TUATHA DE DANAAN

The Tuatha lost their island, but became known as the Fairy-Folk or the Sidhe of Irish Mythology and Folk Lore. When many talk of Ireland they talk of the human race the Celts as well as the invisible race of Fairies. There are many who treat this race as fiction and as "stories," but there are Irish seers who today still say they see the Sidhe.

"The term Sidhe, is always applied in old writings to the palaces, courts, halls, or residences of those beings which in ancient Gaedhelic mythology held the place which ghosts, phantoms, and fairies hold in the superstitions of the present day." In modern Irish tradition, 'the People of the Sidhe' or Sidhe, refer to the beings themselves rather than to their places of habitation. They are often described as gods of the earth and since it was believed that they, like the modern fairies, control the ripening of crops and the milk-giving of cows, the ancient Irish rendered to them regular worship and sacrifice, just as the Irish of today do by setting out food at night for the fairy-folk to eat.

The Celtic people associated their gods and goddesses with various skills and abilities. A very big association with Danu is craftsmanship. Often in the legends the deity's name is interchangeable with his or her skill, the
Tuatha De Danaan were known as 'The People of Craftsmanship' or 'The Artistic People', which gives a good description of them.

The Taught De Danann were also not considered immortal, they lived by the same physical laws as the Celts which included death. This is something that is very different, while nearly every other culture viewed their deities as superior and immortal the Irish Celts did not.

At one time gods and goddesses lived side by side with humans in the etheric plane. Civilisation reached a
crossroads and humans stepped down their vibration to reside on the physical plane. Gods and goddesses are evolutionary cousins to humans. Humans possess many of the aspirations, ideals and struggles of gods and goddesses and gods and goddesses appear physically human.

When the Tuatha De Danaan left Ireland's surface they settled in Tir na nOg, Land of the Young, where time stands still. One never grows old or becomes ill. The climate is neither too hot or too cold, there is no sorrow or pain, wars or famine. Love is eternal on Tir na nOg, and while the sun shines, and flowers bloom and never die, there is the sound of tin whistles, golden harps and children laughing.

Two of he most famous Tuatha kings were Nuadhu Airgedlamh and Lugh

Nuada Airgedlámh. A legendary kin of the Tuatha De Danaan, in Celtic mythology. Nuadhu led the Tuatha to victory in a great battle against the Fir Bholg, the first people of Ireland. But he lost an arm in the battle, and had to give up the throne. By the laws of ancient Ireland, a king who was deformed or blemished in any way could not rule. Dian Cécht, a great physician, replaced Nuada's hand with a magical silver hand. Nuada then became known as Nuada Airgedlámh (Nuada of the Silver Hand). The cruel new king, Bres, was so hated that Nuadhu was recalled by his people. Bres fled and raised an army against Nuadhu, who, with the help of Lugh, led the Tuatha to a famous victory. He is the chieftain-god of healing, the Sun, childbirth, youth, beauty, ocean, dogs, poetry, writing, sorcery, magic, weapons, and warfare. He owned the invincible Sword of Nuadha, from which none could escape in battle. It was thought to be one of the four greatest treasures of the Tuatha.

Lugh. Celtic sun god and reputed to be the father of the hero, Cúchulainn, whom he conceived with Dechtire when he carried her away to his palace beneath Brugh na Boinne. Lugh is a master craftsman, and an expert warrior with the spear and the sling. His skill with these weapons gave the Tuatha De Danaan victory over their enemies, the Formorians, and Lugh was made king. He spared the Formorian leader, who in return taught the Tuatha the secrets of farming. Lugh was the God of Light of the harvest, a festival is held in his honour in August called Lughnasa, August is his sacred month.

Lir. A Celtic sea god, and one of the Tuatha De Danaan. The Gaels had invaded Ireland, defeating the Tuatha Dé Danaan at the battle of Teltown, and the ancient people felt it was necessary to elect a king to rule over them and hence strengthen their position against the Gaels. The king they chose was Bodhbh Dearg of Lough Derg. This choice was accepted by all, except for Lir , who wanted the kingship for himself. Lir refused to accept Bodhbh (or Bodb) as king, yet despite the fact that many of the king's followers wanted Lir dead, Bodb refused to persecute him.

Lir had four children who were changed into swans by Aoife, their jealous stepmother. Lir tried to change his children back from swans, but Aoife's magic was too strong. It took 900 years for the spell to be lifted, by which time his children had grown old and withered.

Danu/Dana Mother and Goddess of the Tuatha De Danaan. Danu is thought to be beautiful with long blonde hair, pale skin and striking pale blue eyes, and able at will to transform into animals. Danu is also called the earth mother and she has created things such as wisdom, rivers, and wells. Scholars believe she is Anu the Goddess associated with the fertility of Ireland as well as Don in Wales and Dione in Greece. It's important to note that throughout history she became known as Brigit, who then got absorbed into Christian beliefs as a saint. Gaelic tradition refers to Danu's husband as Bilé, god of Hades

Daghda, son of the Goddess Dana, an early chief of the Tuatha De Danaan, also known as, All Father and Archangel Daghda. Dagda is portrayed as possessing both superhuman strength and appetite. Among his possessions were an enormous club which could both kill and restore men to life, and a great cauldron which provided an inexhaustible source of food. He was revered as the eldest and most powerful of the Tuatha De Danaan The ancient Celtic God of life and death, known as the 'good god'. He controls the weather and crops, and is skilled in magic. Daghda is also called 'mighty one of great knowledge' because he possesses all wisdom.

Partholonians. The Partholonians were said to have landed in Ireland at Beltaine, and they lived in Ireland for three hundred years, battling with the Fomhóire. The whole race of the Partholonians was mysteriously wiped out by a plague, except for Tuan mac Carell who underwent many different incarnations and thus lived to preserve the history of his people.

Fomorians. In Irish mythology the Fomorians, are often described as sea creatures or demonic giants or otherwise misshapen ancient occupants of Ireland, sometimes mentioned as a mythical, prehistoric people who raided and pillaged Ireland from the sea, and represent evil and darkness. Some scholars assume that the Fomorians were the Neolithic farmers of Ireland. They were thought to have afflicted the Partholons with the plague.

Nemedians. The Nemedians were the next race of people to arrive in Ireland after the Partholonians disappeared. According to legend, the Nemedians won three battles with the Fomorians, however they suffered great losses. Following these battles they were struck by a plague which was responsible for killing many more of their men, including their leader Nemed, and the rest were forced to leave after the Fomhóire had inflicted a great defeat on them.

Fir Bolg. The Fir Bolg (pronounced "fear bollug") were a nomadic race of near-giants that lived in ancient Ireland. Sometimes spelled as one word (Firbolg), the name means "bag men" or leather bag men, an appellation generally attributed to the backpack-like bolgs which they wore around their necks. Varying traditions say that they came from Greece or "Spain" which was a post-Christian euphemism for the Celtic Hades. They consisted of three tribes, called the "Fir Domnann" or "Men of Domnu", the "Fir Gaillion" or "Men of Gaillion", and the "Fir Bolg" or "Men of Bolg". It is thought that the Fir Bolgs and Tuatha De Danaans spoke the same language.

The Milesians. The Milesians were the mythical ancestors of the Gaels. Their arrival marked the end of the Age of the Gods and the beginning of the Age of Mankind. They are considered the last invading mythological tribe of Ireland. All Irish are said to be of a Milesian descent and seemingly the Christian scribes tried extra hard to establish a solid link between the Bible and the Milesians. After the Milesians defeated the Danaans, the Danaans either retreated to Air NA no-good ("Land of Youth") or they continued to live on the land with the Melissa's, but their homes (subterranean palaces) were hidden by magic from the eyes of mortals

At the time of the coming of the Melissa's, or sons of Mil, there were three kings and three queens who reigned in Ireland. The kings were: MacCuill (son of the hazel), MacCecht (son of the plough) and MacGreine (son of the sun). The three queens were called Banbha, Fodhla and Eriu. The sons of Mil, led by the poet and bard Amergin White Knee, won the favour of the three queens, the triple Goddess of the land.

Grianan of Aileach
Taken from Inishowen (Its History, Traditions, and Antiquities) by Maghtochair

The Tuatha de Danains could not have used stones in the erection of their dwellings, otherwise the Milesians, who subdued them, would have adopted the custom at once. The royal residence of Aileach existed at the time of Ith's arrival in the country. It was then called Oileag-Nead. According to the Annals of the Four Masters, Lough Foyle (Loch-Feabhail) did not exist until 81 years after their arrival, consequently the passage in the poem of the Dinnseanchus, which say that Aileach was named after a stone carried from Lough Foyle, is a poetical fiction or an utter absurdity; otherwise the annalists are in error; or, this stone, carried from Lough Foyle, would have given a name which existed 81 years at least before Nature's formation of the Lough!

But why ascribe the introduction of cyclopean architecture, or the erection of the Druidical Temples, circles, cromleachs, and pillar stones, whose remains are observable in every district of Ireland, to the Tuatha de Danains? Did they, whose authority in Ireland lasted for 197 years only, do all; and the Milesians, who came 1,000 years before the Christian era, and who professed Druidical doctrines for 1,500 years at least do nothing in that respect? The idea is simply incredible. Nearly so is the supposition that Greinan was constructed by the De Danains; but if erected by them at all, it must have been for a temple of religion, or of justice, or for both, as their habitations were not constructed of stone, nor were their houses of that material in Cornwall or Anglesea, even when the country was first visited by the Romans, though their temples were, as, for example, that of Abury, near Marlboroguh in Wiltshire, which was indeed in many respects like Greinan.

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