Celtic Mythology and Legends

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Celtic Mythology is another general all-encompasing term that actually covers many different areas. Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Most of what we consider Celitc Mythology today, came after the Vikings left Ireland, but the origins of Celtic Mythology are far older than that. Many Celtic Myths of today are from the areas of Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, and France. As you read through this area of the website and the other mythologies, you will notice that many gods and godddesses and their attributes overlap and contribute to one another. Celtic Mythology has its roots based in ancient religion and you will see that impact throughout this website.

Though the Celtic world at its greatest extent covered much of western and central Europe, it was not politically unified nor was there any substantial central source of cultural influence or homogeneity; as a result, there was a great deal of variation in local practices of Celtic religion (although certain motifs—for example, the god Lugh—appear to have diffused throughout the Celtic world). Inscriptions to more than three hundred deities, often equated with their Roman counterparts, have survived, but of these most appear to have been genii locorum, local or tribal gods, and few were widely worshipped. However, from what has survived of Celtic mythology, it is possible to discern commonalities which hint at a more unified pantheon than is often given credit. The nature and functions of these ancient gods can be deduced from their names, the location of their inscriptions, their iconography, the Roman gods they are equated with, and similar figures from later bodies of Celtic mythology.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Gwydion was the chief of the children of Don. He was a very skilled poet with magical powers.

Children: Blodeuedd

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Avalon was the enchanted island where Arthur's sword was forged and where he was brought after his last battle. Arthur was placed on a golden bed and carried into Avalon by it's divine priestess. He could only be healed by entrusting his care to her completely forever. It is said that Arthur waits there with her until the time of his return. Avalon was presided over by Arthur's sister Morgan le Fey. This was sometimes varied, but was always ruled by one prime priestess; usually a relative of Arthur's. This entire island was beset by woman who pledged their lives in the service of the one goddess. It is said that Avalon "went into the mists" when belief in the goddess had dwindled because of Christianity.

Avalon was often thought of as a mysterious and mystical island with a view of Glastonbury, but at times it was also thought to represent Glastonbury itself. On one end of the spectrum Arthur awaits his time of return, and on the other he was laid to rest in his tomb.

Other Names: Insuls Avallonis, Otherworld, The Summer Land

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Banshee was a name for a fairy, possibly the variation of the Tuatha De Dannan. It is said that the wailing of the banshee foretold an approaching human death. Her name is a variation of "washing woman" and it is said that you may see her more often near a river or a lake. She is posed washing the bloody clothes of the person whose death she is foretelling. Another myth has then as the withered old women who died during child-birth.

Depicted: She is usually depicted as an older woman with long red hair, a pale complexion, and a long grey cloak draping over her body. Some say that she has no real substance and appears more as a mist-like cloud, or is seen with one nostril, breast, and tooth.

Other Name: Bean Sidhe

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Finn MacCool was best known as the leader of the Fianna after his father.

Tribe: Fianna

Assistant: Folte

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

The Tuatha De Danann originally lived on what were called "the islands in the west," later traveled on a big cloud to the land (Connaught) that would later be called part of Ireland. Shortly after their arrival they defeated the Firbolg at the first battle of Mag Tuireadh; later giving them the province of Connacht because of the good fight. In the second battle of Mag Tuireadh they fought and conquered the Fomorians. The Sidhe were later driven to the underworld by the Milesians at Tetown.

References

The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries By W. Y. Evans-Wentz [1911]
Encyclopedia Mythica - http://www.pantheon.org
The Clans of Ireland - http://www.irishclans.com
Timeless Myths - http://www.timlessmyths.com
Shee Eire - http://www.shee-eire.com

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

The Tuatha De Danann/Sidhe

The Tuatha De Danann are known throughout ancient Ireland as the people of the goddess Dana/Danu (also known as mother). It's important to note that throughout history she became known as Brigit, who then got absorbed into Christian beliefs as a saint. According to the Annals of the Four Masters, the Tuatha De Danann ruled Ireland from 1897 to 1700 BC.

"It is said, in the Book of the Dun Coe that wise men do not konw the origin of the Tuatha De Danann, but that it seems likely they came from heaven, on account of their intelligence and for the excellence of their knowledge." It is said that their hold on those in Ireland was so strong that not even the Christian transcribers could deny their existence as a non-human race of intelligent being in Ireland (although they frequently put them in league with evil demons).

The Tuatha De Danann were in full control of Ireland when the Sons of Mil (Irish ancestors) came to the island. The Tuatha lost their island, but became known as the Fairy-Folk or the Sidhe of Irish Mythology and Folk Lore. When many talk of Ireland they talk of the human race the Celts as well as the invisible race of Fairies. There are many who treat this race as fiction and as "stories," but there are Irish seers who today still say they see the Sidhe.

"The term (Sidhe), is always applied in old writings to the palaces, courts, halls, or residences of those beings which in ancient Gaedhelic mythology held the place which ghosts, phantoms, and fairies hold in the superstitions of the present day." In modern Irish tradition, 'the People of the Sidhe' or Sidhe, refer to the beings themselves rather than to their places of habitation. They are often described as gods of the earth or dei terreni, as in the Book of Armagh; and since it was believed that they, like the modern fairies, control the ripening of crops and the milk-giving of cows, the ancient Irish rendered to them regular worship and sacrifice, just as the Irish of today do by setting out food at night for the fairy-folk to eat.

The palaces to which the Sidhe went to after the fighting with the race of Mil were hidden in the depths of the Earth. The Dagda controlled the distributions of these palaces and domains. He then gave on to Lugh and retained two for himself (Brug na Boinne, or Castle of the Boyne, because it was situated on or near the River Boyne near Tara, and the other called Síd or Brug Maic ind Oc, which means Enchanted Palace or Castle of the Son of the Young). Mac ind Oc was a most enchanted castle that contained three trees which always bore fruit, a vessel full of excellent drink, and two pigs--one alive and the other nicely cooked ready to eat at any time; and in this palace no one ever died.

Aside from these beautiful palaces the Sidhe were known for their own beauty as well as loving the beauty of others. There are many stories in history which talk about the "taking" of a beautiful mortal boy or girl to be taken down into the palaces of the Sidhe. Mortals could live in the world of the Sidhe forever if they willed it. There have been many in history who found life in Fairyland so plesant that they decided to enjoy it enternally. Not only did these people have majestic palaces and beauty but they also had a rare music to which our world's music could never compare. Patrick even said that it would equal the very music of heaven if it were not for 'a twang of the fairy spell that infests it.'

The Sidhe were said to have come from four mythical cities: Falias, Gorias, Finias, and Murias. It was their that they learned all of their magic and skills from the druids (Morfesa from Falias, Esras from Gorias, Semias from Murias and Uiscias from Findias), and were given four great treasures or talismans that showed these skills. The first treasure was the Stone of Fal, which would scream whenever a true king of Ireland would place his foot on it. The next was the Magic Sword of Nuada, a weapon that only inflicted mortal blows when drawn. The third was the Sling-shot of the Sun God Lugh, that never missed its target. The last was the Cauldron of Dagda from which a constant supply of food came forth.

The Sidhe have always had a very distinct social organization with regards to rulers and territory. In Munster Bodb was king and his enchanted palace was called Sid of the Men of Femen; and the overall king Dadga and his wife Boyne has a palace near Tara. In more modern times, Eevil or Eevinn of the Craig Liath or Grey Rock is a queen of the Munster Fairies, and Finvara is the king of the Conaught fairies. There are also the Irish fairy-queens Cleeona and Aine.

While much of the story of the Tuatha de Danann has been distorted over time, there is growing evidence that the story is based on fact. Remains from some of the battlefields have been found which cast a different light on the story as a whole. No longer are the Tuatha considered just Irish legend and fairies. Although three of the treasures are obvious stories proclaiming the glories of their Kings, the fourth item sounds very much like the legendary Stone of Scone that sits in Edinburgh today.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Firbolg

The Firbolg ('Men of Bags') people are known as the early gods of Ireland. They were the third wave of invaders to Ireland, and defeated the Fomorians. They had been under slavery and servitude in Greece and decided to leave and set sail for Ireland by way of Spain. In the past Ireland had been home to their ancestors the Nemedians.

Five brothers, Slainge, Rudraige, Gann, Genann and Sengann set off at daybreak sailing westwards on a south-west wind. As they approached Ireland the wind rose up and separated them into three parts: The Fir Bolg, The Fir Domnann, and the Fir Gaileon. The first were named for the leather sacks they carried, the second for the pits that were left when they dug out the earth, and the third for the darts that were their weapons.

They all eventually landed on Ireland at the same time, and sent messengers to each other to meet up in the center of Ireland at Tara. Then they all assembled there and decided to divide out the land equally between the five brothers into the provinces of Míde, Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connaught.

There they lived peacefully enough for many years until the coming of the Tuatha De Danann and the first Battle of Magh Tuiredh.

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Fomorians

The Fomorians ('beneath the sea') are a sea-faring race of demonic giants that were the ancient occupants of Ireland. They are said to have originally come from Northern Africa or Asia and were described as having dark hair and dark skin. The king of the Fomorians is the one-eyed Balor.

In some accounts the Fomorians are described as one-eyed, one armed, one legged monsters with vast magical powers. In ancient times a curse was always pronounced on someone using this one-eyed, one armed, one legged stance as it was deemed to have great magical power, Lugh uses this method to cast a curse at his enemies in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh.

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Milesians

Also known as the Gaels or the Sons of Mil Espaine (Miled), these people are considered to be the true ancestors of the Irish race. The Milesian history is known to cover much of the world and starts in Scythia, the name given by the Greeks to the homeland of the Scythians in southeastern Europe. Mil later brought his ancestors out of Scythia and later Egypt, before they settled in Spain.

Milesius at the time also had an Uncle name Ith who had discovered an island. The Sidhe originally welcomed Ith with open arms but later grew suspicious in his motives. Through a misunderstanding Ith and his two brothers were killed.The remaining explorers returned home and found that Milesius had died in this time as well. His sons along with their mother Scota led a force that returned to punish the Tuatha de Danaan for killing Ith (circa 1000 BC). After a large battle they conquered the Tuatha de Danaan and took control of Ireland. The mother Scota was killed in the fight and her surviving sons, Eber and Eremon, became rulers of the land.

Eremon took the northern half of the Island while Eber took the south. The northeastern corner was given to the people of their brother Ir who had also died in the fight, and the southwestern corner was given to their cousin Lughaid, the son of Ith who had died discovering the island.

[PerseH ~Staff Wrangler~]

Mermaids

 

Tales of mermaids have been around for centuries, and form a large part of seafaring lore, especially round the coastal areas of Britain such as Cornwall, and the Northern Isles of Scotland. Their sighting was thought to be a bad omen, foretelling storms and rough seas. There are numerous folk tales describing their interaction with humans.

MermaidThe descriptions of mermaids were remarkably similar from the tip of Cornwall, to the Outer Hebrides. Generally their upper body was that of a beautiful woman with long hair, and the lower half of their body from the waist down, was that of a fish. In many of the classic descriptions mermaids are to be found sitting on a rock just off the shore, combing their hair, singing sweetly and admiring their beauty in a hand mirror. Their beautiful singing brings men into their clutches much like the classical sirens, and the unfortunate victims are either drowned, spirited to their world, or eaten in the depths of the sea. Mermaids Rock, near Lamorna on the Eastern tip of Cornwall was one such haunted seat, the mermaid was said sing the local fishermen to their deaths. Sometimes mermaids are compelled from the water by mortal singing. The Mermaid of Zennor in Cornwall claimed Mathew Trewella as her prize because of his singing voice.

In some tales mermaids are more benevolent, and have the ability to grant the gift of magical powers, but usually there is a still high price to pay. In the story of Lutey and the Mermaid (Bottrell, The traditional and Hearthside stories of West Cornwall) Lutey, a Cornish fisherman finds a stranded mermaid on the shore while he is beach combing. He helps her back to the sea and she offers him three wishes. He chooses the power to break spells, the power to compel spirits for the good of others, and that these gifts would pass down the family line. She grants the wishes but almost pulls him into the sea; only by flashing a penknife before her (supernatural creatures are traditionally repelled by Iron) does she release her hold. After nine years of using his gifts the mermaid returns for him and he is compelled to the deep. Thereafter every nine years one of his descendants was said to be lost at sea.

As well as granting wishes there are tales of mermaids intermarrying with humans and creating hybrid children with some powers of faery. An old story attached to Ardrossan Castle in Ayrshire recounts how a sailor was shipwrecked just off the coast and found shelter with a mermaid in a sea cave. They became lovers and their son, by name of Michael Scott went to live in the castle. He owned a magical book inherited from his mother that gave him some magical powers. Whether he is to be identified with the famous wizard Michael Scott is unclear.

Although most tales describe sea dwelling mermaids they were not restricted to the sea, and there are several examples of mermaids haunting rivers and deep pools. Mermaids Pool below Kinder Downfall in Derbyshire is one such location . The mermaid there appears on a specific date and has a typically treacherous nature. Black Mere, near Leek in Staffordshire was also thought to be haunted by a mermaid. It is possible that the term mermaid was used to describe a wider range of supernatural water creatures.

Historically there has been belief in part fish and part human creatures for thousands of years. The first references to these creatures is in the form of the God Oannes, who was the lord of the waters worshiped at the beginning of civilisation in ancient Babylon. There are several other fishtailed gods, but the classic mermaid known in Britain, is more likely derived from Celtic legend, folklore and local sea lore, in places where people were in contact with the sea as part of everyday life.

There have been several actual recorded sightings of mermaids over the last few hundred years, even into the 20th century, especially in places where the old beliefs die hard. In the North of Scotland Sandwood Bay was long thought to be haunted by Mermaids, reported as recently as the 19th century, today the area has a reputation for being haunted by other phenomena, perhaps related in a way to the older sightings. Although these sightings strain credulity they may be related to the same mechanisms that causes people to see ghosts, black dogs etc.

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/folklore/mermaids.html