What Language Did the Druids Speak?

What language did the Druids speak? In ancient times, these mysterious scholars acted as religious leaders in various parts of Britain, Gaul (now France), Ireland, and much of Western Europe. The language they spoke depended on their particular Celtic society and region. In Wales, Druids spoke Brythonic.

What language did the Druids speak? While you can find sources that may tell you the Druids spoke a single language, this isn’t true. Their language depended on the society they were a part of and where they lived. We also have to look at when they lived and what Celtic languages people spoke at the time. 

During the Iron Age, Druids were the priests of the Celts. These priests also acted as teachers, healers, judges, and advisors to the tribal leaders. The Druids were the ones who kept the sacred religious knowledge and teachings and passed down the traditions of the community. They interpreted divine events and were mediators between the ordinary people and the many gods and goddesses in their pantheon. This pantheon varied by tribe and region, as did the customs and practices of the Celts. 

Ancient Druids in Wales spoke Brythonic. Brythonic was one branch of Insular Celtic (the form of Celtic spoken in the British Isles and Brittany). Brythonic is the parent language that later developed into Breton, Cornish, and Welsh. However, Druids in ancient Ireland spoke Early Irish. Early Irish comes from the other branch of Insular Celtic—Gaelic (Goidelic)—which later gave us Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. 

This post answers the question, “What language did the Druids speak?”

What Language Did the Druids Speak? 

What language did the Druids speak? As mentioned above, it depended on their society and geographic location. For example, Druids in Gaul, now France, spoke Gaulish. 

What language did the original Celts speak? Depending on where they lived, the Celts spoke one of the Continental Celtic languages, which included Gaulish, Lepontic, Galatian, Noric, Celtiberian, and Gallaecian. The Celts that migrated to the British Isles began speaking Insular Celtic.  

Where did the Druids come from? 

From reading accounts of classical writers and Roman and Greek sources, historians believe that druidry began in Wales before the 4th century BC in the Iron Age. Also, according to Julius Caesar, Britain was a center of druidic teachings. Celts in Gaul or elsewhere in Europe who wanted to learn the religion would travel to Britannia for study and initiation.

Celtic Origins

Are Druids Celtic or Gaelic? The Druids were Celtic, as they originated from a group of European tribal societies that spoke Celtic languages. However, Druids in Ireland would have spoken Early Irish, from the Gaelic (also called “Goidelic”) language branch of Insular Celtic. 

The Druids and the Romans 

Who killed the Druids? In 61 AD, the Romans killed the last Druids by conquering them at their stronghold on Ynys Môn (Isle of Anglesey) in Wales. Suetonius Paulinus, the Roman governor of Britain, and his troops vanquished the priests and their sacred groves. 

Leaders in the Roman Empire had always viewed the Druids as a threat. They considered them dangerous because of their different religious beliefs and the power they wielded in education, law, and politics. When the Romans conquered Ynys Môn, they were finally able to bring Britain completely under Roman rule. 

The Druids: Celtic Priests of Nature by Jean Markale

Markale’s book explains druid mythology and answers the question, “What do druids believe?” The author explores druidic symbols and the role of the Celtic druid in ancient societies.

From the blurb: 

A comprehensive and revealing look at the druids and their fundamental role in Celtic society that dispels many of the misconceptions about these important religious figures and their doctrine. Written by the world’s leading authority on Celtic culture. 

Druidism was one of the greatest and most exalting adventures of the human spirit, attempting to reconcile the unreconcilable, the individual and the collective, creator and created, good and evil, day and night, past and future, and life and death. Because of the oral nature of Celtic civilization our understanding of its spiritual truths and rituals is necessarily incomplete. Yet evidence exists that can provide the modern reader with a better understanding of the doctrine that took druidic apprentices 20 years to learn in the remote forests of the British Isles and Gaul.

Using the descriptions of the druids and their beliefs provided by the historians and chroniclers of classic antiquity—as well as those recorded by the insular Celts themselves when compelled, under Christianity’s influence, to utilize writing to preserve their ancestral traditions—Jean Markale painstakingly pieces together all that is known for certain about them. The druids were more than simply the priests of the Celtic people; their influence extended to all aspects of Celtic life. The Druids covers everything concerning the Celtic religious domain, intellectual speculations, cultural or magical practices, various beliefs, and the so-called profane sciences that have come down from the Celtic priesthood.

Do Druids still exist today? 

Some people today practice Modern Druidism or Druidry. While there is very little information on how the original Druids in the Iron Age practiced, those who take part in a revived version of the religion have taken a contemporary approach to spirituality through a relationship with nature. In addition to the connection to the natural world, other core principles include following the Wheel of the Year, finding meaning in Welsh folklore (or Irish folklore, etc.), and personal growth. 

The Book of Druidry: A Complete Introduction to the Magic & Wisdom of the Celtic Mysteries by Kristoffer Hughes

From the blurb:

Renowned author Kristoffer Hughes paints a comprehensive picture of Druidry―where it came from, how it developed into its current form, and why it is relevant today. Hughes shares not only the nuts and bolts of practice but also its ethics, environmental considerations, and deep roots in history.

Druids are defined by what they do, and this book offers many ways to put Druidic theory into action. Explore what it means to talk with trees, answer the call of wild awakening, honor the ancestors, and work with deities. Use prayer, meditation, and ritual to expand your awareness, develop relationships with the unseen, and engage with elemental powers. Providing powerful Celtic wisdom, this book helps you connect with Awen, the blessed breath of inspiration.

This post answered the question, “What language did the Druids speak?”