We continue our Story Time today with one of the Goddesses closely associated with the recently past Sabbat, Samhain. Personally, she is one of my favourite deities because she is such a fierce and wild figure in Celtic Mythology. I am talking of course about the shapeshifter,

Goddess of War and Battle, The Morrígan (or Morríghan)

While there are several opinions on how the name should be spelled, I do believe that it is crucial to always include the definite article when talking about The Morrígan in an attempt to purvey her power, because ultimately, her name means ‘great queen’ or ‘phantom queen’.

The Morrígan is deeply engraved into the Irish and Celtic Mythology as the Goddess of Death, War and Battle but also the Goddess of sovereignty and rightful kingship.

She was said to have been able to predict the death of warriors during battle. Unsettling news that she would deliver in her favorite shape, that of a crow (often mistaken for a raven). She’d fly over the battlefield and thus inspire the men to fight for their lives or run away in terror. 

Wiccans honor the Morrígan during the Sabbat of Samhain because a lot of Tales featuring the Morrígan seem to happen during this time. Also her connection to death and the Crow make this Sabbat an ideal time to worship this Goddess.

While she is so strongly associated with battle and the inherent chaos, the Morrígan also represents power, peace and prophecy. I believe her popularity in recent times stems from her sheer fierceness as a female deity with which many young witches and Wiccans can identify themselves with or at least relate to.

To dive deeper into all the tales of the Morrígan is going to burst the scope of this little page, but you can read a lot about the mythology behind this Celtic Goddess and other in “Uncovering Celtic Mythology”