The Morrígan is often described as a trio of individuals, all sisters, called ‘the three Morrígna’. Although membership of the triad varies, the most common combination in modern sources is Badb, Macha and Nemain. However the primary sources indicate a more likely triad of Badb, Macha and Anand
Sometimes she appears as one of three sisters, the daughters of Ernmas: Morrígan, Badb and Macha. Sometimes the trinity consists of Badb, Macha and Anand, collectively known as the Morrígna. However, the Morrígan can also appear alone and her name is sometimes used interchangeably with Badb
Badb: A war Goddess associated with battle, destruction, and death and often appeared over battle as a hooded crow, or ran alongside warriors disguised as a grey-red wolf. Badb was connected to rebirth as a watcher of the cauldron of regeneration in the Otherworld. She was also a Witch and a sorceress, and a Prophetess who foresaw the future. Macha: The root word “mag” translated means field, plain or pasture. This name connects and gives Macha power over the sacred land and horses, representing wealth, power and symbolizing the elite warriors. She was also connected to fertility by the land and horses, and cursed the male Red Branch warrior to suffer nine days of birth pangs when forced to run a race. As part of the trinity, she rained down fire and blood on her enemies. Nemain: Her name translates to panic, frenzy or venomous. Also a deity of battle, death and destruction, she appeared as a carrion crow. Neiman was a prophetess and her battle cries meant death would soon follow. By shrieking furiously, she intimidated, panicked and confused soldiers on the battle field into dying of fright or mistaking their own comrades for enemies. This aspect connects to the role of Banshee.
Notable Legends – In the Ulster Cycle, Táin Bó Regamna (The Cattle Raid of Regamain), which is a body of Irish mythology, Morrigan appears to the hero Cuchulainn (whom she has appeared to in different guises) and he finds her stealing one of his cows, yet he does not recognize her and becomes angry and insults her. Shape-shifting into a crow, he now recognizes her and acknowledges he would not have insulted her had he known, yet she prophesizes his death in battle which came to pass.
Morrigan also appears to Cuchulainn as a young woman (or hag, depending on the version) and offers him her love, and her aid in the battle, but he rejects her offer. In response she intervenes in his next combat, first in the form of an eel who trips him, then as a wolf who stampedes cattle across the ford, and finally as a white, red-eared heifer leading the stampede, just as she had warned in their previous encounter. (White and red animals were very symbolic of the otherworld and the sidhe)
In the Cath Maige Tuireadh, on Samhain Morrigan has an encounter with the Dagda (High King of the Tuatha De Dannan) before the battle against the Fomorians. When he meets her she is washing battle clothes while standing with one foot on either side of the river Unius and they mate. She then promises to summon the magicians of Ireland to cast spells on behalf of the Tuatha De Dannan and to destroy Indech, the Fomorian king.
Her role was to not only be a symbol of imminent death, but to also influence the outcome of war. Most often she did this by appearing as a crow flying overhead and would either inspire fear or courage in the hearts of the warriors. In some cases, she is written to have appeared in visions to those who are destined to die in battle by washing their bloody armor. In this specific role, she is also given the role of foretelling imminent death with a particular emphasis on the individual.[31] There are also a few rare accounts where she would join in the battle itself as a warrior and show her favouritism in a more direct manner.
The Morrigan was such a powerful symbol of life and birth that the Celts believed she could revive their dead soldiers to fight once more. The severed heads on the battlefield were called the “Mast of Macha” (harvest of Macha). The ground was considered sacred after the battle, as the soldiers would leave until the next day so Morrigan could gather the souls undisturbed. As a scavenger bird, she was an omen of war (both as a symbol and with prophecy) feeding on bodies and gathering souls and terrorized armies into dying of fear with her frightful and shrieking cries.
Although speculated, Morrigan may have been the daughter of Delbaeth and Ernmas whom in the earliest copies of the Lebor Gabala Erenn (The Book of Invasions) had three daughters, named Badb, Macha, and Anand. In the Book of Leinster, Anand is also known as Morrigu, while in the Book of Fermoy version, Macha is identified with Morrigan. In addition, Morrigan may had been one of Dagda’s wives and had sons.
Sacred Associations – Carrion eating animals, specifically crows. Fog, shapeshifting, bloodlust and battle, white and red cows, mugwort, yew, willow, rivers. Obsidian, bloodstone, apples, rebirth, swords, sorcery, bones and skulls.
Titles – Bride, Brigit, Brigid, Breo-saighead meaning fiery arrow
God of – spring, fertility, healing, prophecy, poetry, culture, learning, smithcraft, crafts, fire, home and childbirth.
Race – Tuatha De Danann
Family – Parents: Dagda (Father), ? (Mother) Siblings:Cermait, Aengus, Midir and Bodb Derg. Consorts: Bres Sons: Ruadán
Symbols – Two oxen, Fe and Men, that graze on a plain named after them, Femen. She also possessed the king of boars, Torc Triath, and Cirb, king of wethers (sheep). She also had an apple orchard in the Otherworld and her bees would bring their magical nectar back to earth.
Description – It is said that wherever she walked, small flowers and shamrocks would appear. She wears a mantle (cape) that is said to have healing properties. Sometimes portrayed with fiery hair.
Notable Legends – The marriage of Brigid to Bres was essentially an alliance to bring peace between two warring factions. She was of the Danu and he of the Fomorians. With the intermarriage, war was hopefully averted. Ruadan, Brigid’s eldest son, used the knowledge of smithing given to him by his maternal kin, the Danu, against them by killing their smith, a sacred position within the tribe. This smith killed Ruadan before dying himself. Brigid’s grief and lamentations were said to be the first heard in Ireland and were not only an expression of mourning for the loss of Her son but also for the enmity between maternal and paternal factions of family
She is also credited with the invention of whistling, which she used to summon her friends to her side. Eventually the love and respect for the goddess Brigid brought unity to the Celts who were spread throughout Europe. Regardless of their differences, they all agreed upon her goodness and compassion.
ne of the most popular tales of the goddess Brigid involved two lepers who appeared at her sacred well at Kildare and asked to be healed. She told them that they were to bathe each other until the skin healed.After the first one was healed, he felt only revulsion for the other and would not touch him to bathe him. Angered, Brigid caused his leprosy to return. Then she gently placed her mantle (cloak) around the other leper who was immediately healed.Ireland is full of springs and wells named after the goddess Brigid. Symbolically, water is seen as a portal to the Otherworld and as a source of wisdom and healing.There is a saying that Brigid rewards any offering to her, so offerings of coins were often tossed into her wells…the forerunner of the modern custom of throwing a penny into a fountain while you make a wish.
She possesses an unusual status as a Sun Goddess, who hangs Her Cloak upon the rays of the Sun and whose dwelling-place radiates light as if on fire. Brigid took over the Cult of the Ewes formerly held by the Goddess Lassar, who also is a Sun Goddess
At her most famous shrine Brigid taught humans how to gather and use herbs for their healing properties, how to care for their livestock, and how to forge iron into tools. As a goddess of childbirth and protector of all children, she is the patroness of midwifery.
Sacred Associations – Forge and hearth. the first sprouts of spring, ox, cows, boar, sheep, apple, honey, cockrel, ewe, snakes, Wells
“Despite their defeat, the Tuatha De still retained the power of their magic arts and they deprived the Gaels of their corn and milk until they forced them to come to terms. It was then decided that the country should be divided into two parts, the lower half going to the Tuatha De and the upper half to the Gaels. Thus the Tuatha De retired underground and the Daghdha assigned to each of their chiefs a sidh or “fairy mound,” and throughout the countryside such mounds are still regarded as the special dwelling places of the fairy people. Already in the late seventh century a clerical biographer of St. Patrick refers to the “sidh or gods who dwell in the earth”, thus evidently taking taking for granted the tradition that placed the native gods under the earth’s surface.”
— Celtic Mythology by Proinsias Mac Cana (via eibhlincatha)
Ocean's Meadow 