Celtic mythology
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- Celtic mythology originated from various Celtic groups including the Gaels, Gauls, Britons, Irish and Galatians between the 7th-3rd centuries BC. - Irish mythology is recorded in texts like The Book of Invasions which describes a sequence of groups who invaded Ireland and displaced earlier tribes like the Partholonians, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, and Tuatha De Danann. - The Tuatha De Danann were a tribe of gods who were equivalent to the Greek Olympians. Prominent gods included Dagda, Brigid, Angus Og, Nuada, and Lugh. Mythological figures and the Otherworld also feature prominently in Celtic mythology
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Celtic mythology
- 2. 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.
- 3. 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. another group after • • • • • Partholonians Nemedians Formorians Fir Bolg Tuatha de Danann • Milesians
- 4. Tuatha De Danann Means Tribes of the Gods equivalent to Greek Olympians Formorians equivalent to greek Titans
- 5. Danu Mother Goddess Waters, Fertility, Abundance & Protection Mother of the Tuatha de Dannan
- 6. Bile Shining one “Sacred Tree” Welsh: King Beli Mawr Greek: Zeus Spring holiday “Beltane” build a bonfire to celebrate spring.
- 7. daghdha Eochaidh Ollathair – The All Father God of earth, magic, time, protector of crops Symbols: Club Cauldron Harp Unique to Irish Pantheon
- 8. 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
- 9. BRIGID Three daughters of Daghdha Goddess of Sovereignty, Fertility, Poetry, Craftsmanship.Healing. Fire Welsh: Cerridwyn
- 10. Angus or aengus og God of love, beauty, dreams Son of Daghdha Lover of Caer Symbols: Harp Four white birds Unique to Irish Pantheon
- 11. Mannan mac lir God of the Sea Otherworld
- 12. 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
- 13. Dian cecht God of healing Abilities: Crafts Healing Welsh – Bran the Blessed Greek – Apollo
- 14. LugH Sun god Abilities: Champion (battle), Craftsman, Poet, Historian, Sorcerer Symbol & gift – Long Spear Read his story here
- 15. 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
- 16. Eponia Goddess of Horses, Fertility, Crops Symbols: Cornucopia, Crops Eponia also worshipped by Germans and Romans Welsh – Rhiannon (ushered dead into afterlife) Greek - Demeter
- 17. 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
- 18. donn Lord of the dead Father of the Irish race Millesian – came after the Tuatha de Danann
- 20. Otherworld
- 21. avalon Welsh called their Otherworld Annwyn or Afallon. Eventually the Arthurian Legends called it Avalon.
- 22. 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
- 23. Leprechauns Tricksters Spend most of their time making shoes.
- 24. banshee Fairy woman who screams when someone is about to die. Scottish – Bean Nighe
- 25. Stone of destiny
- 26. • 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
- 27. Cu Chulainn Celtic Hero AKA Setana Strong, brave ( like Achilles) Demi-god son of Lugh Also known as the Hound of Chulainn
- 28. The hound of culann
- 30. Finn Mac Cool AKA FIONN MAC CUMHAILL Giant hunter-warrior
- 31. The Fianna
- 32. druid “OAK – KNOWER” Priests of Celtic religion Mythology Seers, magicians, wizards, foretell future, shape-shifters
- 33. Tales with welsh celtic roots Sir Gawain and the Green Knight King Arthur
Editor's Notes
- The Celts were a European cultural group first evident in the 7th or 8th century B.C. The Romans called them Galli and the Greeks called them Keltoi-- both meaning barbarians. Their maximum expansion was in the 3rd to 5th century B.C., when they occupied much of Europe north of the Alps (see maps). The Celts arrived in Britain by the 4th or 5th century B.C. and Ireland by the 2nd or 3rd century B.C., and possibly earlier, displacing an earlier people who were already on the islands. The Gaels, Gauls, Britons, Irish, and Gallations were all Celtic people. The Celts were a European cultural group first evident in the 7th or 8th century B.C. The Romans called them Galliand the Greeks called them Keltoi-- both meaning barbarians. Their maximum expansion was in the 3rd to 5th century B.C., when they occupied much of Europe north of the Alps (seemaps). The Celts arrived in Britain by the 4th or 5th century B.C. and Ireland by the 2nd or 3rd century B.C., and possibly earlier, displacing an earlier people who were already on the islands. The Gaels, Gauls, Britons, Irish, and Gallations were all Celtic people.
- Great undertakings of Milesians and Danann began at Beltane
- Read more: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-irish-myths-and-legends.php#ixzz2PAb5klaR
- Lir was the lord of the sea. He had a wife and four children. When Lir’s wife died, he married his wife’s sister, Aoife. Aoife was jealous of Lir’s children and wanted to be rid of them. One day Aoife took the children to a lake. While they were swimming she performed a spell on them and turned them into swans. Under the spell the children were to remain swans until they heard the sound of a Christian bell. The swans swam from lake, to river to stream for years waiting for the sound of that bell, but it wasn’t until St. Patrick came to Ireland that the children could be free of the curse- 900 years later.Read more: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-irish-myths-and-legends.php#ixzz2PAbFynZJ
- Any one remember another god we’ve studied who lost a hand? (Tyr – Norse)
- Gatekeeper at Tara story only gets in with a talent (multi-talented) Summer's end. Lugh dies and passes to the underworld. The Celts put out their home hearth fire and re-lit with the village's communal fire. Boundaries to the other world are temporarily suspended--spirits can mix with the living. Masks must be worn so the spirits won't recognize. Festival of Samhain celebrated Oct. 31. Sound familiar?
- Rhiannon also ushered the dead into the afterlife which sometimes was also attributed to Eponia but it wasn’t her primary function.
- Who is another one-eyed giant? (Cyclopes) Balor was to be killed by his grandson. To avoid his fate, he locked his daughter, Ethlinn, in a tower made of crystal to keep her from becoming pregnant. However, Cian, one of the TuathaDéDanann, managed to enter the tower with the help of the druidessBirog. Ethlinn gave birth to triplets by him, but Balor threw them into the ocean. Birog saved one, Lugh, and gave him to Manannan mac Lir, who became his foster father. He was called LughLamhfada and became a member of the TuathaDéDanann.Anyone remember which Greek hero was prophesied to kill his own grandfather and was thrown with his mother into the sea? (Persues) –Lug killed him with a slingshot and stone (another familiar tale)
- Anybody remember another talking head prophet from Norse mythology? Bran was a giant who sister Branwen was married to Irish king Mathowich. Their brother Efnissyen objected to the marriage killed all Mathwich’s horses. Bran, to make ammends gave Mathowich a magic cauldron of rebirth. which would allow him to resurrect the dead. Efmissyn continue to cause lots of trouble killing Mathowich’s men Once they had a son, Bathowich banished Branwen to the kitchen but pretended to love her to Bran’s face. Efnissyn found out and killed the child. A battle ensued but the troops kept resurrecting so Efnyssen destroyed the cauldron which led to his death. Bran was also injured and talked his troops into taking hishead and returning it to Britain. The head continued to give prophecies and was eventually buried under the Tower of London where it was to protect Britain and did until Arthur became too prideful and dug it up declaring his prowess in battle was enough protection.
- Islands in the western sea. Sidhe mounds, or an invisible alternate universe existing right along side the physical world.
- If she’s captured she has to reveal who is doomed.
- Rejected the Morrigan, failing to recognize her. 1.When she appeared to him and declared her love for him. 2.After he had wounded her, she appeared to him as an old hag and he offered his blessings to her, which caused her to be healed. 3.On his way to his final battle, he saw the Washer at the Ford, who declared that she was washing the clothes and arms of Cu Chulainn, who would soon be dead. 4.When he was forced by three hags (the Morrigan in her triple aspect) to break a taboo of eating dogflesh.Eventually she appears as a crow on his shoulder in battle and he is killed.
- One popular story tells of a salmon that knew all of the world’s knowledge. Finn decided to eat the Salmon to gain the knowledge. As he was cooking the fish, juice squirted out and burned Finn’s thumb. Finn stuck his thumb in his mouth to stop the pain and instantly learned the knowledge the salmon carried. From then on, anytime Finn sucked his thumb he gained whatever knowledge he was seeking.Read more: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-irish-myths-and-legends.php#ixzz2PAbRjoaX