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TheTuathaDé Danann (Irish:[ˈt̪ˠuə(hə)dʲeːˈd̪ˠan̪ˠən̪ˠ], usually translated "folk of the goddessDanu"), also known by the earlier nameTuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"[1][2] or "divine tribe"),[3] are a supernatural race inIrish mythology. Many of them are thought to representdeities of pre-ChristianGaelic Ireland.[1][4]
The Tuath Dé Danann are often depicted as kings, queens, druids, bards, warriors, heroes, healers and craftsmen who have supernatural powers. They dwell in theOtherworld but interact with humans and the human world. They are associated with thesídhe: prominent ancientburial mounds such asBrú na Bóinne, which are entrances to Otherworld realms.[1][4] Their traditional rivals are theFomorians (Fomoire), who might represent the destructive powers of nature,[5][6] and whom the Tuatha Dé Danann defeat in theBattle of Mag Tuired. Prominent members includethe Dagda ("the great god");The Morrígan ("the great queen" or "phantom queen");Lugh;Nuada;Aengus;Brigid;Manannán;Dian Cecht the healer; andGoibniu the smith, one of theTrí Dé Dána ("three gods of craft").[7]
Several of the Tuath Dé arecognate withancient Celtic deities: Lugh withLugus, Brigit withBrigantia, Nuada withNodons, Ogma withOgmios, and Goibniu withGobannus.[1]
Medieval texts about the Tuatha Dé Danann were written by Christians. Sometimes they explained the Tuath Dé asfallen angels who were neither wholly good nor evil,[8] or ancient people who became highly skilled in magic, but several writers acknowledged that at least some of them had been gods.[1] Some of them have multiple names, but in the tales, they often appear to be different characters. Originally, these probably represented different aspects of the same deity, while others were regional names.[9][better source needed]
The Tuath Dé eventually became theaes sídhe, thesídhe-folk or "fairies" of later folklore.[10][11][12]
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TheOld Irish wordtúath (pluraltúatha) means "tribe, folk, people";[13][14]dé is thegenitive case ofdía and, depending on context, can mean "god, gods, goddess" or more broadly "deity, divinity, supernatural being, object of worship".[15] In the earliest writings, the mythical race are referred to simply as theTúath Dé orTúatha Dé.[1][2]
Danann is interpreted as adeclension (genitive case) of reconstructednominative *Dana/Danu[16][17] of the speculative[18] reconstructed goddess *Danu/*Dana, who is unattested (in thisnominative form),[1] explained as possibly denoting the attested goddess Ana/Anu,[13][1] with aprosthetic D- added.[19][a]
However, the origins ofDanann is still disputed, as pointed out byJohn Carey (1981).[20] Some scholars regard Dana as later scholarly inventions, while others assert the existence of Dana is substantiated by circumstantial evidence.[19] Tuath Dé Danann is translated "people of the goddess Danu" byDáithí Ó hÓgáin (1991).[4] Danu/Dana/Danand is accepted as variant form of Anu/Ana/Anand, by R.A.S. Macalister, the editor and translator of theLebor Gabala.[21] and is the "mother of gods" in Macalister's translation of theLebor Gabala ("Book of Invasions").[22]
*Danu may have been a continental Celtic goddess, cognate to theWelsh goddessDôn and the Irish Ana/Anu.[23][1] The name also be part ofDonann andDomnann,[24] which may point to the origin beingproto-Celtic*don, meaning "earth"[1] (compare the Old Irish word for earth,doman). As in the mythicalFir Domnann[25] and theBritishDumnonii.[26]
An alternativeetymological hypothesis explains away Danann as a newly coined, tack-on word, merely added to the original formTúath Dé to avoid confusion with the same termTúath Dé used in a different sense denoting theIsraelites (Plebes Dei) of the Bible.[27] Compare IrishNennius (akaLebor Bretnach) which glosses the Tuatha Dé Danann asplebes deorum, "god-folk" in a passage admixed with Latin.[28][29]
Yet another etymological hypothesis interprets the name as "Tuatha Dé Dána" or "Tribe of the Gods of Craft", i.e., the divine counterparts ofáes dána "men of craft"[30][b] There is a mysterious group calledtrí dé dáno, "three gods of craft",[c] and perhaps Donnan as deity is a conflation with them.[1]
Early medieval Irish writers also referred to the TDD as thefir dé (god-men) andcenéla dé (god-kindreds), again possibly to avoid calling them simply 'gods'.[33]
They are also the "Ever-living ones",[13] but not immortal in the sense of being immune to violent death.[1]
According to Carey (1989–1990, 2006)'s interpretation, the Tuath Dé are collectively called theclannEladan, "children of art" in a poem in the LGE.[34][35] however, Macalister translates thiscland Elada phrase merely as "The numerous progeny of Elada", which is followed by the naming ofBres son ofElada son ofDelabaeth son ofNeit.[36][d]
In the modern age, the Tuatha Dé Danann came to be referred, incircumlocutive fashion, as theáes sídhe ('people of the sidhe or Otherworld').[13][1]
Already in earlier times,Tírechán (7th century) attests to the notion ofsídh folk as "earthly gods" (Latindei terreni),[1] whileFiacc's Hymn says the Irish adored thesídh before the coming ofSaint Patrick.[1]
As for Ana/Anu alias Danann/Dana/Danu,[21] is the "mother of gods" in the Book of Invasions, and (Ana) is "mother of the Irish gods" inSanas Cormaic ("Cormac's glossary").[38] or three sons,Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchar,[39][40][f] though the reliability of the latter kinship is regarded as only "probably" reliable, as is Ana being the grandmother ofEcne.[19] The association of Ana with the mountains calledPaps of Ana is also noted in the medieval writings.[43][44]
Ana may be the double of The Morrígu orThe Morrígan,[21][45] whose name means "the great queen"[46]. The main goddesses of battle are this Morrígan, Macha, andBadb,[22][47][13] forming a triad[48] (with other combinations substitutingNemain).[46]
The goddess Badb Catha bears a name which means "the Raven of Battle"[49] (or "Crow of Battle"[51]). And in theTáin Bó Cúailnge, The Morrígan appears They warrior goddesszoomorphically assumes the guise of such a bird[52] (crow[53]) when she appears before Cúchulainn, a (badb), while in a later encounter, she shapeshifts into an eel, a wolf, and a cow.[54]
The goddessBrigid is linked with poetry, fire and thus smithing.[55] She too is sometimes conceived of as being three sisters.[58] The pagan deity is somewhat conflated with the ChristianSaint Brigit as well.[56][55]
Prominent male deities includeThe Dagda ("the great god"); the long-armedLugh; the silver-armedNuada;Aengus; the sea godManannán;Dian Cécht the healer.[13][1] There are alsoGoibniu the smith,Creidhne the goldsmith/brazier, andLuchtaine the carpenter[c] There is also Ogma, a god of eloquence and a warrior,[13][1] as well asNét (or Neit) a "god of war", whose wife was Nemain (Nemon)[59][1][60]
Though the tribe stemmed from Greece,[62] they are said to have learned magic anddruidic lore in some distant land far north,[13][64] For example, The Tuatha Dé can cloak and hide themselves with aféth fíada ('magic mist').[65][66][4]
Consistent with their name being interpreted hypothetically a "Tuatha Dé Dána" ("Tribe of the Gods of Craft"),[30] the Tuatha Dé Danannare depicted as masters of the arts (bards, warriors, heroes, healers and craftsmen).[67] And "their ranks only admit those who possessdán (poetic, artistic, or craftsmanly skill).[30] Famously the condition imposed for admittance to their fort was accomplishment of mastery in some art, and Lugh passed with flying colors by being master of all (samildanach).[68][1] The fort was of course in preparation for the battle (of Cath Maige Tuired). How Goibniu the Smith collaborated with the carpenter and brazier god to mass produce spears in preparation for this war is described as a prelude to the tale where Goibniu, upset by his wife's indiscretion, begins to hurl Ness, a sort of boil-causing brand-iron pole at every visitor.[69]
The TDD dwell in theOtherworld but interact with humans and the human world. Many are associated with specific places in the landscape, especially thesídhe: prominent ancientburial mounds such asBrú na Bóinne, which are entrances to Otherworld realms.[1][4] Thus the Tuatha Dé is often implied when one speaks of theáes sídhe ('people of the sidhe or Otherworld').[13][1] In the later age after theGoidels[g] (Milesians) took control, it is said that the Tuatha Dé were forced to live underground in thesídhe.[70][71][72][74] So after their defeat, Manannan mac Lir protected the surviving members scattered in thesídhe by casting over the veil of theféth fíada.[76][h]
Several of the Tuath Dé arecognate withancient Celtic deities:Lugh is a reflex of the pan-Celtic deityLugus, Nuada corresponds toBritish godNodens/Nodons the name of whom may indicate "Light"; andOgma toOgmios, Brigid withBrigantia,Badb toCatubodua,Tuireann may be related to theGaulishTaranis.[1]
For aspects of interactions with humans, cf. §§ Interaction with men andbelowFor the perspective of medieval Christian scribes dealing with the TDD as heathen deities, cf.§ Contextualization (esp. subsection§ Euhemerism ) below.
Ineuhemerized accounts, the Tuatha Dé Danann were descended fromNemed, leader of a previous wave of inhabitants of Ireland. In non-euhemerized accounts, they are descended fromDanu/Anu, a mother goddess. They came from four cities to the north of Ireland—Falias, Gorias, Murias and Finias—where they taught their skills in the sciences, including architecture, the arts and magic.[78][79] According toLebor Gabála Érenn, they came to Ireland "in dark clouds" and "landed on the mountains of [the]Conmaicne Rein inConnachta", otherwiseSliabh an Iarainn, "and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights". They immediately burnt the ships "so that they should not think of retreating to them, and the smoke and the mist that came from the vessels filled the neighbouring land and air. Therefore it was conceived that they had arrived in clouds of mist".
A poem in theLebor 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 discerning Ireland,
Without ships, a ruthless course
the truth was not known beneath the sky of stars,
whether they were of heaven or of earth.
According to Tuan:
From them are the Tuatha Dé and Andé, whose origin the learned do not know, but that it seems likely to them that they came from heaven, on account of their intelligence and for the excellence of their knowledge.[80]
Led by kingNuada, they fought theFirst Battle of Magh Tuireadh on the west coast, in which they defeated and displaced the nativeFir Bolg, who then inhabited Ireland. In the battle, Nuada lost an arm to their champion,Sreng. Since Nuada was no longer "unblemished", he could not continue as king and was replaced by the half-FomorianBres, who turned out to be a tyrant. The physicianDian Cecht replaced Nuada's arm with a working silver one and he was reinstated as king. However, Dian Cecht's son Miach was dissatisfied with the replacement, so he recited the spell, "ault fri halt dí & féith fri féth" (joint to joint of it and sinew to sinew), which caused flesh to grow over the silver prosthesis over the course of nine days and nights.[81][82] However, in a fit of jealous rage Dian Cecht slew his own son. Because ofNuada's restoration as the leader,Bres complained to his family and his father,Elatha, who sent him to seek assistance fromBalor, king of theFomorians.
The Tuath Dé then fought theSecond Battle of Magh Tuireadh against theFomorians. Nuada was killed by the Fomorian kingBalor's poisonous eye, but Balor was killed byLugh, champion of the Tuath Dé, who then took over as king.
A third battle was fought against a subsequent wave of invaders, theMilesians, from the northwest of theIberian Peninsula (present-dayGalicia and NorthernPortugal), descendants ofMíl Espáine (who are thought to represent theGoidelic Celts). The Milesians encountered three Tuath Dé goddesses,Ériu,Banba, andFodla, who asked that the island be named after them; Ériu is the origin of the modern nameÉire, and Banba and Fodla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland.
Their three husbands,Mac Cuill,Mac Cecht andMac Gréine, were kings of the Tuath Dé at that time, and 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 Tuath Dé created a magical storm in an attempt to drive them away. The Milesian poetAmergin calmed the sea with his verse, then his people landed and defeated the Tuath Dé atTailtiu. When Amergin was called upon to divide the land between the Tuath Dé and his own people, he cleverly allotted the portion above ground to the Milesians and the portion underground to the Tuath Dé. The Tuath Dé were led underground into theSidhe mounds byManannán mac Lir andTír na nÓg onto a flowery plain/plain of honey attested to in the Voyage of Bran.
The Tuatha Dé Danann broughtfour magical treasures with them to Ireland, one apiece from their Four Cities:[83][85]
The following is a chronology from theAnnals of the Four Masters, based on reign-lengths given inGeoffrey Keating'sForus Feasa ar Erinn.Nuada's original reign lacks a precise start date.
The powers most often attributed to them are control over the weather and the elements.[1] They are also said to control the fertility of the land; the taleDe Gabáil in t-Sída says the first Gaels had to establish friendship with the Tuatha Dé Danann before they could raise crops and herds.[1]
The Tuatha Dé Danann are connected with the land and sovereignty,[1] and are often seen as the oldest ancestors of the people in the region or nation. They are maternal figures caring for the earth itself as well as their descendants, but also fierce defenders, teachers and warriors.
It is also told that human kings receive affirmation of their legitimacy from one of the Tuath Dé, as in the taleBaile in Scáil, or a king's right to rule is affirmed by an encounter with an otherworldly woman (seesovereignty goddess).[1] The Tuath Dé can also bring doom to unrightful kings.[1] They are also said to control the fertility of the land, as attested in the brief taleDe Gabáil in t-Sída ("Concerning the taking of the otherworld mound") which explains that the first Gaels had to establish friendship with the Tuath Dé before they could raise crops and herds.[1]
The fact that the names of Goibniu the smith, Dian Cécht the physician, andFlidais the mistress of animals are invoked inincantations demonstrates that in Irish superstition, these gods were viewed as powerful (i.e., able to grant or lend humans power in answer to their invocations).[1]
The native Irish gods[i] are the Tuatha Dé Danann. There is strong evidence that many of the Tuatha Dé represent the gods of Irishpaganism.[1][4] The medieval writers who wrote about the Tuath Dé were Christians. Sometimes they explained the Tuath Dé asfallen angels; neutral angels who sided neither with God norLucifer and were punished by being forced to dwell on the Earth; or ancient humans who had become highly skilled in magic[1] (cf.§ Euhemerism below). However, several writers acknowledged that at least some of them had been gods.[1]
John Carey notes that it is not wholly accurate to describe all of them as gods in the medieval literature itself. He argues that the literary Tuath Dé aresui generis, and suggests "immortals" might be a more neutral term,[1] though (as aforementioned) they can be killed in violent battle, as was the case with theNorse gods.[1] Some scholars have argued that Irish mythology aligns with the gods and stories fromGreek mythology.[86] Others say the Irish gods and goddesses are not easily amenable to identifications with aMercury orVenus or such members of theRoman pantheon, as does scholarMarie-Louise Sjoestedt,[57] who characterizes the Tuath Dé as not defined by singular qualities but possessed with a "sort of universal power and magic".[57]
The Tuatha Dé Danann are described as a supernatural race, much like idealised humans, who are immune to ageing and sickness, and who have powers of magic.[1] But John Carey notes that it is not wholly accurate to describe all of them as gods in the medieval literature itself. He argues that the literary Tuath Dé aresui generis, and suggests "immortals" might be a more neutral term.[1]
Calling them the "Folk of the goddess Dana" may also have been a way of humanising (euhemerizing) them: instead of 'god-folk', they were now the folk of a particular goddess.[2] The Tuatha Dé Danann were likely the gods of Irish paganism,[1][4] and the Christianized medieval writers who wrote about them needed to take pains in their literary treatment of these heathen gods. Sometimes they explained the Tuath Dé asfallen angels; neutral angels who sided neither with God norLucifer and were punished by being forced to dwell on the Earth; or humans who had become highly skilled in magic. However, several writers acknowledged that at least some of them had been gods.[1] The ninth-centuryScél Tuain meic Cairill (Tale ofTuan mac Cairill) speaks of theTuath Dé ocus Andé, "tribe of gods and un-gods".[1]
In the Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius, the chief men of science of theTuatha Dé Danann are listed with their partly Latin names and associations as follows:[29]
In theAnnals of Inisfallen, the following are listed as members of theTuatha Dé who overcame theFir Bolg:[87]
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