by Sandra Douglas

Created on: April 03, 2008   Last Updated: October 01, 2009

Enchantment permeates the Celtic myths. Visions of mystical cities shrouded in mist and inhabited by priestesses who possessed spells and magic are all part of the lore. The roles of women in Celtic lore and legends tell us more about their society than simply an entertaining story.

The early Celtic society was matrilineal, meaning that descent was traced through the mother and society placed a strong emphasis on the mother relationship. Power did not rest entirely with women but since the source of life is the woman, it is natural that lineage was traced through the female. Worshipping a female deity was all part of the birth-life-death-birth process.

The goddess in pre-Christian Celtic society was a dual-natured female figure, both beautiful and hag-like. Goddesses were often depicted in three's, such as Eriu, Banba, and Fotla, all goddesses of sovereignty. The warrior goddesses, also a trinity, were Morrigan, Nemain, and Macha. The female warrior goddess had a respect for death as a natural part of life. There was no Celtic goddess of love. The goddesses were often associated with fertility and the natural cycle of life, including death. The goddesses represented creation, especially as it related to giving life.

A society that holds women in high regard will reflect those values in their lore. The myths and legends created by the members of ancient cultures helped the community to understand the mysteries of birth and death, the seasons, the sunrise, growing crops, and everyday life. As societies evolve, so do their myths.

The Celtic culture was powerful and extended across the continent as far east as Asia-Minor, until the Romans and Julius Caesar defeated them in 58 BCE, but even then, they continued to worship their own gods and goddesses. After the fall of Rome, Christianity became the dominant religion and we can see the influence on the Celtic myths of a male-dominated patriarchal religion that worships a supreme male god. In the evolving myths, the goddesses are often slain or made subordinate to the gods of the patriarchal conquerors. In Celtic myth, the female goddess, once held sacred, became violent. Her life-giving qualities brought instead death and destruction.

In the story of Macha, a warrior goddess, we can see the fall of the Celtic goddess. Macha's husband, Crunnchua watches a horse race when he hears the king declare that no one can run faster than these horses. Crunnchua challenges the declaration, knowing that Macha can run faster.

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