Celtic Gods
Celtic mythology is a combination of numerous basic mythologies of numerous barbarian tribes. One of the earliest of those tribes has been called the Iberian, Berber, Silurian, Basque, or Euskarian race. This tribe spoke a Hamitic language. Another of those earliest tribes are popularly called the Celts who spoke an Aryan language. These Celts were made up of the Goidals (Gaels), Brythons (Britons, Bretons), Continental Gauls, Irish (or Irish Gaelic), Manx, and Scottish Gaelic.
Information is difficult to find but their
mythology was divided into sagas:
The Mythological Cycle; deals with the Celtic gods and
supernatural beings.
The Ulster Cycle; deals with the exploits of the warrior caste of pre-Christian
Ireland.
The Historical Cycle; deals with the activities of historical figures.
The Fenian Cycle; deals with the tales of Finn Mac Cumaill and his band of
followers, the Fianna.
Some Celtic Gods;
Aedh - (fire). Irish. A son of Ler. He is a Lord of fire, and may thus be considered as a male aspect of the Brigit. He is one of the children of Ler transformed into a swan by a wicked stepmother, see Conn for fuller details.
Aengus - (unique strength). Irish. Son of the Daghda. Associated with birds, particularly songbirds. An accomplished musician, He is considered a God of Beauty and perfection of form.
Aeron - (slaughtering). Welsh. A war-god, a male Aspect of the Irish Morrigan. He is a later-period male counterpart to Agrona, of earlier British belief.
Afagddu - (utter darkness). Welsh. The ill-favoured child of Ceridwen, whose name means "Dark" or "Ugly", for whom the Potion of Knowledge is intended. This Archetype reappears in the Arthurian cycle as a mortal warrior whose unsurpassed ugliness prevents him from ever being struck at by an opponent, for fear that he might be the Devil.
Agrona - (slaughtering). British. A warrior Goddess, seemingly a version of the Irish Morrigan, in that she is associated with rivers as well. Later this archetype became masculinized among the Cymri as Aeron, which see, above.
Aife I - (pleasant, beautiful). Irish Third wife of Ler, the evil stepmother of Aedh, Conn, Fiachra, and Finnguala, who transforms them into talking swans in a heat of jealous spite (she being childless). Her deed discovered, she herself is transformed into a vulture, and made to stay eternally in the winds.
Aife II - (pleasant, beautiful). Irish Lover of Ilbrech, she is transformed into a crane by a jealous rival. In such form, and as a water-bird, she becomes a part of Manannan's Realm; when at length she dies, he makes of her remains the fabulous Crane Bag, in which he stores his chief treasures.
Aine - (brightness, glow, splendour, glory). Irish. A Faery Goddess of love and desire, she is also the tutelary Goddess of Knockany, Munster. In that her name derives from the root for "fire", She may be considered as an aspect of the Brigit.
Andrasta - British. A warrior Goddess of the Iceni tribe, who accepted sacrifices of hares and, perhaps, humans. She is perhaps best known as the deity invoked by the Iceni warrior-queen Boudicca in her rebellion against Rome. See also, Andarta immediately above, for a possible continental connection.
Andraste - (Britain) Andraste is a warrior goddess, the goddess of victory.
Angus - Scottish The Scottish version of Aengus, and also a God of youthful vigour and perfection of form. Much of His tale revolves around conflicts with Cailleach Bheur, who attempts to deny Him His consort, Bride.
Annwn - (Britain) The otherworld.
Arianrhod - (Wales) The goddess of the moon. Her palace is the Aurora Borealis.
Arawn - Welsh. Lord of Annwn, the underworld and realm of departed spirits. He makes a pact with Pwyll, to exchange places with him for one year, in order that Pwyll might defeat an enemy, King Hafgan. Though Arawn set no conditions upon the exchange, when the pact was successfully concluded and each had returned to his own heritage, Arawn discovered that Pwyll had denied himself of his own accord the rights of a husband to Arawn's Lady. Thus Arawn swore an eternal vow of friendship and support toward Pwyll.
Arecurius - (one who stands before the assembly, lawgiver?). British. A Tutelary God of northern Britannia during the Roman occupation.
Arianrhod - (silverwheel). Welsh. The mother of Llew, the tale of how she needed to be guiled into granting him a name and arms is a mainstay of the Mabinogion. She is associated with Night, with the star Polaris, and her hall is said to be the aurora borealis. As her name clearly implies, she may very well be a late version of a Moon-Goddess.
Badb - (raven) Irish. One of the three Valkyrie-aspects of the Morrigan.
Banbha - (pig, sow). Irish. One of the triplicity of Goddesses who are patronesses of all Ireland (for whom, see Eriu and Fotla). Her Name derives from the same root as "sow", or "pig".
Banghaisghidheach - (white ...). Irish. Chief of the cats of Kilkenny.
Belatucadros - (shining one, bright). British. Apparently an early version of Bran the Blessed, and clearly cognate with Beli. He was honoured by common soldiers in the north of Britain during the Roman occupation.
Beli - (bright). Welsh. Brother, or perhaps precursor, of Bran the Blessed, and reputed to be father of all the Gods in some cycles. Quite possibly a solar deity in early times.
Belisama - (Celtic) Goddess of light and fire, the forge and of crafts. She is the wife of the god Belenus.
Bendigeidfran - Welsh. The Cymric equivalent of Bran.
Blodeuedd - (flowerface). Welsh. A woman created by Math out of flowers (those of Oak, Broom, and Meadowsweet) to be a wife to Llew Llaw Gyffes. The match proved unfortunate as she encompassed his death through infatuation with another. For this, she was cursed by Gwydion to perpetual abhorrence of sunlight, and transformed into an owl, a bird vilified and detested by all other birds.
Boand - (she of the white cattle). Irish. Wife of Nechtain, and mother by the Daghda of Aengus Og. She is associated with the river Boyne.
Boann - (Irish) Boann is the goddess of rivers and fertility.
Bodb Dearg - (Bodb the red). Irish. A daughter of the Daghda, and the tutelary God over southern Connacht and part of Munster.
Boudicca - (victory). Irish/British. A female personification of Victory, especially in a martial sense. A very appropriate personification of her is seen in the historical Boadicca, Queen of the Iceni, who fought the Romans to a standstill in the first century CE. Although she ultimately lost, this original Victoria resembles her namesake very strongly.
Bran - (raven, crow). Irish. A master of the Isle of Britain, he is a cauldron-God, associated with a cauldron of regeneration which would revive the slain while leaving them voiceless. His cauldron destroyed, and he mortally wounded in a war to rescue his sister Branwen, he instructed his adherents to decapitate him and, after many travels, bear the head to London and bury it, where it would become a defense and a protection to the whole Isle.
Branwen - (white raven, white crow). Welsh. In the Mabinogion, She is a central figure in being wed to the High King of Ireland and thereby encompassing the doom of both the Irish and Britons, when her brother Bran invades Ireland to rescue her from the degradation she experiences at the hands of a vengeful Court.
Bres - (Gaelic) God of fertility and agriculture; one of the first kings of the Tuatha De Danaan.
Brianan - Scottish A very obscure figure, apparently a Divinity whose Name is used in oaths and exclamations, often as an invoking force with which to hurl fortune (sometimes good, but more usually bad) toward another.
Brighid - (Brigit) (Gaelic) Brighid was the goddess of fertility, therapy, metalworking, and poetic inspiration. She is the wife of Bres. She is known as Caridwen (Cerridwen) in Wales.
Brigit - (exalted one). Irish and British. A triplicity of Goddesses associated with Fire and smithcraft, with poetry, and with motherhood and childbirth. As an individual, she is a daughter of the Daghda. In pre-Roman Britain, she was the tutelary Goddess of the Brigantes tribe, and like so many Celtic Goddesses, she has some riverine associations. She was conflated into Christian mythology as Saint Brigit.
Cailleach Beara - (crone of Beare). Irish. A giantess associated with mountains. She holds in her apron huge boulders with which to add to mountainous realms. She is a Tutelary to southwest Munster. She also appears in tales describing a knight being importuned by an old hag for love, acceptance of which transforms her into a beautiful maiden.
Cailleach Bheur - (genteel crone) Scottish A giantess associated with Winter. She is said to be blue in color, and a peculiarity of hers is that she emerges on Samhain as a ancient hag, gradually ages in reverse, and disappears at Beltain as a young and beautiful maiden.
Cenn Cruaich - (Gaelic) The heaven-god (akin to Zeus).
Ceridwen - Welsh. A cauldron-Goddess associated with the brewing of a potion of Knowledge which she created for the benefit of her child, Afagddu. When the boy Gwion inadvertently tastes the brew instead, she pursues him in a transformation hunt which is a thinly glossed description of an initiatory rebirth. See also, Taliesin.
Cliodna - (Gaelic) Goddess of beauty and the otherworld.
Cocidius - (Britain) God associated sometimes with forests and hunting (linked with the Roman god Silvanus), sometimes with war (equated with Mars).
Conall Cernach - (Irish) Powerful warrior; his name means "strong and victorious".
Conchobar -
(Celtic) Conchobar's intended bride, Deidre, eloped with Noisi. Conchobar killed
Noisi and his brothers and Deidre died of sorrow.
Condatis - (Britain) God who personified the waters.
Conn - Irish. A son of Ler, and twin brother of Fiachra. He, his twin, and two other siblings (Aedh and Finnguala) are transformed into swans who can speak and sing by a jealous and spiteful stepmother, Aife. They spend many centuries in this form, and are eventually brought into the household of a Christian missionary, who binds them together with a silver chain. A Queen of Ireland hears of the remarkable birds and, coveting them, attempts to seize them. In the ensuing struggle, the chain breaks, and they become pillars of dust, representing human bodies many centuries old.
Coventina - (Britain) Goddess who personified a holy spring that had healing powers.
Crearwy - (light, beautiful). Welsh. The favoured child of Ceridwen, sibling to Afagddu.
Credne - (craftsman). Irish. One of a triplicity of Smithy-Gods. He is an artisan of worked metal, usually bronze, brass, or gold. The others are Goibhniu and Luchta.
Creidhne - (Celtic) Creidhne was the god of metal working. One of the trio of craft-gods of the Tuatha De Danaan, as were Goibhniu and Luchta.
Cruacha - Irish. An obscure figure, maidservant to Etain.
Cu Chulainn - (Celtic) A hero akin to Heracles or Theseus, born with the strength of a man and a burning rage to conquer all in his path. His most famous exploits are described in "The Cattle Raid of Cu Chulainn".
Cuda - (Britain) Mother goddess.
Cu Roi - (Irish) A sorcerer who transforms himself into various guises.
Cymidei Cymeinfoll - Welsh. A War-Hag, said to give birth every six weeks to a fully armed warrior. Wife to Llasar, keeper of the Cauldron of regeneration.
Dagda - (Cian) (Celtic) The god who was the supreme head of the People of Dana. (The equivalent of Cronus.) Dagda possesses a bottomless cauldron of plenty and rules the seasons with the music of his harp. With his mighty club Dagda can slay nine men with a single blow, and with its small end he can bring them back to life.
(the) Daghda - (lord of skill). Irish. An important figure associated with a sacred well, and water in general. Also a fertility God. Various names and epithets (Eochaid Ollathair, all-father; Ruadh Rofhessa, master of knowledge; Deirgderc, redeye, the sun) of his seem to link him to horse-cults, fire, and knowledge. He is the father of many of the others, including Brigit, Mider, Aengus, Oghma, and Bodb Dearg. Interestingly enough, he is often portrayed as a rather sly but bumptious rustic, one who can be fooled, defeated, or bargained with by plying some idiosyncrasy or personal trait. His favoured weapon is a giant club, or maul.
Dana - (Danu) (Celtic) The goddess from whom Tuatha Dé Danann (The People of Dana) were descended. She was the daughter of the god Dagda (the Good), and had three sons, who had only one son between them, Ecne (Knowledge). She was another of the three war goddesses known collectively as the Morrigan.
Danu - Irish, Celtic, and general Aryan. A river Goddess whose name appears across the face of Europe, the tutelary deity of many nations and places (cf. Don River, Danube River, Denmark, etc.). In the isles, she was the Mistress of the Tuatha De Danaan, the race of divine and semi-divine inhabitants of Ireland before the coming of the Milesians.
Deidre - (Celtic) Deidre was the beautiful intended bride of Conchobar. She ran off with Noísi (Naoise), and died of sorrow when Conchobar killed him and his brothers.
Dewi - (Wales) The Red Dragon god. The emblem of Wales.
Diancecht - (Irish) Diancecht is the god of healing. He killed the giant serpent that was destroying cattle throughout the land. He also killed his own son whose skill in healing endangered his father's reputation.
Dioncecht - Irish. God closely associated with healing and mending of physical ills.
Don - Welsh. The Cymric equivalent of Danu, which see, above. There seems to have been some conflation between Don and St. Anne within Mediaeval times.
Donn - (lord, master). Irish. A God of the underworld, and of the dead. Associated territorially with western Munster. The Romans recognized him as an aspect of their own Dis Pater. Expectedly enough from his attributes, He is a silent and solitary figure, unusual enough among the often tumultuous and extroverted Irish divinities.
Efnisien - (unpeaceful). Welsh. Maternal half-brother to Bendigeidfran (Bran) and full brother to Nisien. Quarrelsome and a natural antagonist, he is said to be able to cause strife between two brothers when they were most loving. He it is that is responsible for the heinous insult to the Irish leading to Branwen's punishment; he it is that slays her son Gwern at the feast of reconciliation. When the Irish begin using the Cauldron of Regeneration to overwhelm Bran's forces, he feels remorse and, pretending to be a slain Irish warrior, is cast alive into the Cauldron, breaking it and killing himself.
Eochaid - (horse-rider). Irish. A very early Aspect of the Daghda, A solar deity associated with lightning. Usually spoken of as one-eyed, and often refered to by an epithet of Daghda's, Deirgderc, redeye, the sun.
Epona - (Celtic) The horse goddess. Usually portrayed as riding a mare, sometimes with a foal.
Eriu - Irish. One of the triplicity of Goddesses who are patronesses of all Ireland (for whom, see Banbha and Fotla). She it was whose name was applied to all Ireland.
Etain - Irish. Wife of Mider. By Eochaid, the mother of Liban. She has associations with horses, and may be a later period aspect of an early sun goddess.
Etan - Irish. Sometimes confused with Etain, above. The daughter of Dioncecht and the wife of Oghma; she is considered a Patroness of craftsmanship and artisans.
Fand - (tear; but also Fann, weak or helpless person). Irish. Wife of Manannan and a lover of Cuchullain. Her name apparently derives from the same Aryan root that produces "Venus".
Fedelma - (Irish) Poet and prophetess in the service of Queen Medb.
Ferghus - (Irish) King of Ulster prior to Conchobar.
Fiachra - Irish. A son of Ler, and twin brother of Conn, which see for a fuller telling of their tale.
Finn - (Irish) Leader of the Fianna.
Finnguala - Irish A daughter of Ler, sister to Aedh, Conn, and Fiachra and, like them, a victim of Aife.
Flidais - Irish. A Celtic Artemis; a huntress figure associated with archery, the sanctity of forests and the wildlife therein, and the chase. Unlike Artemis, however, Her lustiness and sexual appetite is legendary.
Fodla - (Gaelic) One of the trio of goddesses who lent their name to Ireland. The other two were Banbha and Eriu.
Fotla - (under-Earth). Irish. One of the triplicity of Goddesses who are patronesses of All Ireland. The others are Banbha and Eriu.
Geofon - (Britain) She was the ocean goddess.
Gilfaethwy - (servant of ... ). Welsh. The brother of Gwydion, his doom is encompassed by his uncontrolled lust for Goewin.
Goewin - Welsh. The footmaiden of Math, and the object of Gilfaethwy's uncontrolled desires.
Goibhniu - (smith). Irish. A God of smithcraft, one of a trio (see also Credne and Luchta ). Aside from his craftsmanship, he is known as the provider of the Fled Goibnenn, a Sacred Feast. Associated, among other things, with brewcrafting, he is said to have formulated a draught of immortality; note the similarity with the Greco-Roman Hephaestus/Vulcan, a divine smith who was also a brewer. His name survives in Abergavenny (Goibhniu's River).
Govannon - (Wales) God of smiths and metalworkers. The weapons he makes are deadly in their aim, the armor unfailing in its protection. Those who drink from his sacred cup need no longer fear old age and infirmity.
Grainne - (Irish) She is betrothed to Finn, but falls in love with Diarmaid.
Gwydion - Welsh. The Cymric equivalent of Goibhniu. In Welsh sources his hall is the Milky Way; he was a magician of high repute, and the tutor and mentor of Llew.
Gwynn ap Nudd - (Southern) Welsh. A Cthonic divinity, leader of the Wild Hunt, in chase of the White Stag. Closely parallelling the Gaulish Cernunnos and British Herne, he also has affiliations with the northern Welsh Arawn.
Hafgan - Welsh. A lord in Annwyn, and a mortal enemy of Arawn, he may only be slain if struck a single killing blow; to strike a mercy-blow to his mortally wounded body would be to revive him again. This is accomplished by Pwyll when he comes to Arawn's aid, as related in the First Branch of the Mabinogi.
Hafren - Welsh. Another river Goddess, she is the tutulary of the River Severn.
Ilbrech - Irish. A son of Manannan, he rules over a section of County Donegal.
Latis - (Britain) Goddess associated with water.
Ler - Irish. A God of the sea. Father of Bran, Fiachra, Aedh, Manannan, and numerous others.
Liban - Irish. A water-spirit, the daughter of Eochaid, by Etain.
Lir (Llyr) - (Wales) God of the sea.
Llasar Llaes Gyfnewid - Welsh. The husband of Cymidei, and bearer of the Cauldron later taken by Bran.
Lleu - (Wales) The god who is the Welsh equivalent of the Irish Lugh. He was pictured as young, strong, radiant with hair of gold, master of all arts, skills and crafts.
Llew Llaw Gyffes - (bright one of the steady hand). Welsh. The Cymric equivalent of Lugh. In the Mabinogion, he is portrayed as a youth who struggles against a series of malign geases cast by his mother, Arianrhod, and is assisted by Gwydion. He is later severely injured out of circumstances arising from his wife Blodeuedd's infidelity. In all of this he displays a rather feckless naivete, and does not appear as a pantheon Chieftain.
Llyr - Welsh. The Cymric equivalent of Ler.
Luchta - Irish. One of a triplicity of Smithy-Gods, his aspect is that of the wright, a mechanic and artificer. The others are Credne and Goibhniu.
Luchtaine - (Celtic) He was the god of wheel making.
Luchtigern - (mouse-lord). Irish. Chief of the mice of Kilkenny, slain by Banghaisghidheach.
Lugh - (light, brightness). Irish. Considered the chief Lord of the Tuatha De Danaan, the Celtic Zeus. His archetype appears to derive from an early solar deity, and he has many epithets and sobriquets, among which: Lamhfhada, Long-arm, refering to his skill with spear or sling; Samildanach, much-skilled, having many talents; Ildanach, seer; and Maicnia, boy-warrior.
Mabon - (Celtic) The Son of Light (akin to the Roman Apollo). He was the god of liberation, harmony, music and unity.
Mac Da Tho - (Irish) A god of the otherworld.
Macha - (field, plain). Irish. One of the three Valkyrie-aspects of the Morrigan.
Manannan - (he of the [Irish] sea). Irish. A child of Ler, and the principal sea-God; his name seems to derive from an earlier form of the Isle of Man. He possesses among other things, the fabulous Crane-Bag, holder of all his treasures, including Language. As with many Aryan Sea-Gods, he has a close association with horses.
Maponus - British. Lord of poetry and music; revered during the Roman occupation of Britain.
Math - Welsh. Uncle to Llew. Tutelary to Gwynedd, in North Wales. He is considered the premier sage of Britain: old beyond reckoning, most skilled in Magick, and knowledgeable beyond measure. It was said that he could hear anything spoken that was uttered in the presence of the slightest breeze; the wind would carry the words to him.
Mathonwy - Welsh. Father to Math.
Mabon - (son, youth). Welsh. The God associated with youthfulness, he is sometimes conflated with Pryderi. His full name is "Mabon Ap Modron", which simply means "Son, son of Mother".
Manawydan - Welsh. The Cymric equivalent to Manannan.
Medb - (Irish) Queen of Connacht, her name means "she who intoxicates". A goddess of war. Where the Morrigan use magic in battle, Medb wields a weapon herself. The sight of Medb blinds enemies, and she runs faster than the fastest horse.
Mider - (central one). Irish. His Name derives from the root for "middle", and implies judgement or negotiation. Among the Tuatha De Danaan, he is a chieftain, and known for his stinginess and misplaced pride.
Modron - (mother). Welsh, British, and Gaulish. Often conflated with the Roman Matrona, she is the Tutelary of the Marne in Gaul. In Britain, she appears as a washerwoman, and thus there would seem to be a connection with the the Morrigan.
Mogons - (Britain) His name means "great one".
(the) Morrigan - (great queen). Irish. A triplicity of Valkyries (see Badb, Macha, and Nemain ), exalting in battle frenzy, chaos, and the gore of slaughter. She/they have a particular role in being the Choosers of the Slain; selecting, severing from the body, and guiding to the afterworld the spirits of fallen warriors. She has, however, many and diverse aspects and functions. She has been closely associated with water in general, and rivers in particular. She seems in this latter aspect to be a chooser of the slain as well, in that she is seen by those whose fate it is to die in an upcoming battle as a crone, washing their clothing beside a river. See also Morgan le Fay, for a late version.
Nechtain - Irish. Another water-spirit, He is associated with a sacred Well within which live the Salmon of Knowledge. He is closely associated with the Daghda, and has been conflated with him.
Nehalennia - (steerswoman). Gallo-Belgic. Primarily associated with protection of travelers over the sea. Her known temple locations are always on the coast, and surviving inscriptions often praise her for successfully completed voyages, or implore her for similar journeys to come. She is invariably associated with a large dog as a companion. She has occasionally been conflated with the Roman Goddess Fortuna. Note also the Anglo-Saxon Elen.
Nemain - (frenzy). Irish. One of the three Valkyrie-aspects of the the Morrigan.
Nisien - (peaceful). Welsh. Maternal half-brother to Bendigeidfran (Bran) and full brother to Efnisien. Well-favored, he was a natural diplomat of whom it was said that he could make a peace between two embattled armies at the height of their fury. He spent much of his time repairing the damage done by Efnisien.
Nodens - (Britain) God of healing, akin to the Irish god Nuadu.
Nuada - (cloud maker or catcher). Irish. A warrior God, He was twice king over the Tuatha De Danaan. He lost his office when his arm was severed in combat with the Fomorians; as Kings must be physical whole, he could not resume his kingship until Dioncecht fashioned a silver arm for him.
Nudd - Welsh. Another form of Nuada.
Oberon - (Britain) King of the elves.
Oenghus - (Angus) (Irish) He is the son of Daghdha and Boann. He is the god of fatal love (akin to Cupid). Angus' kisses turn into singing birds, and the music he plays draws all who hear it to his side.
Oghma - Irish. A child of the Daghda, a warrior God who is closely connected to knowledge, magick, and eloquence. He is the inventor of Ogham script, the Celtic variety of runes; and note well, he is said to have designed the letters as a way of encoding knowledge--- they were not granted to him by mystical vision.
Oisin (Irish) Son of Finn.
Partholon (Irish) He led the first group to colonize Ireland, according to some legends.
Pryderi - (care, thought). Welsh. The son of Pwyll, whom he succeeds in his lands. He is stolen away as a newborn infant by a nameless Fiend who, on a horse-thieving expedition, drops him once more into the world when it is struck a blow by the guardian of the horses. Note the equine connection with his mother, Rhiannon.
Pwyll - (wisdom, prudence). Welsh. Lord of Arberth. Father of Pryderi, Husband of Rhiannon, trusted associate of Arawn as related in the first book of the Mabinogi.
Rhiannon - Welsh. Wife of Pwyll, mother of Pryderi. Unjustly accused of destroying Her newborn son (who had been kidnapped by a nameless Fiend; see above), She is compelled to take on the role of a horse, until Her son is unexpectedly returned to her. She is considered as an aspect of the Gaulish Epona, and the Irish Morrigan.
Scathach - (Shadowed) Irish/Scottish. "Lady of Shadows", or, "of the Shadowy Isle". She is a warrior, with additional associations in smithcraft and oracular wisdom. She dwells in Albannach (Scotland), on (most tales agree) the Isle of Skye (Scaith), and is best known as the tutor of CuChulainn in the arts of both love and war.
Silvanus - A woodland spirit associated with parks, villas, and fields, and at an earlier date associated with the forest beyond the settlements, the wildwood. He is a Roman Deity, but so closely did He resonate with Celtic notions that He is often combined with other Celtic Deities of similar attributes. But note well one difference: to the Roman, the Forest was a place of fear, a nightmare land of chaos, and thus Silvanus had for them a shadowy or darker side; to the Celt, however, the Forest was Home, and as such held no mystery or fear.
Sinann - Irish. Patron Goddess of the River Shannon.
Sulis - (Britain) Goddess of healing, she is akin to the Roman goddess Minerva.
Tailltiu - Irish. Tutulary Goddess of the Telltown region of Ulster.
Taliesin - (radiant-brow). Welsh. A semi-mythical figure whose life has become deeply intertwined with the Divinities of the Celts. He apparently lived in the 6th century CE, and was regarded as the premier bard, or poet of his or any other time. A book of his work exists, set down in the 13th century; several of the works within it are regarded as genuine. He figures in many tales, but chief among them is the story that he began as the boy Gwion, was asked by the Cauldron-Crone Ceridwen to watch the vessel in which she brewed a Knowledge potion, inadvertently tasted it himself, was pursued by her in a chase involving many shapeshifts, and was at length swallowed by Her, to be reborn nine months later as the Divine bard Taliesin.
Taran - (thunder). Welsh/Continental. A war god who may very well be the source of the image I describe as the God of the Wheel, below.
Tuatha Dé Danann - The mythical race of people (descended from the goddess Danu) responsible for all the tales of fairies that Ireland is famous for telling. They were said to be adept in magic and, because of this, were banished from heaven. They possessed four talismans of great power: the stone of Fal which shrieked under the true heir to the throne; the spear of Lug which made victory certain; the sword of Nuadhu which slays all enemies; and the ever full cauldron of Daghda from which no man ever goes away hungry. They came to Ireland where they were forced to go into hiding when that country was invaded by the Milesians, forerunners of today's Irish.
Tuireann - Irish. Son of Oghma and Etan, Husband to the Brigit.
Uathach - (Spectral). Irish/Scottish. Daughter of Scathach and, like Her, a lover of CuChulainn.
Vitiris - (Britain) God of wisdom (not sure, but his name implies that).