Tuatha Dé Danann

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For other uses, see Danann (disambiguation).
"Áes dána" redirects here. For other uses, see Aes Dana (disambiguation).


The Tuath Dé dwell in the Otherworld but interact with humans and the human world. Their traditional rivals are the Fomorians (Fomoire), who seem to represent the harmful or destructive powers of nature.[2][3] Each member of the Tuath Dé has been associated with a particular feature of life or nature, but many appear to have more than one association. Many also have bynames, some representing different aspects of the deity and others being regional names or epithets.[4]

Much of Irish mythology was recorded by Christian monks, who modified it to an extent. They often depicted the Tuath Dé as kings, queens and heroes of the distant past who had supernatural powers or who were later credited with them.[5] Other times they were explained as fallen angels who were neither good nor evil.[6] However, some medieval writers acknowledged that they were once gods. A poem in the Book of Leinster lists many of them, but ends "Although [the author] enumerates them, he does not worship them". The Dagda's name is explained as meaning "the good god"; Brigit is called "a goddess worshipped by poets"; while Goibniu, Credne and Luchta are referred to as Trí Dé Dána ("three gods of craftsmanship"),[7] Characters such as Lugh, the Morrígan, Aengus and Manannán mac Lir appear in tales set centuries apart, showing all the signs of immortality. They also have parallels in the pantheons of other Celtic peoples: for example Nuada is cognate with the British god Nodens; Lugh is cognate with the pan-Celtic god Lugus; Brigit with Brigantia; Tuirenn with Taranis; Ogma with Ogmios; and the Badb with Catubodua.

The Tuath Dé eventually became the Aos Sí or "fairies" of later folklore.[8][9][10][11]




Legendary history[edit]


A poem in the Lebor Gabála Érenn says of their arrival:

It is God who suffered them, though He restrained them

they landed with horror, with lofty deed,
in their cloud of mighty combat of spectres,
upon a mountain of Conmaicne of Connacht.

Without distinction to descerning Ireland,
Without ships, a ruthless course
the truth was not known beneath the sky of stars,
whether they were of heaven or of earth.





Preceded by
Fir Bolg
Mythical invasions of Ireland
AFM 1897 BC
FFE 1477 BC
Succeeded by

The Four Treasures[edit]


Tuatha Dé Danann High Kings of Ireland[edit]



Tuatha Dé Danann family tree[edit]


                                   Agnoman of Scythia
                                    Iarbonel Faidh
       |                                                                     |
     Allai                                                                 Indai
       |                                           __________________________|__________________________
       |                                           |                                                   |
     Orda                                         Nét                                               Elatha
       |                       ____________________|______________________________________________     |
       |                       |                                    |                            |     |
    Etarlám                 Esar Brec                           Delbáeth                        Dot  Bres
       |                       |                                    |                            |
       |                       |                                    |                            |
    Eochaid                Dian Cecht                            Elatha                        Balor
       |                       |                                    |                            |
       |            ___________|___________        _________________|______________________      |
     Nuada          |    |     |    |     |        |         |          |       |         |      |
   (Nechtan)        |          |                   |                    |       |       (Lir)
  _____|____        |          |      _____________|____________        |       |         |
  |        |        |          |      |      |     |     |     |        |       |         |
  |                 |                 |                                     (Tuireann)
  |                 |        _________|_________          ______________________|__________________________________
  |__________________                                                                                             |
  |        |        |                                                                                             |
 Ériu  =  Badb      |                                                                                            Aoi
Banba  = Macha      |
Fódla = Mórrígan = Anu

Other members of the Tuatha Dé Danann include:

See also[edit]

Primary sources[edit]


  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Koch, John T. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2006. pp.1693-1695
  2. ^ MacCulloch, John Arnott. The Religion of the Ancient Celts. The Floating Press, 2009. pp.80, 89, 91
  3. ^ Smyth, Daragh. A Guide to Irish Mythology. Irish Academic Press, 1996. p.74
  5. ^ Carey, John. "Tuath Dé", in The Celts: History, Life, and Culture. Edited by John T. Koch. ABC-CLIO, 2012. pp.751-753
  6. ^ W. B. Yeats (1888). Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry. p.1
  7. ^ MacKillop, James (2006). Myths and Legends of the Celts Penguin guides to world mythology. Penguin. p. 90. ISBN 9780141941394. Three gods patronize the crafts: Goibniu, Credne and Luchta. 
  8. ^ Koch, Celtic Culture, pp.729, 1490, 1696
  10. ^ MacCulloch, John Arnott. Celtic Mythology. Dover Publications, 2004. p.49
  11. ^ Black, Ronald. The Gaelic Otherworld. Birlinn, 2008. p.xxxii
  16. ^ Lebor Gabála Érenn §49
  17. ^ MacKillop 1998, p. 129
  19. ^ www.sengoidelc.com - Quotations from early Irish Literature

External links[edit]