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Some Celtic gods:
The leading deity was known as the Daghdha (Daw-da), the name means
"good god". "Good" does not seem to be in the sense of moral
superiority, but in the sense of effectiveness. He has been identified
as a "Dis Pater" mentioned by Caesar as the ancestral deity of the
Gauls.
His son was known as Aongus, or the "Mac O'g", a sort of god
like Apollo who represented youth and vigour. A cult of Maponus
has been identified in Roman Britain, probably the same god.
Nuadu seems to have been a god of hunting, identified with
Nodons, another Romano-British cult figure.
Lugh was another god, practised in all the arts and crafts.
He appears as LLeu in Welsh mythology, and usually is known
as Lamhfhada ("of the long arm"), referring not to a
physical attribute, but to the effectiveness of his weapons.
Like the "long arm of the law"! Caesar mention a god whom
he identifies with the Roman Mercury, who is probably the
same figure. His name lives on in Lyons (Roman "Lugdunum"),
Loudon, and Louden in France, centres of his worship.
Mananna'n (usuaully "mac Lir") was the god of the otherworld
and the god of the sea - the name of the Isle of Man stems from
him.
Celtic gods are hard to pin down because (outside of the slim
classical sources) all the information comes from Christian
monks who were not eager to record the defeated pagan religion.
Goddesses, redolent of the earth and sexuality, are even harder
to find information about.
Toby
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