Elemental magic and the nameless god of druids

 

If you want to understand why the Celts placed such high value on "goodly speech", study the incantations delivered by the druid Mogh Roith in the anonymous epic The Siege of Knocklong. Even in English translation, you feel water streaming and fire crackling and wind blowing and earth heaving as the words arouse elemental magic.

     When Moghh Roith, in defense of Munster, is kindling magical fire against the army of the High King Cormac and his five fairy druids, he includes these lines

God of druids
My god above every god
He is god of the ancient druids

There is mystery here. In their new book A History of Irish Magic, Sally North and James North comment that "the god is invoked without naming him. In no surviving Irish text is the god of the druids ever named. If, as supposed, the gods of the ancient Irish were the Tuatha De Danàan, whose names are known and frequently cited, it is noteworthy that the druids scrupulously avoid naming their own god, even when calling on him directly." [1]  
      Assuming this is correct, why is it so? It must be noted that Mogh Roith, in his metal bird mask and bull's hide cloak and flying chariot, with his power to raise a great wind with his breath, often seems to have godlike powers himself.
     A sampling of his elemental magic through incantation:

Magic breath

Against Mogh Roith sent a magic breath northwards against the fairy druid Colpa, so that “the stones and sand of the earth became furious devastating balls of fire all the way to the ford;” [2]

Calling the power of water

Munster was thirsty and its nobles and fighting men were listless, deprived of vital energy. The druid called on the power of water

I invoke a special stream,
drops seep through rocks;
a stream of pleasant taste
to the north-east.
I invoke a cool waterfall [3]

When he had completed this the solidity of the earth was fractured by the onrush of water. The druid said to the nobles, “Drink to get back your strength and energy, your warlike vigor and your power and dignity."

The water was distributed to all, men, horses and cattle, until all were satisfied. The magic exhaustion which had oppressed them was lifted.

 

Magical fire

I knead a fire, powerful, strong;
it will level the wood, it will dry up grass;
an angry flame, great its speed
it will rush up, to the heavens above;
it will destroy forests, the forests of the earth,
it will subdue in battle the people of Conn.

sharp smoke of the rowan-tree,
gentle smoke of the rowan-tree,
I practise druidic arts [4]

With elemental magic he can raise the dragon - or a gianyt eel - subdue his enemies and turn them into stones.

References

1.Sally North and James North, A History of Irish Magic. Loughcrew, Co. Meath: Holythorn Press, 2024 pp.23-24

2.Ibid p.86

3.Ibid p.69

4. Ibid p.71. Alas, the Norths' otherwise excellent book has few source notes and no bibliography.

The full text of the English translation of The Siege of Knocklong by Seán Ó Duinn is accessible online at https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T301044.html. 

Illustration: "Elemental Magic" RM + NightCafe