Celtic Mythology Stories: A Guide

“O Lady of the Fair Hair,
Sing to me of the fair ancient land.
Yours divine voice
Whispers the poetry of magic
that flow through the wind,
Like sweet-tasting water of the Boyne.

“Girls, forever young and beautiful,
Dancing around the broken dun,
Where long forgotten heroes
sang of victory
And drank ales
to old memories.

“Sing to me one last time,
Goddess of the Fair Hair,
Before my old ear fail me.
Let me see you dance,
Before your beauty fade away
from my failing sight.”

— Song to the Lady of the Fair Hair,
from the Book of Heroes.

We now leave the mild climate of the ancient Aegean, and the cold, forbidding regions of the North.

Here, we enter the lush, green land, shrouded in mists of magic and wonders. The land is young yet ancient; beautiful yet intriguing; and something quite magical.

We meet people who are fair and noble. Yet when aroused into battle, these people can easily become savage. One can lose their heads, quite literally, at the end of the swords.

Here we turn our page to Celtic Mythology.

Though Celtic myths was not written until eleventh century AD, after the Vikings was driven out of Ireland, their sources, mostly oral traditions, were quite old. Even ancient.

Many of the myths that come to us, come mainly from Ireland and Wales. Celtic myths also included those from Scotland, Cornwall and Brittany (in France). We have to thank the Welsh myths, and to a lesser degree to the Irish, for the legends of King Arthur. While the medieval romance of Tristan and Isolde originated in Brittany, it gained popularity in Continental Europe and the British Isles.

Though Celtic literature didn’t appear until the Middle Age, Celtic people and their religions existed during the time of ancient Rome. For more information on the Celtic people and their history and myths, feel free to read About Celtic Myths.

Otherwise, continue on.

The pages devoted to Celtic myths, has been divided into three section:

		The Otherworld contains references of the Celtic deities, from Irish and Welsh literatures, as well as deities from ancient Gaul and Britain.
		The Warrior Society contains information on Celtic characters, particularly on heroes and heroines, rulers and other minor characters that appeared in Celtic myths.
		Celtic Cycles are filled with stories of adventures and tragedy.

Other useful information includes:

		Fact & Figures: Celtic World and Cultures Enchanted Objects Faithful Companions
		Genealogy
		Bibliography (Celtic sources)
		Copyright Notices

If you want to know some background information about Celtic myths, click on About Celtic Myths.

If you have a question or a problem, your answer may be found
in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Or go to the Contact page, and email me.

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Notes

The majority of the characters and stories presented in Timeless Myths, belonged to Irish myths. There are stories of Welsh myths, such as the collection of prose tales, called the Mabinogion.

There are a few myths with Arthur in the Mabinogion and in other Welsh sources, but the rest of the legend on King Arthur will be found in Arthurian Legends division.