Celtic mythology is one of the most diverse mythologies that could be found. One of its’s branches is Irish mythology. Manannán or Manann, also known as Manannán mac Lir is the sea god who appears in both Celtic as well as Irish mythology. Considering the fact that the god survived in both Celtic and Irish mythologies and even in the four phases of Irish mythology, concludes that the god was not only one of the most powerful gods in the pantheon but also the most worshiped and popular deity.
According to the story “Voyage of Bran”, Manannán mac Lir meets Bran mac Febail and his crew in the middle of the sea. In it, Manannán mac Lir tells Bran that the sea is not actually water, but himself. Most literature would recognize Manannán mac Lir as the son of the primordial god Lir. The name Manannán mac Lir itself has the meaning "the son of Lir". So it is believed that the role of Lir as the supreme god of the sea, was taken over by his son, Manannán mac Lir. Other sources claim that Lir is an old Irish word for sea. So as for those, Manannán mac Lir is not a son of the primordial god Lir ,but an avatar of the god himself.
Many of the literature identifies Fand, the fairy queen, as the wife of Manannán mac Lir. The god is said to father many children and these children vary in different stories. As for some stories, Niamh, the lover and spouse of Irish hero Oshin is also believed to be a daughter of Manannán mac Lir.
He is said to possess many magical weapons, accessories, and animals. One such animal is the horse Embarr or Aonbharr. The horse has the ability to travel in both land and sea, and is faster than the wind. Anyone who mounts the horse cannot be killed. The horse appears in many stories of Irish mythology, suggesting that the god allowed others to ride the horse. One such story is the tale of Oshin, where the horse is used to travel between the land of humans and the land of eternal youth. Manannán mac Lir also had a swine. The swine would return to life after it was feasted upon. Those who ate of the swine would never die. So with it, the god would grant immortality to those who were chosen.
Manannán mac Lir was not just considered a typical sea god but also a mighty warrior. So he is believed to possess many magical weapons. Fragarach is the invincible sword the god carried. It had the power to cut through any armor, and was stronger than any metal known and unknown to man. The Fragarach is also known by the names The Whisperer, The Answerer, or The Retaliator. Manannán mac Lir has gifted the sword to Nuada, the first high king of Ireland.
He was crowned on the stone of destiny, which is named Lia Fáil. So it became a tradition to crown the high king of Ireland on Lia Fáil. The sword would only answer to those who stood on this stone, that is only to the high kings. Once the sword is drawn out of the sheath, no warrior regardless how skillful he or she is, would be able to withstand the wrath of the blade. It is because of this ability the sword is given the name The Retaliator. The sword is also said to have the ability to whisper strategies to the wielder, and so-called the whisperer. When the blade is held to the throat, no man could resist the urge, to tell the truth. This is why the sword is given the name The Answerer.
Another significant possession of the god, is the self-navigating boat named Sguaba Tuinne, which would translate as Wave-sweeper. The boat obeyed the thoughts of those who sailed in it, and is able to travel on both water and land. It also did not need an oar or sail, so it would sail at a high speed even in a dead sea, where no wind or waves could be found.
Different stories claim the sea god lives in different realms. Some of them are Tír-nanorg, the land of eternal youth, Emain Ablach, the mystical island paradise, and many more. Regardless, all these lands are said to be in the middle of the sea, given that Manannán mac Lir is a sea god. To hide his realm from the eyes of humans, the god uses a magical dense fog. This fog is named in Irish mythology as Féth Fíada. No man could ever pass through this fog, unless he was welcomed.
The god is also associated with the realm of the dead. So he is also considered the god of the dead. He is believed to perform the task of delivering the soul to the afterlife. When a person dies, the god would appear in the form of a mist, and would guide the soul through his fog. He would lead fallen heroes to Blessed Isles, which is a legendary winterless earthly paradise islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Sources also claim Manannán mac Lir to be the lord and protector of the Mag Mell, which is a mythical realm achievable through death and glory. Mag Mell is also a paradise where happiness lasts forever and is accessible only to a selected few.
The Isle of Man, which is an island found in the Irish sea, is said to be the throne of Manannán mac Lir, which is visible to humans. He would hold his council meetings related to human affairs at the highest peak of the island. During such meetings, the peak would be covered by a dense fog, to hide the presence of the god and the council from humans. It is believed that the island was named after the god.
In a document called the Supposed True Chronicle of Man he is the first ruler of the Isle of Man. Legends say, that the god used his powers to defend the land against enemies, even after the throne was handed to humans. One such story is, during the period of war, the Irish troops left the Peel Castle unprotected, leaving a single man to guard its battlements. The enemies became aware of this fact, and decided to attack the castle. The sea god, who was the protector of the land, defended the castle by creating an illusion. He created an illusion to make the single guard appear as a force of a thousand guards. Thinking they are outnumbered the enemies got frightened and so they retrieved.
Manannán mac Lir is also famous for his shape-shifting abilities. Many sources state that the god transform himself into a hawk, swallow, or even the wind when traveling the land of humans. The god has defended the pride of Ireland greatly with this shape-shifting ability by defeating those who challenge Irish people.
With the arrival of Christianity, stories merging both Irish mythology and Christian ideology began to emerge. Such stories are mostly associated with Manannán mac Lir, since he is considered as one of the most powerful gods in the Irish god pantheon. One such story is the conflict between Manannán mac Lir and St. Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland, in County Monaghan.
Manannán mac Lir invited St. Patrick to his castle for a feast. When St. Patrick attended the feast, he was warned by the servant, not to taste the food since it was poisoned. As punishment for the crime, St. Patrick turned Manannan mac lir into a giant eel or salmon. But in other stories, the sea god was trapped in a bottle and sent to the bottom of a lake, until the end of time.
The weapons, accessories, and animals mentioned in this video are just a few of the many magical possessions of Manannán mac Lir. Given the power and the prominence of the god, different legends would associate different possessions with the god. It's not surprising to find many of the Celtic stories, especially Irish stories to be associated with Manannán mac Lir directly or indirectly, since the god was not only immensely powerful but also most popular. So the god has survived through many generations. Even in the presence, the influence of the god could be seen in Ireland, especially on the Isle of Man.
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