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‘Celtic’ Witchcraft

I remember in my early days trying to find resources on historical Celtic witchcraft. I wanted to learn about the witchcraft from the places I descended from. So, I searched for answers. I read book after book on the supposed witch practices found in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland (Raymond Buckland never steered me so wrong, and that’s really saying something). However, I remember feeling…unsatisfied. It didn’t seem historical or based in any pre-Gardnerian lineage. It seemed like Wiccan influenced witchcraft based in Gaelic and Gallic mythology. However, the authors of the books were claiming that it was truly historical and traditional. Lo and behold, I was correct. So then came the question “What is historical ‘celtic’ witchcraft and where can I find it?” 

First of all, there is no one Celtic witchcraft. The word ‘Celtic’ applies to both Gaels and Gauls (though it’s said that Gauls aren’t included in that term at all, but for now, we’ll use it). There are six nations covered under ‘Celt’; Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, The Isle of Man, and Cornwall. Any witchcraft that originates from those lands can be considered ‘Celtic’, but the use of that term can create confusion and misinformation. Though they may look similar at times, and though they are all witchcraft, they are not the same. Methods changed from environment to environment. The witchery has always been based in the Land. 

I’ll briefly describe the practices and lore found in each land, but it is by no means exhaustive. 

Cornwall

In the circles of traditional witchcraft, Cornish witchery has been made very clear and accessible with much thanks to the wonderful Gemma Gary. Cornwall has perhaps one of the strongest histories of magical practice out of the Celtic Fringe. Not only witches, but Pellars (cunning folk), were a large part of the culture. Folk magic, the basis of both witch and pellar magic alike, ran rampant through Cornwall. The Pellars of Cornwall held a very strong likeness to witches, so much so that some folklorists consider them the same. The Pellars made it a point to have a wide range of services available to their customer. That meant that they would both curse and cure. The magic of Cornwall often came in the form of small spell bags filled with either powders, folded written charms, or other magical ingredient. These bags did a number of things, from love conjuring, curse breaking, and spirit banishing to healing, luck magic, and finding lost possessions. According to Cornish witch lore, a witch’s power fluctuates with the seasons, and it was in the spring that a witch’s power was renewed. The different pellars and witches of Cornwall would also clash through reputation of power. Though they clashed, the witches of Cornwall would also gather for their sabbats, which were a strange thing to behold to outsiders. Witches, both young and old, would dance with the Devil around fires, faster and closer to the flames with each pass, and never be singed. The ability to spontaneously disappear is spoken of (which may suggest flying). Black animals, especially black cats, are often spoke of in Cornish witch lore. The association with witch and toad is especially strong here, and it can be seen as a familiar, a shapeshifting witch, a charm, or an indicator of a witch. 

Wales

Witchcraft that comes from Wales can be particularly tricky to find. The term ‘Welsh Witch’ has been popular since the early days of Stevie Nicks. This makes it notoriously difficult to find any historical references on actual Welsh witches. In actuality, there were two kinds of magical practitioner in Wales. The first was a wizard (known as a cunning man in England) and the second was a witch. Wizards were very popular and plenty in number in Wales. Their practice was based mainly in healing the ill and livestock. They also did favors, like giving love potions and undoing witch spells. One Welsh tale, however, tells about a conjuror who is unable to undo a witch’s spell on a butter churn, so the farmer must turn to another witch to reverse it. Welsh witches were thought to have great power. They were able to raise the dead, curse their enemies, and according to older legends, shape shift and fly. Observing the myth of a sorceress named Cerridwen and the legends of Morgan le Fey and Nimue, there comes a general idea of what a witch was in Wales and Welsh legend. The idea of someone brewing potions and poisons was most definitely associated with witches, but more broadly, elements of water and weather seem to have importance. Interaction with the fairies also holds a very strong importance in Welsh craft. Walking between worlds, particularly this world and the world of the Fairy (Avalon, anyone?), was a skill that many wizards, witches, and heroes of Welsh myth acquired. All in all, the witchcraft in Wales is quite similar to the witchcraft found in England, as is the interaction between Wizard (cunning folk or Wise Men and Women) and Witch. 

Brittany 

In Brittany, a very strong fear and dislike for witches is found that is unlike Wales. Witches in Brittany were thought to be many in number. The legends suggest that they targeted farmers especially, making sure always to turn milk sour and spoil butter. They were also accounted to be particularly dangerous and vicious. Any man who watched their Sabbat would either not be found, found dead, or found scared witless and unable to speak. The witches of Brittany, however, were also sought out by the townsfolk. Indeed, there were witch doctors to fix their issues, but the witches were sought out for love spells and favors. Witch-cats are also mentioned, which could be either a reference to familiars or shapeshifting. Most strangely, Breton witches are said to very rarely cast spells on their targets and instead cast spells on the animals and possessions of the target. Every village is said to have a local witch. Some villages are said to be completely filled with witches. Many of them carry cane-like sticks with which they cast their spells. They were also said to be skilled in spells to find things, like lost objects and buried treasure. The line between village conjuror/wizard and witch is difficult to draw here. They may choose to help or harm, depending on their inclinations. For that reason, they still hold a strong reputation in Brittany, despite it being a place noted for its skepticism. 

The Isle of Man

On the Isle of Man, both witches and magicians were an important part of the environment. The first thing you’ll find on the witches from the Isle is that they practiced much magic involving the weather and the sea. Magic was used to help the fishermen catch more fish, make sure the winds were good for travel, and settle storms at sea. A charm was made by a witch and given to a sailor that stored the winds inside. When he was at sea and in need of a gust, he would use the charm. Interestingly, the line between witch and cunning person seemed to blur here. Cunning folk were known as Charmers and Witch Doctors. Witches, however, were employed when needed. There was a perceived difference between the magic of different kinds of practitioners. Do not be mistaken, though. The fear and dislike of witches still existed. Many farmers feared the wrath of witches, especially when their crops failed and their cattle died. To reveal the witch responsible, they would burn whatever died. The person in pain the next day was thought responsible. As throughout all of Europe, witches were thought to have gained their power either through birth or through the Devil’s grace. However, witches were looked upon differently in the Isle than other places. Because of its long associations with magic, it had many kinds of magical practitioners and witches were not always considered to be the most powerful of them. Magicians, who practiced an art to compel and work with spirits and powers beyond other kinds of practitioners, were revered. They were usually compared to the image of Manannán Mac Lir, considered both a sea god and a powerful magician. The ability to fly and walk between worlds was also attributed to the witches and magicians of the Isle of Man, most likely due to the latter. 

Scotland

Witchcraft flourished in Scotland perhaps as much, if not more than, in Wales. Scotland’s witch trials are famous, and perhaps the most famous among them was Isobel Gowdie. In her free confession, she detailed a story that most labeled imaginary. She spoke of fairies, elf bolts, curses, shapeshifting, flying, and lewd activities with the Devil. When comparing it with the confession of Alison Pearson, another Scottish witch she had never met, a Scottish fairy tradition begins to appear. Alison also details stories of going under the hills to meet the fairies, as well as them making elf bolts. More trials begot more folklore and legends. Stories of witches working the weather to destroy crops, sink ships, and cause havoc spread. More tales of a Man in Black appearing to future-witches and witches alike began to run rampant. John Fian, a male witch, was famed for his botched love spell, teaching witchcraft, harshly bewitching people whom he didn’t like, and attempting to sink the fleet of King James VI with a storm. Much of Scotland’s witchcraft was influenced by Gaelic legend and myth. Scotland’s witchery was not Gaelic alone, however. Norse invaders came and brought their magic with them. In Orkney, a Scottish Isle filled with witch history, the Vikings came often. Their language and culture mingled with the Scots’. Soon, cunning women were referred to as Spae Wives. The word Spae comes from the Old Norse spá,which means ‘prophesize’. These spae wives told fortunes, created charms, and protected against foul magical play. The witches of Scotland, however, proved a match for them. They killed cattle, cursed babies, and brought general havoc with them. 

Ireland

Historical Irish witchcraft is perhaps the most difficult to find out of all the Celtic regions, and this is for a few different reasons. The first being that many lineages of Wicca have taken Irish mythology and applied it to the Gardnerian influenced witchcraft that they have. Many times when the word ‘Celtic Witchcraft’ or “Celtic Wicca’ comes up, this is what is being referred to. The second reason that it’s difficult to find is because the witch trials in Ireland are few and far between. The trials barely touched Ireland, amounting to a whopping 4 trials. The generally accepted reason for this is that Ireland was extraordinarily lax with its witchcraft laws. Most times, using witchcraft against another person’s possessions or livestock resulted in prison time. Only by harming another magically would a witch be executed. Interestingly, many people took this as a sign that Irish witches were generally less severe than their other Celtic counterparts. Florence Newton, the famed witch of Youghal, put the assumption to rest. When a woman refused to give her any food, she kissed her on the street. The woman became extremely ill and began to see visions of Florence pricking her with pins and needles. Florence also kissed the hand of a man in jail. He became very ill, cried out her name, and died. In a Northern Ireland trial, eight women were accused of causing horrific visions and poltergeists in the home of a woman. The ability to create illusions is a trait attributed to fairies in Gaelic myth. Those fairies are said to have taught the witches their skills in both Ireland and Scotland. Irish witches were said to turn themselves into animals, especially hares and crows, to spy on their neighbors. They would also place spells on those whom they wish in their animal form. They were also said to have used bundles of yarrow and branches of elder to fly. These sticks they flew upon, before brooms, were known as ‘horses’. They were said to fly up out of the chimney of their own homes. A tale of witches using red caps to fly also appears in Irish lore. This is another example of their strong ties to the fairies. The similarity between Irish and Scottish witchery has been noted, as they both have strong ties to Gaelic lore.

Witchcraft from the Celtic lands is a complex and unique thing, changing between each of the six nations. To lump them under a single title would be to lose the subtleties and differences between each. Saying that Irish witchcraft and Welsh witchcraft are the same is a fool’s lie. Saying that they are similar is true. Shapeshifting, flying, fairies, storms, and charms are found in each. But they are different. It isn’t a bad thing when the myths of these lands are paired with Wicca or Wiccan influenced witchcraft. However, the historical practices from those places mustn’t be overwritten. 

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CELTIC MYTHOLOGY

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I’d agree with that. Roles tend to transcend time even if the specifics change.

And yeah, I certainly think placing a value judgement on pre-Christian trads vs Christian ones is a bit silly. Both have a value, and both are/were shaped by the Irish as a people, so they’re both Irish.

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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I’m more on the both/and side than the either/or.

If you’re asking (hypothetically, anyway) whether I, having access to a PDF with every possible detail I could ever want to know about the smith cult, would be willing change my life to be in exact accordance with the description given no matter what, even if elements of it were impossible, unethical, or unreasonable to carry out given my 21st century cultural context, the answer is no.

However, if you’re asking whether I would be willing to change my life to be in accordance with that description to the best of my ability, keeping in mind the similarities and differences between my modern context and the ancient one I’m trying to engage with while trying to do justice to the spirit of both, I don’t see why not.

I wouldn’t see the latter as a substitution of modern paganism at the expense of culture, because I wouldn’t be attempting to emulate modern paganism. I would be attempting to adapt an ancient concept to a modern context. And, the more I was able to understand about the original role and practice of the smith cult, the better I would be able to adapt it for the modern day without loss of meaning or context.

It may not end up being a perfect analog, but it would be a much more organic evolution of the original concept than one would get by abandoning historical foundation altogether and doing “whatever feels right,” or ignoring the progression of society and insisting on exact 1:1 preservation.

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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@irelandseyeonmyths

@andinarcadiai hit the nail on the head!

I’d add a few additional points:

1. I'm operating under the assumption that the gods are Real™. If that's the case, I don't know what the implications of worshiping them incorrectly or ignorantly might be. If the “popular idea” holds that a given deity is a god of agriculture or the sea, but the “unwieldy truth” is that they’re actually a god of death or sacrifice, that's something I'd want to know about before I invited them into my life. Maybe the gods evolve to adapt themselves to the popular ideas, but maybe they don’t.

(Plus, just picking a character at random from the myths doesn’t guarantee you’re dealing with an actual deity. The myths were intended as literature, not scripture. Some of the characters are likely 100% made up.)

2. It’s not unheard of for people to completely uproot their whole lives in service of a deity. Monasticism, missionary work, activism, you name it. I’ve heard examples of people who become poets in service of Bragi, doctors in service of Apollo, soldiers in service of the Morrigan, etc. If I felt particularly drawn to a god of smithing, I can’t see why I’d be opposed to taking up metalwork as an act of devotion.

3. Given the fact that modern society is different now from what it was in the Iron Age, it goes without saying that no one is going to be able to worship “the old gods” exactly how they were worshiped in “the old days.” Some homebrewing is going to be necessary no matter what. So, if I wanted to worship a smith deity, I obviously can’t reconstruct the original society and smith cult and be 100% authentic, but I could take the elements that existed in the historical cult and adapt them as best I could to my own context. All religions have to adapt to the times to one extent or another. As long as the living, modern cultures aren’t being disrespected, I don’t see the harm in a little innovation. I just want that innovation to be along factual lines instead of fanciful ones.

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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Gotta say, I appreciate you taking the time to respond, but I’m still a bit confused. I’m fairly familiar with the history of modern paganism, but by “paganism” I’m referring specifically to the veneration of pre-Christian deities, as opposed to just animism or a belief in/respect for the supernatural folklore. Those things are good and important for getting the bigger picture, but the purview of my research for the time being is specifically focused on the pre-Christian gods.

As far as the festivals, I don’t doubt that the properly pagan ones aren’t celebrated anymore, but some of the folklore around the Christian festivals has a degree of pagan influence, no? Catholicism itself isn’t pagan, but it does adapt the native beliefs here and there.

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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Arthur and Welsh Mythology Exhibit at National Library of Wales

The White Book of Rhydderch

“No grave for Arthur, because he did not die.  He lives where we have need of him”

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Prehistoric rock art on one of the kerb-stones surrounding the great Neolithic passage tomb at Newgrange, Co. Meath Photo: Regan Buker (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Can you elaborate on what you mean by “you can be a pagan without modern paganism?” I’m not sure I understand what you’re getting at.

Festivals/beliefs/folklore with pre-Christian origins are clearly still observed in Ireland, but I’m under the impression that the Irish pagan religion (i.e., a system of belief and/or worship of a god or gods, whether within individual tribes or among the pre-Christian Irish as a whole) no longer exists. Any 21st Century version of Irish paganism, whether it’s culturally informed or not, is necessarily a modern invention.

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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I'm into both, honestly. I already really enjoy the culture, so I want to see what it can offer on the religious front. There is definitely a lot of nonsense in modern paganism, but I think it can still be valuable if you can learn to be genuinely critical of it.

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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I'm not doing the Dedicant's Path, actually. I'm not a currently a polytheist (I'm looking into paganism to see what I can learn from it and whether I feel it would be a good fit for me), so I wouldn't qualify for membership with ADF. Plus their curriculum seems to lean more to the dubious pop-Celtic side of things, which I’m trying to avoid.

Thanks for the links! I've been working my way through the Irish myths on CELT (I've read many of them before, but it's been a while) and I just recently found the folklore archive, but I've never heard of Craobh Crua before – are they still active?

Hey folks!

I’m devoting the year to an exploration of paganism and related paths, and this blog is part of that that journey. I’m hoping to use it as a place to ask questions and collect resources, among other things.

My main focus for the time being is Celtic paganism, due both to my heritage and my existing interest in the culture and folklore of the Celtic nations, although I’m also interested in broader-scope topics that relate to the pagan community as a whole as well.

Hoping to learn as much as I can over the next 12 months!

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Lately I have felt Morrigan contacting me, but I want to do more research about Her. Are there any books you recommend? Or websites and the like? Thank you!

Why, yes there are! Take a look:

BOOKS:

“The Morrigan: Meeting the Great Queens”, by Morgan Daimler.

“The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions”, by Morpheus Ravenna. 

ACADEMIA: 

*It is important to note that there are some things in these articles that do not sit right with me, or with many people, but - and I quote the [source] of these articles and links - they “add important layers to any discussion” of a complex deity.

“War-goddesses, furies and scald crows: The use of the word badb in early Irish literature”, by Kim Heidja.

“The ‘Mast’ of Macha: The Celtic Irish and the War Goddess of Ireland”, by Catherine Mowat.

“War Goddess: The Morrigan and Her Germano-Celtic Counterparts”, by Angelique Gulermovich Epstein.

“Demonology, allegory and translation: the Furies and the Morrigan”, by Michael Clarke.

“The ‘Terror of the Night’ and the Morrígain: Shifting Faces of the Supernatural”, by Jacqueline Borsje.

WEBSITES:

*I only know two of these sites (Mary Celtic Literature Collective & Coru Cathubodua) and can relay that those are generally very reliable, but the source of this list says that all of the sites featured here are generally reliable.

1. Scath na Feannoige:This is warrior-focused Morrigan content. Some of the material is free, and some of it is not, but all of it is supposed to be of an excellent quality.

2. Mary Jones Celtic Literature Collective:This website is a very good all-round source for Celtic materials. It is good for sourcing myths on the Morrgian as it has an Irish Literature section, as well as an ecyclopaedic section.

3. Story Archaeology:This site offers newer translations of myths and discussions surrounding the features stories. You will have to search for the Morrigan related content as it is an archive of stories. It also has a podcast!

4. Coru Cathubodua:This site was created by a group who work with the Morrgian and has a wonderful resource list.

✧ ASK BOX ✧

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I’ve seen a few people in the tags asking about new house blessings. I found this one in the Carmina Gadelica, 1992 printing, and it could easily be adapted to the deities or spirits of your choosing. 

God bless this house

from site to stay

from beam to wall

from end to end

from ridge to basement

from balk to roof-tree

from found to summit

found and summit

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Prayer of Purification from the Carmina Gadelica

Power of moon I have over it, Power of sun I have over it, Power of rain I have over it, Power of dew I have over it, Power of sea I have over it, Power of land I have over it, Power of stars I have over it, Power of planets I have over it, Power of universe I have over it, Power of skies I have over it, Power of ancestors I have over it, Power of heaven I have over it, Power of heaven and God I have over it, Power of heaven and God I have over it.