Aonghus: Part 1

He was a love child of Dagda and Boann, and carried on the tradition and became a love god, learning to play the harp and lulling the ladies with his smoochy lyrics. He seems to be the Celtic equivalent of Cupid.
To keep his reputation as a Romantic Rascal, Aonghus ran off with his step brother Midir's wife, Etain.
It is said that four doves were often seen circling Aonghus's head. These are thought to be the symbols used for kissesat the end of love letters. In one version Midir is Aonghus''s foster-father.
One tale says Aonghus tricks his father, Dagda, out of his home, the Brú na Bóinne. Aonghus arrived after Dagda had divided some of his land among his children and there was nothing left for Aonghus, so he asked his father if he could live in the Brú for a day and a nght, and Dagda agreed. But in Irish has no indefinite article, so "a day and a night" is the same as "day and night," which covers all time.
According to the Death tales of the Tuatha de Danaan, Aonghus killes his step father, Elcmar, for killinf Midir. Aonghus is also said to have killed the poet of Lugh Lamfada for lying about his brother Ogma an Cermait. The poet claimed that Ogma was having an affair with one of Lugh's wives.

To Be Continued...

The Hard Servant: Part 3

Conan leaped onto the horses' back and struck his heels hard into its sides, but with all that, the horse would not move.
"I know what the problem is," said Finn after a few failed atempts. "He will not budge until he has the weight of his master on him."
Following Finn's orders, thirteen men of the Fianna got up behind Conan.
"I think you are mocking my horse and me," called the big man, "and it would be a pity for me to spent a year with you, after all the humbugging I saw in you today, Finn. And I know now that all the things I heard about you are lies and there is no cause for the great name you have throughout the world. I'm leaving now."
With that He headed off at the same slow pace that he arrived, until he was out of the Fianna's sight. Then he ran with the swiftness of a deer. When the horse saw his master leaving him, he took off after him at full gallop, even with his heavy load. Finn and the Fianna saw the thirteen men and Conan being carried away and followed, shouting and mocking them.
Conan soon realized that he could not get off the horse, yelled to them not to let him be carried away by the big man they knew nothing of. He cursed and reproached them.
"A cloud of death over water on you, Finn," he said, "and that some son of a slave or robber of the bad blood may take your life, unless you follow us and bring us back to Ireland from whatever place the big man might take us."
Finn and the Fianna rose up and followed the Gilla Decair over every bald hill, through every valley and every river. The big man was up on the horse with Conan and the thirteen men and he turned the horse's head toward the deep sea.
Liagan Luath of Luachar took hold of the horse's tail with both his hands, thinking of draging it back by the hair on it; but the horse gave a great tug, and away with him over the sea, and Liagan along with them holding on to the horses' tail.

Even if Finn had not been under bonds to bring back the fourteen men who had been taken from him, it would have caused him great worry until they had been brought back.
"What should we do now?" Oisin asked Finn.
"What can we do, but follow our people to whatever place the big man has taken them to and bring them back to Ireland."
"How are we to do that with no boat?"
" The de Danaan left a gift to the children of the Gael," said Finn. "Whoever wanted to leave Ireland had but to go to Beinn  Edair, and they would find a ship that could carry them all.

To Be Continued...

Arawn

He is the Celtic god of the otherworld, the gray cloaked lord of Annwn. It is said that he likes to take his Hounds of Hell for a run to track down lost souls. In one tale, Pwyll set his hounds on the same deer that Arawn was after. To pay for the mistake, Arawn asked Pwyll to trade places with him for a year and a day and to defeat Hafgan, Arawn's rival, at the end of that time, something Arawn had been trying to do, but had never been able to. Arawn, meanwhile, takes Pwyll's place as lord of Dyfed. Arawn and Pwyll become good friends after that. The friendship between the two realms remained long after Pwyll's death. In athoner part of the tale, Pryderi, Pwyll's son and lord of Dyfed has received a gift of otherworldly pigs from Arawn. These pigs were eventually stolen by a Venedotian magician and a trickster, Gwydion fab Don, leading to Pryderi's invasion of Gwynedd. In the ar following this, Gwydion kills Pryderi in single combat.
In Welsh folklore, the Cwn Annwn or Hounds of Annwn run across the skies in Autumn, winter and early spring.

Brigit

She is the daughter of Dagda. She is believed to be a woman of poetry, healing, smithcraft, and Martial Arts. And seems to be the equivalent to the Greek Athena. She also seems to be linked with Saint Brigid. In Irish mythology Brigit is the wife of Bres of the Fomorians, with whom she had a son, Ruadan. There is a possibility that Brigid is one of the classic Celtic Triple Goddess.

Bran Part 2

The Irish try to make peace and build a house to entertain Bran but hanged a hundred bags inside, supposedly containing flour but were really housing armed warriors. Efnysien, suspecting a trick, scouted the hall and killed all the warriors by smashing their skulls. Later, at the feast, Efnysien murders Gwern by burning him alive and, as a result, a battle insued. Seeing that the Irish were using the cauldron to revive their dead, he hides among the corpses and is put into the cauldron by the unwitting enemy. He then destroys it from within, and kills himself at the same time. It is said that only seven men survived the battle, including Manawydon and Taliesin, Branwen having died of a broken heart. They were told by a dying Bran to cut off his head and take it back to Britain. It is said that Bran's head is buried with his head facing France where the Tower of London now stands.
It is possible that Bran is the origin of the headless horse man myth.

Bran Part 1

He is a giant and the king of britain in Welsh mythology. His most important role is in the Second Branch of the Mabinogion. In this tale, the Irish king, Matholwch, goes to Harlech to talk with Bran, high king of the Island of the Mighty and ask for Branwen's hand in marriage, thus forming an alliance between the two lands. Bran agrees to the Irish king's request, the celabrations were cut short when Efnisien, a half brother of Bran, mutilated Matholwch's horses because he was upset that his permission was not asked for in regards to the marriage. Matholwch was offended by this until Bran offers a magic cauldron that can bring back the dead for compensation. Appeased by the gift, Matholwch and Branwen sail back to Irland.

Later, in Ireland, Branwen gave birth to a son, Gwern. Efnysien's insult still upsets the Irish and Branwen is eventually mistreated, banished and beaten daily. She manages to train a starling and sends it across to Ireland with a message to her brother, Bran, who sailed from Wales to rescue her with their brother, Manawydan and many warriors.

To be Continued...

Bodb-Dearg

In some stories he is the son of Eochaid Garb, in others he is the son of Dagda. And he is Dagda's successor as king of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
One tale says that Aonghus asks for his brother, Bodb-Dearg's help in finding the woman of his dreams. At the time Bodb was the king of the Munster síde. Bodb identifies her as Caer Ibormeith.

In one Fenian tale, Bodb takes the Tuatha Dé Danann to aid the Fianna at the Battle of Ventry.

Bean-Nighe

The Bean-Nighe is a scottish fairy. She is seen as a death omen and a messenger from the Otherworld. she is a type of beansith, or in Irish: bean-sidhe or banshee.
As the Washer at the Ford, she wanders around deserted streams where she washes blood from the grave clothes of those who are about to die. It is said that mnathan nighe, the plural form of bean-nighe, are the spirits of women who died giving birth and are doomed to do this work until their lives would have normally ended.
A bean sidhe is sometimes described as having one nostril, one protruding tooth, long hanging breasts, webbed feet, and to be dressed all in green. While she usually takes the form of a hag, she can also appear as a beautiful young woman when it suits her.
In the ancient Celtic epic, The Ulster Cycle, the Morrigan is seen playing the role of a bean nighe. When the hero, Cúchulainn, rides out to war, he comes across the Morrigan as a hag washing his bloody armour in a ford. Because of this, he realizes this will be his last battle.

The Hard Servant: Part 2

When he had finished telling his story, they turned and saw the big man coming towards them; but as close as he was to them, it took him a long time to reach them, because of how bad his walk was and how far he had traveled. And when he finally reached Finn, he saluted him, bowed his head and got down on one knee, making signs of humility.
Finn raised his hand over his head then, and asked about him, and if he was of noble or mean blood of the great world.
The Man answered that he did not know where he came from, only that he was a man of the Fomor, travelling in search of work to the kings of the earth "And I heard," he said, "that Finn never refuses work to any man."
"I never have indeed," said Finn, "and I will not refuse you. But why is it you are without a boy to mind your horse?"
"Because it takes a hundred men's share of food," the big man said "to feed me for one day, and I would begrudge a boy sharing it with me."
"What is your name?" asked Finn.
"Gilla Decair(the Hard Servant)," the man answered.
"Why where you given this name?"
"Because there is nothing in the world harder for me than to do anything at all for my master, or whatever person I am with. And tell me this, Conan, son of Morna," Gilla Decair said, "who gets the best wages, a horseman or a man afoot?"
"A horseman gets twice as much as a man afoot," Answered Conan.

"Then I call you to witness," Gilla Decair said, "that I am a horseman, and that it was as a horseman I came to the Fianna. And give me your guarantee now, Finn, son of Cumhal, and the guarantee of the Fianna, and I will turn out my horse with yours."

"Let him loose then," said Finn.

Gilla Decair pulled off the iron halter from his horse and it took off, running as fast as it could until it reached the horses of the Fianna, where it then began to tear, kick and bite them, killing and maiming many.

"Stop your horse, big man," said Conan, "and by the earth and the sky if it wasn't for Finn's guarantee, I would let out his brains throught the windows I would put into his head."

"And I swear by the earth and the sky," Gilla Decair declaired, "to never bring him out. For it is not work for me to do and I have no serving-boy to do it for me."

Conan, son of Morna, took the halter, put it on the horse, and led it back to where Finn was.

"You would never have done a horse-boy's service, Conan," said Finn, "to anyone of the Fianna, however far he might be beyond this Fomor. And if you will do as I advise," he continued, "you will get up on the horse and ride out throught all the hills, hallows, and flowery plains of Ireland, until his heart is broken as payment for the way he destroyed the horses of the Fianna."

To Be Continuted...

Borvo

He seems to be a healing god linked with bubbling spring water.
He was worshipped in Gaul, the Netherlands, and Portugal. In Roman mythology he is Apollo. He also seems to be linked with a divine consort, some inscriptions mention the goddess Damana.

The Hard Servant: Part 1

The Fianna went hunting in the two proud provinces of Munster. They left Almhuin and traveled to the Brosna river in Slieve Bladhma by the fastest paths. From there they went on to the twelve mountains of Eiblinne, and then to Aine Cliach, the harp of Aine.
They then spread themselves out and hunted throught the borders of the forest called Magh Breogain, blind, trackless places, broken lands, over beautiful level plains and the high hills of Desmumum, under pleasant Slieve Crot and smooth Slieve na Muc, along the level banks of the blue Siuir, over the green plain of Feman, the rough plain of Eithne, and the dark woods of Belach Gabrain.
Finn was on the side of a hill with the chief men of the Fianna, watching the hunt; for they liked to listen to the baying of the hounds, the hurried cries of the boys, and the noise and whistling and shouts of the men.
Finn asked which of the men that were with him would stay and keep watch on the side of the hill where they were. And Finn-bane, son of Bresel, said he would stay. Finn-bane went to the top of the hill, where he could see all about him. He was not there long when he saw, coming from the east, a very big man, ugly, gloomy, and deformed: he had a dark colored shield on his back, a wide sword on his crooked left hip, two spears on his shoulder and a turn loose cloak over his limbs that were as black as quenched coal. A sulky horse was with him and had did not look good, it was thin and bony, and waek in the legs. The man was leading it with a rough iron halter, it was a wonder the horse's head was not pulled from its body, or the arms of the man, with all the jerks and stops the horse made. The big man was striking blows on the horse with an iron cudgel, trying to get the horse to move faster, and the sound of the blows was like the breaking of strong waves on the shores, or cliffs.
When Finnbane saw all that, he thought to himself it would not be right to let the stranger go up unknown to Finn and the Fianna, so he ran back in haste to where they were and told them all he had seen.

To Be Continued...

Stay tuned for more of this legend.

Artio

Artio: Bear goddess of the Celts

The Celtic Bear Goddess and she may be in some way related to Artemis, the Greek goddess.
Some evidence of her worrship have been found in Bern, or Switzerland. Her name is thought to be derived from the word Bär, meaning bear. Several sculptures and inscriptions about Artio have been found.
But not much else is known about her.

Belenus

Belenus is a sun god who goes by many names: Beli to the Welsh and Bile to the Irish to name a few. The Billingsgate in London is thought to come from Bile's Gate. He may also have a festival on May 1st called Beltaine. He also seems to have been worshipped by the Romans and may have also been known as Apollo during the Roman period.

Ailill of Munster and Aine

When Ailill Olom, King of Ireland, killed Aine's foster father, she made an enchanted yew tree beside the river Maigh in Luimnech, and put a little man it to play sweet harp music, to get her revenge.
Ailill's son and step-son were passing by the river, saw the tree and heard the sweet music coming from it. They argued about who would get the tree and the little Harper. When they couldn't come to an argeement, so they asked Ailill to settle the matter, and he gave them to his own son.
Because of the bad feelings over this judgement the battle of Magh Mucraime was fought and Ailill and all seven of his sons were killed. And thus Áine got her revenge.

Airmid

Airmid

Airmid is a healing goddess with a knowledge of medicinal plants. She is said to be the keeper of a spring that can bring you back to life.

She was one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. With her father, Dian Cecht, and brother, Miach, she healed those injured in the second battle of the Magh Tuiredh.

One story says that after her jealous father killed her brother, Airmid wept over his grave. Watered by her tears, all the herbs of the world grew from the earth over Miach's body, and Airmid gathered and sorted them all, spreading them over her cloak. Their father lashed out once again, scattering the herbs every where. For this reason, no living human knows all  the secrets of herbalism. Only Airmid remembers.

Its is also said that along with Dian Cecht, Ochtriullach, and Miach, Airmid was one of the enchanters whose incantation sung over the well of Sláine was able to bring back the dead.

This is just the start. There is many more gods, goddesses, and myths to come.
I hope you enjoyed the read and return for further installments!