#cath maige tuired

[irelandseyeonmythology]

Every time I see someone claim that Elizabeth Gray deliberately censored her edition and translation of Cath Maige Tuired, I nearly combust with pure indignation on her behalf -- Like, Elizabeth Gray is NOT a prude, she was the FIRST Anglophone academic (the Germans did it first, fwiw) to translate ALL the raunchy bits.

The reason why there are passages that weren't translated is that they're rosc passages that are NOTORIOUSLY difficult to translate and Elizabeth was working...pre-internet. (And, honestly...seeing other attempts at translations...with respect...those are not translations. Those are word salads. Hence why Gray. Did not do them.) And she gave our ungrateful asses an index of all the appearances of the Tuatha Dé across the medieval Irish literary tradition, which, to this day, is STILL the most complete account we have and is a resource I use all the time....which she did...PRE-INTERNET.

(Also as a sidenote, she was and remains a mentor to a number of people in the field and influenced a number of Celticists from the 1980s-1990s who went on to have their own grad students and mentees, so I can very confidently say that the field would not be the same if it wasn't for her.)

#cath maige tuired #irish mythology #keep my academic grandma's name out of your mouths #unless it's to go down on your hands and knees and thank her for her contribution to the study of medieval irish literature

[wickedlittlecritta]

can we talk about the curse of binding urine in the bodies of men and horses

#cath maige tuired #irish mythology

[tuatha-de-danann-blog]

Dían Cécht

"11 In that battle there the arm of Nuada was hewn off...Dían Cécht[9] the physician put on him a silver arm with the movement of any other arm"

"35 After that Dían Cécht buried Míach and three hundred and 65 herbs grew up through the burial place, under the full number of his joints and fibers. Afterwards Airmed[29] unfolded her mantle and separated the herbs there according to their proper order. Dían Cécht came and mixed the herbs, so that no one knows the healing properties."

"98 'And you, oh Dían Cécht,' said Lugh, 'What power can you control?' 99 'Not hard,' he said: 'Any man who is injured there, unless his head is cut from him, or except if the membrane of his brain or his spinal cord is cut, he will be whole in the battle the following day.'" [Via an enchanted well]

-Cath Maige Tuired, English translation by Morgan Daimler

#irish mythology #tuatha de danann #pagan #irish myth #irish lore #mythology #paganism #celtic myth #dian cecht #morgan daimler #cath maige tuired

[libraryleopard]

poor little meow meow bres mac elathan

#sorry it's cath maige tuired week in the irish myth class i teach again #lulu speaks #irish mythology #mythology #cath maige tuired #bres mac elathan #lulu talks irish mythology #lulu talks mythology

[wyrmmound]

Ruadán, dead

The blood pooling in the grass, the body curled like a newborn babe. Silence. Ruadán, dead, the spear rising so terribly, the thread of the Formoire wet and dark. "The world

will not be dear to me," Macha warns, but does she know the world is no longer dear to you, Mother? Your boy (your darling boy!), now just another pallid and lifeless corpse. You set his body gently

down and release upon the world a grief that shakes the land. The air crackles. The gods fall to their knees. The sea runs dry. There is nothing like the anguish of a mother. You begin to sing, and your song sets the trees ablaze, commands the universe to fold and weep: Ruadán, dead! Why? Why? And for the first time crying and shrieking were heard in Éirinn.

********

learning the petrarchan sonnet rhyme scheme with brigid 🌿

#brigid #poetry #devotional poetry #irish paganism #irish mythology #irish reconstructionist #irish polytheism #gaelic paganism #gaelic polytheism #gael pol #cath maige tuired #the second battle of maige tuired

[blackcrowing]

Important Facts about Samhain from an Irish Celtic Reconstructionist

Pronunciation

SOW-in or SOW-een ~NOT~ Sam-han, Sam-win etc.

Dates

Most reconstructionists celebrate Samhain on Oct 31-Nov 1, however some may choose to celebrate on Gregorian Nov 13-14 as this would match the Julian dates of Oct 31-Nov 1. Some also believe that it was a three day festival spanning Oct 31- Nov 2 on which Nov 2 is specifically devoted to ancestral veneration, but there is no specific evidence of this, only possible extrapolation from more modern practices.

Following the Celtic method of days beginning at sunset, regardless of the specific dates you choose to celebrate on your festivities should begin at sunset and end at sunset.

Importance in the Mythos

Ná Morrighan has a strong connection to this time of year thanks to the story of Cath Dédenach Maige Tuired (The Last Battle of Mag Tuired) in which she is found depicted as the ‘Washing Woman’ (sometimes washing herself in the river and other times washing the bloodied armor of the soldiers that would die that day), on the eve of the battle which is also Samhain. The Dagda approaches her and couples with her (creating the ‘Bed of the Couples’ along the bank of river and granting Dagda her blessing in the battle to come). This encounter seems to over emphasize the liminality of the encounter by taking place during the changing of the year and with the couple each standing with ‘one foot on either bank’ of the river.

She and her sisters (Badb and Macha) then use various forms of magic to rain destruction on their enemies (in the form of fire and blood). After the day is won Morrighan speaks a prophecy that describes what is taken by some to be the end of days and others to be the events which will later lead to the Ulster Cycle.

Beneath the peaceful heavens lies the land. It rests beneath the bowl of the bright sky. The land lies, itself a dish, a cup of honeyed strength, there, for the taking, offering strength to each There it lies, the splendour of the land. The land is like a mead worth the brewing, worth the drinking. It stores for us the gifts of summer even in winter. It protects and armours us, a spear upon a shield Here we can make for ourselves strong places, the fist holding the shield Here we can build safe places, our spear-bristling enclosures. This is where we will turn the earth. This is where we will stay. And here will our children live to the third of three generations Here there will be a forest point of field fences The horn counting of many cows And the encircling of many fields There will be sheltering trees So fodderful of beech mast that the trees themselves will be weary with the weight. In this land will come abundance bringing: Wealth for our children Every boy a warrior, Every watch dog, warrior-fierce The wood of every tree, spear-worthy The fire from every stone a molten spear-stream Every stone a firm foundation Every field full of cows Every cow calf-fertile Our land shall be rich with banks in birdsong Grey deer before Spring And fruitful Autumns The plain shall be thronged from the hills to the shore. Full and fertile. And as time runs its sharp and shadowy journey, this shall be true. This shall be the story of the land and its people We shall have peace beneath the heavens. Forever

(based on the translation by Isolde Carmody)

It is also mentioned in Echtra Cormaic that on this festival every seven years the high king would host a feast, it was at this time new laws could be enacted. (but it seems that individual Tuathas or possibly kings of the individual providence may have done this for their territories at Lughnasadh).

It seems to be a time considered especially susceptible to (or of) great change as it is the time which the Tuatha de Danann win victory over the Formorians and take control of Ireland, the invasion of Ulster takes place at this time in Táin bo Cúailnge, in Aislinge Óengusa Óengus and his bride-to-be are changed from bird to human and eventually he claims kingship of Brú na Bóinne at this time of year.

Celebration Traditions

Samhain is the beginning of the “dark half” of the year and is widely regarded as the Insular Celtic equivalent of the New Year. The “dark half” of the year was a time for story telling, in fact in this half of the year after dark is considered the only acceptable time to tell stories from the mythological and Ulster cycle (the Fenian cycle being assumed to be no older than the 12th century based on linguistic dating). Traditionally anything that had not been harvested or gathered by the time of this festival was to be left, as it now belonged to the Fae (in some areas specifically the Púca).

This was also an important time for warding off ill luck in the coming year. Large bonfires would be built and as the cattle were driven back into the community from the pastures they would be walked between these bonfires as a method of purification (the reverse custom of Bealtaine where the livestock were walked between the fires on their way out to the summer pastures). Assumed ritualistic slaughter of some of the herd would follow (though this perhaps had the more practical purpose of thinning the herd before the winter and creating enough food for the feasting). In some areas the ashes from these fires would be worn, thrown or spread as a further way to ward off evil.

Homes would be ritualistically protected from the Aos Sí (Fae or ‘Spirits’) through methods such as offerings of food (generally leaving some of the feasting outside for them), carving turnips with scary faces to warn them off (we now tend to do this with gourds), and smoke cleansing the home (in Scottish saining) traditionally with juniper, but perhaps rowan or birch might be an acceptable alternative. It is likely these would be part of the components used in Samhain bonfires as well, for the same reason.

Lastly based on later traditions as well as links in the mythology this is a time where divination practices or those with the ‘second sight’ were regarded to be especially potent.

Art Credit @morpheus-ravenna

#samhain #irish #irish mythology #irish polytheism #irish paganism #celtic reconstructionism #celtic paganism #celtic polytheism #na morrigna #the morrígan #the dagda #fire festival #blackcrowing #Irish reconstructionist

[aodhan-art]

Celtober 2023 Days 10, 11 and 12: Siblings, Medicine, Sacrifice

Now Núadu was being treated, and Dían Cécht put a silver hand on him which had the movement of any other hand. But his son Míach did not like that. He went to the hand and said ‘joint to joint of it, and sinew to sinew’; and he healed it in nine days and nights. The first three days he carried it against his side, and it became covered with skin. The second three days he carried it against his chest. The third three days he would cast white wisps of black bulrushes after they had been blackened in a fire.

Dían Cécht did not like that cure. He hurled a sword at the crown of his son's head and cut his skin to the flesh. The young man healed it by means of his skill. He struck him again and cut his flesh until he reached the bone. The young man healed it by the same means. He struck the third blow and reached the membrane of his brain. The young man healed this too by the same means. Then he struck the fourth blow and cut out the brain, so that Míach died; and Dían Cécht said that no physician could heal him of that blow.

After that, Míach was buried by Dían Cécht, and three hundred and sixty-five herbs grew through the grave, corresponding to the number of his joints and sinews. Then Airmed spread her cloak and uprooted those herbs according to their properties.

Cath Maige Tuired

#it is my head canon that Airmed tried to raise her brother from the dead with same necromancy that Míach used for Nuada's hand #celtober #celtober 2023 #inktober #inktober 2023 #artists on tumblr #irish mythology #celtic paganism #airmed #airmid #dian cecht #miach #inktober day 12 #inktober day 10 #inktober day 11 #samhain #tuatha de danann #aodhan morris #my art

[trans-cuchulainn]

I just got to reading a translation of "The wooing of Emer" online. Why is no-one (especially the online encyclopedias) talking about the fact Emer is fomorian?

why aren't the online encyclopaedias talking about it: bc they are not that useful for medieval irish literature most of the time, tbh, being heavily simplified and reliant on secondary sources that are often themselves not particularly reliable (although there have been efforts to improve some pages inc. wikipedia pages). loads of fun details missing from them, always

why isn't anyone else talking about it: eh. probably two main reasons

there's a lot of it around. cú chulainn's got a fomorian grandma (on lug's side) and no one ever really talks about that either. it's not that big a deal. i'm sure he's not the only one; can't throw a rock around here without hitting someone with a fomorian uncle or something. there's a lot more overlap / interaction between them and the tuatha dé danann than a simple oppositional binary would suggest, and family trees get fucky in general. being related to the fomoire doesn't automatically = being fomorian yourself bc belonging and kin-groups and stuff are a bit more complicated than that

i'm pretty sure it's only mentioned in tochmarc emire and only in passing and not directly in relation to emer herself, so it's easily overlooked even if you're dealing with that text and a lot of people will be dealing with other texts. it's also only in the later, longer redaction of the text and not in the earliest one, although so are a lot of things. if the authors thought it was important as part of her heritage -- whether they saw it as a good or a bad thing -- they would bring it up more often, but TE seems to be the only one that bothers to give background information about forgall's family tree, so mostly it looks like they think it's not that relevant. (although as it is not a particular focus of mine, it's entirely possible it comes up somewhere else and i just haven't noticed)

e.g. you might expect it to come up in fled bricrenn but it doesn't

sidenote: why the fuck henderson translations "ben ind fir as dech" as "wife of the best wight" i have no idea. it's just "fer"! it's just man! why are you trying to make cú chulainn sound even weirder than usual! it's a mystery to me. other than the fact it's from 1899 and people did whatever they wanted at that point tbh

(the parenthetical explaining the meaning of "Manach" is also editorial and not in the Irish; the meaning "tricky" may be more suitable bc it might have something to do with clessa, but that's getting into my friend emmet's in-progress research so i won't delve deeper there)

also, tethra, who is supposedly forgall's uncle in TE and who is described in the text as a "king of the fomoire" is a bit of a weird one iirc and there's potentially more going on with him than that phrasing suggests, although i can't remember the details and that's getting into cath maige tuired territory, at which point you're better off asking @margridarnauds bc it's not a topic i know a huge amount about

finally i'll be honest another factor is probably that there hasn't been a huge amount written about emer as a character. there's been a lot written about texts that she's in and her function there, but less on her just like, as a person (bc medieval celtic studies is a very small field, there are a lot of texts and characters, and there hasn't been that much written about anyone really). so lots of things don't get talked about. doesn't mean they're not worth talking about. just means nobody's got around to it yet.

#i was gonna use serglige con culainn as an example of another text where it could be mentioned and isn't #but then remembered for half that text cu chulainn's wife is somebody else entirely #and it only switches to being emer in the second fragment #so any genealogical material would probably have got lost anyway #side note i am extremely Not Well right now so if any of this doesn't make sense i'm sorry i'm sick af #answered #gawrkin #tochmarc emire #ulster cycle #also sorry @margridarnauds for yeeting all CMT questions in your direction still #i continue not to know anything much about it and you are my go-to CMT-and-related-texts person #feel free to ignore all such tags tho

[coinandcandle]

The Morrigan Deity Guide

This is a re-do in the "deity deep dive" format of my original Morrigan post!

Who is The Morrigan?

The Morrigan is the ancient Irish Triple, or tripartite, of war and death, but she is also goddess of sovereignty, the land, and prophecy.

The name Morrigan, or Morrigu, is the anglicized version of the Gaelic name Mór-Ríoghain, which means "Great Queen" in modern Irish.

The old name has been linked to the proto-indo-european word Mór (terror) and Ríoghain could relate to the Latin word Regina (queen). (Wiktionary)

It’s debated whether she is one deity with three aspects or if these three aspects are sisters that create a triple goddess.

If they are sisters, their names are likely Macha, Nemain, and The Morrigan, their collective title being The Morrigu or The Morrigna. (The spelling of these will differ throughout your research if you choose to do your own after this post)

Their names could also be Macha, Nemain, and Badb, though the name “Badb” may have been a title for spirits/gods who wrought havoc on the battlefields and incited terror in the opposing side. (See “The Ancient Irish Goddess of War” in references for more info).

Other names involved with these sisters are Anand and Fea.

It’s not unlikely that The Morrigan’s identity would change between the many different groups in Ireland throughout time.

Parents and Siblings

Her mother is Ernmas, father is unknown.

Siblings have included Ériu, Banba, and Fódla, who make up the triple goddess of spirit and sovereignty of Ireland.

As well as Gnim, Coscar, Fiacha, and Ollom, as her brothers.

Lovers or Partners

The Dagda, with whom her relationship is of great importance for the Irish holiday Samhain.

In some iterations of her lore the Morrigan falls for Irish Hero Cú Chulainn but her feelings are not returned.

Children

Mechi, who has three hearts that each contain a serpent.

Epithets

The Goddess of Death

Morrígu

The Morrighan

The Great Queen

Phantom Queen

Badb-Catha

Nightmare Queen

The Washer at the Ford

Notes

Due to the many myths and legends surrounding The Morrigan and she is also associated with the Fae and the Banshee—a creature that generally takes on the form of an old woman who wails in mourning to announce the coming death of someone in the family.

The Morrigan is most notoriously a shape shifter and deity of magic.

In modern day paganism and witchcraft, some choose to worship The Morrigan as one deity with the sisters as aspects, others choose to worship her as a triple goddess consisting of three sisters. Neither of these can be said to be entirely right or wrong and vary from person to person, even from an academic point of view.

Though there are similar beings throughout Celtic mythology, The Morrigan is unique to Irish mythology.

Stories that prominently feature the Morrígan include Táin Bó Cúailgne (The Cattle Raid of Cooley), Cath Maige Tuired (The First and Second Battles of Moytura), and Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland). (Mythopedia)

Fulacht na Mór Ríoghna (Cooking Pit of the Morrígan) in County Tipperary, and two hills in County Meath known as Da Cích na Morrígna (Two Breasts of the Morrígan) are both locations in Ireland linked to The Morrigan.

Modern Deity Work

Correspondences

Disclaimer - Many of these are not traditional or historic correspondences nor do they need to be. However, any correspondence that can be considered traditional will be marked with a (T).

Rocks/Stone/Crystals

Obsidian

Onyx

Silver

Carnelian

Deep green, black and red stones/crystals

Herbs/Plants

Dragon’s Blood

Apples

Nightshade

Roses

Cedar

Cloves

Mugwort

Belladonna

Juniper

Animals

Crow (T)

Eel (T)

Cow (T)

Horse (T)

Wolf (T)

Raven

Symbols

Triple spiral

Crow

Offerings

Blood (be careful with this please!!)

Wine or Mead

The stones and herbs listed above

Imagery of the animals or symbols listed above

Food that you’ve made or a portion of your meal

Jewelry

Art made of her or inspired by her

Coins

Honey

Dark chocolate

Candles and/or wax melts; incense

Meat

Milk

Note: If you’d like your offering to be a bit more traditional, try burying it or sending it down a stream, but only if it is safe for the environment if you do so!

Acts of Devotion

Exercise/Work out (especially if it's challenging!)

Activism

Read/write poetry for her

Research her

Celebrate Samhain

Take up a competitive sport or activity

Standing up for yourself

Keep in mind that these are only some ideas for offerings and correspondences! Items and activities that connect you to her in a more personal way are just as good, and often better, than those you find on the internet. As with any relationship, feel it out, ask questions, and be attentive and receptive!

References and Further Reading

The Morrigan - World History Encyclopedia

The Ancient Irish Goddess of War by WM Hennessey (via Sacred-Texts)

The Morrigan - Druidry.org

The Book of the Great Queen by Morpheus Ravenna

The Morrigan - Mythopedia (Mythopedia also has a bunch of references and further reading of their own that I suggest you look at if you’d like to do your own research!)

#the morrigan #deity deep dive #irish goddess #paganism #deity work #deity guide #witchcraft #grimoire #witchblr

[wanderingsorcerer]

CELTIC FOLKLORE&MYTHOLOGY 101

The Celts have a rich and beautiful history but one that is filled with many sorrows as well. From the invasion of the Roman Armies , to the forced conversion to christianity. Many of what we know now about the pre-colonization of the celtic people are through the "surviving" stories written by the Romans which occupied the lands and later the christian scribes of the middle ages. Some myths have only survived as stories passed down through Oral Traditions. Or through adopting Christian Attributes.

But even then, what has survived is but a mere fraction of what used to be, most surviving Celtic mythology belongs to the Insular Celtic peoples (the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland; the Celtic Britons of western Britain and Brittany).  When it comes to written folklore and mythologies  of the celtic people, the Irish have the largest written myths in the region only seconded by the written Welsh mythologies.

Today we will be focusing mainly on the Irish and Welsh Folklore and Mythology

Below I will list some of the names of the deities and spirits found throughout the Irish Folklore and Mythos

Morrigan- Shape shifting Goddess Who Hovered over the battlefields as a crow or raven

Danu- Irish Mother Goddess

Dagda-Irish God Of Life and Death as well as Magick, Married to Morrigan

Brigid - Celtic Goddess of Fire, Poetry, Cattle and patroness of smiths

Arwan- God of the Celtic underworld

Taranis- God Of Thunder

Excerpt from wikipedia

IRISH MYTHOLOGY The myths are conventionally grouped into 'cycles'. The Mythological Cycle, or Cycle of the Gods, consists of tales and poems about the god-like Túatha Dé Danann and other mythical races.[6] Many of the Tuath Dé are thought to represent Irish deities. They are often depicted as kings, queens, druids, bards, warriors, heroes, healers and craftsmen who have supernatural powers.  Prominent members of the Tuath Dé include The Dagda ("the great god"), who seems to have been the chief god; The Morrígan ("the great queen" or "phantom queen"), a triple goddess associated with war, fate and sovereignty; Lugh; Nuada; Aengus; Brigid; Manannán; Dian Cecht the healer; and Goibniu the smith, one of the Trí Dé Dána ("three gods of craft"). Their traditional rivals are the monstrous Fomorians (Fomoire), whom the Tuath Dé defeat in the Cath Maige Tuired ("Battle of Moytura").  Other important works in the cycle are the Lebor Gabála Érenn ("Book of Invasions"), a legendary history of Ireland, and the Aided Chlainne Lir ("Children of Lir"). WELSH FOLKLORE & MYTHOLOGY Important reflexes of British mythology appear in the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, especially in the names of several characters, such as Rhiannon, Teyrnon, and Brân the Blessed (Bendigeidfran, "Bran [Crow] the Blessed"). Other characters, in all likelihood, derive from mythological sources, and various episodes, such as the appearance of Arawn, a king of the Otherworld seeking the aid of a mortal in his own feuds, and the tale of the hero who cannot be killed except under seemingly contradictory circumstances, can be traced throughout Proto-Indo-European mythology. The children of Llŷr ("Sea" = Irish Ler) in the Second and Third Branches, and the children of Dôn (Danu in Irish and earlier Indo-European tradition) in the Fourth Branch are major figures, but the tales themselves are not primary mythology. While further mythological names and references appear elsewhere in Welsh narrative and tradition, especially in the tale of Culhwch and Olwen, where we find, for example, Mabon ap Modron ("Divine Son of the Divine Mother"), and in the collected Welsh Triads, not enough is known of the British mythological background to reconstruct either a narrative of creation or a coherent pantheon of British deities. Indeed, though there is much in common with Irish myth, there may have been no unified British mythological tradition per se. Whatever its ultimate origins, the surviving material has been put to good use in the service of literary masterpieces that address the cultural concerns of Wales in the early and later Middle Ages.

The celtic traditions and their pagan Practitioners in the modern age.

One example of the modern practitioners which have celtic roots as a basis for their religion would be the New Druidic Movement of the 21st Century.

Born from the need of many who wish to delve deeper into their roots they've taken the historical context of the original druids of the Iron Age and have matched it closer with new age spirituality.

Druid~

The Old Irish form was "drui", and in Modern Irish and Gaelic the word is "draoi" or "druadh" (magician, sorcerer). 

These New Druids take inspiration from the mythologies from all around the celtic regions, Ireland , Scotland, wales , Britannia. And brings them together to create what is now the new Druidic Order.

They are primarily animistic , ( All things in nature hold a spirit) and the majority of druids in this new order are also polytheistic. They hold Great Reverence towards the spirits of the land and the magick of the land of their ancestral Homeland.

Antiquity Does not mean authenticity, things don't need to be ancient in order for them to feel powerful and tangible to the practitioner. Druids as a living practice is an extension of the culture of the celtic people.

And as such it is not claiming to be the druids of the past, (as we have very little information on their practices and how they lived.) But as a cultural movement they strive to be the stewards of Folklore and Folk practices for the coming generations.

If you would like to learn more on the Druidic Faith and the nuances of specifically WELSH Druidic Faith take this course into consideration from the Anglesey Druidic order

Welsh Celtic Witchcraft

This is honestly something which holds great value in learning more about as it pertains to the extension of knowledge outside Of the perceived Celtic Belief Systems,

In Welsh folk practices , Witches and Magickal practitioners were apart of daily life , Healer and wise woman whose power was said to come from Magickal Tomes which held spirits of demons and fairies inside.

Folk practices in Wales include the CURSING WELLS Ffynon Elian, Fairy Mounds .

A Great many different curses passed down from family to family, a famous Curse going around the internet is the One In Which a woman who is angered pulls out their TIT and Curses a man To Meet an Untimely Demise. Don't worry they usually deserved it.

There are so many beautiful and wonderful Folk Practices in Wales and Celtic practices in which I can't cover here but if you want to learn more and have a vested interest in the occult practices of other cultures give me a follow.

For more information on Wales Folklore in Video Format Visit The Below Youtube Channel :)

And if you would like to support the above Practitioner Mhara Starling I will link their book Here for Purchase. They go in depth on the folklore and occult practices of the Welsh people

#celtic folklore #incense #ancient #burial #animism #celtic #pagan #pagan witch #witchblr #wicca #witchcraft #paganism #paganlife #paganblr #pagan altar #witch #witchy vibes #witches #magus #magi #magick #spells #folklore #WanderingSorcerer

[ire-ethereal]

The Morrigan

The Phantom Queen, Irish Pagan Goddess of War and Fate. A mysterious goddess of witches and warriors. Much can be said of The Morrigan, and there are many interpretations of her nature and domains; the illustration I offer you is my own.

I was inspired by a scene from Irish Mythology in the Cath Maige Tuired where she takes the blood from the heart of Indech, the enemy Fomorian king, as part of some sort of brutal ritual of war. This occurred not long after Samhain.

#pagan #goddess #the morrigan #mythology #heathen #witch #warrior #war #fate #celtic paganism #celtic #irish #samhain #crows #illustration #celtic art

[margridarnauds]

what makes bres such a special boy to you

I mean, you know better than almost anyone how long he's been following me, how long I've been following him. I've been to this man's grave site, like. Within the next year, I intend to have visited this man's fortress, or what's left of it. I've crossed oceans for him, multiple times. I've argued for him, consistently, advocated for him, and, if nothing else, I can say that, if people think I'm obsessed or one-note, they HAVE had to think about him. He has changed my life and he's continued to change my life, and the way I understand him now isn't the way I first understood him when I was 14, which won't be how I understand him when I'm 40. In some ways, you could say that he and I have grown up together.

And...there's a lot to draw me to him. As a character, he's fascinating, because from the evidence we have, the villainous depiction of him in Cath Maige Tuired, his main text, is a recent development -- it SEEMS most likely that he was a prominent literary figure who was viewed positively, but because the author of CMT wanted to make a political point, he was made into an anti-king character, a villain to represent the ultimate degradation of the social order. Even there, he's isn't what you'd expect from a tyrant figure -- he isn't BLOODTHIRSTY. An entitled brat, yes, but not bloodthirsty. Not sexually predatory.

When I first started working with him, I pictured him as this kind of seductive, bad boy character. His goal was to act as this figure of temptation for a (now cut) OC of mine. But the problem was that, the more I looked into him, the more it didn't work. But I kept working with him, kept fiddling with him, looking into more texts, and I think that it finally set in for me when I was 16, and I had just cut off contact with my father. And I was...I wasn't a wreck -- after the initial crying fit was over, I was more angry than anything else, as I recall, but I was a little lost. Like, here was this image of a family that I'd had in my head, this image of a relationship with my father that I'd never have, and it was gone.

And I was rereading Cath Maige Tuired, and I distinctly remember reading Bres seeing his own father for the first time, after his father essentially asks him why the fuck he's bothering to go to him in Lochlann, doesn't he have a kingdom of his own, and thinking about Bres' response: "I have a question then: what advice do you have for me?"

And I remember reading it, for the first time, not as something snarky, not as him being stupid, but him being lost. This young man, possibly no more than 25, visiting his father for the first time, probably having all these preconceptions about this man, and his response to him is "Why are you here? What are you doing here? Why are you invading my life?" Scholarship is overwhelmingly sympathetic to Elatha in this scene; it thinks that Bres is the unworthy son of a great father. I read it and I see a creation looking at its creator and going "do you have anything useful to give me? You created me, why?" Bres is a Frankenstein story, he's created by Elatha, had this name put on him by Elatha, and then summarily abandoned to his fate.

And as I got older, as I developed myself a little bit more, as I learned that Celtic Studies was a FIELD, I remember reading John Carey's Myth and Mythography in Cath Maige Tuired, where he made the argument that Bres was originally a positive figure but also pointed out that Bres fulfills an ungodly number of traits associated with the Irish HERO. It was also...interesting to me, the more work I did, how often that women come up in Bres' life, how the women of the tribe support him in the kingship, how his mother is his closest relationship in the text, and that hit me VERY hard in the "raised by a single parent." (I've also done a lot of thinking about how he's queered by that connection to the women, how it's a way of showing that he doesn't live up to the standards of masculinity in medieval Ireland, because Bres was ALWAYS for the girls and the gays.) That was what spurred me onto my undergrad, where I did a lot of work on Bres' fall from literary grace, where I also developed the idea for my MA thesis. I think it's easy, when looking at this grand, heroic texts to focus on the hero -- because we want to BE like the hero, don't we? The hero exemplifies society, exemplifies those neat little categories. We want to be effortlessly skilled, or charismatic, or beautiful, but what happens when, for whatever reason, you fail? What happens when you're Salieri and not Mozart? And CMT is a text that is BIG on parallels -- there are so many ways that Lugh, Bres, and Nuada parallel and contrast one another, they're built up deliberately as foils to one another. So, I understand why Lugh is more popular, but I'm more interested in Bres because I think he's the more realistic, the more human of the two of them. He's a man who isn't a monster, who isn't portrayed in the text as a monster, but he isn't enough, even when he tries, and possibly never could be, and who ends up becoming the Tuatha Dé's own rabid dog, turning against his masters. It's great to like Lugh, to admire Lugh (even though he IS murderous in other texts), but how many of us are more like Bres than Lugh, at the end of the day?

I also dealt more, during my undergrad, with OTHER texts where he shows up, often more positively. His relationship with Sreng in the First Battle was really interesting to me, seeing Bres develop this positive relationship with someone else from another tribe, seeing him genuinely experience friendship, even if it's for a little while, even if it's bittersweet because they have to fight one another. There's the reference in his death tale to him dying "without successful progeny" -- he outlived his children, and we see his son die in CMT "in his father's presence" -- Bres literally watched his son die in front of him due to an order *either he or the rest of the Fomorian leadership gave* and he is STILL dehumanized in depictions of him, with some adaptations even having him coldly have Ruadán die at his feet.

And then, as I was rereading CMT in the Old Irish a couple of years ago, I made the realization that he is actually described as a "mac" -- a boy. He's this symbol of corruption and failure but he's also neurodivergent and a minor a *child* -- whose fault is it more? The child for ruling poorly, or the adults who put him in that situation in the first place? By the time he takes revenge, sure, he's an adult, he's responsible for everything he does, but he starts this out as a potentially seven year old boy king, where no one wanted him in that position because he was replacing a very popular king suddenly.

So. He haunts me. I think he always will. I don't see a time when I'll ever stop being haunted by him. Like, I've entwined my life around his and...I'm kind of okay with that. I do a lot more than just him, but I also think that he's the first association people usually have with me, and...that's okay. That's a kind of immortality too, isn't it? To tie yourself that tightly to something that's lasted for a thousand years? I'm very happy to chase him for another few decades, though who knows if I'll ever fully understand him, because I think, in order to do that, I'd have to understand myself, every single part of my soul, as well as fully understanding the souls of the various scribes in medieval Ireland who wrote down these stories, and that's an impossible task.

In other words, "this thing of darkness, I acknowledge mine."

#bres mac elathan #long post

[tuatha-de-danann-blog]

The Real Mother of the Gods

Random internet articles will tell you how Danu is the mother of the Irish gods, like some overarching ancestral figure.

When reading the actual lore, this idea is pretty false. There may be a Danand, mother to three gods, but no great Danu. This is even argued, as a better translation may reveal they are three gods of skill, the word for skill confused or made into the name of a goddess.

While I was reading the verse portion of the Lebor Gabála Érenn volume 4 (LGE) on the tuatha, I discovered something interesting. Ethniu is named as mother to seven of the major gods: Luichtaine, Creidne, Goibnu, Dian Cecht, Nuada, Dagda, and Lugh.

Additionally, in the Cath Maige Tuired, if I am not mistaken, Ogma is named as one of her sons.

It is a shame this isn't discussed more. The prose text of the LGE does not mention this either. It mostly recounts who is the father to whom.

Ethniu is daughter of Balor, a Fomorian king. The Fomorians share ancestors with the gods, and live on islands close to Ireland.

Folk or fairy tales tell how Balor heard a prophecy that his grandson would kill him, so he locked Ethniu up, surrounded only by women, until a man looking for a magic cow Balor stole sneaks in and she gets pregnant with Lugh.

In the LGE it is mentioned she is given to Cian, a god, in marriage and they have Lugh.

But turning to the verse texts in the LGE, here is the small passage:

"They were powerful against their firm conflict,

The seven lofty great sons of Ethliu.

Dagda, Dian Cecht, Credne the wright,

Luichne the carpenter, who was an enduring.

consummate plunderer,

Nuada who was the silver-handed,

Lug Mac Cein, Goibninn the smith."

(The names have variations of how they're spelled in the LGE.)

Her first six sons are over different skills/roles, a smith, wright, carpenter, a physician, a king, and a druid/wizard/warrior, but her son Lugh possess all of the skills and becomes the king of the gods after Nuada’s death.

I think Ethniu/Ethliu should get the credit for being mother of the gods.

#irish mythology #tuatha de danann #irish myth #pagan #irish lore #celtic myth #goddess #irish gods #witchblr

[irelandseyeonmythology]

I love how the Celtic Mythology TV Tropes page went from "Relatively accurate (after I worked hard to revise it)" to "Filled with disinformation thanks to a couple of overly active users + cracks about the pronunciation system (that aren't even accurate)"

...they were saying that "Bres" should be pronounced "Bresh."

...There is a reason why "Bres" is spelled "Breas" in modern Irish -- that is a BROAD "es", not a palatal, the palatal "s" sound "sh" does NOT apply.

It's. It's "Brigit." The name. "Brigit." She is usually called. "Brigit." In pretty much all medieval sources. Or "Bríg." Neither of which. Is...

He. He isn't confused with Eber Donn. He IS Eber Donn. Where are you getting this stuff? Where is he the son of the Dagda? Were you actually high when you wrote this?

Is the Dagda. Kind. Is he really? Or is that a headcanon to fit a specific image. Of the Dagda? (Who, in at least one story, requires multiple TWs for what he allows one of his sons to do?)

We have literally as much evidence for Tethra and Manannán being boyfriends as we have for them being on opposite ends of the war, aka none. Assuming that they're on opposite ends of the war assumes that Manannán gives a single flying fuck about the war in the first place.

Nodens is put alongside the Tuatha Dé.

Is Danu. Any of these things. Is she? (This is after I had to remove a reference to Peter Beresford Ellis' bogus "creation myth.") The previous entry discussed her ambiguity as a figure/the very real possiblity that she was never WORSHIPPED as a deity.

Not shown: The entry on Cernunnos, which said he was worshipped in IRELAND.

The entry for Branwen, that claims that she's a Welsh love goddess (?) (There is not much love in her story.) (I would not even say there is much lust.)

"Because he is a cunt."

(Is he unique? Is he really? Because there are a LOT of hot Fomoire when you think about it.) (Also...where is Elatha's sense of humor? It is non-existent.)

Really. Is that why Conchobar does it? Is that really why he does it?

Unless it is not out of character (otherwise there are a LOT of Out Of Character Conchobars) so much as a different writer (likely from Connacht) having a different take on a complex character with a complex legacy. (Who is established in the Táin as being pretty useless, tbh.) (Like, where are these "in character" Conchobars that you speak of?)

...that. Is not. How you pronounce "Fionn" with that spelling. (It's "fee-on.")

Is that what happened? I just, I just don't remember. My memory of Cath Maige Tuired is so weak that the bit where the TDD elected Bres for his beauty slipped my mind. Could anyone pull up that bit for me? Along with the bit where he helped the Fomoire invade Ireland while he was king? I just, I don't know, I'm new to this, and the language is so arcane, so obscure, I just don't remember it.

#long post #i'm tempted to assign it as extra credit to my students #'if you can prove that you made one positive edit to this page' #'i will give you bonus points'

[the-occult-lounge]

𝓐 𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓯 𝓗𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓘𝓶𝓫𝓸𝓵𝓬

Imbolc is a Celtic tradition that marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The Celtic pagan holiday falls on February 1st-2nd and heralds the change of the seasons and the shift from the dark days to the sun filled days ahead. This celebration, from information gathered from Irish poetry, dates back to early 10th century. From informaton gleamed the holiday was originally around the veginning of spring and aligned more towards rebirth. However, we can justify this with the meanjng of the word Imbolc. The holiday's name means 'in the belly of the mother' and within the earth at this time sturs the seeds of spring.

Brigid resides over this holiday and was originally worshipped by a class of poets and historians called the Filid. Brigid is a Celtic fire and fertility goddess, daughter of Dagda, lineage of the Tuath du Danann, and deemed one of the most powerful Celtic deities. It is also believed that she is a triple goddess due to the fact that she has two sisters with the same name but they seem to represent different aspects which is very much the summize of most triple deities. As time moved away from paganism Brigid was adopted into Christianity as St. Brigid and was still saint/goddess of dairy maids, cattle, midwives, newborns and nuns.

Per https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/imbolc:

"Brigid appears in the saga Cath Maige Tuired and the Lebor Gabála Érenn, a purported history of Ireland collected from various poems and texts in the 10th century."

"Myths about Brigid’s birth say she was born with a flame in her head and drank the milk of a mystical cow from the spirit world. Brigid is credited with the very first keening, a traditional wailing for the dead practiced at funerals by Irish and Scottish women."

𝓘𝓶𝓫𝓸𝓵𝓬 𝓒𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼

❀ Animals: Firebird, Dragon, Groundhog, Deer, Hare, Rabbit, Ewe, Sheep, Lamb

❀ Birds: Robin, Swan

❀ Colors: Brown, Pink, White, Red, Orange, Pale Yellow, Silver, Lavender

❀ Customs: Lighting Candles, Seeking Omens of Spring, Storytelling, Cleaning House, Bonfires, Indoor Planting, Stone Collecting, Candle kept burning dusk till dawn; hearth Re-lighting

❀ Deities: Brigid, Virgin Goddess, Venus, Diana, Februa, Maiden, Child Goddess, Aradia, Athena, Inanna, Vesta, Gaia, Selene(Greek), Cerridwen, Demeter, Persephone, Prosperpina, Vesta, Branwen(Manx-Welsh), Cernunnos, Heme, Osiris, Pan, Cupid/Eros(Greco-Roman), Dumuzi(Sumerian)

❀ Element: Earth, Fire

❀ Flowers: Yellow Flowers, White Flowers, Marigolds, Plum Blossoms, Daffodils

❀ Foods: Dairy, Spicy Foods, Raisins, Pumpkin, Sesame & Sunflower Seeds, Poppyseed Bread/Cake, Honey Cake, Pancakes, Waffles, Herbal Tea, Cheese, Spiced Wine, White Meats, Yogurt

❀ Gender: Female

❀Herbs: Acorns, Angelica, Basil, Bay, Benzoin, Blackberry, Celandine, Chamomile, Clover, Frankensense, Heather, Lavender, Myrrh, Rosemary, Willow

❀Magick Areas: Cleansing, Purification, Renewal, Creative Inspiration, Initiation, Candle Work, House & Temple Blessings, Fertility, Awakening, Protection, Truth, Wand Cleansing

❀ Other Names: Candlemas (Christian), Brigantia (Caledonii), Oimelc, Festival of Light, Brigid’s (Brid, Bride) Day, La Fheill, An Fheille Bride, Candelaria (Mexico), Chinese New Year, Disting-tid (Feb 14th, Teutonic), DisaBlot, Anagantios, Lupercalia/Lupercus (Strega), Groundhog Day please note the celebrations are similar but are vastly different when you look at the details

❀ Scents: Jasmine, Rosemary, Frankincense, Cinnamon, Neroli, Musk, Olive, Sweet Pea, Basil, Myrrh, Wisteria, Apricot, Carnation, Chamomile, Jasmine, Lavender, Rosemary

❀ Stones: Amethyst, Garnet, Onxy, Turquoise

❀ Symbols: Brigid’s Cross, Corn Dollies, Epiphanies, Candles, Lanterns, Sun Wheels

Learn more, like rituals for this holiday, at:

#occult #occultist #occultism #occulltism #occultblr #pagan #paganism #paganblr #witch #witchcraft #witchblr #spirituality #spiritualism #discord

[thequiver]

Some rough sketches of Dinah Lance as An Morrígan in my Irish Mythological Cycle AU

An Morrígan is often associated with war, tenacity, sovereignty, and victory. Here I’ve utilized golden headpieces in place of Dinah’s classic blonde wig as a way to combine the sovereignty aspect with Dinah covering her hair with something golden hued. I’ve also chosen to go with Dinah’s longer hair from the 1970s as everyone in this AU has long hair because it was the beauty standard for Late Bronze Age (LBA) Ireland. Those things on Dinah’s back are meant to be scars as the culture in LBA Ireland was to wage war/ engage in raiding for half of the year, from Imbolc to Samhain and an Morrígan is a title that is associated with war and battle for a reason.

As of the current plans Dinah will be appearing as an Morrígan for retelling of the Táin Bo Cuailnge and the Cath Maige Tuired. Because an Morrígan is a title rather than a name there are multiple figures for whom she’ll be filling in for (anywhere between 5 and 6 figures to be precise).

For the sketch on the right I referenced this drawing tutorial.

Below are some song lyrics that I think speak to the kind of role Dinah will be playing in this AU.

“I don’t want to wreck your day with the awful things I say/ I know you love the sound of my teeth on your mouth/ But don’t fuck around/ Hand me your fucking crown.”- Make Me King, The Haunt

“Screaming in the dark, I howl when we’re apart/ Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart.” - Howl, Florence + the Machine

“I’m okay, I’m not your baby/ If you think I’m pretty/ You should see me in a crown.” - You Should See Me in a Crown, Billie Eilish

#this will be fanfic #but I thought some art might make it a bit easier for y’all to catch my vibe #Dinah lance #black canary #fanart #my art