Good evening tavern patrons, tonight you and I shall be walking through the ancient roots and sources of the enchanting tales that have been passed down through generations in Ireland. From the heroic sagas of Cú Chulainn to the mystical stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann, join us on a journey through time and legend.
In this video, we explore:
The historical context of Irish mythology and its significance in Irish culture.
Key mythological cycles of Ireland, including the Mythological Cycle, the Ulster Cycle, the Fenian Cycle, and the Historical Cycle.
The influence of early Irish society, Christianity, and other external factors on the development of these myths.
Intriguing insights into how these ancient stories continue to shape modern Irish identity and literature.
This exploration is to give you an Idea of where these stories come from, and the issues that rise because of those sources. As you delve deeper into your study of myth you’ll know what to look for, and what notions to have, below are a few extra reading resouces, should you so desire them.
📚 Academic References for Celtic Mythology:
“Lebor Gabála Érenn” (The Book of Invasions) – A collection of poems and prose narrating the mythical origins and history of Ireland.
“Táin Bó Cúailnge” (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) – Central epic of the Ulster Cycle, featuring the hero Cú Chulainn.
“The Mabinogion” – A collection of Welsh myths and stories, capturing the Celtic mythological tradition.
“Early Irish Myths and Sagas” by Jeffrey Gantz – An essential translation of early Irish mythological texts.
“The Táin: From the Irish Epic Táin Bó Cúailnge” by Thomas Kinsella – A modern English translation of the Ulster Cycle epic.
“Gods and Fighting Men” by Lady Augusta Gregory – A compilation of Irish mythological narratives and folklore.
“The Celtic Twilight” by W.B. Yeats – A collection of Irish folklore and myth-inspired poems and stories.
“Irish Folk and Fairy Tales” by W.B. Yeats – A curated collection of traditional Irish fairy tales and myths.
I do hope you enjoy this exploration of Celtic Myths and their academic sources, please leave any questions you have for me below, and thank you kindly for your support!
#IrishMythology #CelticLegends #MythologicalIreland
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Good evening Adventurer come along with me cuz I’m about to drag you kicking and screaming through the swirling and mystical Mists of Celtic mythology imagine a world where every whisper in the woods is a story and where every Hero’s deed is wrapped in Magic as thick as the fogs on the Scottish Highlands
But I’m not just here to retell these old Tales to you oh know my friends we’re going on a deep dive into the hearts and origins of the stories that have been carried through the entire history of our culture exploring the brave Heroes the enigmatic goats and mystical creatures that roam the ancient
Celtic World we’ll be sifting through some old manuscripts so this is going to be a long one the very documents that carried the myths we know academically Through Time sources like the mogin from Wales and the Book of invasions from Ireland each one of these collectively
Is a treasure Trove of L and history each with their own unique and distinct quirks which we will also discuss but we will flip through their myths and histories to help us get a better view of what the ks who handed those stories down may have looked like so if you’re
Ready to dive into the stories of our ancestors my friend grab a drink grab a seat I’ve got a story for You Welcome back to the tavern adventurers for those of you who do not know me I am this is the Black Dragon Tavern I come from a long line of ancient storytellers I am well educated in myth and literature and here I talk about myth and lore and tales of your most
Specifically I like to share the stories that have been handed down through my family as we have a very unique and Rich oral tradition but today we’re delving into the documents that academically have carried the whole of Celtic myth through time and what recognizes the primary sources for Celtic Myth today so
In Ireland the myth is broken up into what is essentially cycles and these Cycles begin with the mythological cycle and the first documents we have about the mythological cycle are called the labor galal Aon which means the book of invasions and this is a medieval collection of poems that recounts the
Mythological origins of Ireland specifically detailing six waves of invasion by various peoples and these stories blend mythological and historical elements together many of the stories attempt to leak the Irish people not only to biblical figures like the daughter of Noah but also figures of antiquity like the sons of mil the
Malaysians so we will Begin by flipping the pages back to an Era that is truly shrouded in mist and mystery and that is the era in Ireland of the ancestors known as the TW de Don also referred to as the tribe of danu which is a tale as
Magical and mysterious as the beings themselves descending from the clouds with their dark ships and touching upon the emerald aisle bringing with them skills power and knowledge that seem to bend the very laws of nature now before we go too deep into that is it important
To note that the Twan are often depicted as being gods and mystical beings but in the earliest text stories we have they’re not referred to as gods or Immortals or mystical beings at all they’re referred to as humans and many of our ancestors likely did not see them
As God but instead early ancestors of their own they were Mortals who tried to invade Ireland and were pushed back by the fomorians the original and mystical ancestors and inhabitants of the Emerald Isle and after being repelled they returned after having learned a great and my iCal magic somewhere in the north
And they began to dominate the Landscapes of Ireland then known as the land of aru and they will eventually become The Sovereign over all of Ireland for many hundreds of years stealing the land away from their previous inhabitants the fomorians and their story is one of Ascension becoming
Something more and greater through the Mastery of some Arcane and natural alt not incredibly different from the legendary sons of Mill known as the m Asians or the fearbulg the bagman who also invaded Ireland twice and all of these groups were a powerful force in shaping the destiny and Landscape of
Ireland among these powerful beings there are some key figures whose legendary exploits and actions stand out from all of the rest but as we speak on these figures it is important to remember that their Tales their stories are woven into the very land of Ireland each Hill Stone and River carrying
Whispers of their great deeds and while they are revered today as deities of old the ancient SAS and the oral tradition of my clan remind us of their humble beginnings powerful ancestors whose extraordinary Deeds would Elevate them to the status of gods in the eyes of
Some who would come after them so as we Rec the tales of the day D let us do so with an understanding of their very complex nature a blad of human origin and divine Ascension of Sals and this makes them some of the most intriguing and enduring figures in all
Of Celtic mythology take for instance the Daga who is known also as the good God not just for his benevolence but also for his Mastery over life death and of course agriculture he even had a mystical cauldron known as the Kora anik and it was said to be a source of
Endless sustenance not dissimilar to a Horn of Plenty and over time it became known as a symbol of abundance and prosperity for it would never let any go hungry or be left wanting at least not while the DOA was around he was kind of the party animal he never really let
Things be dull who also wielded a club that could not only take life in a single hit but also Restore Life with a single touch I like to think that he would bat people around you hit him with one in they die and then you smack them
With the other end and they come back to life just cuz it’s a silly sort of image to put into your mind about what this giant and he was a literal Giant in the stories probably over 20 ft tall and then there is Lou Who is one of my
Absolute favorite characters in all of Celtic mythology master of vson known as Lou la Father which was a reference to his long arms and his ability to throw a spear who today still has a festival called lunessa which is very similar to the skill-based games that we would see
In Scotland that are called the Highland Games his stories are those of a clever and versatile Warrior a Craftsman without equal whose talents were as varied as the people he protected his prowess was rown throughout all of Ireland even among those in the fomorians and the D and his role in
Their greatest battles was absolutely pivotal next we have the olster cycle which is the cycle that starts to blend more of the historical aspects with the mythological aspects and Central to the olster cycle is the Epic of the TBO koui or the cattle raid of koui yes the
Central epic of the altar cycle is about the attempted theft of a prized steer now to be fair it was a giant steer that could allegedly kill mythical beasts but it was still a steer this is also one of the primary tales that feature the hero
Of oler and probably one of the most prominent figures in all of Celtic Irish mythology and that is Coolin Satanta The Hound of Colin and it is a rich tale interweaving heroism and Daring Do as well as honor and tragedy it also shows us Collin’s unbelievable strength and
Prowess as well as gives us the prophecy of his demise and for those of you who don’t know Coolin is one of the central hero figures of the olster cycle and one of the most beloved figures in Irish mythology best known for his restad which was his battle Frenzy where he
Would grow twice or three times the size his head spinning to the side and blood spurting from his eyes as he went into battle stronger than any man and able to break men fully in half as well as plenty of other things I would presume he is an absolutely spectacular and
Fascinating character who tragically dies early because of two different prophecies and that transitions us into the phenian cycle which follows a fig you’re called fin makal or Finn makum depends on who or where you’re asking Central to his story is how he gains all of the knowledge in the world and this
Ends up leading him to grow quite old as time goes on he has the knowledge on how to live a long and healthy life and he does this by accidentally consuming a piece of the salmon of knowledge now the salmon of knowledge and the hazelnuts of knowledge are key folklore inred
Ingredients for many Irish folklore and mythologies and what it is is all of the knowledge in the world is contained in the hazelnuts that fall from this tree they fall into a well and the salmon in that well eat them so the salmon and the hazelnuts contain all of the knowledge
In the world and while Finn’s master was asking him to cook up the salmon he burned his thumb and sucked on it like that and with that one small action he gained all of the knowledge of the salmon of knowledge which can only be eaten once and inadvertedly stole that
Privilege away from the Druid finus who was his master and Mentor at the time now the reason why Finn is important is because he is allegedly related to both Lou and Coolin and those stories change depending on where they are being told and the next story in Finn’s Chronicle
Is of his betrothal to a young woman named grania and unfortunately she’s betr with him when he is quite aged and does not find herself in love with him but she does end up falling in love with a young lad named deud and they run off
Together and this is a tale of both betrayal as well as the loved one must have for their family and those who they are responsible for a lot of these tales really look at the complexities of Human Relationships but then we are headed into the historical cycle and this is
Where we have direct lineages that go back to most of these figures the historical cycle is often referred to as the cycle of kings and it is The Narrative of the multiple High Kings of Ireland over the last 1500 to 2,000 years or so most famous of these is
Probably the tale of King cormach maer a wise and just King known for his fair judgments and the prosperities of his Reign and his life of course was filled with wisdom and magic and adventure and unfortunately like many Irish Heroes a tragic gained where just like Coolin he
Died by breaking a g or G which is a plag that cannot be broken at punishment of death or a severe price must be paid now that is basically where Irish myth comes from but that is not the only place from which we pull Celtic myth
There are also Celtic myths that come to us from Wales and that document is called the mogu and the first of these stories is of a character called po will Prince of David and the story Begins by introducing Po and his adventures into the other world which in counting
Mythology would be known as magit tonog or magma and the most significant part of his story is the alliance that he builds with Aron king of Anu which was the otherw world afterlife of wsh Mythology and in that story he agrees to switch places with Iran for one year in
Order to defeat his greatest enemy hav G and one of the common themes amongst all of these stories is the ease at which one can transfer between the realm of the Fay or the realm of the afterlife or just what is often referred to as the
Other world and the realm of Mortals or the physical real this is a common theity throughout much of Celtic myth and the next story in the Mogan is of bronwin and bronwin is one of the famed three matriarchs of Britain and the tale navigates her tragic story first being
Pledge to the king of Ireland which was intended to forge an alliance but that ends of course as these things often do in treachery and War which inevitably leads to a series of tragic events which is another common fality in these stories and there are several more
Stories within the Mogan that not only link the Welsh to King Arthur but also to other great Irish figures and deities one of the most important takeaways from these many documents and stories is the way that our ancestors likely looked at these Tales or even viewed the circumstances and events as they were
Happening in Celtic mythology nature is a living tapestry things just sort of happen for no reason every tree River and Stone all carry their own story it calls to mind a scene from an old cartoon Called Quest for Camelot do you remember this I sound of each rock and
Stone I embrace what others feel you are not to roam in this forgotten place just thees of me welcome here everything Brea and I know each breath and in each of those stories tales and songs there is always a lesson but it is not overt it is more or less
One we learn by not making the dumb decisions that our ancestors did so as we delve into into these stories whether I am telling a tale of ancient myth of common folklore of urban legends or even of modern fiction it is important to remember the quill that tells the story
The pen that writes the page if you will now I bring this up because it’s important to remember that much of our cherished Celtic myths were penned in the hush monastic scriptoria by Christian monks hidden away from many many many many gears transcribing cultural Legend as well as collected
Documents sometimes second third or even fourth party delivered to them whose world view seeped into every Saga and shades every tree and story andil as they write them imposing some of their own spiritual and cultural biases on the tales that existed long before they did now don’t get me wrong these texts are
Invaluable Treasures Windows into a long long forgotten past but as WE peer through those windows it is is important to remember the tint that they carry often carrying the Hue of medieval Christianity and the personal interpretations of those devoted scribes now they have given us a version of the
Celtic beliefs one that was filtered through their lens of the time their faith and most importantly their understanding of the world and even more important to note that this is still the standard today while there may be more faiths and there may be more biases this is still what we must remember when
Looking at any old story that is transcribed not to lessen its validity but to understand that there is a broader understanding to be had outside of those few words of our ancestors that made it on to ink and paper so while we should embrace these stories for their
Beauty and their Insight let us also tread thoughtfully acknowledging the layers of history and belief that they journeyed through to reach us another way that we can in contrast is to my Clan’s oral tradition which offers a raw and unfiltered glimpse of the Celtic world and even the Norse and other
Scandinavian cultures of the time when our clan began collecting stories some several hundred years ago and these stories were preserved through many generations passed on with the intention to not alter them but hand them on as they were handed to us and this was probably done with the intention to
Present a different and Poss more authentic version of these myths now that’s not to say that they are more authentic or that they are more accurate or that they are even better just that there were more variations that existed than those that have remained in commonality through time and in my years
Teaching on these stories and traditions and the folklore and the culture I’ve had many people who have come forward and talked about the stories that have been handed down through their family some going back several hundred years and just for instance one of my favorite tales regarding the Morgan is that the
Morgan is not a single figure but instead a collective much like the norns or the fates it is a title that is given to a council of wise and Powerful women and their job more or less was in mythological sense to oversee the souls of those who died and in an actual sense
Was to advise the leaders of the time as to what they ought do to avoid too much conflict on the green aisle now that varies greatly from what is told in common myth but that is an example of how a clan or a regional mythology a clan or Regional
Teaching might have differed from the commonality that managed to survive at the time but as we’ve wandered through all of these myths and LS and traditions I think one thing becomes comes Crystal Clear these myths were so much more than just stories they were vital and integral threads in the Celtic
Consciousness of our ancestors and the more we look at them the more we see a panoramic view of what our ancestors may have seen in nature and magic and humanity and that they likely believed that all of those things were inextricably intertwined in almost a Divine Way each Legend each character
Each aspect was a gigantic brush stroke just painting the world in a more colorful Manner and they reveal a time and a society where perhaps every tree had a spirit had a story had a voice and where the figures we now see as Gods just walked one step behind the veil of
Reality they were just one generation away from being real in the minds of everyone so while these stories may be layered with centuries of retelling and interpretation their Essence remains remains a beacon of ss guiding us to have a slight understanding of a profoundly interconnected Universe has
Seen Through The Eyes of our ancient ancestors so the next thing that I want you to remember is that as we recount and retell these old Tales we’re not simply retelling old Tales we are breathing new life into a world where fate and honor dance together and wisdom
Walks alongside the wildness of nature in the battles of Colin and the quests of fin M and deep inside the Vivid sagas of the Mogan we’re touching the very soul of Celtic mythology and in a way this is how we keep our ancestors and that culture alive we’re not just
Preserving history we’re preserving a culture we’re preserving the very essence and Magic that our ancestors not only believed in but live their lives by and in sharing this and keeping it alive as a cultural Foundation it can teach us new depths about our experience as
Humans and the way that we pass on our immortality in the form of stories and as we carry these Tales forward sharing and pondering them I always like to believe that the magic stirs a new for every new individual who has heard one of these Tales a little bit of the old
World revives Mother Nature shakes in her bed and that magic that Whimsy comes back Al Al and maybe just maybe our ancient ancestors look down and smile upon us whether from the sky or from the trees so tell me this my friends which ancient story gives you the greatest
Feeling of Whimsy and would you like to see a version of where do the myths come from on Nordic myth if so let me know down below and until next time my friends that we join together in the tavern I bid thee stay bloodthirsty for adventure wisdom and tales and remember
All hail the black dragons I’ll see you next time my friends
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