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Showing posts with the label Irish Mythology

Fairies - Are They Good or Evil

When we talk about magical creatures, the first being that comes to mind for most of us, is a fairy. A fairy is mostly described as a dragonfly or a butterfly-winged human-like creature, with supernatural powers, ranging from quite tiny to the size of a human. Fairies appear in not just one but in many mythologies, such as European, Persian, German, and much more, but it could be seen a dominant presence in the European cultures. Origin It seems in the early period; these mythologies used the term “fairy” to describe any magical creature. These creatures not only include the winged creatures that we are familiar with, but also goblins and gnomes. In these times, terms such as “Fae”, “Fair Folk”, And “Faerie”, are used as synonyms for fairies. Later many identified a fairy and fae as two different entities. Fairies are loving pure spirited magical beings who especially have the power to levitate, mostly with the help of wings. In the hierarchy of magic...

Manannán mac Lir - The God of the Sea And the Dead - Irish Mythology

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, Mananná...