It was she who chose the day of the Battle of Mag Turiedh.
She formed part of a triad of war-goddesses with Macha (Nemain) and the Morrigan. She led the Tuatha Dé Danann to victory over the Fomore at the battle of Magh Tuireadh.
Also known as: BADHBN.
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BALOR: Balor is the god of death and the king of the Fomorians. He was the son of Buarainech and the husband of Cethlenn. Balor had only one eye which had the power of striking dead anyone who looked into it. The eyelid had to be held up by four servants. At the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh he slew Nuada, but was slain in turn by the god Lugh (his grandson).
PRONUNCIATION: b'-lor.
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BANBA: The goddess who represents the spirit of Ireland, and who is the wife of king MacCuill. She is part of a trinity of goddesses (the daughters of Fiachna) together with Fodla (Folta) and Eriu (Eire). Banba represented the Crone. Amergin, son of Miled, promised her the honor of naming the island after her. Banba is also a poetic name for Ireland.
Initially, she could have been a goddess of war as well as a fertility goddess.
Also known as: BANBHA.
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BAN NAOMHA: An Irish fish goddess.
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BEAG: A goddess associated with a magic well.
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BEBHIONN: An underworld goddess and a patron of pleasure. She was a giantess from the Maiden’s Land far off the West coast of Ireland. She was known for her beauty and seduction.
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BECUMA: Irish goddess of the Magic Boat. She married the High King Conn after being banished to the human world.
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BELATU-CADROS: The god of war and of the destruction of enemies. He was worshipped primarily in Wales. His name means "fair shining one" or possibly “the fair slayer.” He is also supposed to be a transporter of the dead to Danu’s “divine waters."
Also known as: BELATUCADROS.
ETYMOLOGY: "Fair Shining One".
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BELISAMA: This goddess is connected by some sources with the Mersey River and by other sources with the Ribble River. Also said to be a wife of BILE.
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BELTENE: Irish god of death. Some scholars claim Beltaine was originally celebrated for him.
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BILE: The Celtic god of light and healing, "Bel" means "shining one," or in Irish Gaelic, the name "bile" translates to "sacred tree." It is thought that the waters of Danu, the Irish All-Mother goddess, fed the oak (Bile) and produced their son, The Dagda, and their daughter, Brigit. In Wales, as Beli, he is the father of Arianrhod by Don. He is also said to be the wife of BELISAMA.
Patron of sheep and cattle, Bel's festival is Beltaine, one of two main Celtic fire festivals. Beltaine celebrates the return of life and fertility to the world -- marking the beginning of Summer and the growing season, taking place on April 30.
Some believe Bile is the equivalent of Belatucadros, the consort of Belisama, another patroness of light, fire, the forge and crafts. Belatucadros, whose name means "fair shining one" or possibly "the fair slayer," is the god of destruction and war and transports the dead to Danu's "divine waters."
Also known as: BEL, BELENUS and BELI
PRONUNCIATION: bee'-leh.
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BLATHNAT: King of the Underworld.
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BLODEUWEDD: Her name means “born of flowers” or “flower face.” Blodeuwedd was created out of blossoms of oak, broom, and meadowsweet by Math and Gwydion to wed Llew Llaw Gyffes. She either betrayed Llew, because she had no soul, being non-human, or because she resented being his chattel, or because the love triangle of two men and one woman usually means that someone must die. She fell in love with Goronwy (Gronw Pebyr – the lord of Penllyn) and, wishing to be rid of Llew, she tricked out of him the clearly supernatural and ritual manner in which only he could be killed: neither by day nor night, indoors nor out of doors, riding nor walking, clothed nor naked, nor by any weapon lawfully made. She asked him to explain this, and he did: he could be killed only if it were twilight, wrapped in a fish net, with one foot on a cauldron and the other on a goat, and if the weapon had been forged during sacred hours when such work was forbidden. Blodeuwedd convinced him to demonstrate how such an impossible position was to achieve by chance, and when he was in it, her lover Goronwy leapt out and struck. Llew transformed into an eagle and was eventually restored to human form, after which he killed Goronwy. Blodeuwedd was transformed into an owl by Gwydion, to haunt the night in loneliness and sorrow, shunned by all other birds.
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BOANN: "She of the white cattle". Irish goddess of bounty and fertility, whose totem is the sacred white cow. Also goddess of the River Boyne. She is the wife of the water god Nechtan or Elcmar, and consort of the Dagda, by whom she was the mother of the god Aengus. To hide their union from Nechtan, Boann and the Dagda caused the sun to stand still for nine months, so that Aengus was conceived and born on the same day.
ETYMOLOGY: "She of the White Cattle".
Also known as: BOYNE.
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BODB: An goddess of battle. She prophesied the doom of the Tuatha Dé Danann after the Battle of Magh Tuireadh.
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BODB DEARG: After their defeat by the Milesians, the Tuatha Dé Danann retreated to the hollow hills and 'Bodb the Red', a son of the Dagda was chosen to be their king. It is said that Bodb Dearg was skilled in all mysteries and enchantments. He changed Aoife into a demon of the air when she betrayed Lir's children. He had two daughters, Scathniamh who gave her love to Caoilte of the Fianna; and Sadb, the deer woman who loved Fionn.
He raised three foster daughters: Aobh, Aoife, and Arbha (they were the daughters of Ailill of Aran). Both Aobh and Aoife became wives of Lir. Through Aobh he became grandfather to Aedh, Conn, Ficara, and Fionuala.
Some of the Gods objected to the kingship of Bodb Dearg, including Lir and Midir, (other sons of the Dagda).
Also known as: BOV THE RED.
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BRAN: Bran ("raven"), son of Llyr and Penarddun, and brother of Branwen, Manawydan (Manannan), and half brother to Nisien and Efnisien. He is a hero god, and perhaps also the god of poetry and the underworld. Bran was too large for ordinary houses. He allowed his sister Branwen to marry the Irish king, Matholwch without the consent of Efnisien. Due to Efnisien’s mutilation of horses that were owned by Matholwch, hostility broke out between the Irish and the Britons, but Bran avoided war by presenting Matholwch with replacement horses, as well as a magic cauldron that would bring men back to life, but without restoring their speech. When Bran learned of the slavery of Branwen (she was forced to work in the palace kitchens) imposed by her husband Matholwch, he left to rescue her. Matholwch was terrified at the sight of a forest approaching Ireland from across the sea: Bran's navy, and Bran himself wading through the water, towing the ships. Matholwch sued for peace, built a house big enough for Bran, and agreed to settle the kingdom on Gwern, his son by Branwen. Some Irish lords objected, and hid themselves in flour bags to attack the Welsh. But Efnisien, suspecting treachery, cast them into the fire, and then cast Gwern himself in (avoiding the geas against shedding kinsmen's blood thereby).
A war broke out, and the Irish replenished themselves through the cauldron. Efnisien, repenting, sacrificed himself by feigning death and being thrown into the cauldron, which he then broke, dying in the process. Only seven Welshmen survived, and Bran was fatally wounded by a poisoned arrow (dart or javelin) in the foot. His head, which remained alive and talking, was returned to England and buried in the White Mount (present day location of the Tower of London – thus the fact that ravens in the area have their wings clipped to prevent their leaving).
According to legend, England could never be invaded as long as Bran's head, facing south and buried in a hill near London, was left alone. According to legend, King Arthur is said to have removed the head from this site saying that Briton should be protected by the valor of its people rather than by supernatural means. Later, after repeated invasions, Arthur was said to have restored the head to the White Mount.
Bran’s son was called Caradawc the Strong Armed.
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BRANWEN: Branwen ("white raven") a daughter of Llyr and Penarddun, and sister of Bran, Manawydan, and half-sister of Nisien and Efnisien. The Celtic goddess of love and beauty. Also of Manx and Wales. Matholwch of Ireland sued for her hand. Efnisien mutilated horses belonging to Matholwch during the wedding, nearly precipitating warfare, but Matholwch was appeased by the gift of replacement horses and a cauldron that could resurrect the dead. Branwen wed him, and went to Ireland, where she bore him a son, Gwern. But the Irish began to complain about her, and she was banished to the kitchen, where she was treated as a slave and boxed on the ears by the butcher daily. This lasted three years, during which Branwen trained a starling to speak and sent it to Wales, where it told Bran of her plight, and he sailed to rescue her.
Matholwch, terrified at the sight of a forest approaching Ireland across the sea. No one could make out what it was, until he called for Branwen, who explained it was Bran's navy, and Bran himself wading through the water. He sued for peace, and they made a house big enough for Bran, whereby Matholwch agreed to settle the kingdom on Gwern. Some Irish lords objected, and hid themselves in flour sacks to attack the Welsh. But Efnisien, suspecting treachery, cast them into the fire, and then cast Gwern in along with them (avoiding the geas against shedding kinsmen's blood thereby). War broke out, and the Irish replenished themselves through the cauldron. Efnisien, repenting, sacrificed himself by feigning death and being thrown into the cauldron, which he then broke, dying in the process. Only seven Welshmen survived, and Bran was fatally wounded. His head, which remained alive and talking, was returned to Wales and buried, and soon afterwards Branwen sailed to Aber Alaw and died. She is one of the three "matriarchs of Britain", along with Rhiannon and Arianrhod.
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BREG: Irish goddess and wife of the Dagda.
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BRES: The Irish-Celtic god of fertility and agriculture. He is the son of Elatha, a prince of the Fomorians, and the goddess Eriu. When king Nuada lost his hand in the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh, he was deemed unfit to rule the Tuatha Dé Danann. Although the Fomorians were their enemies, as an act of reconciliation the Tuatha Dé Danann decided to name Bres as their king. The goddess Brigid became his wife.
Bres was an unworthy ruler. Besides being tyrannical, he raised taxes to a near unbearable level and let the Tuatha Dé Danann work as slaves. When the bard Coirpre satirized Bres in public, he broke out in a terrible red rash. When Nuada had his hand replaced by a new, silver one, Bres was quickly disposed of. He fled to exile and rallied the Fomorians to battle (the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh). Again they were defeated and Bres was captured. His live was spared when he promised to instruct the Tuatha Dé Danann in the art of agriculture and to make of Ireland a fertile land.
Also known as: BREA.
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BRIGANTIA: The tutelary goddess of the Brigantes in Yorkshire and goddess of the rivers Braint and Brent, which were named after her. Brigantia was also a pastoral goddess associated with flocks and cattle. During the Roman occupation she was associated with the Roman goddess Caelestis as Caelestis Brigantia.
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BRIGID: Also: Breo Saighead, Brid, Brighid [Eriu(Ireland)], Brigindo, Brigandu [Gaul(France)], Brigan, Brigantia, Brigantis [Briton], Bride [Alba (Scotland)] and Caridwen [Wales].
Brigid possesses the cauldron of knowledge.
She is associated with the rivers Brent and Braint.
Breo Saighead, or the "Fiery Arrow or Power," is a Celtic three-fold goddess, the daughter of The Dagda, and the wife of Bres. Known by many names, Brigid's three aspects are (1) Fire of Inspiration as patroness of poetry, (2) Fire of the Hearth, as patroness of healing and fertility, and (3) Fire of the Forge, as patroness of smithcraft and martial arts. She is mother to the craftsmen ‘Sons of Tuireann’: Creidhne, Luchtaine and Giobhniu.
Brigid was probably originally a Sun goddess, and a story of her birth is that she was born at sunrise and a tower of flame burst from the forehead of the newly born goddess reaching from Earth to Heaven. It was likely she who inspired the line in the famous Song of Amergin: “I am a fire in the head.”
As a goddess of herbalism, midwifery, and healing she was in charge of Water as well as Fire. There are a vast number of sacred wells and springs named after or dedicated to this goddess. Offerings to the watery Brigid were cast into the well in the form of coins or, even more ancient, brass or gold rings. Other sacrifices were offered where three streams came together. Her cauldron of Inspiration connected her watery healing aspect with her fiery poetic aspect.
In Cath Almaine (The Battle of Allen) Brigit apppeared as a battle specter floating over the heads of the army of Leinster and thus terrified their enemy, the army of Leth Cuinn.
She was married to Bres when he became King of the Tuatha De Danann after Nuada lost his hand in battle. Together she had a son, Ruadan. Also by Tuireann she had three sons.
Excalibur, King Arthur's sword, was forged by the Lady of the Lake, a figure sometimes associated with Brigid because of her fire and forgery aspect. Like the Arthurian Avalon, or "Isle of Apples," Brigid possessed an apple orchard in the Otherworld to which bees traveled to obtain it's magical nectar.
Brigid, which means "one who exalts herself," is Goddess of the Sacred Flame of Kildare (derived from "Cill Dara," which means "church of the oak") and often is considered to be the White Maiden aspect of the Triple Goddess. The goddess Brigid had always kept a shrine at Kildare, Ireland, with a perpetual flame tended by nineteen virgin priestesses called Daughters of the Flame.
She was Christianized as the "foster-mother" of Jesus Christ, and called St. Brigit, the daughter of the Druid Dougal the Brown. She sometimes also is associated with the Romano-Celtic goddess Aquae-Sulis in Bathe.
Brigid's festival is Imbolc, celebrated on or around February 1 when she ushers Spring to the land after The Cailleach's Winter reign. During this time Brigid personifies a bride, virgin or maiden aspect and is the protectoress of women in childbirth. Imbolc also is known as Oimelc, Brigid, Candlemas, or even in America as Groundhog Day.
As the foundation for the American Groundhog Day, Brigid's snake comes out of its mound in which it hibernates and its behavior is said to determine the length of the remaining Winter.
Gailleach, or White Lady, drank from the ancient Well of Youth at dawn. In that instant, she was transformed into her Maiden aspect, the young goddess called Brigid. Wells were considered to be sacred because they arose from oimbelc (literally "in the belly"), or womb of Mother Earth.
Because of her Fire of Inspiration and her connection to the apple and oak trees, Brighid often is considered the patroness of the Druids.
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BRITANNIA: A Romano-Celtic tutelary goddess of the British.
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BRONACH: An Irish goddess of cliffs.
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BRIGID