings. The myths tell of Medea losing her husband to another woman, and because of her rage she takes revenge and kills many people. As Are any of these things necessarily dark? History.com. Celtic Mother Goddess and matriarch of the Tuatha d Danann. She foresees warriors death before they happen, and is also considered a goddess that protects the king. In addition, she is thought of as the Mother of the Universe, so therefore is also a creator-goddess. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. Airmed set about gathering these herbs and putting them to useful order. A powerful sorceress, she possesses a strong talent for enchantment. In her despair, her tears fell on her fallen brothers grave. The god of light and the arts, Lugh was worshipped as the patron of smiths, bards, and other artisans. This is reflected in the popularity of modern-day pagan and Wiccan practices, which draw upon the ancient traditions of the Celts and the beliefs of the Irish witches. From them sprang all the healing herbs of the world, covering her brothers body. (2020). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Leonard can also take on the forms of a bloodhound, a blackbird, or a tree trunk with a gloomy face.[4]. Silver-handed Celtic god and first king of the Tuatha d Danann. She was an essential character in the Celtic mythology often associated with a host of things, including wealth, wisdom, fertility and death. Hecate: Greek Goddess of Magic and Sorcery - Learn Religions In some Neopagan traditions, she is portrayed in her role as destroyer, representing the Crone aspect of the Maiden/Mother/Crone cycle, but this seems to be incorrect when one looks at her original Irish history. Bach fled the instant that he realized his mistake, but an enraged Cerridwen pursued him. Therefore, Aengus was born in just one day. Olwen, the goddess of light and sun, appears in a splendid love tale, Culhwch and Olwen,in which her suitor recruits his cousin, the famous Arthur, to assist him in winning her hand. However, there's a bit more to her than this. Esus | Celtic deity | Britannica The Celtic Goddess Danu's Symbols. It could also bring the dead back to life. https://mythopedia.com/topics/celtic-gods. Sekhmet was their Goddess of War. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Epona(Irish) The meaning of her name is great mare she is the protector of horses, donkeys and mules. The tribe initially came from the area that is now Bregenz in Austria near Lake Constance. In very early Irish literature, he was called Uindos.. In the Canadian fantasy television series Lost Girl, the Morrigan is a title held by the leader of the Dark Fae. One of the most famous beliefs associated with Irish witches was the practice of shapeshifting, or the ability to transform into an animal form. She is queen of phantoms, demons, shape-shifters and witches. The Celtic people have worshiped her as a Saint for over fifteen hundred years and as a Goddess long before the Roman invasion of Britain and the birth of Christ. The good god, Celtic deity and chief of the Tuatha d Danann. Routledge. Remember that your spiritual practice should reflect your individual beliefs, values, and experiences.