Ancient Irish God of War
Neit is one of the oldest gods in the Tuatha Dé Danann. His name is the Irish word for battle — neit or nith. War is not something he rules from a distance. War is what he is.
He was the husband of Badb and Nemain — two aspects of the Morrígan, the great battle-goddess. Badb was the crow that circled over battlefields and prophesied death. Nemain was the frenzy that drove men mad with terror in the middle of a fight. Neit presided over all of it.
He is associated with Grianán of Aileach in County Donegal — the great stone hillfort whose full name, Ailech Néit, means “the stone fort of Neit.” It sits on a hilltop above Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle, commanding the approaches to the northwestern peninsula. It is one of the most impressive prehistoric structures in Ireland, and it was his.
He is the grandfather of Balor of the Fomorians — placing him at the root of both the Tuatha Dé’s and the Fomorians’ capacity for war. At the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, the greatest battle of the age, Neit was killed by the Fomorians. For a god of battle, dying in battle is the right end.
Key facts about Neit
- Names: Neit; name cognate with Irish neit/nith (“battle”)
- Rules over: War, battle, armed conflict
- Weapons: Not specifically recorded
- Animals: Crow, raven
- Other Symbols: Grianán of Aileach; the hillfort
- Parents: Not recorded
- Siblings: Not recorded
- Spouse: Badb; Nemain (both aspects of the Morrígan)
- Children: Ancestor of Balor
- Greek equivalent: Ares
Link/cite this page
If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content.
Link will appear as Neit: https://irishgodsandgoddesses.net - Irish Gods & Goddesses, March 22, 2026