Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. Among Celts in close contact with Ancient Rome, s...
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In Celtic mythology, the Morrighan is known as a goddess of battle and war. However, there's a bit more to her than this. Also referred to as Morrígu, Morríghan, or Mor-Ríoghain, she is called the "washer at the ford," because if a warrior saw her washing his armor in the stream, it meant he was to die that day. She is the goddess who determines whether or not you walk off the field of battle, or are carried off upon your shield.
In later Irish folklore, this role would be delegated to the bain sidhe, who foresaw the death of members of a specific family or clan.
The Morrighan often appears in the form of a crow or raven, or is seen accompanied by a group of them. In the stories of the Ulster cycle, she is shown as a cow and a wolf as well. The connection with these two animals suggest that in some areas, she may have been connected to fertility and land.
Origin
It is difficult to find the exact origin of Morrigan in existing texts. Some say that she was the wife of Dadga. Many say that she was part of the Tuatha de Dananna, or the tribe of the Goddess Danu. The tribe was a mythical race living in Ireland and were descendants of the goddess Danu. Her son, Dadga, was a powerful leader. Morrigan often helped to protect the people from invading armies by blowing a layer of fog over the land and decreasing visibility.
The Myth of Cu Chulainn
Cu Chulainn was a warrior and Morrigan fell deeply in love with him. She tried to seduce the warrior but he rejected her. Unable to deal with the rejection, she set out to seek revenge.
She tried to use her magic to increase his inner strength but needed him to be still and near her in order to do so. Because she was a shape-shifter, she appeared to him for the first time as a bull. She told him to run but he refused and kept on his path.
The next time, she appeared to the warrior as an eel. She tried to trip him in an effort to use more magic on him but she was unable to. She tried again, this time changing into a wolf, and attempted to scare cattle so that they would run and stop his journey but again, this didn’t work.
On her final attempt, she took the shape of an elderly woman. She was milking a cow and when Cu Chulainn saw her, he finally recognized her. Morrigan gave the warrior three drinks of milk, which immediately made him stronger.
Cu Chulainn was riding his horse one day when he noticed Morrigan by the river. This would be the moment in which she would seek her revenge on the warrior for rejecting her love. She was washing his armor, which was considered to be a death omen. The next time he was in battle, he was critically wounded. He knew that he would die and he tied himself to a large stone and propped himself up so that he would die in an upright position. A crow landed on his shoulder and it was at this moment that everyone knew he had passed.
Samhain
Morrigan met Dagda, the King of the Tuatha de Dananna, at Samhein. The Dagda had a home in the north and he was told to meet a woman there before the battle. He found the woman washing herself in the river Unis of Connacht, which flowed just to the south of his home. She had nine loosened tresses on her head and captivated the king instantly. The Dagda spoke with her and they slept together. Morrigan then told Dagda that he should summon Erin’s men to meet her and that the Fomorians would land at Mag Scetne. She aided the Tuatha de Dananna in their battle and once they had won, she proclaimed the victory to the royal heights of Ireland.
Family
The story of Morrigan’s family is a bit hazy. Some sources say that her and Dagda married and had a child while others say that they only encountered each other at the river once. If they did have a child, the name was Adair.
Morrigan was the daughter of Ernmas. She had several siblings, including Badb, Macha, Banba, Fohla and Eriu. Unfortunately, there is very little detail surrounding Morrigan other than her main descriptions because much of Celtic mythology has either been destroyed or lost over the generations.
Appearance
Morrigan is represented similarly in almost every artistic representation of her. She is young, with long, flowing dark hair. Her clothing is black and sometimes very revealing. Other times, she is cloaked so as not to show her face. Because she was a shape-shifter, she is often shown with one of the more common forms she would take on-the crow or raven. She is strikingly beautiful yet intimidating.
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Symbology
Morrigan is known for her strengths, which include her ability to instill fear in those who crossed her. She is also known for her weaknesses and was described as vindictive. She wasn’t afraid to kill if she felt disrespected. She is forever linked to the festival of Samhain and is usually symbolically represented by a crow or raven. She is also sometimes associated with horse symbolism and has been linked to Epona, the equine Goddess.
