... mythic stories, such as the Irish Ulster Cycle, were not compiled until the medieval age. As a result, "Opinion is divided as to whether these texts contain substantial material derived from oral tradition or whether they were a creation of the medieval monastic authors" (Green 1997: 24). Other Irish stories frequently refer to the three goddesses of battle and death.3 These stories detail the ... nature of the gods and offer some explanation concerning their roles in Celtic society. Many stories that come down through Irish tradition make numerous references to "Lugh", whose Irish mean...

• Word Count: 2071
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography

... would be taught in a large group by a few Druid teachers and would be educated in astrology, magic, and in the powers of plants and animals. All of the instruction was oral and hands-on (1,2,3,4). The training was also very physically demanding. A Druid had to master and understand his or her body because it was the soul's link to nature and life ... on the powers of nature. A student had to always be open and observant. A student could train to be a Priest, a Bard or an Ovate. The Bards were the keepers of tradition through oral art. After basic training they would study grammar for tw...

• Word Count: 1573
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... a Christian forgery. All other mentions of human sacrifice by the Druids come from the writings of Caesar. Although the Celts did have a written language, they were an oral community, sharing stories and history through oral tales told mainly by the Bards. Because of this there is little written early history of these people. We do know that they were forced to convert ... being that of herself and her two sisters. The Druid community contained three main roles that of the Bard, the Ovate and the Druid. "The Bards were "the keepers of tradition, of the memory of the tribe - they were th...

• Word Count: 1363
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School