Celtic Deities

Although many of the following are already mentioned on the Pagan Gods and Goddesses lists, I felt it only fitting to give special attention to the deities of my own pantheon, together with the land of my birth, and my ancestors.  And so this page is dedicated specifically to the deities of Britain; of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

My love of this country is infinite, as is my love of the deities who grace it with their presence and guidance.  My aim is to make this list as comprehensive as possible, but I cannot do it alone.  Therefore, if there is one you cannot find here, and feel should be included, please don't hesitate to drop me a line by clicking on the image below...

= God  = Goddess Name (Pantheon) Description

Aine of Knockaine (Irish)
Pronounced Aw-ne.  Moon Goddess.  Patroness of crops and cattle.  Connected with the Summer Solstice.

Andraste (British)
A moon Goddess worshipped by Queen Boadicea/ Boudicca.

Angus Mac Og / Angus of the Brugh / Oengus of the Bruig / Angus Mac Oc (Irish)
"Young son." One of the Tuatha De Danann. He had a gold harp that made irresistibly sweet music. His kisses became birds carrying love messages. He had a brugh (fairy palace) on the banks of the Boyne. God of youth, love and beauty.

Anu / Anann / Dana / Dana-Ana (Irish)
Goddess of plenty, another aspect of the Morrigu: Mother Earth; Great Goddess; greatest of all Goddesses.  Sometimes considered part of a trinity with Badb and Macha.  Maiden aspect of the triple Goddess in Ireland.  Guardian of cattle and health. Goddess of fertility, prosperity, comfort.  Connected with the Summer Solstice.

Arawn (Welsh)
God of Annwn, the underground kingdom of the dead. Revenge, terror, war.

Arianrhod (Welsh)
"Silver Wheel"; "High fruitful Mother"; Goddess of the Stars; Goddess of the Sky; Goddess of Reincarnation; Full Moon Goddess.  Mother aspect of the Triple Goddess in Wales.  Honoured at the Full Moon. Beauty, fertility, reincarnation.  Her palace was called Caer Arianrhod (Aurora Borealis).  Keeper of the circling Silver Wheel of Stars, a symbol of time and karma.  This wheel was also known as the Oar Wheel, a ship that carried dead warriors to the Moon-land (Emania).

Badb / Badhbh / Badb Catha (Irish)
"Battle Raven"; "Scald-crow"; the cauldron of ever-producing life; War Goddess. Sister of Macha, the Morrigu and Anu. Mother Aspect in Ireland. Associated with the cauldron, crows and ravens. Life, wisdom, inspiration, enlightenment.

Banba (Irish)
Part of a triad with Fotia and Eriu. They used magic to repel invaders.

Blodeuwedd / Blodwin / Blancheflor (Welsh)
"Flower Face"; "White Flower". Lily maid of Celtic initiation ceremonies. Also known as the Ninefold Goddess of the Western Isles of Paradise. Created by Math and Gwydion as a wife for Lleu. She was changed into an owl for her adultery and plotting Lleu's death. The Maiden form of the Triple Goddess; her symbol was the owl; goddess of the Earth in bloom. Flowers, wisdom, lunar mysteries, initiations.

Boann / Boannan / Boyne (Irish)
Goddess of the river Boyne; mother of Angus mac Og by the Dagda.

Bran (Irish)
Son of Llyr and Renarddun.   Brother of the mighty Manawydan ap Llyr (Ireland, Manannan mac Lir) and Branwen.  Represented by the raven in Celtic lore. Bran is credited with prophetic powers and, like a raven, holds the gift of being far sighted. He is also said to watch over the bard and ovate offering guidance when needed. His severed head is said to reside under the Tower of London protecting the kingdom from invasion, and for that reason the ravens at the tower have their wings clipped to stop them from leaving. Arthur once dug up the head claiming that he was the sole guardian of the realm only to find the saxons began their raids, hence the Pendragon promptly replaced Bran's head to it's rightful resting place before restoring order to the land.  A giant; "raven"; "the blessed".  God of prophecy, the arts, leaders, war, the Sun, music, writing.

Branwen (Irish)
Sister of Bran the Blessed and wife of the Irish king of Matholwch. Venus of the Northern Seas; daughter of Llyr (Lir); one of the three matriarchs of Britain; Lady of the Lake (cauldron). Goddess of love and beauty.

Brigit / Brid / Brigid / Brighid / Bridget (Irish, Welsh, Spanish & French)
Her name means "High One". Daughter of the Dagda.  The Celts of Ireland knew Her as the Goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft.  Brigid is also a Triple Goddess.  High Lady Goddess of the inner flame of life, nature and creation.  Appears young (maiden), middle- aged (mother) or old (crone) to represent all of the continuing cycles of life . Represents spiralling wheels of Nature, Life and Renewal.  Another aspect of Danu. Associated with Imbolc.  Warrior Goddess and Protectress. Goddess of fire, fertility, the hearth, all feminine arts and crafts, and martial arts. Healing, physicians, agriculture, inspiration, learning, poetry, divination, prophecy, smithcraft, animal husbandry, love, witchcraft, occult knowledge.  She is strong and wise.  Her plant association is Blackberry.  Her animal associations are Oxen and Ram.

Calleach / Caillech Beine Bric (Scottish)
Great Goddess in her Destroyer aspect; called the Veiled One.  Disease, plague, cursing. Wheat.  She is al so known as Scota, from which Scotland comes.  Originally Scotland was called Caledonia, or land given by Caillech.

Cernunnos / Kernunnos (British)
Horned God and beloved consort of the Lady.  Celtic God of fertility, animals, the otherworld and consort of the Goddess represented by the stag. Born on Alban Arthuan he is often seen holding or wearing a golden torch signifying his connection as a solar deity and the wealth he may share with others. He was portrayed sitting in a lotus position with horns or antlers on his head, long curling hair, a beard, naked except for a neck torque, and sometimes holding a spear and shield. Cernunnos would carried the spirits of the dead towards the otherworld after the hunt. Thought to oversee herds, their culling and health through mastering the elements and nature. It has been said that the divine child Mabon evolved into the Lord of Animals. Merlin has also held associations with him and taken his form.  Known to all Celtic areas in one form or another. The Horned God; God of Nature; god of the Underworld and the Astral Plane; Great Father; "the Horned One". The Druids knew him as Hu Gadarn, the Horned God of fertility.  He has also been associated with Herne.  His symbols were the stag, ram, bull, and horned serpent. Sometimes called Belatucadros and Vitiris. Virility, fertility, animals, physical love, Nature, woodlands, reincarnation, crossroads, wealth, commerce, warriors.

Cerridwen / Caridwen / Ceridwen (Welsh)
Moon Goddess; Great Mother; Harvest Goddess; Goddess of Nature, Lady of Inspiration. Goddess of Wisdom, Poetry and Grain.  Her symbol is a white sow. Also associated with the Dark Mother aspect of the Crone.  Death, fertility, regeneration, inspiration, magic, astrology, herbs, science, poetry, spells, knowledge.  Her plant associations are Vervain and Acorns.

Creiddylad / Creudylad / Cordelia (Welsh)
Daughter of the sea god Llyr. Connected with Beltane and often called the May Queen. Goddess of summer flowers. Love and flowers.

Dagda (Irish)
The Irish father God of the Earth is known to mate with the Morrigan, Goddess of death at Samhuinn, he is the keeper of the horn of plenty and the harp of seasons. A fearsome warrior whose club can renew life as well as kill, together with Ogma and Lugh he helped defeat the Formorians for the Tuatha De Danaan. His name translates as the "Good God" though more for his skills than his actions in spite of the fact that he is stated as being a wise elder. Druids see him as a God of wisdom, with extreme power, abundance and the ability to restore life, a belief sacred to the Celts.  "The Good God"' "All-father"; Great God; Lord of the Heavens; Father of the gods and men; Lord of Life and Death; the Arch-Druid; god of magic; Earth God. High King of the Tuatha De Danann. He had four great palaces in the depths of the earth and under the hollow hills. The Dagda had several children, the most important being Brigit, Angus, Midir, Ogma and Bodb the Red. God of death and rebirth; master of all trades; lord of perfect knowledge. He had a cauldron called The Undry which supplied unlimited food. He also had a living oak harp which caused the seasons to change in their order. He was pictured wearing a brown, low-necked tunic which just reached his hips and a hooded cape that barely covered his shoulders. On his feet were horse-hide boots. Behind him he pulled his massive 8-pronged warclub on a wheel. Protection, warriors, knowledge, magic, fire, prophecy, weather, reincarnation, the arts, initiation, patron of priests, the Sun, healing, regeneration, prosperity and plenty, music, the harp. First among magicians, warriors, artisans, all knowledge.

Danu / Danann / Dana (Irish)
Mother of the gods; Great Mother; Moon Goddess. Another aspect of the Morrigu.  Patroness of wizards, rivers, water, prosperity & plenty, magic, and wisdom.

Diancecht / Dian Cecht (Irish)
Physician-magician of the Tuatha. Once he destroyed a terrible baby of the Morrigu. When he cut open the child's heart, he found three serpents that could kill anything. He killed these, burned them and threw the ashes into the nearest river. The ashes were so deadly that they made the river boil and killed everything in it. The river today is called Barrow (boiling). Diancecht had several children: sons Miach, Cian, Cethe and Cu, and a daughter Airmid. God of healing, medicine, regeneration, magic, silver-working.

Don / Domnu / Donn (Irish, Welsh)
"Deep sea"; "Abyss". Queen of the Heavens; Goddess of sea and air. Sometimes called a Goddess, sometimes a God. The equivalent of the Irish Danu. In Ireland, Don ruled over the Land of the Dead. Entrances to this Otherworld were always in a sidhe (shee) or burial mound. Control of the elements, eloquence.

Druantia (British)
Queen of the Druids.  Fir Goddess.  Fertility, passion, sexual activities, trees, protection, knowledge and creativity.

Dylan (Welsh)
Son of the Wave; god of the sea. Son of Gwydion and Arianrhod. His symbol was a silver fish.

Elaine (Welsh)
Maiden aspect of the Goddess.

Epona (Celtic)
Divine Horse/The Great She. Goddess of Horses, Asses, Mules, Oxen and, to some degree, of Springs and Rivers.  Goddess of fertility and maternity.  Protective of horses, horse breeding, prosperity, dogs, healing, springs, crops. She was especially popular with Roman soldiers. Animal associations are horses and dogs.

Eriu / Erin (Irish)
One of the three queens of the Tuatha De Danann and a daughter of the Dagda.

Fleachta of Meath (Irish)
Moon queen of Ireland.

Flidais (Irish)
Goddess of forests, woodlands, and wild things; ruler of wild beasts. She rode in a chariot drawn by deer. Shape- shifter.

Goibniu / Gofannon / Govannon (Irish, Welsh)
"Great Smith"; one of a triad of craftsmen with Luchtaine the wright and Credne the brazier. Similar to Vulcan. He forged all the Tuatha's weapons; these weapons always hit their mark and every would inflicted by them was fatal. His ale gave the Tuatha invulnerability. God of blacksmiths, weapon-makers, jewellery making, brewing fire, metalworking.

The Green Man (Celtic)
See Cernunnos. A horned deity of trees and green growing things of Earth; god of the woodlands. In Old Welsh his name is Arddhu (The Dark One), Atho, or the Horned God.

Gwydion (Welsh)
Druid of the mainland gods; son of Don; brother of Govannon, Arianrhod, Amaethon (god of agriculture). Wizard and Bard of North Wales. A many-skilled deity like Lugh. Prince of the Powers of Air; a shape-shifter. His symbol was a white horse. Greatest of the enchanters; warrior-magician. Illusion, changes. magic, the sky, healing.

Gwynn Ap Nudd (Welsh)
King of the Fairies and the underworld. Later he became king of the Plant Annwn, or subterranean fairies.

Gwythyr (Welsh)
Opposite of Gwynn ap Nudd. King of the Upper World.

Herne the Hunter/ Hunted (British)
See Cernunnos and the Horned God. Herne the Hunter has come to be associated with Windsor Forest and has taken on attributes of Gwynn ap Nudd with his Wild Hunt.

The Horned God/One (Celtic)
Opener of the Gates of Life and Death; Herne the Hunter; Cernunnos; Green Man; Lord of the Wild Hunt. The masculine, active side of Nature; Earth Father. His sacred animals were the stag, bull, goat, bear. Growing things, the forest, Nature, wild animals, alertness, annihilation, fertility, panic, desire, terror, flocks, agriculture, beer and ale. The very first deities were the White Goddess (Moon Goddess) and the Horned God.

Janus (Celtic)
Guardian of the Thresholds.  He has  two faces, facing opposite directions on his single head, symbolizing duality; an in-between state which is both sides at once. The "dweller in both worlds".  His sacred tree is the Beech, and his sacred food, mushrooms; a food which is neither plant nor mineral, thus occupying a similar niche.  Hundreds of double-faced Janus heads have been excavated throughout the old Celtic world, and most are carved from Beech or Oak wood - confirming the authentic Druidism of both phenomenon and deity.

Llyr - Lear - Lir (Irish, Welsh)
God of the sea and water, possibly of the underworld. The father of Manawyddan, Bran the Blessed and Branwen.

Lugh / Llew / Lleu / Lamhfada (lavada = of the long arm) / Lleu Llaw Gyffes (Bright one of the skilful hand) (Irish, Welsh)
Lugh of the Long Arm is celebrated at Alban Heruin and Lughnasadh. Son of Ethniu and Cian, before being fostered by Manannan and Tailtiu he is also named Samildanach due to his many skills in weapons and crafts. Lugh cared for the spear of Gorias which held the power to kill many. The Formorians attacked the Tuatha De Danaan and, when offering his assistance to those under siege, they first refused the sun God entry until they realized his many skills. Eventually Lugh became King of the Tuatha. His feast is Lughnassadh, a harvest festival. Lughnasadh celebrations pay tribute to his skills through sport and games, this is a time when the Celts would offer their thanks for his gift of summer. The Welsh know him as Llew, son of Arianrhod ruler of Caer Sidhi and Guardian of the silver wheel, aided by her brother Gwydion. Llew overcomes the threefold death placed upon him by his mother and claims the sacred throne. Lugh has inspired Celtic heroes such as Arthur, Lancelot and Cuchulainn.  The Shining One; Sun God; God of war; "many-skilled"; "fair-haired one"; "white or shining"; a hero god. Associated with ravens. His symbol was a white stag in Wales. Lugh had a magic spear and rod-sling. One of his magic hounds was obtained from the sons of Tuirenn as part of the blood fine for killing his father Cian. He was a carpenter, mason, smith, harper, poet, Druid, physician, and goldsmith. War, magic, commerce, reincarnation, lightning, water, arts and crafts, manual arts, journeys, martial arts, blacksmiths, poets, harpers, musicians, historians, sorcerers, healing, revenge, initiation, prophecy.

Mabon (Celtic)
'Sun', 'God of Youth'. Of Celtic tradition, he is the son of Modron of the Otherworld. According to legend he was a prisoner of Britain, appearing in the stories of Culhwch and Olwen, which indicate that this character may have predated Creation being seen as present before time began. In Arthurian legend it is the knowledgeable salmon who informs Bedivere and Cei that they would find Mabon living in solitary confinement in Gloucester. Apollo too is said to be associated in the more general aspects of this character depicted as both a hunter and a musician, being able to play the harp.

Macha (Irish)
"Crow".  Mother of Life and Death. War Goddess. She serves as one of the aspects of the triple Morrigan. Also called Mania, Mana, Mene, Minne. Associated with ravens and crows. She is honoured at Lughnassadh. After a battle, the Irish would cut off the heads of the losers and called them Macha's acorn crop. Protectress in war as in peace; Cunning, sheer physical force, sexuality, fertility, and dominance over males.

Manannan Mac Lir (Irish, Welsh)
Celtic sea God.  Guardian and protector of the blessed islands Arran and the Isle of Man. He is also thought to hold connections with the Tuatha De Danaan. The original crane bag belonged to Manannan, in this he would keep his coracle and the original hallows of Britain and after which Cormac quested. He is one of the Grail guardians along with Pryderi, and skilled in the art of shapeshifting; appearing in the forms of heron or crane.  He is known too for the loving of women. Sometimes seen riding a sea chariot, he is not bound to the seas and has been associated with rivers, lakes and lochs... possibly even springs and wells. Water worship was hallowed to the Celts, and they would leave treasures and offerings in lakes, lochs etc. During the Roman conquests these were plundered and the waters sold. Therefore in more ways than one they robbed the Celts of their treasures.  He dressed in a green cloak and a gold headband. A shape-shifter. Chief Irish sea god, equivalent of the Welsh Llyr. Son of the sea god Lir.  At Arran he had a palace called Emhain of the Apple Trees. His swine, which constantly renewed themselves, were the chief food of the Tuatha De Danann and kept them from ageing. He had many famous weapons: two spears called Yellow Shaft and Red Javelin; swords called The Retaliator, Great Fury, and Little Fury. His boat was called Wave Sweeper, and his horse, Splendid Mane. He had magic armour that prevented wounds and could make the Tuatha invisible at will. God of the sea, navigators, storms, weather at sea, fertility, sailing, weather-forecasting, magic, arts, merchants and commerce, rebirth.

Margawse (Welsh, British)
Mother aspect of the Goddess.

Math Mathonwy (Welsh)
God of sorcery, magic, enchantment.

Medb (Celtic)
"Drunk Woman".  A Goddess of war, not one of the Morrigan.  Where the Morrigan use magic, Medb wields a weapon herself.  The sight of Medb blinds enemies, and she runs faster than the fastest horse.  A bawdy girl, Medb needs thirty men a day to satisfy her sexual appetite.

The Morrigu / Morrigan / Morgaine / Morganna (Irish, British)
Celtic Goddess of Water and Magic. Supreme War Goddess, Shape-shifter. Reigned over the battlefields, helping with her magic but did not generally join in the battles. She is the Crone aspect of the Goddess. Great Mother; Moon Goddess; Queen of the fairies. In her dark aspect, the symbol is then the raven or crow.  She is the Goddess of war, fate, death; she went fully armed & carried two spears. The carrion crow is her favourite disguise. Goddess of rivers, lakes & fresh water. Patroness of priestesses & witches. Revenge, night, magic, prophecy. Morrigan, Mistress of War. Morrigan is a Triple Goddess made of three largely autonomous Goddesses. Their names vary, but they are usually called Macha, Badb and Nemain. Morgan was said to be married to Merlin, and it was from him she learned her magic. She was also doubled with The Lady of the Lake.

Nemain (Celtic)
"Panic".  A war Goddess.

Niamh (Irish)
"Brightness"; "Beauty". A form of Badhbh who helps heroes at death.

Nuada / Nudd / Nodons / Llud Llaw Ereint / Llud of the Silver Hand (Irish, Welsh)
"Silver Hand"; "He who bestows wealth"; "the Cloud-Maker"; chieftain-god. Similar to Neptune. He had an invincible sword, one of the four great treasures of the Tuatha. God of healing, water, ocean, fishing, the Sun, sailing, childbirth, dogs, youth, beauty, spears and slings, smiths, carpenters, harpers, poets, historians, sorcerers, writing, magic, warfare, incantations.

Ogma (Irish)
"Sun-face"; similar to Hercules; carried a huge club and was the champion of the Tuatha. Invented the Ogham script alphabet. He married Etan (daughter of Diancecht) and had several children. One son Cairpre became the professional Bard of the Tuatha. Eloquence, poets, writers, physical strength, inspiration, language, literature, magic, spells, the arts, music, reincarnation.

Pwyll (Welsh)
Ruler of the Underworld at times. Also know as Pwyll pen Annwn (Pwyll head of Annwn). Cunning.

Rhiannon (Welsh)
"The Great Queen" Goddess of Birds and Horses. Enchantments, fertility, and the Underworld. She rides a swift white horse.

Samhain/Samen (Irish, Celtic)
 Although the name of the festival we now celebrate at Hallowe'en, also at one time a Moon Goddess.  An old Irish saying to wish a friend happiness was "The blessings of Samen (Moon) and Bel (Sun) be with you."

Scathach / Scota / Scatha / Scath (Irish, Scottish)
"Shadow, shade"; "The Shadowy One"; "She Who Strikes Fear". Underworld goddess of the Land of Scath; Dark Goddess; goddess in the Destroyer aspect. Also a warrior woman and prophetess who lived in Albion (Scotland), probably on the Isle of Skye, and taught the martial arts. Patroness of blacksmiths, healing, magic, prophecy, martial arts.

Taliesin (Welsh)
A sun deity reincarnated as Taliesin. While tending Ceridwen's cauldron Gwion Bach savoured 3 drops of inspiration intended for Afagddu, in her rage the sow chased him until in the form of a black hen she swallowed Gwion who had transformed himself into an ear of corn, once she gave birth he was cast adrift to be found by Elphin who named him Taliesin meaning radiant brow. He is identified as a 6th century bard and associated with both Merlin and Amergin. Like Merlin the sun God spent a period of madness in the woods, often he would boast of his poetic and magical skills. Taliesin appears regularly in the Arthurian legends sailing with him to recover the hallows of Britain from Annwn and accompanying Merlin with the wounded Arthur to the Isle of the Blessed.  Prince of Song; Chief of the Bards of the West; a poet. Patron of Druids, Bards, and minstrels; a shape-shifter. Writing, poetry, wisdom, wizards, Bards, music, knowledge, magic.

Taranus (Celtic)
Very little has been recorded about Taranus, though he is symbolized by the wheel of the seasons and the stars. Connected with the Oak tree and the marriage of the sky and the earth, his name translates into The Thunderer. Taranus cleanses with his lightening bolts and fire preparing the way for new growth and perhaps releasing a few spirits.  He is often depicted as a great white bull, with room on his back for 50 children to play; three cranes stand upon him, symbolizing the three pillars of wisdom.

Tephi (Irish)
Goddess of Tara and co-founder with Tea.

White Lady (Celtic)
Dryad of death; identified with Macha; Queen of the Dead; the Crone form of the Goddess. Death, Destruction, annihilation.