Druids were the political and priestly class of the Celtic cultures. What we loosely call the Celts gradually came into Britain over four hundred years, between 500 and 100 BC. They were several groups or clans of peoples who spoke a similar language, and followed a similar religion and culture. They were self-governing communities rather than having a central government. The Celtic languages are Irish, Scots Gaelic, old Cornish, and Breton the ancient language of Brittany. They brought iron working into the countries where they settled.

Women in the Celtic culture held a position unknown in other ancient cultures. They were equal with men before the law. Women had property rights and could inherit property, the right to learn skills and own and use weapons on the battlefield. The story of Boadicea and her daughters, leading the Iceni tribe into battle against the Romans, confirms this point. Women had rights in constructing their own marriage contracts and total authority within the home.

The Celtic legends are an oral tradition and the legends and myths were transcribed between the 12th and 18th centuries AD. These legends, stories, songs and poems say that there definitely were female druids. There were schools for druids within the Celtic societies with knowledge and learning taught orally to selected and prepared persons. The Druids were not just priests but also had political authority within the tribes and they were scholars with special learning and knowledge above that of ordinary Celts. Druids were also doctors, teachers, judges, philosophers and seers. Many think that the word druid comes from the ancient Irish language “dru” meaning thorough and “vid” mean know, in other words a druid was a very wise person. Pliny thought it a Greek word meaning a wise man or priest of the oak tree. 

Druids were divided; Bards were poets and musicians, Vates were diviners and seers and Druids were priests, philosophers and theologians. Druids had great astronomical and healing knowledge. Hippolytus said the druids used Pythagorean calculation and reckoning to foretell certain events. Druids believed in immorality and reincarnation.

As the Druidic knowledge was secret and never written, it is difficult to define their beliefs. However, historians believe that the druid’s religion was monotheistic, with one over-arching divine spirit, but they also held the Sun, moon, stars and nature spirits sacred too. There was a pantheon of lesser gods or spirits, many of whom were assimilated into early Christianity. Lugh, also known as Llew, Lleu, is a druid, carpenter, mason, and poet; he symbolizes healing, knowledge, sailing, battle, sorcery and metalworking. He was absorbed into Christianity as St Michael.

Many people think that the Celtic religion was barbaric and involved human sacrifice. However, the only evidence for this is the writings of Julius Caesar, and, as he was a Roman conqueror, had much to gain from either emphasizing or inventing barbarous practices. The Romans saw themselves as a civilizing force. In other places, Caesar expresses surprise that the Celts recognized and worshipped some “Roman” gods.

Traditional Irish accounts refer to “bandruid” (female Druids) and “banfilid” (female poets). Fedelm is a female seer and Accuis, Col, and Eraise are female Druids all mentioned in the Tain (The Cattle Raid of Cooley). The Siege of Knocklong features the druidesses Eirge, Eang, and Banbhuana and Dub and Gaine are in the Dinsenchas. Fedelma was court banfili, or female poet to Queen Medbof Connacht and was trained in Britain. The Annals of Innisfallen for 934AD mention the death of Uallach, The woman poet of Ireland. Clearly, there were respected women druids. The historical interpreters and recorders of the oral myths, legends, and poems were male and products of their own society. It is possible that further references to female druids were expunged.  

There was a wise woman in every village before medical doctors. The knowledge of healing, passed from mother to daughter, down the generations, may have been the remnants of druidic healing knowledge.