The people that we identify as Celts were a group of tribal peoples that inhabited a large geographic area. To identify them as a single people, by a single name, is much like calling all the various tribes of peoples indigenous to the Americas by the name Native Americans. Just as the Native Americans have been grouped by their geography by scholars into sub classifications such as the Plains Indians and Eastern Woodland Indians, Celts have been sub classified by geography into Irish, Welsh, Continental, Cornish, Manx, Breton and Scottish. Within these groups, there were individual clans or tribes with their own names, like Carnute or Senone.

Each Celtic clan had its own set of deities. Within those sets there were not only gods and goddesses, but also heroes that were raised to godhood in the generations after their death. Because of the commonality of some names, there seem to be divinities with conflicting characteristics who actually are separate divinities with the same name, for example there are several different men named Connla who were all local heroes whose legends gave birth to godhood in their prospective tribes. There are also divinities with similar characteristics and correspondences that have different names because of tribal differences; the Irish goddess Danu and the Welsh goddess Don are an example of this phenomenon. The focus of this article will be on some of the gods and goddesses of the Celtic pantheon and will not include the legendary figures. The scope of this article is intended to be an introduction to a few central figures that serve as a foundation for the Celtic pantheon.

The Gods and Goddesses discussed here are specific to Celtic mythology, but find counterparts in other mythological systems. Those familiar with other mythological systems, such as Greek, Roman, Teutonic, or Egyptian may find correspondence between the deities named here and deities in those systems. Religious or mythological systems often bear similarity, though we don't always know how or why those similarities are there.

One feature of Celtic divinities is that they are very human in nature. They have human forms, although some are credited with the ability to shapeshift into animals. They have human emotions, including jealousy and affection. They undertake human crafts, like weaving, metalworking, carpentry, masonry, and even mundane things like cooking. The gods and goddesses of the Celts do not have animals as their primary form, nor are they usually hybrids of animal and human form The gods and goddesses discussed here symbolize either ideas like love or wisdom, or features of nature like the earth itself or the woods.

Danu - Danu is known as the mother of both gods and people. Some sources list the Tuatha de Danaan, the people of Danu, as becoming the fairies who are generally held to be the ancestors of the Irish. In legend, after the Tuatha de Danaan are defeated by the Milesians, they retreat to the sidhes, the caves and hills of Ireland, become invisible, and their movement becomes attributed to fairies. Danu is sometimes portrayed as the mother of Dagda, who in turn is the father of several other gods and goddesses. She is not usually paired with a consort. She is a represented by earth and waters. She is the life giver. Danu is the goddess of rivers, water, wells, prosperity, magic, and wisdom. Danu is also known as Dana, Anu, and Don. Correspondences for Danu include the directions of east or south, the moon in all phases, amber, stones with holes in them, and blood.

Bridget - Bridget is perhaps the most well known of all the Celtic goddesses. Her following was so strong that the Catholic church absorbed her as St. Brigit, the foster-mother of Christ, and kept her festival as the feast of St. Brigit Bridget is sometimes seen as a triple goddess, the maiden, mother and crone that symbolize the cycle of life, and sometimes as only the mother aspect of the goddess. She is the goddess of the hearth, fertility, martial arts, healing, physicians, agriculture, inspiration, learning, poetry, divination, prophecy, smith craft, animal husbandry, love, and protection. Bridget is celebrated at Imbolc, the turning of winter. Bridget is also known as Brid, Bride, and Brighid. There is speculation the aspects of the mother goddess, Danu, were later absorbed by Bridget. Correspondences for Bridget include the direction north, blackberries, fire, wells, milk, the waxing moon, lambs, and the heart.

The Morrigan - The Morrigan is portrayed both as a single goddess, and as a triad of crone goddesses who were named Macha, Nemain, and Babd. The Morrigan was said to feed on the emotions of battle. She cast her magic of confusion upon the field, but in most accounts does not physically participate in the fight. She is often portrayed as a crow flying and screeching above the melee. She is also known as the washerwoman at the ford, who is seen washing the clothes and gear of the soldiers by those soldiers destined to die in that battle. The Morrigan is the goddess of priests, fresh water, revenge, night, magic, prophecy and strength. The Morrigan is also known as the Morrigu. Correspondences for the Morrigan include the direction west, the raven and carrion crow, obsidian, rubies, waning and dark moons, yew, onyx, belladonna, nightbane, and black dogs.

Cerridwen - Cerridwen is often portrayed as a hag stirring a cauldron, the typical image of Halloween. Cerridwen is one of the goddesses most associated with shape shifting. She is often portrayed as a sow, for her attribute of fertility. A legend of Cerridwen has it that she wanted to create a potion of knowledge for her son, so she concocted it and set it to simmer for a year and a day. She had Gwion take care of the potion and stir it, but at the end of the appointed time, he splashed some on his fingers and licked it off. Cerridwen was furious that Gwion had deprived her son of the knowledge, and vowed to kill Gwion. Gwion hid from her and he himself shapeshifted to avoid her. Eventually he became a grain of corn and Cerridwen became a hen who ingested him, then gave birth to the bard Taliesin. Cerridwen is the goddess of grain, death, fertility, regeneration, inspiration, enchantment, divination, herbs, science, poetry, knowledge, and shapeshifting. Correspondences for Cerridwen include the direction west, pigs, hens, cauldrons, vervain, acorns, and the dark moon.

Dagda - Dagda is father god very much in the tradition of the Greek Zeus. He is said to be the father of Brighid, Lugh, Aengus MacOg, and a host of other deities. He is a warrior with a club that can kill nine at one blow, a musician with a harp that sets the seasons in order, and a good provider with a cauldron of plenty. He is known as the "good god" and yet he is also known to have human failings, including a temper that sometimes gets the best of him and an unquenchable desire for beautiful women. One famous incident of his sexual desire is that he seduces Boann, the beautiful wife the water god Nechtan. Boann was afraid of her husband's reaction to her adultery and convinces Dagda to use his power over the seasons to cause the sun to stand still until their son, Aengus MacOg, was born. He is the god of earth, heavens, and magic. Correspondences for Dagda include the directions north or west, the harp, the elder tree, and the sun wheel.

Lugh - Lugh was the fair-haired golden god of many talents. He is the god of light, harvest, fire, metallurgy, weaving, and protection. Lugh was said to have mastered many skills, he is known as a carpenter, mason, poet, Druid, and goldsmith. One legend of Lugh says that he knocked at the gates of Tara, the legendary keep of the gods, and asked to be admitted. When he was asked what his talents were, and why he should be admitted he asked if they had a warrior, a maker of jewelry, a smith, a scribe and so on. He is told after every inquiry that yes, Tara had one of those, finally he asks if Tara has a single one who can do all he mentioned. Of course Tara did not, so Lugh was admitted to Tara. He was also known as a warrior, and his nickname Lugh, the long armed refers to his prowess in battle. Lughnasadh is named after him in his harvest aspect. Correspondences for Lugh include the direction east, lynx and raven, topaz and obsidian, looms and all grains.

Cernunnos - As an exception to the Celtic gods being primarily human, Cernunnos is portrayed as having stag horns atop his head. He is also identified as a possible source of the "Green Man" figures and legends. He is sometimes paired with an earth goddess, such as Danu as a consort, and sometimes named as the son born at winter solstice. He is linked both with fertility in the human sense and fertility in the animal and plant worlds as well as the protection of the woodlands and propagation of wildlife. Cernunnos is one of the deities with murky and sometimes conflicting myths surrounding him; there is no single source that actually lists him. Knowledge of Cernunnos is by inference, there is only one incomplete inscription with his name, but there are several visual representations of him found in Europe ranging from Romania to Ireland. Regardless of the lack of verifiable information about Cernunnos, he has been embraced by neo-Pagans and is a firm entity in the Celtic pantheon. Like Danu, he seems to be one of the most ancient of the Celtic pantheon. Cernunnos is the god of virility, fertility, animals, sex, nature, woodlands, reincarnation, crossroads, wealth, commerce and warriors. Correspondences for Cernunnos include the direction west, stags and rams, the oak, and peridot.

Aengus MacOg - Aengus MacOg is a god of intense, and sometimes described as fatal, love. One legend of Aengus MacOg is that of helping the lovers Diarmuid and Grainne escape when they fell in love, even though Grainne was pledged to another. Even though Grainne's intended eventually caught up with them and Diarmuid was killed by an enraged boar set upon him by the jilted lover, Aengus MacOg was said to have breathed life back into Diarmuid. Aengus MacOg is the god of love, life, dreams, soul, beauty, youth and creativity. The kisses of Aengus are said to become birds. Correspondences of Aengus MacOg include the direction north, cinnamon, sapphires, rose quartz, red roses, bowls, and copper.