House Shadow Drake - Celestial Folklore

By: Aisling Bronach of House Shadow Drake

Note: The use of the term Celtic is minimalized in this article with one exception in the case of "Syr" where the origin was solely listed as being "Celtic" with no specific data available in the original work that was referenced.

The following is a collection of information about celestial phenomena within Celtic folklore and culture. Several different cultures are represented including Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and British.

Bodies and Phenomena

Milky Way
The Milky Way is referred to by the Welsh as Caer Gwydion, or "meaning the "Fortress of Gwydion." In the case of Caer Gwydion, it is said that it was down this path that Gwydion pursued Arianrhod. (Allen: 481) It was also called Arianrhod, after the Welsh Goddess - but in this case refers to the "Silver Street" as opposed to the "Silver Circle" of the Corona Borealis. (Allen: 480)

Pleiades
Within Irish culture, the Pleiades have been recognized as the Griglean, Grioglachan, and Meanmach. (Allen: 397) Notably, the term Meanmach can be translated as "high-spirited" or "morale." However, historically, the legends associated with the Pleiades are largely from the area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The Teutons held a peculiar legend that also surrounds the myth of Jesus Christ. It says that as Jesus was walking past a baker's shop he was attracted by the delicious odor of freshly baked bread. His nostrils filled with the wonderful smell and so he went to the baker and asked for a single loaf of bread. Upon hearing his request, the baker refused. The baker's wife and daughters, though, carefully supplied Jesus with a loaf of bread in secret so that the baker was left unaware of their actions. In reward, the mother and her six daughters were placed in the heavens as the Seven Stars and the baker was transformed into a cuckoo. As long as the cuckoo sings from the spring from St. Tiburtius' Day (April 14) to St. John's Day (June 24) his wife and daughters are visible to him. Baring this story in mind, the Pleiades are referred to in Gaelic as the Crannnarian, which translates as the "Baker's Peel" or "Shrovel." It should be kept in mind that this is also a title shared with Ursa Major. (Allen: 402)

Constellations

Cassiopeia
Known by the Welsh as Llys Don.

Corona Borealis
The constellation known as the Corona Borealis was called Caer Arianrhod, or Llys Arianrhod, by the Welsh. From May 10th to the 18th, there are meteor showers which occasionally appear near this constellation. These shooting stars were believed to be souls returning to earth to be reborn. Sometimes the corona borealis is thought to be the House of Arianrhod, and sometimes the House of Ethlin. Notably, the Greek owner of the corona borealis was Ariadne, and the two names Arianrhod and Ariadne do hold a singular resemblance. (Allen: 177)

Hercules
The constellation Hercules has been called Almannus and Celticus from the fact that a similar hero was worshiped by Germans and Celts. Both of these figures are noted for their strength and completion of difficult tasks, and are said to be descended from Hellenic Hercules. (Allen: 240)

Lyra
The early Britons called the constellation Lyra after King Arthur's harp and thus referred to it as Talyn Arthur. (Allen: 282)

Orion
The early Irish referred to the constellation Orion as Caomai, which translates as the "Armed King" or the "Crowned King." (Allen: 310)

Taurus
With the introduction of the druids into the British Isles arrived the great festival of their religion called the Tauris which was celebrated when the sun entered the boundaries of the constellation Taurus. It has been claimed in the imagination of some that the origin of the tors in England are actually remnants of this Taurine cult. Cross-buns have been shown to be the contemporary representatives of the early bull cakes which held stellar associations and trace back to Egypt and Phoenicia. The Scottish have a story that on New Year's eve the Candlemas Bull is seen rising in the twilight and sailing across the sky. (Allen 382-383)

Ursa Major
The early Welsh and English people placed King Arthur's home within the constellation we refer to as Ursa Major. (MacNeill: 49) This constellation has been called Arthur's Wagon or Arthur's Wain. (Allen: 426)In the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," the following phrase appears:

Arthur's slow wain his course doth roll,
In utter darkness, round the poll.

Even in contemporary times, Ursa Major has been referred to as the Plough by the English. (Allen: 431) In Ireland, the name given to the constellation was King David's Chariot and referred to one of that island's early kings. However, other names that the Irish gave this constellation were the Crann meaning a plough or tree, Crannarain which referred to a baker's peel, and the Grigreach. They also knew it as the Farmer's Clock because it points with it's "tail" or "pole" eastward in spring, southward in summer, and so round the circle. (MacNeill: 49)

Ursa Minor
The Gaels referred to the constellation Ursa Minor by the name Drag-blod or the Fire Tail. (Allen: 448) The star Polaris, or North Star, was enclosed on three sides by the coils of a constellation called the Dragon which is no longer in use (see Polaris for more information). Ursa Minor was also considered in later times to be the hole in which the earth's axle found its bearing, Hence, the reason that Polaris, the predominant star in this constellation, is also called the Pole Star. (Allen: 455)

Planets

Venus
In Scottish folklore the planet Venus, as the evening star, is called Causleen. (Allen: 259) There is a fairytale called, "Habetrot and Scantlie Mab" which references Causleen as the evening star. In the story, the ugly women who spin the flax sing this song:

Cheerless is the evening grey
When Causleen hath died away,
But ever bright and ever fair
Are they who breathe this evening air,
And lean upon the self-bored stone
Unseen by all but me alone.

Stars

Alcor
One of the seven stars contained in Ursa Major, the star Alcor is called Jack on the Middle Horse in England. (Allen: 446)

Mizar
The star Mizar is another one of the seven stars contained in Ursa Major. Mizar represents the horse in the English Jack on the Middle Horse.

Polaris
The Scottish referred to the North Star as Reul-iuil, which means "Guide." To the English, Polaris was called the Steering Star because it was said that the early navigators "Knew no North, but where the Pole Star shone." They also referred to this star as the Lodestar or Loadstar. (Allen: 455) The North Star, Vegan, being used as a guiding point in the night sky around the time of the 6th century BC It was used predominately by sailors and was created from the Dragon's Wing, a constellation which is no longer used (refer to the section on Ursa Minor for more information).

Sirius
Sirius was called Reul-an-iuchair by the Scots. Canis Major contains the star Sirius which is derived from the Celtic Syr. (Allen: 120)

Spica
In old England the star Spica was called the Virgin's Spike.

Resources

Allen, R. H. Star-Names and Their Meanings (G. E. Stechert, 1899).

McNeill, Marian F. The Silver Bough: Scottish Folklore and Folk Belief. (Glasgow: Stuart Titles Ltd., 1957)

Rhys, John. "Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx." (NY: Benjamin Blom, 1972).