Celtic Myth & legend

Cornwall - Land of the Saints’ or perhaps not?

Submitted by Myghal Map Serpren on September 4, 2013 - 5:14am

No one believes in Piskies, do they?

Well, it pays to be careful in Cornwall so those that know keep quiet.

Piskies are tiny people, barely a foot high and dressed in greens and russets and reds.

They tease and they trick and are full of mischief and laughter. They are thought to be the spirits of the banished original Cornish people who were driven to the hills when the Iberians came.

There are many strange stories of long ago when Cornish folk saw the ‘little people’ and their moonlight revels in the towans – sand dunes.

Mannin - The Celtic Land of Myths and Legends

Alastair Kneale's picture
Submitted by Alastair Kneale on June 26, 2013 - 9:43pm

Meayll Circle

The Isle of Man (Mannin) abounds with myths, legends and mystical creatures. The environment provides a perfect setting with its mists, dark hills, rugged coastline, wooded valleys and tumbling streams. In amongst it all are the ancient burial chambers of pre-history where it was supposed that many creatures of the 'Otherworld'  either dwelt or used as a portal to enter their magical kingdom. Most significant amongst the Gaelic pantheon of Manx, Irish and Scottish mythology are the Tuatha Dé Danann. They are Celtic pre-Christian gods with supernatural ability and were of great importance to Gaelic people.

Their association with ancient Neolithic and Bronze Age burial mounds and cairns is probably linked to the importance these sites had for the people of pre-history. They were places of communal interment for the ancestors of the Celts of northwest Europe who are descended from the native Neolithic peoples of these lands. Their story was passed on for many centuries in oral tradition. Many of these legends were recorded in a collection of poems and texts, some dating from the third century AD, and compiled in the eleventh century by Christian scholars in Ireland in such works as the Leabhar Gabhála Éireann known in English as The Book of Invasions.

Celtic Myths and Legends by Peter Berresford Ellis

Emmett McIntyre's picture
Submitted by Emmett McIntyre on June 12, 2013 - 8:26am

Celtic symbol“Celtic Myths and Legends”, by Peter Berresford Ellis, is an entertaining 600 pages of 37 mythic tales drawn from the legends and folklore of the six Celtic nations.  This work benefits immensely from the story telling prowess of the author who is also author of the “Sister Fidelma” historical mysteries under his pseudonym of Peter Tremayne.

In addition to the tales based on folkloric tradition, the author gives the reader a grounding in the Mythology of the Celtic peoples and an overview of the Celtic languages in the 22 page introduction.  An introduction which deftly places into context the ancient roots of Celtic mythology and in doing so supports the premise that certain aspects of Celtic Myth are windows to the very beginnings of Indo-European culture.  Ellis continues with a concise summary of the linguistic development and divergence of the mother tongue into the two Celtic language groups of Brythonic (Welsh, Breton and Cornish) versus that of the Goidelic (Irish, Scottish and Manx).

Linguists argue that the form of Celtic we term Goidelic is the more archaic branch of Celtic.  It is suggested that around the 7th century BC, the Celtic languages subdivided, when the form which we call Brythonic emerged. From a Goidelic parent, Brythonic modified and evolved in several ways.

Myfanwy of Dinas Bran - A Sad Welsh Tale of Unrequited Love

Submitted by Transceltic team on May 2, 2013 - 10:22pm

The remains of Castell Dinas Bran stand above the Welsh town of Llangollen. The brooding site is the backdrop for the sad love story of Myfanwy. She is a princess and renowned for her beauty throughout Powys in Wales. Myfanwy is proud of her looks and wants her many suitors to proclaim her beauty in song and verse. Many come to court her but are not able to compose songs that truly reflect her looks. She rejects them all.

However, in the valley beneath the castle lives a poor bard Hywel ap Einion. Taking his courage in his hands the young bard goes to the castle and sings and plays for Myfanwy. Whilst he performs his song to her she is captivated and will look at no other. Hywel ap Einion believes his love for her to be reciprocated because of this.

Cormoran the Cornish Giant and Jack the Giant Killer

Submitted by Transceltic team on February 19, 2013 - 6:29pm

Celtic giantThe Celtic nation of Cornwall has many myths and legends involving giants. One such giant was Cormoran.  His legendary home was St Michaels Mount and from this base he launched many raids on the terrified locals, stealing their livestock. The desperate people offered a reward to anyone who could rid them of the giant and allow them to live in peace. Not fully expecting anyone to be brave enough to rise to this challenge they were surprised when a young boy called Jack stepped forward.

Tom Bawcock - A legend from Mousehole Village, Cornwall

Submitted by Transceltic team on February 14, 2013 - 9:53pm

Mousehole

The story of Tom Bawcock emanates from the Cornish village of Mousehole (Porthenys). The village is located on the shores of Michael’s Bay (Cammas an Garrek Los) to the south of Penzance (Pennsans). It is set in a stormy winter many years ago. The relentless winds had prevented the fishing boats from leaving harbour. As Christmas approached the local people were becoming desperate and there was a danger of starvation.

A fisherman, Tom Bawcock, seeing the misery and desperation of the people, decided to risk his life and take his boat out into the turbulent seas. He set out on 23rd December and his vessel was tossed and thrown on the crashing waves. Brave Tom Bawcock continued to fish, defying the weather to do its worse. When he arrived back into port he brought with him a mighty catch of fish; enough to feed the village. They were baked into a pie, with the heads of the fish pushed upwards through the pastry.

Morveren - The Cornish Mermaid of Zennor

Submitted by Transceltic team on February 10, 2013 - 11:19am

In Cornwall the cove of Pendour is located close to the village of Zennor. A local legend tells of the story of Morveren the mermaid who lived at Pendour Cove. She was attracted to Mathew Trewella a handsome young local man and was captivated by his beautiful voice. Morveren would visit the church at Zennor just to hear him singing hymns and look upon his fine features.

Eventually Mathew began to notice the beautiful woman who had disguised her mermaid form. They fell in love, but Morveren knew that she could not survive for long away from her home in the sea. She felt compelled to tell Mathew the truth about herself and that as a mermaid she could not settle down to life on land. Sadly Morveren had to say to Mathew that she would have to go. Mathew was distraught and told her that he could not live without her.

Mathew told Morveren that wherever she went he would follow. He went with her to Pendour Cove and as she plunged into the waves he followed her. They live together now in the seas surrounding the beautiful Cornish coast. Local people living close to Pendour Cove will tell you that on calm still nights the sweet voice of Mathew can be heard carrying across the waves as he sings of his undying love for Morveren, The Mermaid of Zennor.

Patricia Monaghan and The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore

Submitted by Niall McCarsten on February 10, 2013 - 10:41am

The prolific Patricia Monaghan, at the time of her recent death in November 2012, was Professor at Chicago's DePaul University School for New Learning (America's largest Catholic University). The author of "The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore", Monaghan is from an Irish American family and held dual citizenship. She was author of over 20 books reflecting a general interest in Celtic and non-Celtic deities, an example being her "Encyclopedia of Goddesses and Heroines" first published in 1981. An author of eclectic interests, Monaghan also penned the 2008 "Wineries of Minnesota and Wisconsin" and at the time of her death at age 66 had just completed an anthology entitled "Brigid: Sun of Womanhood" which is set for 2013 publication.

We are grateful for Professor Monaghan's interest in spirituality and mythology for it led to the 2004 publication of "The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore". This work contains over 1000 entries spanning 500 pages which enjoy generous source citations for further reading and covers topics of Celtic mythical heroines, sacred Celtic places and objects, religious concepts and the Celtic pantheon. One of the sacred places cited is Lough Gur near modern Limerick in Ireland, which is the site of the largest extant Stone Circle in Ireland The Grange. This sacred place is believed to be an entrance to the Otherworld, a belief common in Celtic lands where water was seen as the "dividing line between this world and that of the Fairies".

Selkie

Submitted by Transceltic team on January 22, 2013 - 8:27pm

SelkieThe Selkie-folk, in the mythology of Orkney and Shetland, are a supernatural race of shape-shifting seal creatures.  They are said to be able to shed their seal skin and then take human form. However, it was vital for the Selkie never to lose its seal skin for it was that which gave them the ability to return to their original seal from. Sometimes the Selkies were known for shedding their skins and sunbathing on the beaches and rocks in their human form.

Selkie males were said to be able to turn into handsome mortals and are noted for their encounters with the women they were able to seduce. Selkie females are also said to be highly attractive in their human form to men. In the tale of ‘The Goodman o’ Wastness’ a handsome young man finds a group of Selkie-folk lying naked on the rocks in the sunshine. He surprises them and all but one manages to retrieve their seal skins and escape to the water. In her haste one of the Selkie-folk leaves her skin on the rock and is not able to return to seal form. The Goodman takes the skin.

Kelpie (Mythical 'Water Horse' in Folklore of Scotland)

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on January 16, 2013 - 9:27pm

A Kelpie in the Celtic mythology of Scotland was originally a name given to a ‘Water Horse’. This supernatural entity could be found in the lochs and rivers of Scotland and also has a place in Irish folklore. The description of their appearance can vary in different tales. Sometimes white with smooth cold skin, or black and grey. Some of these variations and the stories associated with the Kelpie are regional in origin.

In some stories they are described as ‘shape shifters’. They are able to transfer themselves into beautiful women who can lure men and trap them. However, the Kelpie does not always take a female form and are mostly male. They are also described as posing a particular danger to children when in the shape of a horse. Attracting their victims to ride them they are taken under the water and then eaten.

In Orkney a similar creature exits known the “Nuggle”. Again this creature takes the form of a horse and waits by the waterside. Any human mounting the horse is taken into the river or loch and drowned. In the Shetland Islands the water horse is known as “Shoopiltie” and again lures people to ride but then plunges into water with its doomed human cargo.

Pages

Subscribe to Celtic Myth & legend