Mórrígan (deity)
Mórrígan, often referred to as "the Mórrigan," is a significant figure in Celtic mythology, embodying the aspects of battle, conflict, and fertility. Her name translates to "Great Queen" or "Phantom Queen," and she is represented both as a singular goddess and as a triad alongside her companions Badb and Macha. The Mórrigan is part of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a powerful group of deities in Irish lore. Known for her transformative abilities, she can take on various forms, including a crow, eel, wolf, or an old woman, which symbolizes her dual nature in both warfare and nurturing.
In tales such as the battle of Mag Tuireadh, Mórrígan plays a pivotal role by influencing the outcome of conflicts, often determining the fate of warriors. Her interactions with the hero Cú Chulainn illustrate her complex character, intertwining themes of desire, fate, and mortality. Mórrígan's association with the land and agricultural productivity further enriches her symbolism, linking her to cycles of life, death, and rebirth.
Historically, her worship is believed to date back to Neolithic times, with connections to ancient fertility cults. Today, Mórrígan continues to resonate within modern spiritual practices such as neopaganism and Wicca, and she appears frequently in popular culture, illustrating her enduring legacy as a powerful and multifaceted deity.
Mórrígan (deity)
Symbols: Crow, eel, wolf
Culture: Celtic
Children: Meiche
Mórrigan, usually called "the Mórrigan," is a Celtic goddess of battle, conflict, and fertility. Her Celtic name means either "Great Queen" or "Phantom Queen." She appears in some Celtic myths as one goddess and in others as three, her partners being Badb, who uses magic to spread confusion on a battlefield, and Macha, who eats the heads of enemies killed in battle. In Celtic mythology, the tripling of a god makes the power of that god all the stronger. The Mórrigan is one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, or "the people of Danu" or "children of Danu." Danu is a Celtic earth goddess, and the Danann are all Celtic gods that possess impressive powers. The Mórrigan played key roles in the two Danann victories over the Firbolg and the Fomorians.
The Mórrigan was associated with strong sexual appeal and desire. Her mating with the Dagda prior to the battle of Mag Tuireadh and her intense desire for Cú Chulainn both evidence this.
The Mórrigan and Badb are associated with crows or ravens; Macha is connected to horses. In addition to taking the form of a crow, the Mórrigan can become an eel or a wolf. She could also appear as either an ugly old woman or a beautiful young maiden. There may be a linguistic connection between her name and the –mare that appears in nightmare; that word part connotes "ghost," not "horse."
In Mythology
The Mórrigan plays a pivotal role in the story of the battle of Mag Tuireadh, the epic struggle that gave the Danann victory over the Fomorians, the children of Domnu (Danu’s sister). Initially, she is on the Fomorian side. The Dagda came upon her astride the river Unius, with one leg on each bank. She was washing the clothes of the men who were to die in the battle, which indicates she was determining who would die and who would survive. After the pair mated, she agreed to join the Danann side, providing information about the Fomorians’ plans. She also appeared on the battlefield, chanting spells that dismayed the Fomorians. After the Danann victory, she delivered a song celebrating the victory and proclaiming the glorious future of Ireland.
The Mórrigan also appeared in one of the adventures of Cú Chulainn, the hero who was the son of the god Lugh. Because he was so beautiful and such a great warrior, she desired him, but he rejected her. She then attacked him, first as an eel, then as a wolf, and then as a cow, but Chulainn defeated and wounded her each time. Any wounds Chulainn inflicted could only be healed by him. Knowing that she stood little chance of being healed in her real form, the Mórrigan took the form of an old woman leading a cow. Chulainn asked her for milk, which she gave him three times. As he blessed the milk after each drink, her three wounds were healed. The Mórrigan then revealed who she was, and Chulainn informed her that, had he known who she was, he would never have healed her. She became angry and told him that she would weaken him in battle. Later, he saw her washing clothes in a river—as the Dagda had done. In this case, though, she was washing Chulainn’s clothes, indicating that he was doomed to die in his upcoming fight. He was indeed slain, and when that happened, a crow—the Mórrigan—appeared on this shoulder, no doubt to remind him of the error of his ways. In some versions of the story, though, the Mórrigan tried to prevent Chulainn from entering his last fight, going so far as to destroy his chariot so that he cannot ride into battle.
In the Chulainn story and in others, the Mórrigan is portrayed as leading and protecting cattle. These tales associate her with the productivity of the land and give her a less terrifying significance than her usual appearance as a battle goddess. Her appearance on the eve of the battle of Mag Tuireadh astride the river shows her mastery of the land. The link to the land appears in other ways as well. The place where she and the Dagda coupled is called "the Bed of the Couple," and several places in Ireland are named for her.
Origins and Cults
Scholars believe that the Mórrigan cult began in Neolithic times, when the inhabitants of Ireland had a cult of the Mothers. Like the Mórrigan, this cult had a three-person form, the goddesses were associated with war, perhaps because they were counted on for regenerative powers; and two of the trio were associated with crows. The Mothers, like the Mórrigan, were also linked to sexuality.
She is similar to other mythological figures, including the Valkyries of Norse mythology, who choose which warriors will die in battle. Her role in the death of Cú Chulainn raises another similarity with these figures—the Mórrigan causes his death by weakening him in a crucial part of the battle. The Valkyries are said to carry out the doom they place on a warrior by putting fetters on him, thus making him unable to fight to his full ability.
Samhain, the feast marking the beginning of winter, was associated with the Mórrigan. She and the Dagda had their union on Samhain, which is from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. Their mating can be seen as the union of opposite principles—abundance and mirth, on the part of the Dagda, and death and rebirth on the part of the Mórrigan. Given her association with the land and what it produced, she can also be seen as reinforcing the Dagda’s promise of abundance. On Samhain, the barrier between the human world and the world of spirits was seen as quite thin, making it possible for spirits to walk among the living and vice versa. Later, this festival was converted into All Hallow’s Eve, which is now known as Halloween.
In Popular Culture
The Mórrigan has remained a popular figure today among those who have adopted Celtic religious beliefs and practices, which includes neopagans and Wiccans. She has also been a character, or been alluded to, in various novels, movies, television shows, and video games.
Bibliography
Ellis, Peter Berresford. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. New York: Oxford UP, 1994. Print.
MacCulloch, John Arnott. Celtic Mythology. New York: Dover, 2004. Print.
Macleod, Sharon Paice. Celtic Myth and Religion: A Study of Traditional Belief, with Newly Translated Prayers, Poems and Songs. Jefferson: McFarland, 2012. Print.
Monaghan, Patricia. Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. New York: Facts On File, 2008. Print.
Rolleston, T. W. Celtic Myths and Legends. New York: Dover, 1990. Print.