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Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Atlas Coeus Crius Cronus Demeter Dionysus Gaia Hades Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Hyperion Iapetus Mnemosyne Oceanus Phobos Phoebe Poseidon Prometheus Rhea Tethys Themis Uranus Zeus
Bacchus Ceres Diana Juno Jupiter Mars Mercury Minerva Neptune Pluto Venus Vesta Vulcan
Amun Anubis Aten Atum Babi Bastet Bes Geb Hapi hathor heqet Horus Isis Khepri Khnum Khonsu Maat Nephthys Nut Osiris Ptah Ra Seshat Seth Shu Sobek Thoth
Alfheim Baldur Freya Freyr Frigg Heimdallr Helheim Idun Jotunheim Loki Nerthus Njord Odin Thor Tyr
Aengus Arawn Badb Brigid Cailleach Ceridwen Cernunnos Cu Chulainn Dagda Danu Gwydion Herne the Hunter Lugh Medb Morrigan Neit Nuada Taliesin Taranis
Chalchiuhtlicue Coatlicue Huitzilopochtli Mictlantecuhtli Mixcoatl Ometeotl Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Tlaloc Tonatiuh Xipe Totec Xochiquetzal Xolotl
Amaterasu Ame no Uzume Benzaiten Bishamonten Daikokuten Ebisu Fujin Fukurokuju Inari Izanagi Kagutsuchi Raijin Susanoo Tsukuyomi
Caishen Cangjie Dragon King Eight Immortals Erlang Shen Fuxi Guanyin Hou Yi Huxian Jade Emperor King Yama Leizi Lu-ban Mazu Nezha Nuwa Pangu Shennong Sun Wukong Xiwangmu Yue Lao Zhong Kui
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  1. Celtic Mythology
    Otherworld Warrior Society Celtic Cycles Facts & Figures Genealogy Bibliography About Celtic Myths
  2. Otherworld
    Gallic Deities Iberian Deities British Deities Tuatha Dé Danann Welsh Deities Faeries
  3. Tuatha Dé Danann

Tuatha Dé Danann

The Tuatha Dé Danann ("People of the Goddess Danu") were one of the mythical races which settled in Ireland before the arrival of the Milesians, the ancestors of the modern Gaels. The Dananns were descendants of the goddess Danu. Her son Dagda was the most powerful leader of the Dananns.

The Tuatha Dé Dananns were a race of deities as well as a race of heroes. They were skilled in art and science, poetry and magic.

They were said to come from four mythical cities: Falias, Gorias, Finias and Murias. When they came to live in Ireland, the Dananns received four magic treasures or talismans, one from each city. Before the Tuatha Dé Danann migrated to Ireland, they had learned all their skills from four wizards/bards (druids) from these four cities. Morfesa from Falias, Esras from Gorias, Semias from Murias and Uiscias from Findias. (See the Druids of Danu)

After the Milesians defeated the Dananns, the Dananns either retreated to Tir na n-Og ("Land of Youth") or they continued to live on the land with the Milesians, but their homes (subterranean palaces) were hidden by magic from the eyes of mortals. Their homes were commonly called Sidhe (síd or sídh) or the Otherworld. Another name for the Tuatha Dé Danann was the áes sídhe or the "People of the Sídhe".

In the Otherworld, the Danann remained young and seemingly immortal. Immortal in the sense, they could live a very long life and remain young, but they could be killed or destroyed, just like any mortal.

There were frequent visits of the Dananns with the mortals. Sometimes they aided mortals, while other times they sought their destruction. Sometimes they sought marriage with mortals. Most of the times, the Dananns would come to the surface and meet their lovers, but other times the mortals were allowed to live with them.

In the Ulster Cycle, the Tuatha Dé Danann were still seen as Celtic deities. However, in the Fenian Cycle, the Dananns had degenerated into nothing more then fey people; in another words, the Dananns became the "Fairy People". The Tuatha Dé Danann became frequently associated with fairies. Because of Christian influences in the myths, some of them died of old age when they left the Otherworld; so, they were baptised after leaving the Otherworld but before their death.

It should be noted that the fairies in Celtic myths (especially Irish, Welsh and Arthurian myths) had nothing to do with tiny pixies with wings that are found in folklore and children's fairy tales, like Tinkerbell in Peter Pan or the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella. The fairies found here were human with supernatural powers. Modern interpretations of fairies tend to prettify them, particularly during the Victorian period (19th century) in Britain.

In early Irish and Welsh literature, they could be tall or short, beautiful or ugly. They could be benevolent beings, but at other times they could be frighteningly cruel or malign. For instance, Morrigan and Morgan le Fay would not be considered fairies in the modern sense.

If you are interested in the mythical history of the people who settled in Ireland, read the Book of Invasions.

Please note that I have limited the number of Tuatha Dé Danann who appeared in Irish myths. I have only provided a description for those who play an important role in Irish mythology, because there are just too many Dananns for my small page.

  • Triple Goddesses

  • Irish Gods

  • Non-Danann Deities

Triple Goddesses

The number three was important in all Celtic traditions. Gods and goddesses were usually grouped in threes, or they represented three different aspects of the same deity.

Here you will find a list of triple goddesses, and other goddesses found in Irish mythology.

Ernmas

Ernmas

Danu (Ana)

Danu (Ana)

Morrigan

Morrigan

Eriu, Banba and Fodla

Eriu, Banba and Fodla

Brigit (Brigid)

Brigit (Brigid)

Boann

Boann

Flidais

Flidais

Aíne

Aíne

In addition, these goddesses included Badb, Macha, and Nemain.

Irish Gods

Bilé

Bilé

Lir

Lir

Manannán Mac Lir

Manannán Mac Lir

Nuada

Nuada

Dian Cécht

Dian Cécht

Dagda

Dagda

Ogma (Ogham)

Ogma (Ogham)

Cian (Kian)

Cian (Kian)

Goibhniu (Goibniu)

Goibhniu (Goibniu)

Credne

Credne

Luchta

Luchta

Bres

Bres

Lugh (Lug)

Lugh (Lug)

Angus Óg (Oengus)

Angus Óg (Oengus)

Bodb Derg

Bodb Derg

Midir

Midir

Neit

Neit

Genealogy

Children of Danu

Please note that the genealogy of the Tuatha Dé Danann is rather confusing. (Okay, downright chaotic.) I have relied on the Lebor Gabala Erenn and Cath Maige Tuired as my sources. These sources can be conflicting. The Lebor Gabála can contradict and conflict with itself in different passages, sometimes giving different parents to a Danann.

Another reason for the confusion is that the Lebor Gabála survived in several different manuscripts, and the book I used tried to put all the translations together in one volume. See Bibliography on the Lebor Gabála and Cath Maige Tuired.

The only Danann I am certain of - Lugh (son of Cian and Ethlinn), Angus, Bodb Derg and Brigit - were all the children of Dagda.

The point is that with the genealogy of the Tuatha Dé Danann, accuracy is not possible. So please don't take this out on me (about the three different family trees), if you are confused. I'm a little confused myself.

Non-Danann Deities

Donn

Donn

Crom Cruach

Crom Cruach

Domnu

Domnu

Eochaid

Eochaid

Related Pages

  • Fomoire (Fomorians)

  • Firbolgs

  • Book of Invasions

  • Welsh Deities

Jimmy Joe Timeless Myths

By Jimmy Joe

Otherworld:

  • • Gallic Deities
  • • Iberian Deities
  • • British Deities
  • • Tuatha Dé Danann
  • • Welsh Deities
  • • Faeries
Children of Danu

Children of Danu

The Children of Danu were the people of Danu, or as the Irish called them – the Tuatha Dé Danann. I have completed several different versions of the genealogy of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The Tuatha Dé Danann, like the other invaders of Ireland called...

January 20th, 2001 • Timeless Myths
Druids of Danu

Druids of Danu

According to the Irish myths, the Tuatha Dé Danann came from four cities: Falias, Gorias, Finias and Murias. In each city, there was a wizard-bard (druid). Each one taught the Danann various knowledge and skills which included art, science, poetry...

May 13th, 2003 • Jimmy Joe
Danann Kings (pre-Milesians)

Danann Kings (pre-Milesians)

For the people who are interested in the Danann kings who ruled Ireland before the arrival of the Milesians (Gaedil or Gaels), I have listed them in the table below . The only other details I have given are the durations of their reigns. See the B...

November 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Danu

Danu

Danu: Mysteries of the Mother Goddess Danu, goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was the original mother goddess in Celtic mythology. The very name Tuatha Dé Danann means “Children of Danu,” and it is believed that she was the beginning of the existen...

April 2nd, 2002 • Timeless Myths
Danu (Ana)

Danu (Ana)

A mother goddess. Danu or Ana was the mother of the race of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Danu was a goddess of fertility and the earth. Some believed that Danu and Ana were separate entities, even though both are mother goddesses. Danu was a widely worsh...

November 3rd, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
De Domnann

De Domnann

November 3rd, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Lebor Gabála Érenn

Lebor Gabála Érenn

The Book of Invasions forms the major part of the Irish Mythological Cycle . The Book of Invasions was supposed to contain the (fictional) history of Ireland. The cycle was written in a book titled Leabhar Gabhála or Lebor Gabala Erren - the "Book...

November 3rd, 2000 • Jimmy Joe
Delbaeth

Delbaeth

November 3rd, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Nuada

Nuada

King of Erin (Ireland) and leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Nuada has been called the son of the goddess Danu. Usually Nuada had also been called the son of Echtach and the grandson of Etarlaim. He has also been named as one of the seven sons of Et...

November 3rd, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Fomorians

Fomorians

For Bres , see the Tuatha de Danann page. Related pages Tuatha Dé Danann

November 3rd, 1999 • Jimmy Joe

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