Celtic Deities



Nuada

The Gaelic Zeus; called "he of silver hand"; killed by the Fomor, Balor early in history of the gods.

Camulus

Of the invincible sword; the name signifies "heaven"; god of war and sky; akin to mars, only more savage.

The War Goddess

Fea, the hateful; Nemon, the venomous; Badb, the fury; Macha, the battle goddess who collects the heads of her victims for her "acorn crop."

Morrigan (Morrigu)

The great goddess in her Virago aspect; as chief deity of battle, she likes to take the form of the hoodie or carrion crow; her name derives from Mor Righ Anu, meaning "the great queen."

Dagda

God of earth; "good god"; he posses a living harp and the "undry," a cauldron, where everyone find sustenance in proportion to his/her merits; a formidable fighter, but a god of simple tastes who dresses in a brown tunic, hooded cape and leather boots.

Boann

The Dadga's wife; an Eve figure; The Boyne River is named for her; she and the Dagda have many famous children including Bridgit, Angus, Mider, Ogma, and Bodb the Red.

Brigit

Goddess of the hearth, fire and poetry; best loved of all deities; candlemas is held in her honor; she is the only goddess to survive into the Christian pantheon of saints.

Angus

(Angus Mac Oc): His name means "son of the young"; A Gaelic Eros known for his physical beauty and golden hair; his kisses become birds.

Mider

God of the underworld; his abode is Falga, the Isle of Man; Etain (Ogma's daughter) became his wife, but she was taken away by Angus.

Ogma (Cermait)

The "honey-mouthed" king of the bards and god of eloquence and literature; Ogham script is named for him; he married Etain, daughter of Diancecht.

Bodb the Red

He succeeds his father as king of the gods.

Ler [Lir, Lyr]

The Gaelic Poseidon; married to Aebh, Bodb's daughter, with whom he has four childrenl after she dies he marries Aeife, who out of jealousy turns the children into swans.

Manannan

Ler's son; "God of the headlands"; patron of sailors and merchants; his famed possessions include the yellow shaft, the red javelin, the boat, the wave-sweeper, a horse called Splendid Mane, and three swords named retaliator, great fury, and little fury; he has the gift of in exhaustible life.

Goibniu

The forger of weapons; the Gaelic Hephaestus; he possesses a potion that enables those who drink it to become invisible; he also is called the "divine architect."

Diancecht

God of medicine; he once saved Ireland; married to Morrigan; among their children are Etain, who marries Ogma, and Cian, who marries Ethniu, daughter of Balor, the Fomor.

Lugh

Son of Cian and Ethniu called the "long-handed" or "far-shooter"; Sun god par excellence; he possesses a magic spear and magic hound; The Milky Way is called "Lugh's Chain"; he is the "master of all art," an accomplished carpenter, smith, warrior, harpist, poet, physician, cup- bearer, and bronze-worker.
The opponents of Tuatha de Dannan are the children of Domnu, which signifies "under-sea." Offsptring of "Chaos and Old Night" they are, for the most part grotesque creatures, often with physical deformities. These gods of death and darkness are listed below.

Balor

Although he was born with two good eyes, one was ruined in an accident; the eye is so hideous that he only opens it in battle so that its venom will slay whoever is unlucky enough to catch glimpse of it; his daughter marries Cian.

Elathan

The beautiful Miltonic prince of darkness with golden hair.

Bress

His name means "beautiful"; Elthan's son; married to Brigit of the Tuatha de Dannan and for a time her rules over that kingdom.

Idech

King of Dommu.