Celtic Myths and Legends
“A simple definition of mythology is impossible. Created by mankind to give meaning to otherwise inexplicable wonders and unseen gods, it is something of fact; something of fiction, but entirely neither.”
Introduction
Origins of the Irish are unclear. There were some who preceded the Celts but there isn’t enough information.
“That the earliest people to reach Ireland’s shores were skilled and advanced is clear, but as to who or what these pre-Celtic people might have been is hidden by time.”
First Celtic settlers – 800 B.C.
The Celtics split into two: those who went to Ireland and those who went to Britain. They had differences in language and in social and political thought.
Celtics in Ireland came from Turkey, passed through Egypt, Eturia, Tartessia and Galicia, making way to Ireland.
“Much of what we know about our Celtic forbearers has come down to us in the from of mythological tales.”
“That the earliest people to reach Ireland’s shores were skilled and advanced is clear, but as to who or what these pre-Celtic people might have been is hidden by time.”
First Celtic settlers – 800 B.C.
The Celtics split into two: those who went to Ireland and those who went to Britain. They had differences in language and in social and political thought.
Celtics in Ireland came from Turkey, passed through Egypt, Eturia, Tartessia and Galicia, making way to Ireland.
“Much of what we know about our Celtic forbearers has come down to us in the from of mythological tales.”
“A simple definition of mythology is impossible. Created by mankind to give meaning to otherwise inexplicable wonders and unseen gods, it is something of fact; something of fiction, but entirely neither.”
“Mythology is a repository of old truths and beliefs and, so, contains – even if only in symbolic form – the history, records and beliefs of the ancients.”
Celtic mythology, apart from the Greco-Roman, is the oldest in Europe.
Before Christianity arrived in Ireland there is little evidence of writing. It is claimed that Celtic mythology was completely oral and had no writing. But really just because there hasn't been any found, it doesn't mean they don't exist.
“The tales given below are chosen for several reasons, but principally because they represent all that is best and different in the myths of Ireland.”
“Mythology is a repository of old truths and beliefs and, so, contains – even if only in symbolic form – the history, records and beliefs of the ancients.”
Celtic mythology, apart from the Greco-Roman, is the oldest in Europe.
Before Christianity arrived in Ireland there is little evidence of writing. It is claimed that Celtic mythology was completely oral and had no writing. But really just because there hasn't been any found, it doesn't mean they don't exist.
“The tales given below are chosen for several reasons, but principally because they represent all that is best and different in the myths of Ireland.”
- The Fate of the Children of Tuireann
- The Children of Lir
- Dierdre and the Sons of Usna
- Wooing of Etain
- The Combat at the Ford
- Diarmiud and Grainne
- The Sickbed of Cuchulain
The Fate of the Children of Tuireann
Characters:
Summary :
Nuada after getting his arm cut off, gets a new silver arm. Diancecht's sons Miach and Omiach came to cure the king. They made him a new arm out of flesh. DIancecht grew jealous and killed Miach.
Story of Lugh Lamh Fada: there was a prophesy that a grandson would kill the King Balor, a fomorian. So when King Balor's daughter has a son, he commands to take him to drown. But those who were supposed to kill him saved him.
Bres said that he would find and kill Lugh. Lugh asks for King Nuada's help but he refuses, so he asks for his father and uncles help, who agreed to help him.
His father went to Sidhe to recruit more people, but on the road he met the sons of Tuireann, Brian, Uar and Uraca; there was great bitterness between the sons of Tuireann and Lugh's father.
Lugh's father, Cian, turns into a pig to avoid them, but they find him and kill him. They try to bury hum six times but the earth would spit him out. On the seventh time they tried to bury him, he remained buried.
Then Lugh, in battle, spares Bres and the rest of his army. Bres promises to fight with him.
Lugh finds out that his father is dead, and seeks to find those who killed him. He finds his fathers body and the earth tells him how he was killed.
Lugh enters Nuada's hall, and confronts the sons of Tuireann, which agree to pay an eric (a fine) but don't confess to the crime. The list of the eric that Lugh makes is a great and dangerous one, requiring things from great kings of the world.
The children of Tuireann go to their father, who tells them to ask Lugh for the wave-sweeper of Mananaan. They get it by tricking Lugh.
List of things on the eric and how the sons of Tuireann achieved them:
Once arriving to the shores of Ireland, to his father, with all of the eric done, the sons of Tuireann died.
Cross-connections with other myths:
A grave becomes plants.
Golden apples - Nordic myths
- Nuada - King De Danaan (arm cut off by Sreng a Firbolg)
- Diancecht - the De Danaan's physician
- Bres - regent while Nuada was sick
- Miach and Omiach - Bres' sons
- Lugh Lamh Fada - a man of sciences, an Il-Dana.
- Cian - Lugh's father
- Brian, Uar and Uraca - the sons of Tuireann
- Eithne - daughter of Tuireann
Summary :
Nuada after getting his arm cut off, gets a new silver arm. Diancecht's sons Miach and Omiach came to cure the king. They made him a new arm out of flesh. DIancecht grew jealous and killed Miach.
Story of Lugh Lamh Fada: there was a prophesy that a grandson would kill the King Balor, a fomorian. So when King Balor's daughter has a son, he commands to take him to drown. But those who were supposed to kill him saved him.
Bres said that he would find and kill Lugh. Lugh asks for King Nuada's help but he refuses, so he asks for his father and uncles help, who agreed to help him.
His father went to Sidhe to recruit more people, but on the road he met the sons of Tuireann, Brian, Uar and Uraca; there was great bitterness between the sons of Tuireann and Lugh's father.
Lugh's father, Cian, turns into a pig to avoid them, but they find him and kill him. They try to bury hum six times but the earth would spit him out. On the seventh time they tried to bury him, he remained buried.
Then Lugh, in battle, spares Bres and the rest of his army. Bres promises to fight with him.
Lugh finds out that his father is dead, and seeks to find those who killed him. He finds his fathers body and the earth tells him how he was killed.
Lugh enters Nuada's hall, and confronts the sons of Tuireann, which agree to pay an eric (a fine) but don't confess to the crime. The list of the eric that Lugh makes is a great and dangerous one, requiring things from great kings of the world.
The children of Tuireann go to their father, who tells them to ask Lugh for the wave-sweeper of Mananaan. They get it by tricking Lugh.
List of things on the eric and how the sons of Tuireann achieved them:
- Apples of the garden of Hersperides:
- Pig skin from the palace of Tuis:
- The blazing spear of the persian king, Pisecur:
- Horses and chariot of Dobar, king of Sicily:
- The seven pings of Asal, king of the Golden Pillars
- The hound-pups of Iora
- Cooking pit of Fincara
- Three shouts from the hill of Mokeen
Once arriving to the shores of Ireland, to his father, with all of the eric done, the sons of Tuireann died.
Cross-connections with other myths:
A grave becomes plants.
Golden apples - Nordic myths
The Wooing of Etain
Characters:
Etain of the horses - wife of Midhir.
Midhir - the mystic lord of Brileith.
Faumnach - Midhir's other wife. She was jealous of Etain's beauty.
Breisle Etarlamh - Druid that helps Faumnach.
Aengus Óg - son of Dagda Mor. Fostered by Midhir.
Eoai Aireman - King of Ireland
Aillil - Eoai's brother
Summary:
Faumnach was jealous of Etain. So she and Breisle turn Etain into a dragon fly and blew her away with the wind. This wind carried her around for seven years, until she reached the palace of Aengus Óg.
Aengus recognized Etain, but didn't inform Midhir. He built a crystal bowl for her and took her everywhere. She became prettier and prettier because of the plants that Aengus gave her.
Faumnach find out that Etain is with Aengus, so she invites him over to visit Midhir. Once Aengus is gone, she sends another wind that sweeps Etain for another seven years, until she fell to the fort of Etar the warrior. When she fell there she fell into the cup of Etar's wife, who swallowed her. Etain then fertilized Etar's wife's wind, and she gave birth to a girl named Etain.
When Aengus returned to his home he realized what Faumnach had done, so he told Midhir about it. Aengus finds Faumnach and Breisle and kills them both.
Eoai, who was king of Ireland, was looking to a wife. So he sent his horsemen around to find the most beautiful girl. They found Etain.
Eoai saw Etain and immediately fell in love with her. They got married.
Aillil, Eoai's brother, also fell in love with Etain. Aillil soon fell sick from love and Etain had to take care of him. Promising to cure him completely, se promises him to meet him at dawn but he never arrived. This happened three times, and each time she saw a man. That man was Midhir, who finally asked her to come with him by telling her that she used to be his wife, but she refused. She only agreed to go with him if Eoai consented.
Midhir challenges Eoai to a game of chess. Midhir wins after many tries, and the wager they had made was a kiss from Etain. So he had Eoai's consent and took Etain. They left the castle as swans in order to avoid the guards.
A 9 year war started after that. At the end Eoai takes Etain back.
Etain of the horses - wife of Midhir.
Midhir - the mystic lord of Brileith.
Faumnach - Midhir's other wife. She was jealous of Etain's beauty.
Breisle Etarlamh - Druid that helps Faumnach.
Aengus Óg - son of Dagda Mor. Fostered by Midhir.
Eoai Aireman - King of Ireland
Aillil - Eoai's brother
Summary:
Faumnach was jealous of Etain. So she and Breisle turn Etain into a dragon fly and blew her away with the wind. This wind carried her around for seven years, until she reached the palace of Aengus Óg.
Aengus recognized Etain, but didn't inform Midhir. He built a crystal bowl for her and took her everywhere. She became prettier and prettier because of the plants that Aengus gave her.
Faumnach find out that Etain is with Aengus, so she invites him over to visit Midhir. Once Aengus is gone, she sends another wind that sweeps Etain for another seven years, until she fell to the fort of Etar the warrior. When she fell there she fell into the cup of Etar's wife, who swallowed her. Etain then fertilized Etar's wife's wind, and she gave birth to a girl named Etain.
When Aengus returned to his home he realized what Faumnach had done, so he told Midhir about it. Aengus finds Faumnach and Breisle and kills them both.
Eoai, who was king of Ireland, was looking to a wife. So he sent his horsemen around to find the most beautiful girl. They found Etain.
Eoai saw Etain and immediately fell in love with her. They got married.
Aillil, Eoai's brother, also fell in love with Etain. Aillil soon fell sick from love and Etain had to take care of him. Promising to cure him completely, se promises him to meet him at dawn but he never arrived. This happened three times, and each time she saw a man. That man was Midhir, who finally asked her to come with him by telling her that she used to be his wife, but she refused. She only agreed to go with him if Eoai consented.
Midhir challenges Eoai to a game of chess. Midhir wins after many tries, and the wager they had made was a kiss from Etain. So he had Eoai's consent and took Etain. They left the castle as swans in order to avoid the guards.
A 9 year war started after that. At the end Eoai takes Etain back.