Men of Celtic Myth

Summer Sessions

Meet the Old Gods

of Ireland, Scotland & Wales

In this summer series we will encounter some key male figures of Celtic myth. In the age of the manosphere, when Western culture is crying out for a model of masculinity that serves the Earth and all genders, what can these beings teach us?

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More Focus on Men? Seriously?

Yeah, I get it. Men have had the spotlight for millenia. Other teachers in this sphere are doing amazing work to bring powerful, female-focussed stories to light.

I’m behind that 100%. And I’m behind this too.

It’s no secret that unhealthy images of masculinity abound. TikTok videos tagged #AndrewTate have been viewed more than 12 billion times, and a man who boasts ‘grab them by the pussy’ sits in the Oval Office. No need to labour that point.

We criticise toxic masculinity a lot, and rightfully so. But we haven’t got far on finding an alternative.

Maybe we needn’t look far. Maybe the men we need have been around for thousands of years.

Warrior-Poets. Magician-Kings.

Masculinity in Balance.

There is no ‘God of Thunder’ or ‘God of War’ in the old stories of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Ossian was both a fearsome warrior and a poet raised by a deer in the forest. Fionn was a battle-blooded mystic who tasted the Salmon of Wisdom. Oghma led the Tuatha to war; he also invented writing. The Mabinogion portrays the misuse of male power in order to teach young princes how not to rule.

Celtic Myths and legends present a unique vision of masculinity in balance; the polar opposite of the pseudo-warriors and infant kings wielding power today.

‘Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance’

Irish proverb

It’s Not All About Gender.

The topic of masculinity is just part of it. I’m fascinated by all the Celtic deities, regardless of their gender, and maybe you are too.

This is about active engagement with tradition. It’s about creativity as devotion. It’s about going beyond what the books can tell us and having our own experience of the men of Celtic myth. Whatever the gatekeepers and the ‘well, actually’ people might say.

So which deities will we meet on this journey?

We will encounter:

Fionn Mac Cumhaill
Asipattle
Lugh
Arawn

Fionn Mac Cumhaill

Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Captain of the Fianna, is one of the great heroes of Irish folklore. A hunter, warrior, leader and mystic whose dark side was brought forth by betrayal.

Warriors and poets. Dancer-lover-fighters. They could recite poetry while dancing on the tips of spears. The Fianna are one of the most compelling models of masculinity I’ve ever come across. This model finds its fullest embodiment in Fionn.

Asipattle

The wild card of the bunch. A trickster-hero hailing from an Orkney folk tale, Asipattle forged Iceland, the Baltic Sea and the Northern Isles of Scotland from the body of a snake.

My own encounters with this being in ceremony tell me he was once a kind of shaman-god. I’ve spent years getting to know him and I’ve love to introduce him to you.

Arawn

When reckless, hasty Pwyll gets on the wrong side of Arawn, Prince of the Otherworld, Arawn offers Pwyll the chance to live for a year as Arawn: Pwyll’s other self. His higher self; his fairy self; his shining mirror. Wouldn’t you like to do that?

In this session we’ll enter the world of the Mabinogion, where Arawn can offer each of us a doorway to our Otherworld self.

Lugh

Lugh of the Long Hand, the Ildanach, the Master of All Arts.

Healer, Harper, Medic. Leader, Craftsman, Wordsmith. Lugh’s got it all down.

Is this something he can teach us?

In this session we’ll discuss flow states, creativity and intertextuality before meeting the champion of the Irish Mythological Cycle; the child of monsters and gods.

Get in Touch Today

At Each Gathering You’ll Experience:

Celtic myth and folklore
stories told by Daniel
‘feeding the story’ reflective practices
guided meditation
guided creative practice
creativity as ritual/devotion/offering

Your Host

I’m Daniel Allison, an oral storyteller, USA Today bestselling author, creativity coach and Muay Thai fighter from Scotland. My work is centred on making Celtic Mythology exciting and accessible for everyone.

I host the House of Legends podcast and I’m the author of Irish Mythology: The Children of Danu, Scottish Myths & Legends I & II, Finn & The Fianna and The Orkney Cycle.

At the deeper end of my work is something I call creative mythology. This is intrinsic to own spiritual practice and it’s what we’ll be doing at these sessions. In short, it’s the practice of continually forging a living tradition through curious, creative and fearless engagement with Celtic spirituality.