Celtic Mythology
Angus Og
We shall now look at the Celtic God "Oengus Ouge" or Angus Og as he
is more commonly known in the Highlands and Western Isles of
Scotland. Of all the male children of our Goddess Dana, none has
had the everlasting popularity of the Celtic Eros, Angus Og, even
today he is remembered in the very beautiful lullaby "Dream
Angus".
Angus Og, his name means the "ever young", Lord of Tir-Nan-Og, the
Land of Youth, is perhaps one of the most ancient deities in Eire
and Alba, and is considered by most Celtic scholars to pre-date
even the first recorded Celtic migrations and was incorporated into
the Celtic pantheon. Though he became the darling of the bards as
the archetype of Love, Youth and Beauty, it is evident through the
symbolism attached to him that he was worshipped by the ancients in
a far wider role than that of Eros.
What is recorded of his several roles tells us he was the keeper of
the Four Keys, (these being the keys to the Otherworld Lands). This
would have made him Lord of Death and Rebirth, ruler of the
Underworld. In Ireland he was sometimes known as the "Frightener"
because of his ability to panic animals into stampede at his
appearance, which has undoubted connotations of Angus as a deity in
the Pan mode. In the Celtic mythological cycle we see Angus trick
his father the Dagda out of ownership of his home "Brugh-Na-Boyne"
(Newgrange) in Ireland, thus taking on the principles of the
Dagda's role as a deity.
This is a good opportunity to explain the reason for the seemingly
myriad pantheon of Celtic deities. The first problem arises with
the word Celtic. In modern times the word Celt is used to describe
the remaining races of people who have in common language derived
from the old Celtic root stock ie Breton, Brythonic, Gaelic, etc.
However, in Roman times the word Celt or Keltoi described a
European tribal structure of many differing races having the same
perceptions of religious ideology concerning Life, Death and
Rebirth, and a shared Cosmology.
However, to bring us back to the Gods, each of these tribes or
clans had their deity names for the understood principles of deity
shared by all Celtic peoples and the fortunes of deity names
followed the fortunes of their tribes.
In the case of Angus Og we can see his origins as a horned deity
and his evolution to the Gaelic God of youth and Love. For the
shamans among you he may appear to you as a white swan with a
golden chain around its neck. His physical help may be sought by
shaking an Ash tree at dawn. For the singles it is said a prayer to
Angus will reveal your true love in your dreams to you.
[(c) S. McSkimming from: GODS OF THE CELTS 1992
DALRIADA PUBLICATIONS]
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