1. Celtic Gods and Goddess

2. Belenus Apollo Belenus
God of agriculture
Associated with the healing power of the sun (and so comparable to Apollo)
Beltane was a festival in his honor on May 1 where great bonfires were used to re-warm the earth
Animals were led past these fires to be purified and protected – may have led to the nursery rhyme about the cow jumping over the moon.

3. Cernunnos (Kur-noo-nohs)
The “horned one” - has stag antlers
Lord of the beasts
God of fertility and abundance
Found on ancient Paleolithic cave paintings
Shape shifter (could turn into a snake or a wolf)

4. Epona Horse goddess Father mated with a horse (hated women)
The Romans held a festival in her honor on December 18th. She is the only Celtic deity to be accorded this honor by the Romans
Often shown riding side saddle or standing between two ponies
It is possible that Epona was really the horse and that the person pictured to the right is just a rider.

5. Nantosuelta “wandering river”
Probably a fertility goddess (water heavily associated with childbirth)
Patron of hearth and home
Consort of Sucellus
Usually seen carrying a basket of apples

6. Sucellus King of the gods Fertility god
Name means “good striker” (if you’re dying, he’ll come and end your suffering by hitting you with his hammer)
Usually shown carrying a long handled hammer which he uses to wake up the plants for springtime and a pot o’ potatoes (spuds, taters)

7. Taranis
Thunder god
Rides the sky in a chariot – wheels make thunder and lightning comes from the sparks of his horses’ hooves
A war god as well
Had human sacrifices made to him

8. Irish Celtic Gods and Goddess

9. These gods were worshipped by the Irish and written down at a later time. Since the Romans did not take Ireland, their mythology was able to continued unabated long after Europe’s was squashed. They are mostly known as the TUATHA-DE-DANANN

10. The Tuatha eventually get beaten by the current race of Celts and they become fairies and “the little people”

11. Brigid “exalted one” Fertility and war goddess
Her tasks are: healing, fire, blacksmiths, poetry, wisdom, and protecting flocks
Her feast day was Feb. 2nd and called Candlemas
She was “borrowed” by Christian missionaries and made into St. Bridet (she prayed for ugliness to help her stay pure)

12. Daghda Known as the “good god”
“father of the gods” – not so much like Zeus, but fat, kind, and a bit unmannered
Wears a tunic way too short for him
Has a magic club that he uses to kill with one end and heal with the other
God of magic, wisdom, and life and death
A provider (he has a never empty cauldron)
He secured Ireland’s protection by holding hands with Morrigan

13. Danu Mother of Daghda and entire race of the Tuatha
Possiblity even the daughter of Daghda – (don’t ask me how)
Finds places for the gods to go when they were defeated

14. Lugh (loo)
Shining God
Related to both the Tuatha and the Fomorians (rival giants)
His evil grandfather threw him into the sea, but he was saved and raised by a sea god
Has a sword that cuts through anything and a spear that guarantees victory
Father of Cu Chulainn
His name became leprechaun

15. Morrigan (more-ree-an)
The Phantom Queen
Goddess of horses and war
Shape shifter (can turn into animals) – when in raven form, death is nearby
Stands near rivers and washes corpses (sometimes known as “washer of the ford”)
Cu Chulainn rejects her advances

16. Nuada Supreme king of the Irish Celts
Loses his arm in battle and must give up his kingship (no deformities allowed in kings)
Makes a silver arm to regain throne
Eventually loses courage and gives throne to Lugh