TUATHA Dé DANANN

The 'Tuatha Dé Danann' ("peoples of the goddess Danu") were a group of characters in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology. They were the fifth group of inhabitants of Ireland, according to the Lebor Gabála Érenn (Book of Invasions) tradition. They are thought to represent the gods of the Goidelic Irish; their Christian transcribers' interpretations generally have reduced their stature to historical kings and heroes.
A poem in the Book of Leinster lists many of the Tuatha Dé, but ends "Although [the author] enumerates them, he does not worship them." Goibniu, Creidhne and Luchta are referred to as ''Trí Dé Dána'' ("three gods of craftsmanship"), and the Dagda's name is interpreted in medieval texts as "the good god." Even after they are displaced as the rulers of Ireland, characters such as Lug, the Mórrígan, Aengus and Manannan appear in stories set centuries later, showing all the signs of immortality. They have many parallels across the Celtic world. Nuada is cognate with the British god Nodens; Lugh is a reflex of the pan-Celtic deity Lugus; Tuireann is related to the Gaulish Taranis; Ogma to Ogmios; the Badb to Catubodua.

Contents

Legendary history

The Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann

Tuatha Dé Danann High Kings of Ireland

Tuatha Dé Danann family tree

External links

Legendary history

The Tuatha Dé were descended from Nemed, leader of a previous wave of inhabitants of Ireland. They came from four northern cities, Falias, Gorias, Murias and Finias, where they acquired their occult skills and attributes. They arrived in Ireland, on or about May 1 (the date of the festival of Beltaine), on dark clouds, although later versions rationalise this by saying they burned their ships to prevent retreat, and the "clouds" were the smoke produced.
Led by their king, Nuada, they fought the First Battle of Magh Tuiredh (Moytura), on the west coast, in which they defeated and displaced the clumsy and ill-armed Fir Bolg, who then inhabited Ireland. Nuada lost an arm in the battle. Since he was no longer perfect, he could not continue as king and was replaced by the half-Fomorian Bres, who turned out to be a tyrant. The physician Dian Cecht replaced Nuada's arm with a working silver one and he was reinstated as king. However, Nuada was dissatisfied with the replacement so he turned to Dian Cecht's son Miach, who made him a new hand of flesh and blood. Dian Cecht slew his own son out of jealousy.
Because of Nuada's restoration as leader the half-Fomorian Bres complained to his family.
The Tuatha Dé then fought the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh against the Fomorians. Nuada was killed by the Fomorian king Balor's poisonous eye, but Balor was killed by Lugh, who took over as king.
A third battle was fought against a subsequent wave of invaders, the Milesians, from the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (present day Galicia and Northern Portugal), descendants of Míl Espáine (who are thought to represent the Goidelic Celts). The Milesians encountered three goddesses of the Tuatha Dé, Ériu, Banba and Fodla, who asked that the island be named after them; Ériu is the origin of the modern name Éire, and Banba and Fodla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland.
Their three husbands, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine, who were kings of the Tuatha Dé at that time, asked for a truce of three days, during which the Milesians would lie at anchor nine waves' distance from the shore. The Milesians complied, but the Tuatha Dé created a magical storm in an attempt to drive them away. The Milesian poet Amergin calmed the sea with his verse, before his people landed and defeated the Tuatha Dé at Tailtiu. When Amergin was called upon to divide the land between the Tuatha Dé Danann and his own people, he cleverly allotted the portion above ground to the Milesians and the portion underground to the Tuatha Dé. The Tuatha Dé were led underground into the Sidhe mounds by The Dagda.
The Tuatha Dé Danann fought against the witch Carman and her three sons. They are said to have brought chariots and druidry to Ireland.

The Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann

The Tuatha Dé Danann brought four magical treasures with them to Ireland:

★ The Dagda's Cauldron

★ the Spear of Lugh

★ the Stone of Fal

★ the Sword of Light of Nuada
These four treasures can be linked to the four elements, and four suits, found in Tarot and throughout pagan mythology.

Tuatha Dé Danann High Kings of Ireland

''AFM'': chronology from the Annals of the Four Masters; ''FFE'': chronology based on reign-lengths given in Seathrún Céitinn's ''Forus Feasa ar Erinn''.

★ Bres ''AFM'' 1897-1890 BC; ''FFE'' 1477-1470 BC

★ Nuada ''AFM'' 1890-1870 BC; ''FFE'' 1470-1447 BC

★ Lugh ''AFM'' 1870-1830 BC; ''FFE'' 1447-1407 BC

★ Eochaid Ollathair ''AFM'' 1830-1750 BC; ''FFE'' 1407-1337 BC

★ Delbáeth ''AFM'' 1750-1740 BC; ''FFE'' 1337-1327 BC

★ Fiacha ''AFM'' 1740-1730 BC; ''FFE'' 1327-1317 BC

★ Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine ''AFM'' 1730-1700 BC; ''FFE'' 1317-1287 BC

Tuatha Dé Danann family tree

The following table is based on the genealogies given by Seathrún Céitinn and in the ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'', and references in ''Cath Maige Tuireadh''. It is not clear whether the various Elathas and Delbáeths are meant to be different figures of the same name or different traditions regarding the genalogy of the same figure. It is also notable that Fomorians such as Elatha and Balor are closely related to the Tuatha Dé.
Nemed
|
Iarbonel Faidh
|
Beothach
|
Iobáth
|
Enna
|
Tabarn
|
Tat
____________________________________|__________________________________
| |
Allai Indai
| __________________________|__________________________
| | |
Orda Nét Elatha
| ____________________|______________________________________________ |
| | | | |
Etarlám Esar Brec Delbáeth Dot Bres
| | | |
| | | |
Eochaid Dian Cecht Elatha Balor
| | | |
| ___________|___________ _________________|______________________ |
Nuada | | | | | | | | | | |
(Elcmar) Cu Cethen Cian Miach Airmed Dagda Fiacha Delbáeth Ogma Allód Ethniu
(Nechtan) | | | | | (Lir)
_____|____ | | _____________|____________ | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Etarlám Nemain Bec-Felmas Lug Cermait Aengus Bodb Midir Brigid Boann Delbáeth Manannan
| | | (Tuireann)
| | _________|_________ ______________________|__________________________________
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ernmas Abean MacCuill MacCecht MacGréine Fiacha Brian Iuchar Iucharba Danand Goibniu Credne Luchta Ollam
|__________________ |
| | | |
Ériu = Badb | Aoi
Banba = Macha |
Fódla = Mórrígan = Anu
Other members of the Tuatha Dé Danann include:

★ Abartach

★ Beag

★ Bechuille

★ Brea

★ Fand

External links

★ Encyclopedia Mythica article on the Tuatha Dé Danann

★ Timeless Myths article on the Tuatha Dé Danann

★ Tuatha-de-Dananns From "On the Ancient Races of Ireland" by Sir William Wilde