Celtic Bestiary of Creatures and Monsters

Celtic Bestiary of Creatures and Monsters

Unlike the vast array of heroes and characters in Celtic mythology, less emphasis is placed on fantastical creatures and monsters. Perhaps the Celts were more captivated by stories grounded in human experience. Nevertheless, there are beings within their lore that astonish with their uniqueness and have no clear counterparts in the mythologies of other cultures.

One such group of creatures were the Fomorians—demonic beings and the principal enemies of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the tribe of the goddess Danu. They were described as monstrous figures with a single arm, one eye, and one leg. The name “Fomorians” is often interpreted as “sea monsters.” Their grotesque appearance was explained by the belief that parts of their bodies remained in another realm—their native world—and only when they returned there did they appear whole. These beings have distant parallels in other mythologies: the Jotnar in Norse myth, certain Titans in Greek tradition, and even entities in some African tribal beliefs.

The Celts also envisioned a wide-ranging and diverse group of mystical beings collectively known as the Fairy Folk or Fae. This category included numerous magical and enigmatic creatures such as fairies, leprechauns, elves, brownies, and many others. We will explore them in much greater detail, as this group contains both well-known classic beings and rare, lesser-known ones that reflect the richness and imagination of Celtic folklore.