Sacred waters

From our discussions of Glastonbury's Chalice Well, to the Lady of the Lake, to mermaids, to the castle of Earl FitzGerald beneath Lough Gur, we've seen that water has always had mystical associations in Celtic traditions.

In the earliest Celtic tales, water is both a giver of life and a path to the Otherworld. The name Madron or Matrona, meaning "mother" appears in frequent connection with rivers and wells. One of Cornwall's most famous holy wells is at Madron, a town near Penzance.

However, it is important to note that the name of the water isn't just the geographical term, it is the name of the deity in the water itself.

For example, Sequana isn't just a goddess of water, but she is the spring source of the River Seine as well. Boann, for whom the Irish river Boyne is named, isn't simply a powerful deity; she is the source of the river, called the Well of Segais or sometimes Conlaíi's Well.

Other famous Celtic goddesses--and sources of water--include Belisama of the Mersey (England), Sinann of the Shannon (Ireland), Arnemetia of Buxton in Derbyshire (England), and Coventina of the Carrawburgh in Northumberland (England).

A modern-day counterpart is the veneration of Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the sacred waters of sites such as Lourdes, in France.

Most Celtic communities had at least one water source nearby, with sacred significances. Most of these sources were linked to goddesses, not gods. In the case of the River Boyne, we associate the water with the goddess Boann, and less with her river god husband, Nechtain.

Sulis is one of the most famous water goddesses from Celtic lore. She is associated with the famous hot springs of Bath, England. From earliest times, the Celts--and later the Romans--visited Bath for healing, and to consult the oracle.

Caesar may have mistakenly linked Sulis to the Roman goddess, Minerva, but others correctly knew her as the Celtic solar goddess of wisdom. Evidence of her association with the Sun includes the fact that this spring in Bath is hot; most British springs are cold.

In the lore of Bath and Sulis, we learn that water comes from the Underworld, which is the source of power, and where time becomes unimportant. The past flows into the future without distinction.

Likewise, the mystical and historical significance of Bath spans many eras.

For example, near Bath, Little Solsbury Hill is one of the most likely sites of the Battle of Mt. Badon, one of King Arthur's most important victories over the Saxons.

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