This article is about the goddess in Celtic mythology. For the Czech romantic poet, see Karel Hynek Mácha. For the powdered tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony, see Matcha.

In Irish mythology, Macha is a goddess linked with war, horses and kingship. She is said to have fed on the heads of the slain. Both Armagh (Ard Macha, Macha's height) and Emain Macha (Macha's twins?) are named after her.

She is often seen as one aspect of a triple goddess. Some interpretations see this goddess as the Mórrígan (Great Queen), with her three aspects being Macha, the Badb and either Anann or Nemain. Alternatively, the three aspects may be the Mórrígan, Macha and the Badb. She may be related to the Gaulish horse goddess Epona and the Welsh Rhiannon, who is associated with horses and whose name derives from Celtic *Rigantona, Great Queen.

According to Seathrún Céitinn she was worshipped by Banba, with whom she may be seen as equivalent.

There are several characters called Macha in Irish mythology, probably reflexes of the same goddess.

• Macha, the wife of Nemed. She died only twelve days after arriving in Ireland, and was buried at Ard Macha (Armagh). She was a prophetess.

• Macha of the Tuatha Dé Danann, daughter of Ernmas, and sister of the Mórrígan and the Badb. All three took part in the second battle of Magh Tuiredh against the Fomorians.

• Macha Mong Ruad ("red mane"), daughter of Áed Ruad. She married Cimbáeth, the High King, and after he died became the only queen in her own right in the List of High Kings of Ireland. She founded Emain Macha, marking out its boundaries with her brooch, explaining the name "Emain Macha" as "Macha's Neck-Brooch".

• Macha, wife of Cruinniuc. When her husband arrogantly boasted that his wife could beat the king of Ulster's chariot, she was forced to race against it while heavily pregnant. She won, and gave birth to twins at the finish line, explaining the name "Emain Macha" as "Macha's twins". She cursed the men of Ulster to suffer her labour pains in the hour of their greatest need, which is why none of the Ulstermen but Cúchulainn was able to fight in the Táin Bó Cuailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley).

The LÉ Macha (01), a ship in the Irish Naval Service (now decommissioned), was named after her.

See also

• List of Celtic mythological beings