Celtic mythology: Encyclopedia II - Celtic mythology - Modern remnants

Celtic mythology - Modern remnants

The indigenous Celtic beliefs and ways have had a large impact on the modern Celtic cultures. Mythology based on (though, not identical to) the pre-Christian religion was common place knowledge in Celtic speaking cultures up to today, though it is now dwindling. Additionally, many unofficial saints are believed in, such as Brìd in Scotland (Brighid in Ireland), which have the same names as known deities. Various rituals involving acts of pilgrimage to sites such as hills and sacred wells which are believed to have curative or otherwise beneficial properties are still performed.

Based on evidence from the European continent, various figures which are still known in folklore in the Celtic countries up to today or take part in post-Christian mythology can be known to have also been worshipped in those areas that did not have records before Christianity.

Some of these are:

• Lugh in Ireland, Lugus in Gaul, and Llew in Wales
• Brighid or Bríd in Ireland, Brigindo in Gaul, and possibly Brigantia in Britain
• Maponos in Britain and Gaul, Mabon in Wales, and a likely related god Aengus Mac Óg in Ireland
• Núadha in Ireland and Nodens in Britain
• Badhbh Catha in Ireland and Cathubodua in Gaul

Differences in the names are accounted by diversion within the languages of the different groups.

Celtic mythology - Druidism?

Often the religious systems of the Celtic peoples are called "Druidry" or "Druidism". This is very much a misnomer, suggesting only the Druids were involved in religion, or that they had a distinct religion. This is akin to suggesting that Catholicism is Bishopry. The Druids existed as a functional part within a larger framework, as priests for instance. There are now numerous systems which have either been made up whole, or attempt to revive Celtic beliefs, and more often a mix of both called "Druidism". A problem with calling an attempt at reviving Celtic beliefs Druidism however is that, again, it would be like calling a revived Catholicism Bishopry or Judaism Rabbiry. Doing so goes beyond simply misnaming the religion but suggests a fundementally wrong (ahistorical) structure, such as a religion which consists entirely of priest figures, or is different somehow from people they serve. Since the religious system of the Celts was indisputably polytheistic, the religion is more accurately termed Celtic polytheism.

Some people of the modern Celtic cultures, and others descended from them in the Celtic diaspora, are attempting to revive what they regard as their indigenous religion.

The modern religion of Wicca created in the 20th century from numerous heterogenous sources is sometimes mistakenly believed to be a Celtic religion, although any relationship thereto is based on modern borrowing of discrete facets derived from recent historical and archaelogical findings.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Modern remnants", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki