Celtic Church. Although popularly referred to, the term "Celtic Church " is not a strictly accurate one because the early Christian churches among the Celtic peoples were, in most essentials, part of the Roman Catholic Church. There was no identifiable church with a central leadership. However, for 150 years during the early Christian period the insular Celts of the British Isles were cut off from strict Roman influence. While Rome began to reform many of her customs during the fifth century A.D., especially the dating of Easter, the Celts clung to old computations and freely mixed pre-Christian traditions and social concepts into their Christian phitosophies and thus developed as a distinct en tity within the wide Christian movement.
The Celtic Church's views on social order and land tenure, which were contrary to hereditary rights and absolute ownership of land and property, brought it into early conflict with Rome. Absorption was inevitable; inevitable because of Celtic individualism and its lack of cohesion and centralism. However, Celtic Christian monks began to move through the Europe of the "Dark Ages," bringing literacy and learning to many. The Irish, in particular, were seized by a peregrinatio pro Christo. It was Irish monks who converted the pagan English kingdoms. When the Synod of Whitby in A.D. 664 opted for Roman custom instead of Celtic, it was not the end of Celtic Church influence in England, and another full century elapsed before Celtic missionaries ceased to be welcome among the English.
Celtic monks took their teachings as far east as Kiev, north to Iceland, and south even into Italy, where they established their own monasteries and churches. Their philosophers, such as Pelagius, Hilary, and others, added to the store of Christian wisdom. Eriugena the Irishman (ca. A.D. 810-877) is considered the most considerable philosopher in the western world betWeen Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas.
In Latin and in Celtic languages, there survive many Lives of the founding fathers (and mothers) of Christianity among the Celts. These Lives are a typically Celtic mix of allegory and legend-often the stories of the Celtic saints are mixed with former traditions so that the Lives become part of Celtic mythology itself. St. Brigid, for example, is often mixed with the traditions of the goddess of fertility, and many saint's days were grafted onto existing pagan feast days. The saints of the Celtic Church are numerous, for the designation "saint" was given to all missionaries and teachers of distinction, signifying that they were eminent men and women. It was, of course, under the auspices of the monks and scholars of the Celtic Church that the mythology of the Celts began to be written, and, unfortunately for posterity, many of the monks, with their newfound Christian zeal, sought to bowdlerise the myths with Christian images and morality. Nevertheless, the uniqueness and vitality of pre-Christian Celtic mythology and philosophy still shines through the thin Christian veneer.

By the twelfth century the Celtic Church had been absorbed into Rome, although as late as the fourteenth century in Scotland there were still bodies of Celtic monks (Culdees, or Ceile De, servants of God) clinging to the old cultural customs. The Ceile De order was a monastic one that sought to revive the purity and austerity of early Celtic monasticism. It is said they were founded by Mael Ruain, founder of the monastery of Tallaght (d. A.D. 794).

Cenferchyn. [W] In the "Dream of Rhonabwy" it is mentioned that Owain had been given 300 ravens by Cenferchyn and that when ever he went forth with this army he was victorious.

Ceridwen. [W] Wife of Tegid Foel and mother of Afagddu, who is so ugly that she resorts to magic in order to make him wise above all others. She sets Gwion Bach and Morda to tend the magic cauldron while she prepares the potion, but drops fall onto Gwion Bach's finger, which he sucks. Thus he attains wisdom and not Magddu. In fury, Ceridwen pursues him, and while he is hiding in the form of a grain of wheat, she overtakes and eats him. She then gives birth to the poet and druid Taliesin, who is Gwion Bach reincarnated. She hides him in a leather bag and casts him in a river. She has another son, Morfan, who is so ugly no man would fight with him at the battle of Camlann because they thought he was a devil. Her daughter is Creirwy (dear one).

Cernunnos. "The Horned One," found in Gaul and Britain. He is sometimes equated with the Dis Pater and therefore the Dagda in Irish myth. Representati0ns of him show a characteristic Buddha posture, although he is also shown with a club. He is also represented as "lord of animals," especially of the bull and stag. The hill figure at Cerne Abbas, in southwest England, which is also a near replica of a carving found at Corbridge, Northumberland, is thought to represent Cernunnos. It is 55 meters high and 51 meters wide.

Cesair. [1] Granddaughter of Noah and daughter of Bith. Bith was denied a place in the Ark and so Cesair advised him to build an idol. The idol advised them to build a ship as Noah had done and take refuge in it. After seven years they came to Ireland, where Cesair became the wife of Fintan. She perished with most of her followers, but Fintan escaped the Deluge by changing into a salmon.

Ceugant.[W] The concept of infinity, the outer of three concentric circles representing the totality of being in Welsh cosmogony.

Chariots. While chariots were popular in the Celtic world, and Julius Caesar was greatly worried by British war chariots during his campaign, they only feature prominently in the Red Branch Cycle of Irish mythology. In the Fenian Cycle there is scarcely any reference to them. The chariot usually contained a warrior and a charioteer, demonstrated in the tales of Cuchulainn and his charioteer Laeg. While the charioteer concentrated on driving, the warrior could run along the yoke between the horses and cast his spear over the heads of the galloping beasts before returning to the car. Caesar witnessed this tactic during his campaigns in Britain. It is interesting that most words for chariots in Latin are Celtic loan words-carpentum (from which derives our modern "car" as well as "carpenter") and carruca, carrus, and rheda, and the essendum, the war chariot most popularly used by Gauls and Britons.

Chruinnaght, Yn.[W] Manx "Gathering" similar to the Welsh Eisteddfod but not on such a grand scale. It was revived as an annual event in 1977 after a lapse since 1939. it is held in July each year.

Cian. [I] A son of Dian cecht, the god of medicine. Balor had stolen his cow and when he went to recover it he found Ethlinn locked in a tower by her father, Balor of the Evil Eye. It had been prophesied that Balor would die by the hand of his grandchild and he sought to keep his daughter Ethlinn away from men. But Cian entered the tower and seduced Ethlinn, who eventually: bears him a son, Lugh Lamhfada, who fulfils the prophecy.

Cigfa. [W] Daughter of Gwynn Gohoyw and wife of Pryderi. She shares the tale of Pryderi, Rhiannon, and Manawydan during the enchantment of Dyfed.

Cildydd. [W] "Of the Hundred Holds." One of Arthur's warriors asked to accompany Culhwch.

Cilgwri, Ousel of. [W] An ancient bird who had pecked a smith's anvil to the size of a nut, so long had she lived. But she is unable to help Culhwch in his search for Olwen.

Clas Myrddin. [W] An ancient name for Britain, "Myrddin's Enclosure," referred to in the White Book ofRhydderch.

Cliodhna. [I] Goddess of beauty who fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhan of the Curling Locks. They fled from the wrath of Manannan Mac Lir and landed in Glandore, Co. Cork. While Ciabhan went to hunt, Cliodhna was lulled asleep by beautiful music played by Manannan, who then sent a great wave to sweep her back to the Otherworld, leaving Ciabhan desolate.

Clothra. [I] She drowned her own sister Ethne while she was pregnant. She had an affair with her three bothers and bore a son to them who became the High King Lugaid Riab nDerg ("of the Red Stripes"), each section resembling one of her brothers, thereby proclaiming him to be the son of all three.

Clud. British goddess who gave hel; name to the Clyde (also in the form of Clota and Clwyd).

Clust. [W] "The Hearer." He could hear an ant move at fifty miles distant. He is asked to accompany Culhwch on his quest.

Cobhthach Coel. [I] The king of Bregia who was jealous of his brother, the king of leinster.He killed him and forced his nephew to eat the heart of his father, an experience that struck the boy dumb so that he was afterwards called Moen (dumb). Cobhthach became king of leinster, but when Moen grew to manhood he returned and exacted vengeance.