Theosophical Society, Cardiff Lodge

206 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 -1DL

 

 

Glossary of Celtic Terms

 

 

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Aes sidhe - The Supernatural Folk, i.e. the Faerie Folk.

Aicme - group of five Oghams.

Airbe druad - "Hedge," a magickal barrier no one could pass through.

Aisling - dream. Vision.

Alban Arthuan - Winter Solstice.

Alban Eiler - Spring Equinox.

Alban Elved - Autumnal Equinox.

Alban Heruin - Summer Solstice.

An-da-shealladh - "two sights," the ability to see spirits.

Anam - soul, indestructable self. One does not have but rather one is anam. It

is seated in the head.

Annwyn - the Under World.

Ategenos - rebirth after death into the Other World.

Awen - inspiration.

Awenyddion - inspired ones.

 

Beltane - Irish festival of May 1.

Beo - living thing, life, livelihood, quick, alive, active, lively. One's

physical body or true form. This can be shape-shifted into other true forms or

be transformed by external magicks by others.

Bith - this world: the manifest multi-verse.

Blath - prosperity. The eastern realm among the Fifths.

Breaca sith - "faerie marks," the livid spots that appear on the faces of the

dying.

Bricht - magick, the spoken spell.

Buabhaill - drinking horn.

Bua - victory, triumph, success, skill, talent, destiny. the earned power that

can be shared. It is what develops from ritual, blessing, sanctification. One

has an unlimited amount of Bua. See Bri.

Bwa'r Crach - "hag's bow," the rainbow leading to the Other World.

 

Caer - castle or fortress.

Cath - conflict. The northern realm among the Fifths.

Coelbreni - divination sticks.

Coiced - a fifth, one of five provinces of the land or cosmos.

Coirc - magick cauldron.

Corp creidh - "clay body," used as a magick poppet or spelling doll.

Craebh Ciuil - "the silver branch," or faerie shaman's magick wand.

Crannchur - "casting the woods," or divining by oghams.

Cwn Annwn - the hunting dogs of the faeries. Also called the hell hounds.

 

Da/n - poem, art, hymn, skill, gift, destiny, fate, talent, vocation, calling,

treasure. A gift or talent intrinsic to a person, given by the Gods,

unchangeable, which may either be expressed or not.

Deiseal - clockwise.

Dicetla - spells.

Dichetal do Chennaib - flash of inspiration.

Dli - binding principle, law. That which connects and binds everything, and is

found in everything.

Dryw - wren, or druid.

Duile - elements. Sometimes there are seven or nine duile in a Faerie Pagan's worldview. This list may include earth, water, stone, salt, sun, rain, cloud, stars and wind.

 

Emania - "Land of the Moon," where the dead went.

Eocra esci - "keys of knowledge," ogham sticks.

Feth Fiada - spell of invisibility.

Fey - faerie folk.

Fid-nemith, or fid-neimid - sacred grove.

Fidh, or Fiodh - "wood," or "tree." Used to denote the Oghamic characters and

the Trees they represent.

Fili (Filid pl.) - poet bards. This Irish term most closely fits the term

"Druid."

Fith-fath, or Fath-fith - a rhymed incantation to change ones shape. Fis =

learning. the western realm among the Fifths. Glainnaider, or Glain-nan-Druidhe

= "Druids glass," a magickal amulet.

 

Imbas - fire in the head. source of poetic/magickal/divine inspiration.

Imbas Forosnai - word of mouth wisdom.

Immrama - voyage or journey of the spirit.

Ingheaw Andagha - "Daughters of Fire," or the priestesses of the Goddess Brigit.

 

Les - bag holding herbs carried by healers.

Lion na mna sithe - "Lint of the Faerie Woman," a healing herb.

Lorg - staff.

Lughnassadh - festival of August 1.

 

Miaran na mna sithe - "thimble of the faerie woman," or the foxglove.

Midhe - the middle of the Fifths. Muince = a collar or torc.

Muir - the sea.

 

Nemetos - holy or sacred.

Nenadmim - apple cider.

Obaidh - incantation.

Ogham - the magickal Celtic alphabet.

On-lay - a spell placed on a home, or other area.

Orth - spell.

 

Rige - soverignty. The middle realm of the Fifths.

 

Samhain - festival of October 31.

Sean-sgeal - folk tale.

Seis - harmony, or musical art. The southern realm among the Fifths.

Si/dhe - the Realm of the Dead, or the "Faerie Realm," or the Under World in Faerie Lore.

Sidhe - faeries or other world beings.

Slat an draoichta - "rod of druidism," or a magick wand.

 

Taghairm - "spiritual echo," or calling up the dead.

Tais, or Taidhbhse - ghosts, or spirits of the dead.

Teinm Laida - understanding gained through the writing of poems.

Tiene sith - "faerie fire."

Tir-nan-og - "Land of the Young," or Faerie Land.

Tuatha De Dannan - "Children of the Goddess Dana," or the ancient Faerie Gods and Goddesses.

Tuathal - counter-clockwise.

 

Uath - poetic art.

 

Fifth - coiced. a province of the land or cosmos.

Middle - midhe. The middle realm of the Fifths.

Notch - the short lines or dots used to indicate the vowels of the Oghamic

system.

Score - the lines which cross the stemline to form the Oghamic Fews.

Stemline - the straight line on which the notches and scores are cut to make

Oghamic Fews.

Under World - the "lower" realm(s).

 

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Theosophical Society, Cardiff Lodge,

206 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 – 1DL.