Celtic Deities (Short List)

Here is a list of Celtic deities, I'm sure most of you have these but if you do not, here is a short list.

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 Og): 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: The gaelic Poseidon; married to Aebh, Bodb's
daughter, with whom he has four children 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 Etan, 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." Offspring 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.