Celtic History/Culture

Politically, Celts are organized into a number of petty kingdoms, or clans ( tuatha), each of which is quite independent under its elected king. Groups of tuatha tended to combine, but the king who claimed overlordship in each group had a primacy of honour rather than of jurisdiction. A division of the country into five groups of tuatha, known as the Five Fifths (Cu�g Cu�g�), occurred about Six-Hundred years ago. These are Ulaidh, Midhe, Leinster, Mumhain, and Connacht.

Surrounding a king is an aristocracy ( airi aicme, the upper class), whose land and property rights are clearly defined by law and whose main wealth is in cattle. Greater landowners are supported by c�il�, or clients. These and other grades of society, minutely classified and described by legal writers, till the soil and tend the cattle. Individual families are the real units of society and exercised collectively powers of ownership over their farms and territory. At law the family (fine) does not merely act corporatively but is, by one of the oldest customs, held responsible for the observance of the law by its kindred, serfs, and slaves.

There are no urban centres, and the economic basis of society is cattle rearing and agriculture. The principal crops are wheat, barley, oats, flax, and hay. The land is tilled with plows drawn by oxen. Sheep are bred principally for their wool, and the only animal reared specifically for slaughter is the pig. Fishing, hunting, fowling, and trapping provide additional food. Transport of goods over land is by packhorse, for wheeled vehicles are few. Sea transport is by currach, a wicker-framed boat covered with hides; the normal freshwater craft is the dugout.

The dwellings of the time are built by the post-and-wattle technique, and some, at least, are situated within protected sites  called ring forts.  Advantage is   taken of the relative security of islands in rivers or lakes as dwelling places; and artificial islands, called crannogs, are also extensively made.

The Celtic laws point to a large development of rural industry in the period in which they are first written down, shortly before the Norse invasions. They deal minutely not only with the management of land and animal rearing but also with innumerable further details of husbandry, including milling, dyeing, dairying, malting, meat curing, and spinning and weaving. Wool is spun with a wooden spindle weighted with a whorl of bone or stone, and it is woven on a loom. The outer garment worn by both men and women is a large woolen cloak (brat), fastened on the shoulder or breast with a pin or brooch. The inner garment is a long linen tunic (l�ine) girded at the waist with a belt. Shoes of rawhide or tanned leather are worn, at least by the upper classes and the higher professional ranks. A large amount of metalwork reveals the adaptation by Irish craftsmen of many techniques originating with the Norse and Finnish. An instinct for design, added to the skillful use of these techniques, enable them to produce many superb objects, of which the Tara brooch, , is an outstanding example. The chief musical instrument of the period is the harp.

Historical Events

Ancient Ages

0            Rise of the Celtic Empire
600        First Expansion of the Celtic Empire
1100      The Cattle Raid of Cooley
1800      Discovery of Magic
2600      The Great Migration
3100      Fall of the Celtic Empire

Middle Periods

3190      The Great Plague
3340      The Great Earthquake
3500      The Breakup of the Kingdoms
3600      Expansion of the Norse Lords
3720      Decadence of the Norse Lords
3860      The Hunting Conflict
3960      The Giant Crusades
4100      The Orc Invasion
4230      The Celtic Rebellion
4350      Supremacy of the Druids
4450      The Expansion of Odun Ur

Recent Events

4459      The Ulaidh Offensive
4461      Raids Begin
4462      Invasion of Leistner
4466      Invasion of Ulaidh

0 Rise of the Celtic Empire

Drem, Following the will of the gods, finds the sword Gwri.  After a long series of adventures, now only remembered by the most learned of bards, he inserts the sword into the stone of Cullen.  Upon the achievement of his quest the great city Conall rose from the earth.  The city gates would only allow those of Celtic birth and belief to enter, protecting the Celts from all thier enemies in the land.

600 Expansion of the Celtic Empire

During this period the Celts took control of nearly 3/4 of the land west of the Ridge Mountains.  They drove out the Giant Lords, they crushed the Orc Kingdoms, and drove back the Finish Kings.

1800 Discovery of Magic

Magic use is discovered by the Celtic peoples.  It's use quickly pervades the culture and further strengthens the dominance of the Celts in the land.

2600 The Great Migration

With thier further dominance in the land the Celts begin to migrate and populate most of the areas in the known world, going across the Ridge Mountains to visit the ancient city of Odun Ur and the desert wastes of the Egyptians.

3100 Fall of the Celtic Empire

The rise the Celtic Empire was rough and gained it many enemy's.  Around 3100 the Norse Lords, an offshoot of the vanquished Finnish Kings, managed to buy off Ronat, a Celtic Thief.  In the darkness of night Ronat stole the sword Gwri from the stone Cullen, and slowly the Mystical city Conall sank beneath the earth.  Without the protection of their primary capital, the Celtic people found themselves under attack by the giants, Norse, and a variety of humanoid races.  The empire fell apart and the celts were barely able to keep hold of 1/4 of the land west of the Ridge Mountains.

3190 The Great Plague

A terrible plague shot through the Celtic Kingdoms, the plague killed off most of the artisans, wise people, and magicians.

3340 The Great Earthquake

A huge earthquake shakes the entire continent, it brings down all of the Celtic cities and most of the Celtic castles.  The cities are abandoned by the people, leaving the cities to become overgrown and forgotten in the forests, buried by time, and torn apart by the people for other, lesser fortifications.

3500 The Breakup of the Kingdoms

Political conflicts, family feuds, and a weakened hold on the land causes the once great Celtic Empire to break apart into five districts or tuatha: Ulaidh, Midhe, Leinster, Mumhain, and Connacht.

3600 Expansion of the Norse Lords

The Norse Lords take advantage of the weakness in the Celtic Kingdoms and invade.   The Celts become the slaves of the land, degraded from their once dominant position.

3720 Decedence of the Norse Lords

The Norse Lords become decadent and start handing off some affairs of state to the Celtic Lords.  This allows the Celts to become stronger and pave the way for Celtic independence.

3860 The Hunting Conflict

A short but bloody conflict began among the Celtic Lords when Ahearn, from Ulaidh is killed in a hunting accident by Clust of Leinster.

3960 The Giant Crusades

The Norse Lords, following what they believed to be the command of Odin (their father god) lead a crusade against the frost giant kingdom in the Ridge Mountains.  The crusade lasted one-hundred years, and although the Norse did manage to do severe damage to the frost giants, the conflict left the Norse severely weakened.

4100 The Orc Invasions

While the Giant Crusades were going on the Orc Kings, in the Ridge Mountains watched from a distance.  They mistakenly thought that the war had weakened the Celtic people as much as the Norse and so they invaded the Celtic Lands.  The war was long and bloody, but in the end the Orcs were pushed back into the mountains.

4230 The Celtic Rebellion

In 4230 the Celts, bolstered by their success with the Orc's and the weak Norse Lords, staged a successful rebellion and manage to wrest from the Norse all five of the tautha.

4350 The Supremacy of the Druids

In 4350 the Druids, after a hard fought effort to make their ancient religion dominant in the land, manage to drive what few remaining Norse Clerics from the land.  The ancient and almost forgotten worship of the Celtic Gods becomes the only religion in the Celtic Kingdoms.

4450 The Expansion of Odun Ur

After nearly two-hundred years of self rule the Celts are once again invaded, this time by an army from across the Ridge Mountains.  The Army's of Odun Ur manage to conquer Midhe, Mumhain, and Connacht.  Only Ulaidh and Leinster manage to keep the invaders out.

4459 The Ulaidh Offensive

The Kingdom of Ulaidh, in alliance with Leinster, stages a disasterous offensive against Odun Ur held territorys.

4461 Raids Begin

Brigands begin to proliferate and harass the people of Ulaidh and Leinster as both kingdoms try to recover from the Ulaidh Offensive.

4462 Invasion of Leinster

Military forces from Odun Ur attack and subdue Leinster, they try to invade Ulaidh but are turned back after fierce fighting.

4466 Invasion of Ulaidh (current)

Odun Ur finaly attacks the last standing Celtic Kingdom, Ulaidh.  Ulaidh has the last remaining Celtic warriors, many who came from the other conquered kingdoms.   Although the battle continues it doesn't go well.  The surperiority of the armor and weaponry employed by the forces of Odun Ur is leaving the Celtic warriors at a distinct disadvantage.  The only thing keeping the forces of Odun Ur from overrunning the kingdom of Ulaidh is the tenacity and bravery of the Celtic forces.

a custom among various Celtic tribes by which the king or chief of the clan was elected by family heads in full assembly. He held office for life and was required by custom to be of full age, in possession of all his faculties, and without any remarkable blemish of mind or body. At the same time and subject to the same conditions, a tanist, or next heir to the chieftaincy, was elected, who, if the king died or became disqualified, at once became king. Sometimes the king's son became tanist, but not because the system of primogeniture was in any way recognized; indeed, the only principle adopted was that the dignity of chieftainship should descend to the eldest and most worthy of the same blood, who well could be a brother, nephew, or cousin. This system of succession left the headship open to the ambitious and was a frequent source of strife both in families and between the clans. 

Celtic Mythology

Cosmology

The druids, the early Celtic priesthood, taught the doctrine of transmigration of souls and discussed the nature and power of the gods. The Celts believe in an otherworld, imagined sometimes as underground and sometimes as islands in the sea. The otherworld was variously called "the Land of the Living," "Delightful Plain," and "Land of the Young" and is believed to be a country where there was no sickness, old age, or death, where happiness lasted forever, and a hundred years was as one day.   In Celtic eschatology, as noted in the Celtic vision or voyage tales, a beautiful girl approaches the hero and sings to him of this happy land. He follows her, and they sail away in a boat of glass and are seen no more; or else he returns after a short time to find that all his companions are dead, for he has really been away for hundreds of years. Sometimes the hero sets out on a quest, and a magic mist descends upon him. He finds himself before a palace and enters to find a warrior and a beautiful girl who make him welcome. The warrior may be Manann�n, or Lugh himself may be the one who receives him, and after strange adventures the hero returns successfully. eb

Worship

Celtic religion and culture are the concern of three professional classes -- the druids, the bards, and between them an order closely associated with the druids that seems to have been best known by the Celtic term vates ("seers"). eb

The name druid means "knowing the oak tree" and may derive from druidic ritual, which seems in the early period to have been performed in the forest. The druids avoid manual labour and pay no taxes, so that many were attracted by these privileges to join the order. They learned great numbers of verses by heart, and some studied for as long as 20 years; they think it wrong to commit their learning to writing. eb

All religious services are performed by druids in wooded areas made holy by the planting of mistletoe and holly.  In these areas are deep natural wells or dug pits where sacrifices are thrown.  Condemned criminals are typical sacrifices.  dd

Festivals

Insular sources provide important information about Celtic religious festivals. In Celtic lands the year was divided into two periods of six months by the feasts of Beltine (May 1) and Samhain (Samain; November 1), and each of these periods was equally divided by the feasts of Imbolc (February 1), and Lughnasadh (August 1). Samhain seems originally to have meant "summer," but by the early Celtic period it had come to mark summer's end. Beltine is also called Cetsamain ("First Samhain"). Imbolc was a feast of purification for the farmers. It was sometimes called o�melc ("sheep milk") with reference to the lambing season. Beltine ("Fire of Bel") was the summer festival, and there is a tradition that on that day the druids drive cattle between two fires as a protection against disease. Lughnasadh was the feast of the god Lugh. eb

Druids (Celtic: "Knowing [or Finding] the Oak Tree"),

Member of the learned class among the ancient Celts. They frequent oak forests and acted as priests, teachers, and judges. eb

Druids took charge of public and private sacrifices, and many young men went to them for instruction. They judged all public and private quarrels and decreed penalties. If anyone disobeyed their decree, he was barred from sacrifice, which was considered the gravest of punishments. One Druid was made the chief; upon his death, another was appointed. If, however, several were equal in merit, the Druids voted, although they sometimes resorted to armed violence. Once a year the Druids assembled at a sacred place in the territory of the Carnutes, which was believed to be the centre of all the Celtic lands, and all legal disputes were there submitted to the judgment of the Druids. eb

Druids abstained from warfare and paid no tribute. Attracted by those privileges, many joined the order voluntarily or were sent by their families. They studied ancient verse, natural philosophy, astronomy, and the lore of the gods, some spending as much as 20 years in training. The Druids' principal doctrine was that the soul was immortal and passed at death from one person into another. eb

The Druids offered human sacrifices for those who were gravely sick or in danger of death in battle. Huge wickerwork images were filled with living men and then burned; although the Druids preferred to sacrifice criminals, they would choose innocent victims if necessary. eb

Druidic rites were held in clearings in the forest. eb

Druids of the sixth level or less wear light blue robes, while druids of higher levels always wear white.  Every druid wears a torc.  Every druid has his or her own cauldron that they made as a first level druid.  This is used to catch all the blood or sap of a sacrifice.  The cauldrons of tenth level or higher druids act as crystal balls when filled with human blood.  All druids of the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth levels will have the symbol of the wheel with a crosssed spiral on all their tools, weapons, clothes, and anything else they use.  dd

Druids consider themselves an elite group, separate from all other humans.  They do not mingle with others, and are only allowed to mate with worshipers within their sect.   dd

Aranrhod

a sky goddes, symbol of fertility and virgin goddess, who bore Gwydion twin sons: Dylan, a sea god, and Lleu Llaw Gyffes (Lleu of the Dexterous Hand).  Her father was Don.  When her uncle, the great magician Math, tested her virginity by means of a wand of chastity, she at once gave birth to a boy child, Lugus, who was instantly carried off by Gwydion and reared by him. Aranrhod then sought repeatedly to destroy her son, but she was always prevented by Gwydion's powerful magic; she was forced to give her son a name and provide him with arms; finally, as his mother had denied him a wife, Gwydion created a woman for him from flowers.   eb

Arawn

(god of the dead)  Arawn appears as a normal man and lives upon an island in the sea that only the dead can find. dd

Belenus

(Celtic: possibly, Bright One), one of the most ancient and most widely worshipped of the Celtic deities; he was associated with pastoralism. A great fire festival, called Beltane (or Beltine), was held on May 1 and was probably originally connected with his cult. On that day the cattle were purified and protected by fire before being put out to the open pastures for the summer. Despite associations of his name with fire or the sun, Belenus was not a sun god; in fact, there is no Celtic evidence for the worship of the sun as such, even though it was often used in religious imagery. eb

Bran

(Celtic: "Raven"), A god of bards and poetry.  He was a  gigantic Celtic deity who figured in the Mabinogion as "crowned king over this land". Because of his stature, he and his court had to live in a tent, as no house had ever been built large enough to contain him. The most important aspect of Br�n's myth concerned his wondrous severed head. The ancient Celts worshiped the human head and believed it to be the seat of the soul, capable of independent life after the death of the body. They thought that it possessed powers of prophecy and was symbolic of fertility. They also believed that one of its functions was to provide entertainment in the otherworld. eb

According to the myth, Br�n had been mortally wounded and requested his companions to cut off his head. He instructed them to take the head with them on their wanderings, telling them that it would not only provide them with marvelous entertainment and companionship but would also remain uncorrupted as long as they refrained from opening a certain forbidden door. If that door were opened, they would find themselves back in the real world and would remember all their sorrows. Eventually, they were to take the head and bury it on the White Mount. All happened as Br�n had prophesied, and his companions passed 80 joyous and delightful years. The head was buried, where it kept away all invaders until it was finally unearthed. Br�n is also the hero of The Voyage of Br�n (see imram). eb

Bran's father was Llyr. eb

Branwen

Wife of Matholwch.  Her father was Llyr.eb

Brigit

also called BRIGANTIA (Celtic: High One), in Celtic religion, ancient goddess of the poetic arts, crafts, prophecy, and divination. In Celtic lands this Brigit was one of three goddesses of the same name, daughters of the Dagda, the great god of that country. Her two sisters were connected with healing and with the craft of the smith. Brigit was worshipped by the semi-sacred poetic class, the filid, who also had certain priestly functions. eb

Brigit appears as a tall woman with flame-colored hair.  She loves to hear poetry sung on the battlefield and there is a chanve that  she will favor a singer of an original composition strengthening him in battle. dd

In battle, she becomes surrounded by flame.  Most but the more powerful weapons melt when they touch her.  She carries a staff that turns into a tongue of flame at her command. dd

Cernunnos

(Celtic: "Horned One"), in Celtic religion, an archaic and powerful deity, widely worshipped as the "lord of wild things." Cernunnos may have had a variety of names in different parts of the Celtic world, but his attributes were generally consistent. He wore stag antlers and was sometimes accompanied by a stag and by a sacred ram-horned serpent that was also a deity in its own right. He wore and sometimes also held a torque, the sacred neck ornament of Celtic gods and heroes. eb

Creidhne the metalworker

One of a trio of divine craftsmen; the other two are Goibhniu and Luchta. eb

C� Chulainn

also called CUCHULAIN, CUCHULINN, or CUCHULLIN, in ancient Gaelic literature, the central character of the Ulster (Ulaid) cycle. He was the greatest of the Knights of the Red Branch, i.e., the warriors loyal to Conor (Conchobar mac Nessa), who was reputedly king of the Ulaids of northeast Celt. C� Chulainn, born as S�tante, the son of the god Lug (Lugh) of the Long Arm and Dechtire, the sister of Conor, was of great size and beauty and won distinction for his exploits while still a child. His prowess was increased by the gift of seven fingers on each hand, seven toes on each foot, and seven pupils in each eye. Favoured by the gods and exempt from the curse of periodic feebleness laid upon the men of Ulster, he performed superhuman exploits and labours. In times of rage he took on the characteristics of the berserkers and would become monstrously deformed and uncontrollable. The Cattle Raid of Cooley (T�in B� Cuailnge) records his single-handed defense of Ulster at the age of 17 against the forces of Medb (Maeve), queen of Connaught. According to the best-known legends, he was tricked by his enemies into an unfair fight and slain at the age of 27. eb

This hero exists to fight giants and right wrongs all over the countryside  He often appears when all hope is lost. dd

Dagda

(Celtic: "Good God"), also called EOCHAID OLLATHAIR ("Eochaid the All-Father"), or IN RUAD RO-FHESSA ("Red [or Mighty] One of Great Wisdom"), in Celtic religion, one of the leaders of a mythological Celtic people, the Tuatha D� Danann ("People of the Goddess Danu"). The Dagda was credited with many powers and possessed a caldron that was never empty, fruit trees that were never barren, and two pigs--one live and the other perpetually roasting. He also had a huge club that had the power both to kill men and to restore them to life. With his harp, which played by itself, he summoned the seasons. The Dagda mated with the sinister war goddess Morr�gan. eb

This god is the ruler of a very loose pantheon of gods.  His two primary attributes are the ability to separate himself into 12 distinct and powerful entities.   All 12 are fully aware and mobile, but 11 are ethereal in nature and roam the earth with unlimited range, constantly supplying information to Dagda.  These beings have all the qualities of the original, but they must stay in the ethereal state at all times. dd

Dagda has the strength to break anything in his two hands.  He uses his club in all battles and it is magical.  When the large end touches a being that person dies.   The small end is able to raise the dead, no matter how long ago the being died.   Only a portion of hte body is needed. dd

He can summon forth a cauldron that enables him to brew any magical liquid or foon, and he sings with a sentient harp that talks in the common tongue and can control weather. dd

Danu

also spelled ANU, or DANA, in Celtic religion, the earth-mother goddess or female principle, who was honoured under various names from eastern Europe to Ireland. The mythology that surrounded her was contradictory and confused; mother goddesses of earlier peoples were ultimately identified with her, as were many goddesses of the Celts themselves. Possibly a goddess of fertility, of wisdom, and of wind, she was believed to have suckled the gods. Her name was borne by the legendary Tuatha D� Danann ("People of the Goddess Danu"), the Celtic company of gods, who may be considered either as distinct individuals or as extensions of the goddess and who survive in Celtic lore as the fairy folk, skilled in magic. eb

Diancecht

(physician of hte gods)  Diancect appears as a young man.  He can heal any wound or restore any dead being, no matter how dead.  The god will appear whenever any Celtic deity summons him to help.  Powerful Clerics have a chance of summoning him if they swear to take a year-long pilgrimage to heal all things knowing hurt.   Failure to fulfill this will result in the gods revenge.  His power will not work on beings who have had their head taken away.  He never fights in large battles, but has fought with Arawn over some of his dead.  In these battles, Diancect has always won.  He is immune to anything that does less than one-fourth of his hit points in damage to his body in one strike.  dd

Don

in Celtic mythology, leader of one of two warring families of gods; according to one interpretation, the Children of D�n were the powers of light, constantly in conflict with the Children of Llyr, the powers of darkness. In another view, the conflict was a struggle between indigenous gods and those of an invading people.  eb

D�n's children included Gwydion, a master of magic, poetry, and music and a warrior who clashed frequently with various gods, and Aranrhod, a sky goddess and symbol of fertility, who bore Gwydion twin sons: Dylan, a sea god, and Lleu Llaw Gyffes (Lleu of the Dexterous Hand). eb

Dunatis

(god of the mountains and peaks) This god always appears as a normal man.  His main attribute is the power to raise a mountain peak from a flat plain, or flatten a giant mountain into a prarie.  This is done instantaneously and was often done to destroy forts and the like. 

Dylan

A Celtic sea god.  His parents were Aranrhod and Gwydion.  His brother is Llew Law Gyffes. eb

Esus

(Celtic: "Lord," or "Master"), powerful Celtic deity. Esus' victims were sacrificed by being ritually stabbed and hung from trees. He is portrayed as a bent woodman cutting a branch from a willow tree. He is also associated with the sacred bull and his accompanying cranes or egrets. eb

Goibhniu

(Celtic: "Divine Smith"), ancient Celtic smith god. Goibhniu figured in Celtic tradition as one of a trio of divine craftsmen; the other two were Luchta the wright and Creidhne the metalworker. Goibhniu was also the provider of the sacred otherworld feast, the Fled Goibhnenn; he allegedly brewed the special ale thought to confer immortality on those who drank it. He figured in the Mabinogion. It was believed that his help was vital in cleansing the plow at the end of the furrows. eb

This god appears as a hugely proportioned man.  His main attribute is the ability to make weapons and amulets of great power for the gods and the very few mortals he favors.  The weapons he makes never miss their target and the amulets have the power to nullify spells.  If Goibhnie's weapons are used to attempt and impossible hit (like hitting someone 200 yards away), the weapon will hit, but will then shatter and bring on the wielder the instant wrath of the god in the form of a thunder bolt. dd

Gwydion

Celtic god of magic, poetry and music.  He was a warrior who clashed frequently with various gods.  His sister Aranrhod bore Gwydion twin sons: Dylan, a sea god, and Lleu Llaw Gyffes (Lleu of the Dexterous Hand).He was the son of Don. eb

Llew Law Gyffes (Lleu of the Dexterous Hand).

A Celtic god.  His parents were Aranrhod and Gwydion.  His brother is Dylan. eb

Llyr

in Celtic mythology, leader of one of two warring families of gods; according to one interpretation, the Children of Llyr were the powers of darkness, constantly in conflict with the Children of D�n, the powers of light. In Celtic tradition, Llyr and his son Mannan mac Lir was associated with the sea. Llyr's other children included Br�n (Bendigeidfran), a god of bards and poetry; Branwen, wife of the sun god Matholwch, king of the Celts.

Hearing of Matholwch's maltreatment of Branwen, Br�n and Mannan mac Lir led an expedition to avenge her. Br�n was killed in the subsequent war, which left only seven survivors, among them Mannan mac Lir and Pryderi, son of Pwyll. Mannan mac Lir married Pryderi's mother, Rhiannon, and was thereafter closely associated with them.  eb

Luchta the wright

One of a trio of divine craftsmen; the other two are Goibhniu and Creidhne. eb

Lugus

also called LUG, or LUGH (Celtic: "Lynx," or "Light"?), in ancient Celtic religion, one of the major gods. His cult was widespread throughout the early Celtic world. eb

According to Celtic tradition, Lug L�mfota ("Lug of the Long Arm") was the sole survivor of triplet brothers all having the same name. At least three dedications to Lugus in plural form, Lugoues, are known, and the Celtic affinity for trinitarian forms would suggest that three gods were likewise envisaged in these dedications. Lug's son, or rebirth, according to Celtic belief, was the great hero, C� Chulainn ("Culann's Dog"). eb

He was also believed to have had a strange birth. His mother was the virgin goddess Aranrhod ("Silver Wheel"). When her uncle, the great magician Math, tested her virginity by means of a wand of chastity, she at once gave birth to a boy child, who was instantly carried off by his uncle Gwydion and reared by him. Aranrhod then sought repeatedly to destroy her son, but she was always prevented by Gwydion's powerful magic; she was forced to give her son a name and provide him with arms; finally, as his mother had denied him a wife, Gwydion created a woman for him from flowers. eb

Macha

in Celtic religion, one of three war goddesses; it is also a collective name for the three, who were also referred to as the three Morr�gan. As an individual, Macha was known by a great variety of names, including Dana and Badb ("Crow," or "Raven"). She was the great earth mother, or female principle, and a great slaughterer of men, as was another of the trinity, Morr�gan, or Black Annis. The third goddess was Nemain. eb

Manann�n mac Lir

(Celtic: "Manann�n, Son of the Sea"), Irish sea god. Manann�n traditionally ruled an island paradise, protected sailors, and provided abundant crops. He gave immortality to the gods through his swine, which returned to life when killed; those who ate of the swine never died. He wore impenetrable armour and, carrying an invincible sword, rode over the waves in a splendid chariot. eb

This god appeas as a large red-bearded man.  He commonly goes into battle wearing armor of sea shells.  He uses a trident that absorbes moisture from the bodies that it hits.  dd

Math

A powerful magician. eb

Math is the greatest of all the legendary wizards in Celtic myth.  He has given himself the power to hear anything said in a breeze anywhere in the world.  He has done so much for the gods that he has been given a Torc of the Gods.   dd

Matholwch

Ancient King of the Celts.  He married Branwen. eb

Medb

also spelled MEDHBH (Celtic: "Drunken Woman"), legendary queen of (Connacht). In the epic tale T�in B� Cuailnge, she led her forces against those of Ulster and fought in the battle herself with weapons, unlike the other war goddesses, who influenced its outcome by means of their magical powers. Medb was not a historical queen but a fierce goddess with an insatiable sexual appetite. The list of her mates is impressive; at the time of the battle against Ulster, the king Ailill was her mate, but she also had an affair with the mighty hero Fergus, distinguished for his prodigious virility. Medb had a sacred tree, bile Medb, and was often represented with a squirrel and a bird sitting on her shoulders. eb

Morrigan

in Celtic religion, one of three war goddesses; it is also a collective name for the three, who were also referred to as the three Morr�gan. She was the great earth mother, or female principle, and a great slaughterer of men, as was another of the trinity, Macha, or the Crow. The third goddess was Nemain. eb

This goddess appeas as a well-proportiond woman with a hideous face.  She has the power to deprive all who face her of thier courage.  She can fight invisibly and travel at any speed she wishes wehn she chases a foe.  It is said that she will strike dead any one of her worshipers who runs away from a battle she is watching.  dd

Nemain

in Celtic religion, one of three war goddesses; it is also a collective name for the three, who were also referred to as the three Morr�gan. The other two were Morr�gan (Black Annis) and Macha. eb

Nuada

(god of war) This god appears as a man with an artificial silver hand.  When in battle, he detatches his hand of silver, and it will enter battle with a weapon.  dd

Ogmios

(god of knowledge) He was portrayed as an old man with swarthy skin and armed with a bow and club. He was also a god of eloquence, and in that aspect he was represented as drawing along a company of men whose ears were chained to his tongue. He was portrayed as a swarthy man whose battle ardour was so great that he had to be controlled by chains held by other warriors until the right moment. eb

Oghmios looks like an aged, white-haired man.  He is the best wrestler of all the gods and considered their champion when fights with giants occur.  He is also patron of things creative and beautiful in man and woman alike.  His love of song, story, and poetry causes him to often visit the earth in human shape and travel from hold to hold seeking especially gifted people.dd

Pryderi

Celtic God, son of Pwyll and Rhiannon. eb

Pwyll

in Celtic mythology, king of Dyfed, a beautiful land containing a magic caldron of plenty. He became a friend of Arawn, king of Annwn (the underworld), and exchanged shapes and kingdoms with him for a year and a day, thus gaining the name Pwyll Pen Annwn ("Head of Annwn"). With the aid of the goddess Rhiannon, who loved him, Pwyll won her from his rival, Gwawl. She bore him a son, Pryderi, who was abducted by Gwawl. Pryderi was later restored to his parents. eb

Rhiannon

in Celtic religion, the Celtic horse goddess. She is best-known from The Mabinogion, a collection of Celtic tales, in which she makes her first appearance on a pale, mysterious steed and meets King Pwyll, whom she marries. Later she was unjustly accused of killing her infant son, and in punishment she was forced to act as a horse and to carry visitors to the royal court. According to another story, she was made to wear the collars of asses about her neck in the manner of a beast.  She bore another son, Pryderi, who was abducted by Gwawl. Pryderi was later restored to his parents. eb

Sc�thach

(Gaelic: "The Shadowy One"), in Celtic mythology, female warrior, especially noted as a teacher of warriors. eb

Sc�thach was the daughter of �rd-Greimne of Lethra. She lived on an island (thought to be the Isle of Skye) in an impregnable castle, the gate of which was guarded by her daughter Uathach. At this fortress Sc�thach trained numerous Celtic heroes in the arts of pole vaulting (useful in the assault of forts), underwater fighting, and combat with a barbed harpoon of her own invention, the g�e bolg. Her best-known student was C� Chulainn, who stayed with her for a year in order to learn the skills that helped him win many battles. A number of other heroes of Celtic mythology also owed their prowess to the training of the Amazon Sc�thach. eb

Silvanus

(god of the forests and nature)  Silvanus looks like a man with very long legs.   He can control any number of animals and creatures of the forest with the sound of his voice.  He has the power to make plants grow and/or shrink at any rate his wills.   He wears armor made of leaves that act like plate mail and his mallet is constantly with him.  A giant wolfhound fights at his side.  It is so fast that no matter how many beings strike at his master, the dog will take the damage.

Silvanus is worshiped by druids and their followers, and he is a protector of the places of the druids: their groves, their villages and colleges, and their paths through the woods. dd

Sucellus

powerful and widely worshiped Celtic god; his iconographic symbols were usually his mallet and libation saucer, indicative of his powers of protection and provision. All the Celts believe themselves to be descended. Sucellus was sometimes portrayed with a cask of liquid or with a drinking vessel, which may indicate that he was one of the gods who presided at the otherworld feast. He was also often accompanied by a dog. eb

Taranis

(Celtic: "Thunderer"), powerful Celtic deity. Taranis' sacrificial victims, either human or animal, were placed in great wickerwork images, which were then burned. Taranis was symbolically represented by the wheel and the lightning flash. He was sometimes shown riding down a great serpent-footed monster, which represented a divinity or gigantic power of some unknown significance. eb

Tuatha D� Danann

(Gaelic: "People of the Goddess Danu"), in Celtic mythology, a race inhabiting the lands of the Celts before the arrival of the Milesians (the ancestors of the modern Celts). They were said to have been skilled in magic, and the earliest reference to them relates that, after they were banished from heaven because of their knowledge, they descended on the land of the Celts in a cloud of mist. They were thought to have disappeared into the hills when overcome by the Milesians. eb

Teutates

also spelled TOUTATES (Celtic: "God of the People"), important Celtic deity. According to later commentators, victims sacrificed to Teutates were killed by being plunged headfirst into a vat filled with ale, a favourite drink of the Celts. eb

Beltane

also spelled BELTINE, Irish BELTAINE or BELLTAINE, also known as C�TAMAIN, festival held on the first day of May in Gaelic-speaking lands, celebrating the beginning of summer and open pasturing. Cattle were driven between two bonfires on Beltane as a magical means of protecting them from disease before they were led into summer pastures. In early Celtic lore a number of significant events took place on Beltane, which long remained the focus of folk traditions and tales. As did other Celtic peoples, the Irish divided the year into two main seasons. Winter and the beginning of the year fell on November 1 (Samain) and midyear and summer on May 1 (Beltaine). These two junctures were thought to be critical periods when the bounds between the human and supernatural worlds were temporarily erased; on May Eve, witches and fairies roamed freely, and measures had to be taken against their enchantments. eb

Cattle Raid of Cooley, The

Gaelic T�IN B� CUAILNGE, old epiclike tale, the longest of the Ulster cycle of hero tales dealing with the conflict between Ulster and Connaught over possession of the brown bull of Cooley. It is partially preserved in The Book of the Dun Cow and is also found in The Book of Leinster and The Yellow Book of Lecan . Although it contains passages of lively narrative and witty dialogue, similar to the finest of early Celtic shorter tales. eb

The tale's plot is as follows. Medb (Maeve), the warrior-queen of Connaught, disputes with her husband, Ailill, over their respective wealth. Because possession of the white-horned bull guarantees Ailill's superiority, Medb resolves to secure the even more famous brown bull of Cooley from the Ulstermen. Although Medb is warned by a prophetess of impending doom, the Connaught army proceeds to Ulster. The Ulster warriors are temporarily disabled by a curse, but C� Chulainn, the youthful Ulster champion, is exempt from the curse and singlehandedly holds off the Connaughtmen. The climax of the fighting is a three-day combat between C� Chulainn and Fer D�ad, his friend and foster brother, who is in exile with the Connaught forces. C� Chulainn is victorious, and, nearly dead from wounds and exhaustion, he is joined by the Ulster army, which routs the enemy. The brown bull, however, has been captured by Connaught and defeats Ailill's white-horned bull, after which peace is made. eb

filid

(Old Gaelic: "seer"), plural FILI, ancient professional poet in Ireland whose official duties were to know and preserve the tales and genealogies and to compose poems recalling the past and present glory of the ruling class. The fili constituted a large aristocratic class, expensive to support, and were severely censured for their extravagant demands on patrons. Their power was not checked, however, since they could enforce their demands by the feared lampoon (�er), or poet's curse, which not only could take away a man's reputation but, according to a widely held ancient belief, could cause physical damage or even death. Although by law a fili could be penalized for abuse of the �er. eb

Fili were divided into seven grades. One of the lower and less learned grades was bard. The highest grade was the ollamh, achieved after at least 12 years of study, during which the poet mastered more than 300 difficult metres and 250 primary stories and 100 secondary stories. He then could wear a cloak of crimson bird feathers and carry a wand of office. eb

Halloween

The Celtic festival of Samhain eve was observed on October 31, at the end of summer. This date was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits. The date was connected with the return of herds from pasture, and laws and land tenures were renewed. The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favourable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. eb

Imram

(Old Irish Gaelic: "rowing about," or "voyaging"), plural IMRAMHA, in early Celtic literature, a story about an adventurous voyage. This type of story includes tales of Irish saints traveling , as well as fabulous tales of heroes journeying to the otherworld (echtrae). An outstanding example of an imram is Imram Brain, or The Voyage of Br�n, which describes a trip to the enchanted Land of Women. After what seems to be a year, Br�n and his colleagues return home to discover that their voyage had lasted longer than any memories and was recorded only in ancient sources. eb

Kulhwch and Olwen,

Celtic CULHWCH AC OLWEN is a lighthearted tale that skillfully incorporates themes from mythology, folk literature, and history.

The story uses the folk formula of a stepmother's attempt to thwart her stepson. Kulhwch, after refusing to marry the daughter of his stepmother, is told by her that he shall never wed until he wins Olwen, the daughter of the malevolent giant Yspadadden Penkawr. Because of a prophecy that if she marries, he will die, Olwen's father first tries to kill Kulhwch but then agrees to the marriage if Kulhwch performs several perilous feats and brings him the 13 treasures he desires. Kulhwch is aided in several of his adventures by his cousin Arthur and some of Arthur's men, including Kei and Gwalchmei. Kulhwch returns to Yspadadden with only part of his goal accomplished, kills him, and marries Olwen. eb

Mabinogion

collection of 11 medieval Celtic tales based on mythology, folklore, and heroic legends. The name Mabinogion derives from a scribal error and is an unjustified but convenient term for these anonymous tales. eb

The finest of the tales are the four related stories known as "The Four Branches of the Mabinogi," or "The Four Branches"  the only tales in which the word Mabinogi (meaning "Matters Concerning [the Family of?] Maponos") appears. Of great interest to Celtic studies are "The Four Independent Native Tales," which show minimal continental influence and include "Kulhwch and Olwen" (q.v.), "Lludd and Llefelys," "The Dream of Macsen," and "The Dream of Rhonabwy." eb

Samhain

also spelled SAMAIN (Celtic: "End of Summer"), one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year. At Samhain, held on November 1, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshipers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes. Sacrifices and propitiations of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the perils of the season or counteract the activities of the deities. Samhain was an important precursor to Halloween. eb

Tathlum

This weapon of war with magical properties can be made by anyone of the Celtic faith.   First, cut off the head of an enemy and coat it with lime gotten from a lime pool in the former territory of the dead person, allowing several coats to dry to a rock hard ball.  It takes one day to do each coat, and each coat takes one week to dry.   When thrown at friends of the former owner of the head under bright sunshine, it will have the effect of nearly killing the person if he is hit.  This weapon is usable only once.  dd

torque

in jewelry, metal collar, neck ring, or armband consisting of a bar or ribbon of twisted metal curved into a loop, the ends of which are fashioned into knobs ornamented with motifs such as volutes or depicting animal heads, or drawn out and bent abruptly so as to hook into one another. The torque is a unique neck ornament in that it is not flexible and was often of great size and weight. eb

The torque was a characteristic male neck ornament of the Celts. eb

The Wild Hunt

The Wild Hunt existsin all the lands where Druids and their deities dwell.  It is a physical manifestation of "life force" that always takes on the same form.   The Hunt is made up of one huge black-skinned man with antlers growing from his head and his pack of hounds.

The hunt appears whenever there is evil in the land.

When the Hunt passes, the noise of the howling dogs or the Hunt Master's horn can be heard for miles in the night.  If this noise is actively persued by any being, they will become part of the Hunt when they sight the pack and its master!  When any given being becomes part of the Hunt they may take on one of two roles: they will be the hunters or the hunted!

There have been legends of epic battles between the Master and his hounds and some of the greater heroes of the past.  In these legends, the Master and his pack have been slain, only to disappear in the darkenss and appear somewhere else the next night, proving that the force that creates the Hunt is eternal.  dd