The Tuatha Dé Danann (Irish: [ˈt̪ˠuə(hə) dʲeː ˈd̪ˠan̪ˠən̪ˠ], usually translated as "folk of the goddess Danu") are also called the Tuath Dé, meaning "tribe of the gods" or "divine tribe." They are a group of magical beings in Irish mythology. Many of them are believed to represent gods and goddesses from ancient Gaelic Ireland before Christianity arrived.

The Tuatha Dé Danann are often shown as kings, queens, druids, poets, warriors, heroes, healers, and craftsmen. They have special powers and live in the Otherworld, a magical place beyond the human world. They sometimes visit humans and interact with the human world. They are connected to the sídhe, which are large ancient burial mounds like Brú na Bóinne. These mounds are believed to be entrances to the Otherworld. Their main enemies are the Fomorians, who may symbolize the wild and dangerous parts of nature. The Tuatha Dé Danann defeat the Fomorians in the Battle of Mag Tuired. Important figures include the Dagda ("the great god"), the Morrígan ("the great queen" or "phantom queen"), Lugh, Nuada, Aengus, Brigid, Manannán, Dian Cecht (a healer), and Goibniu (a blacksmith and one of the Trí Dé Dána, or "three gods of craft").

Some of the Tuatha Dé Danann have names similar to ancient Celtic gods, such as Lugh and Lugus, Brigid and Brigantia, Nuada and Nodons, Ogma and Ogmios, and Goibniu and Gobannus.

Medieval writings about the Tuatha Dé Danann were created by Christian authors. Some described them as fallen angels who were not completely good or evil, or as ancient people who became very skilled in magic. However, many writers agreed that some of them were once gods. Some Tuatha Dé Danann have many names, but in stories, they often appear as different characters. Originally, these names likely represented different parts of the same god, or they were names used in different regions.

Over time, the Tuatha Dé Danann became known as the aes sídhe, meaning "people of the sídhe" or "fairies" in later folklore.

Name

The Old Irish word "túath" (plural "túatha") means "tribe, folk, or people." The word "dé" is the genitive form of "día" and can mean "god, gods, goddess" or more broadly "deity, divinity, supernatural being, or object of worship." In early writings, the mythical race is referred to simply as the "Túath Dé" or "Túatha Dé."

The word "Danann" is thought to come from the genitive form of the reconstructed name Dana/Danu, which may refer to a speculative goddess named Danu/*Dana. This goddess is not confirmed in historical records, but some scholars suggest she may be linked to the goddess Ana/Anu, with an added "D-" sound. However, the origins of "Danann" remain debated, as noted by John Carey (1981). Some scholars believe "Dana" was created later, while others argue evidence supports her existence.

The term "Tuath Dé Danann" is translated as "people of the goddess Danu" by Dáithí Ó hÓgáin (1991). R.A.S. Macalister, who translated the Lebor Gabala ("Book of Invasions"), considers "Danu/Dana/Danand" to be variations of "Anu/Ana/Anand" and describes her as the "mother of gods" in his translation.

The name Danu may be related to the continental Celtic goddess Dôn of the Welsh and the Irish goddess Ana/Anu. It may also appear in names like "Donann" and "Domnann," which might derive from the proto-Celtic word don, meaning "earth." This is similar to the Old Irish word "doman" for "earth," as seen in references to the mythical "Fir Domnann" and the British "Dumnonii."

Another theory suggests "Danann" was added to "Túath Dé" to avoid confusion with the term "Túath Dé" used for the Israelites (Plebes Dei) in the Bible. For example, the Irish text Nennius (also called Lebor Bretnach) refers to the Tuatha Dé Danann as "plebes deorum," meaning "god-folk," in a passage mixed with Latin.

A different theory interprets "Danann" as "Tuatha Dé Dána," meaning "Tribe of the Gods of Craft," referring to divine counterparts of "áes dána," or "men of craft." There is also mention of a group called "trí dé dáno," or "three gods of craft," and possibly a deity named Donnan linked to them.

Early medieval Irish writers sometimes called the Túatha Dé Danann "fir dé" (god-men) or "cénéla dé" (god-kindreds), likely to avoid calling them simply "gods." They are also described as the "Ever-living ones," though they are not immortal in the sense of being immune to violent death.

According to John Carey (1989–1990, 2006), the Tuath Dé are collectively called "clann Eladan," or "children of art," in a poem from the LGE. However, Macalister translates this phrase as "The numerous progeny of Elada," followed by references to Bres, the son of Elada.

In modern times, the Tuatha Dé Danann are often called the "áes sídhe," or "people of the sidhe," referring to the Otherworld. Earlier sources, like Tírechán (7th century), describe the "sídh folk" as "earthly gods" (Latin: dei terreni). Fiacc's Hymn mentions that the Irish worshipped the sídh before Saint Patrick arrived.

Description

Ana, also known as Anu, Danann, Dana, or Danu, is called the "mother of gods" in the Book of Invasions. In Sanas Cormaic, Ana is described as the "mother of the Irish gods." She is sometimes said to have three sons: Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchar. Some sources say this connection is only probably true. Ana may also be the grandmother of Ecne. Medieval writings also mention Ana being linked to the mountains called the Paps of Ana.

Ana may be connected to The Morrígu, also called The Morrígan, whose name means "the great queen." The Morrígan, Macha, and Badb are main goddesses of battle, forming a group called a triad. Badb Catha’s name means "the Raven of Battle" or "the Crow of Battle." In the Táin Bó Cúailnge, The Morrígan appears as a crow before Cúchulainn. Later, she changes into an eel, a wolf, and a cow.

Brigid is linked to poetry, fire, and smithing. She is sometimes thought of as three sisters. Some stories mix her with a Christian saint named Brigit.

Important male gods include The Dagda ("the great god"), Lugh ("the long-armed"), Nuada ("the silver-armed"), Aengus, Manannán ("the sea god"), and Dian Cécht ("the healer"). Other figures include Goibniu ("the smith"), Creidhne ("the goldsmith/brazier"), and Luchtaine ("the carpenter"). Ogma is a god of eloquence and a warrior. Nét (or Neit) is a "god of war," and his wife was Nemain (Nemon).

The Tuatha Dé, a tribe from Greece, are said to have learned magic and druidic knowledge in a distant northern land. The Tuatha Dé Danann, meaning "Tribe of the Gods of Craft," are shown as skilled in arts like poetry, warfare, healing, and craftsmanship. To join their group, one had to master a skill. Lugh, who mastered all skills, was accepted. Their fort was built for the battle of Cath Maige Tuired. Goibniu, the smith, worked with others to make many spears for the war.

The Tuatha Dé Danann live in the Otherworld but interact with humans. They are linked to places like the sídhe, which are ancient burial mounds such as Brú na Bóinne. These mounds are entrances to Otherworld realms. After the Goidels (Milesians) took control, the Tuatha Dé were said to live underground in the sídhe. Manannán mac Lir protected them using the féth fíada, a magic mist.

Some Tuatha Dé figures are similar to ancient Celtic gods. Lugh is related to the pan-Celtic god Lugus. Nuada matches the British god Nodens, whose name may mean "Light." Ogma is linked to Ogmios. Brigid is connected to Brigantia. Badb is linked to Catubodua. Tuireann may be related to the Gaulish god Taranis.

For more about how these figures interacted with humans, see the section on "Interaction with men." For how medieval Christian writers viewed the Tuatha Dé Danann as pagan gods, see the section on "Contextualization," especially the part about "Euhemerism."

Invasions

In some stories, the Tuatha Dé Danann were said to be descendants of Nemed, a leader from an earlier group of people who lived in Ireland. In other stories, they were believed to be descendants of Danu/Anu, a mother goddess. They came from four cities in the north of Ireland—Falias, Gorias, Murias, and Finias—where they taught skills like architecture, art, and magic. According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they arrived in Ireland "in dark clouds" and "landed on the mountains of the Conmaicne Rein in Connachta," also called Sliabh an Iarainn. Their arrival caused darkness over the sun for three days and three nights. They burned their ships to prevent returning, and the smoke and mist from the ships filled the air and land. This made people believe they had arrived in clouds of mist.

A poem in the Lebor Gabála Érenn describes their arrival:

Led by King Nuada, they fought the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh on the west coast, defeating the native Fir Bolg who lived in Ireland at the time. During the battle, Nuada lost an arm to the Fir Bolg's champion, Sreng. Because Nuada was no longer "unblemished," he could not remain king and was replaced by Bres, a half-Fomorian who became a tyrant. The physician Dian Cecht gave Nuada a working silver arm, restoring him as king. However, Dian Cecht's son, Miach, was unhappy with the replacement. He recited a 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 arm over nine days and nights. In a jealous rage, Dian Cecht killed his own son. Bres then complained to his family and his father, Elatha, who sent him to seek help from Balor, king of the Fomorians.

The Tuatha Dé then fought the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh against the Fomorians. Nuada was killed by Balor's poisonous eye, but Balor was killed by Lugh, the champion of the Tuatha Dé, who became king.

A third battle was fought against the Milesians, a group from the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Galicia and northern Portugal), who were descendants of Míl Espáine (believed to represent the Goidelic Celts). The Milesians met three Tuatha Dé goddesses—Ériu, Banba, and Fodla—who asked the island to be named after them. Ériu is the origin of the modern name Éire, and Banba and Fodla are sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland.

At that time, the Tuatha Dé's husbands—Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, and Mac Gréine—were kings. They asked for a three-day truce, during which the Milesians would stay nine waves' distance from the shore. The Milesians agreed, but the Tuatha Dé created a magical storm to drive them away. The Milesian poet Amergin calmed the sea with his verse, allowing his people to land and defeat the Tuatha Dé at Tailtiu. When Amergin divided the land between the Tuatha Dé and the Milesians, he gave the land above ground to the Milesians and the land below ground to the Tuatha Dé. The Tuatha Dé were led underground into the Sidhe mounds by Manannán mac Lir and to a flowery plain called Tír na nÓg, as described in the Voyage of Bran.

The Tuatha Dé Danann brought four magical treasures from their Four Cities to Ireland:

• Dagda's Cauldron
• The Spear of Lugh
• Lia Fáil (The Stone of Fal)
• Claíomh Solais (The Sword of Light)

The following is a chronology from the Annals of the Four Masters, based on reign lengths from Geoffrey Keating's Forus Feasa ar Erinn. Nuada's original reign has no precise start date:

• Nuada (first reign) AFM unknown–1897 BC; FFE unknown–1477 BC
• Bres AFM 1897–1890 BC; FFE 1477–1470 BC
• Nuada (final reign) 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

Interaction with humans

The Tuatha Dé Danann are often believed to have control over the weather and natural elements. They are also said to influence the ability of the land to produce crops and raise animals, as described in the story De Gabáil in t-Sída ("Concerning the taking of the otherworld mound"), which explains that the first Gaels needed to form a friendship with the Tuatha Dé Danann before they could grow food or raise livestock.

The Tuatha Dé Danann are connected to the land and the idea of sovereignty, and are frequently viewed as the earliest ancestors of the people in a region or nation. They are seen as caring maternal figures who protect the earth and their descendants, but they are also described as strong warriors, teachers, and protectors.

In some tales, such as Baile in Scáil, human kings gain proof that they are rightful rulers through an encounter with a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. A king’s claim to rule may also be confirmed by meeting a woman from the otherworld, known as a sovereignty goddess. The Tuatha Dé Danann are also said to bring disaster to kings who do not rule justly.

The names of Goibniu, the smith; Dian Cécht, the healer; and Flidais, the guardian of animals, are used in magical spells. This shows that in Irish traditions, these gods were considered powerful beings who could grant humans strength or abilities when called upon.

Contextualization

The native Irish gods are called the Tuatha Dé Danann. There is strong evidence that many of the Tuatha Dé represent the gods of Irish paganism. Medieval writers who wrote about the Tuatha Dé were Christians. Some described them as fallen angels, neutral angels who did not side with God or Lucifer and were punished by being forced to live on Earth. Others said they were ancient humans who became very skilled in magic. However, some writers admitted that at least some of them were gods.

John Carey points out that it is not completely correct to call all of them gods in medieval literature. He says the literary Tuatha Dé are unique and suggests the term "immortals" might be more neutral. Though they can be killed in battle, like the Norse gods. Some scholars believe Irish mythology shares similarities with Greek mythology. Others, like Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, argue that Irish gods and goddesses are not easily compared to figures like Mercury or Venus from the Roman pantheon. She describes the Tuatha Dé as having a "universal power and magic" rather than being defined by one quality.

The Tuatha Dé Danann are described as a supernatural race, similar to idealized humans. They do not age or get sick and have magical abilities. John Carey notes that medieval literature does not always accurately describe them as gods. He argues that the literary Tuatha Dé are unique and calls them "immortals" instead.

Calling them the "Folk of the goddess Dana" may have been a way to make them seem more human (a process called euhemerism). Instead of "god-folk," they were described as the people of a specific goddess. The Tuatha Dé Danann were likely the gods of Irish paganism. Christian medieval writers had to carefully describe these heathen gods in their writings. Some explained the Tuatha Dé as fallen angels or humans who became skilled in magic. However, some writers acknowledged that at least some of them were gods. The ninth-century text Scél Tuain meic Cairill (Tale of Tuan mac Cairill) refers to the Tuatha Dé ocus Andé, meaning "tribe of gods and un-gods."

Additional references

In the Irish version of the Historia Britonum by Nennius, the important people known for their skills among the Tuatha Dé Danann are listed with their names and roles, including some Latin terms, as follows:

• Luchtenus, an artisan
• Credenus, a builder
• Dianus, a doctor
• Eadon, daughter of Dianus and caretaker of poets—likely Étaín, Brigid, or Airmed
• Goibnen, a smith or architect
• Lug, son of Eithne, who was associated with all the arts
• Dagda the Great, the king
• Ogma, brother of the king, from whom the letters of the Scots originated

In the Annals of Inisfallen, the following individuals from the Tuatha Dé Danann are listed as those who defeated the Fir Bolg:

• Bres, son of Elatha
• Delbaeth, son of Elatha
• Dagda
• Mac ind Óc
• Lug, son of Ethliu
• Dian Cécht
• Goibnenn, the smith
• Luchtaine, the wright
• Crédne, the craftsman