The Debate Over the Strongest in Celtic Mythology
The world is home to a vast array of mythologies, religions, and legends, but Celtic mythology — the source of the later Arthurian legends — has a uniquely dreamlike, fantastical atmosphere.
I previously created an overall power ranking covering all mythologies, religions, and legends, and the gods and heroes of Celtic mythology made the list as well.
Building on that earlier ranking, I have now created a separate ranking focused exclusively on Celtic mythology.
Keep in mind that this ranking reflects my own subjective judgment and is not definitively correct — and no one could ever create a ranking that is absolutely correct, so it is only natural that many different opinions exist.
I encourage you to come up with your own ranking, and I would love for you to share your results with me as well!
What Is Celtic Mythology?
Celtic mythology is the body of myths passed down among the Celtic peoples who once spread across Europe. The best known are the Irish myths and the Welsh tales of the “Mabinogion.”
The Celts left few written records, so most of these myths survive because they were written down by later Christian monks.
At the heart of Celtic mythology is the war between the divine race of the “Tuatha Dé Danann” and the demonic race of the “Fomorians.”
An important trait here: the Celtic gods are not immortal. Although they live extremely long lives (centuries to millennia), they can simply die in battle.
As a result, the gods often read as extensions of human heroes rather than transcendent beings — which is a major reason Celtic mythology tends to rank low (and is hard to rank) in terms of raw strength.
If you’d like to explore the world of Celtic mythology in more depth, these books are also worth checking out.
Power Ranking (Celtic Mythology)
Let’s now announce the ranking from the lowest position upward. The ranking focuses primarily on beings who have scenes in the mythology that clearly demonstrate their power.
Therefore, even well-known gods and heroes who are difficult to evaluate in terms of strength based on their depictions — such as the war goddess Morrígan or the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill — have been excluded.
Also note that Celtic mythology contains many lesser-known but powerful beings, so this ranking centers on the well-known figures. Please keep that in mind.
Rank 6: Scáthach (Overall Ranking: #91)
Scáthach is the warrior woman who rules the Land of Shadows in Alba (modern Scotland), famed as the teacher of the hero Cú Chulainn and a master of every martial and magical art.
Having taught Cú Chulainn to use the spear Gáe Bolg, she could surely wield it too. But given Celtic myth’s low immortality, she likely cannot rise above the realm of a human hero.
For details, please refer to the following article.
Rank 5: Cú Chulainn (Overall Ranking: #89)
Cú Chulainn is one of the greatest heroes of Celtic myth. In the “Cattle Raid of Cooley,” while his comrades lay stricken by illness, he held off an entire army single-handed.
When his rage peaks he enters the “ríastrad” (warp spasm), slaughtering hundreds, and wields the unerring spear Gáe Bolg. Though a demigod, he even drove off the war goddess Morrígan, showing power to rival the gods.
For details, please refer to the following article.
Rank 4: Dagda (Overall Ranking: #83)
The Dagda is often treated as the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a king emphasized as the leader of the druids.
He owns a club that slays with one end and revives allies with the other, a harp that commands the weather, and a cauldron of endless food — a versatile god. But he has little battlefield prowess, and being a slow, heavy giant, he is “closest to chief god” yet not the strongest.
For details, please refer to the following article.
Rank 3: Nuada (Overall Ranking: #79)
Nuada, the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann (Lugh’s predecessor), is a god of war and rule, nicknamed “Nuada of the Silver Arm” for the silver hand that replaced the one he lost.
A proven warrior in the wars between the divine races, he was ultimately slain by Balor, so he ranks below both Lugh and Balor — but he is clearly stronger than human heroes, at a general war-god level.
For details, please refer to the following article.
Rank 2: Lugh (Overall Ranking: #72)
Lugh is the god of light in Celtic myth, a master of every craft and art — the “god of all skills,” and an all-rounder. He is also the father of Cú Chulainn.
At the Battle of Mag Tuired he felled the Fomorian king Balor with a sling-stone and became king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Equipped with high-grade gear such as the unerring spear Gáe Assail, he is a well-balanced hero.
For details, please refer to the following article.
Rank 1: Balor (Overall Ranking: #68)
The being who can be considered the strongest in Celtic myth is Balor, king of the Fomorians. His Evil Eye incinerates everyone in its gaze the moment it opens — powerful enough to wipe out the armies of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
His body is nearly invulnerable too. However, with age his eyelid grew so heavy that four attendants were needed to lift it, and Lugh’s sling-stone struck that very opening to kill him.
For details, please refer to the following article.
Summary
This ranking was created by focusing exclusively on Celtic mythology within the larger overall ranking that covered all mythologies, religions, and legends.
Compared to other mythologies, Celtic mythology is notably smaller in scale, and its gods are not immortal. As a result, even the strongest, Balor, lands only at #68 overall, and the upper ranks are filled by “strong heroes” rather than by gods.
This is really the flip side of Celtic mythology’s true charm — which lies not in world-shattering contests of power, but in the deeply human drama of its gods and heroes. It may look modest in a strength debate, but as storytelling it is top-class.
Celtic mythology has many gods and heroes, and even beyond those featured here, powerful beings remain. Figures like the war goddess Morrígan or the Fianna hero Fionn mac Cumhaill could enter the ranking depending on how their feats are read.
Going forward, I intend to create similar individual rankings for other mythologies and religions as well, so feel free to check back if you are interested.
To learn more about Celtic mythology, take a look at the following books as well.
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