Sheela Na Gig

Today, I wanted to write about Sheela na gig, a fertility, protection, or lust spirit of Celtic origin whose imagery has been used throughout Ireland, Great Britain, France, and the Iberian peninsula. The oldest carvings of Sheela na gig date back to the Middle Ages, when she was often carved into cathedrals as a feminine

Fergus mac Léti

Today I wanted to write about Fergus mac Léti, an Irish king of Ulster. The saga of Fergus mac Léti features the first written account of the Leprechaun, when the Leprechaun fails to kills Fergus mac Léti he keeps them captive, exchanging their freedom for wishes which he uses to be able to breathe underwater.

Naoise

Today I wanted to write about Naoise, an Irish mortal who was a warrior gifted by Manannán mac Lir. Naoise is a lover of Deirdre. Naoise has hair as black as a raven, cheeks as red as calfs blood, and skin as white as snow. Naoise and Deirdre had eloped due to a prophecy that

Oisín

Today I wanted to write about Oisín, an Irish demigod associated with the wild as well as poetry. He’s the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and Sadhbh. Sadhbh gave birth in the form of a deer because of a curse put on her by a druid. Oisín married Niamh, breaking her curse of ugliness. Saint

Tam Lin

Today for spooky season I wanted to write about Tam Lin, a Scottish forest spirit associated with the Otherworld. Tam Lin lived in the forest, Carterhaugh. He would collect a fee from any maiden who passed through the woods. One day, a woman named Janet was passing through and had an encounter with Tam Lin,

Kelpie

Today for spooky season I wanted to write about the Kelpie/Each-Uisge, a Scottish and Irish water spirit associated with death. Kelpies are shapeshifters, often taking the form of a black horse with backwards hooves or a human, commonly a brunette woman. In some folktales, their feet stay hooves when as people. Kelpies are known to

Gef

Today I wanted to write about Gef, a Manx house spirit, Spector, or cryptid who takes the form of a mongoose. Gef was first spotted on the Irving family farm in Dalby. The story of Gef was picked up by numerous British tabloids and caught the attention of famous paranormal investigators and psychics. Many came

Fionn mac Cumhaill

Today I wanted to write about Fionn mac Cumhaill, a Pan-Gaelic hero god. He’s the son of Muirne and Cumhall. He was adopted by his aunt Bodhmall and her partner, Liath Lauchra. After consuming the Salmon of Knowledge he gained his thumb of wisdom. He constructed the Giants Causeway Fionn is also immortal and lives

Linton Wyrm

Today for Dragon month I wanted to write about the Linton Wyrm, a Scottish Dragon whose burrowing created the hills of lower Scotland. The Linton Wyrm formerly terrorized locals in Roxburghshire, creating burrows and devouring livestock until John de Somerville heard of the beast and sought out to slay it with a burning sword. Sources:

Cat-sìth

Today I wanted to write about Cat-sìth, a Scottish fairy. If a Cat-sìth comes across a corpse before burial they could steal a soul stopping them from entering the afterlife. Tom Tildrum, the King of Cats, is likely a Cat-sìth. Some Cat-sìth were once human witches that transformed with magic but couldn’t transform back. A

Leabharcham

Today I wanted to write about Leabharcham, a minor goddess[?] in Irish polytheism. Leabharcham was tasked with raising Deirdre after it was prophesied that she would bring ruin to Ulster. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leabharcham?wprov=sfla1

Niamh

Today I wanted to write about Naimh, an Irish otherworld goddess. She is the wife of Oisín. Oisín was a mortal man, the son of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, that Naimh fell in love with. She brought him to live with her in the Otherworld for 300 years. After the 300 years Oisín tried to visit

Ériu

Today, I wanted to write about Ériu, a Gaelic goddess of the island of Ireland. She’s a daughter of Delbáeth and Ernmas. She’s married to Cetar or Mac Gréine depending on the source. Ériu alongside her sisters Banba and Fólda are often combined with Badb, Macha, and The Morrígan. The word Ireland comes from Ériu

Selkie

Today, I wanted to write about Selkies, Scottish, and Norse water spirits. The Selkie folk are a mermaid like spirit that often take the form of grey seals but are able to shed their seal skin to become beautiful women at night. In many stories human men will steal their seal skins trapping them as

Deirdre

Today I wanted to write about Deirdre an Irish tragic hero who was prophesied to be responsible for war. She’s the daughter of Feidhlimidh Mac Daill. Before her birth Conchobar mac Nessa prophocised that Feidhlimidh would have a very beautiful daughter that would cause war between kings and lords. After hearing the prophecy Feidhlimidh Mac

Gráinne

Today I wanted to write about Gráinne, a minor Gaelic goddess with no documented domain. She’s a daughter of Cormac Mac Airt. Her father married her off to Fionn mac Cumhaill, however during the wedding, she met Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, one of Fionn’s warriors. Repulsed by the age of her husband she began to see

Broonie

Today I wanted to write about the Broonie/Brùnaidh a Scottish house spirit. A Broonie can become a Bogart if they become offended. Broonies are sometimes ghosts of family members visiting to help around their descendants farms. Broonies are tutelary spirits very similar to The Lares. Throughout Scotland and Great Britain there are many regional variants

Aífe

Today I wanted to write about Aífe, an Irish goddess who as associations with war and the earth, specifically Irish land. She’s a daughter of Árd-Greimne of Lethra. She’s the sister of Scáthach, a mentor of Cú Chulainn. Aífe had a very serious rivalry with her sister which started wars until Cú Chulainn fought Aífe

Dullahan

Today for spooky season I wanted to write about a Dullahan (Dúlachán/Gan Ceann), a Gaelic spirit who brings death to those who he visits. The Dullahan appears as a headless man and rides a black horse through the country. He holds his head in one hand which resembles moldy cheese, and in the other; a

Banshee

Today for spooky season I wanted to write about Banshee, an Irish spirit that heralds death. A Banshee is a fae that appears to a family before the death of a member of that family. She’ll usually appear as a short older woman, though some accounts describe her as taking the form of a dead

Cían

Today I wanted to write about Cían, an Irish god of healing who is the physician of the Tuatha de Danann. Cían is the son of Dian Cecht and father to Lugh. Cían was slayed by Brian and his brothers, afterwards Lugh sets the brothers out on what were ment to be impossible quests and

Brian

Today I wanted to write about Brian/Uar, a Gaelic trickster god. Brian is a son of Tuireann and Danand. Brian set out with some of his brothers to battle Cían, an enemy of their father. Cían turns himself into a pig to escape but Brian turned himself into a dog and chased him. After attacking