Tuatha Dé Danann
A list of attributes, descriptions and links to graphics for the Samhain masquerade
Here is a far from complete list of some of the most well known Tuatha Dé Danann, their attributes, descriptions and links to graphics on the web. There are clickable links to images after each description. Please do not copy the graphics that are given in links because most of them are copyright.
DANU
She is the Great Mother Goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann, but little is actually known about her. She is probably a very ancient goddess that was worshipped throughout the Celtic world.
Goddess Gallery
Lunaea
Danu of the Celts
MORRIGAN
"Terror" 'Phantom Queen" or "Great Queen" - a terrifying figure associated with war and death in battle, sometimes takes form of carrion crow. War deity something like the Germanic Valkyries. She is also closely linked with the banshee and the washer at the ford.
Voeglein image of Morrigan
Another beautiful depiction
MACHA
Goddess of war, horses, sovereignty and the locations of Emain Macha and Armagh. There are different Machas that appear in Irish tradition, all of them probably connected to the same deity. The Macha of the Tuatha Dé Danann is part of a triplicity of sisters with the Morrígan and Badb, all war goddesses or "raven women".
Bardart
Dangermutt Gallery
BOANN
Goddess of the River Boyne,her name means White Cow. She was married to either Nechtan or Nuada and was a lover of Dagda, by whom she had Oengus. She created the River Boyne when she went to her husband's forbidden Well of Wisdom where hazel nuts fell into the water and were eaten by the sacred salmon. She defiantly walked counterclockwise (against the sun) around the well and the waters rose up in a rush, sweeping her (and her dog) away. Those waters formed the Boyne.
Jim Fitzpatrick
by Louisa Agis Avatar Gallery
BANBA
One of the patron goddesses of Ireland, with her sisters, Fodla and Ériu. When they landed in Ireland with the Milesians, each sister wanted the land to be named after her. Ériu was the one but Banba is Ireland's poetic name. Banba may have been both a fertility and a war goddess. She worshipped Macha, who may be her counterpart. Some say that Banba was the first person to set foot on Ireland before The Flood.
Jim Fitzpatrick
ÉTAIN
Poor Étaín! She is described as the best hearted and most beautiful women in all of Tir na nÓg. When she wed her true love, Midir of the Tuatha Dé Danann, his jealous ex turned her into first a pool of water, then a worm, then a butterfly that constantly fluttered around Midir, unrecognized, until Fuamnach makes another spell that blows Étaín away. She was forbidden to land anywhere except on rocks of the sea for seven years. She landed on Oenghus, who somehow recognized her and he put her in a little house and carried her with him wherever he went. Fuamnach blew the butterfly away for 7 more years. Étaín fell into a cup of wine, butterfly and wine are swallowed by the wife of an Ulster chieftain and Étaín is reborn 1,112 years after her first birth. And that's only the beginning of her story. At the end, she and Midir reunite, kiss and turn into swans that fly back to their true and eternal home.
CelticSoul
Daykeeper Journal
BRIGIT
"Exalted one" was daughter of the Dagda and wed to Bres, the Fomorian. She was the first women to keen when she mourn her son who was slain while fighting for the Fomorians. Brigid is associated with eternal sacred flames, a pre Christian tradition that is still carried on in Kildare. Also Brigid is connected with holy wells. One of the most popular goddesses, she survives in the form of St Brigid. Her domain includes all the lofty things like wisdom, excellence, poetry, craftsmanship (especially smithing), healing, druidic knowledge and other "elevated states". Her festival is Imbolc.
Lunaea
JPC Artworks Gallery
Cosmic Dragon Tarot
ÁINE
Goddess of love, fertility, cattle and the sun. Honored at Summer Solstice. She is still remembered in Limerick as a fairy queen. She is the bright part of the year.
wuzzle.org
Tragic Pixie
AIRMED
With her father, Dian Cecht and brother Miach, she healed the wounded of the Second Battle of Magh Tuirean. She's connected with herbalism because she gathered and organized the herbs growing on her brother's grave. She was also one of the enchanters whose incantations over the Well of Sláine brought the dead back to life.
www.thedance.com
Pohanstvi.net
Another lovely Airmid
OGMA
The Irish Hercules, with great athletic and warlike strength. He hurled a flagstone that could only be carried by 80 oxen out of Tara. (Lugh threw it back). Credited with inventing Ogham. His nickname is "grianainech" (*sun face*).
Gaudenzi
Jim Fitzpatrick
MANANNAN
Sea god, strongly connected with the Otherworld (Islands of the Dead), weather, and mists between worlds. Probably older than the Tuatha Dé Danann but counted among them. He can make mists to hide himself and others from enemies. Associated with Cauldron of regeneration/TirNanOg. Guardian of the Blessed Isles and Mag Mell, also connected with Emhain Abhlach (Isle of Apple trees) where Silver Branch is found. He takes on different forms: a beggar, jester, magician, noble figure, harper, protector, ferryman. He has a faultless sword, a wound-proof cloak of mists, a flaming helmet, an unpiercable breastplate, a horse that can run on the waves, a ship that needs no sails, He is foster father of Lugh. When Lugh left him, Manannan gave him his sword, his seagoing horse, his magic cloak and his unpiercable breastplate. When he looked back on leaving, Lugh saw "his foster-father's noble figure standing on the beach. Manannan was wrapped in his magic cloak of colours, changing like the sun from blue-green to silver, and again to the purple of evening. He waved his hand to Lugh, and cried: 'Victory and blessing with thee!' So Lugh, glorious in his youth and strength, left his Island home."
Timeless Myths
Statuary
Colbert
OENGHUS
God of love (love child of Dagda and Boann) - his harping and lyrics seductive to women. Ran off with Etain, wife of his stepbrother Midir. Four doves circle his curly, golden-haired beautiful head.
Mythologica
GOIBNIU
Son of Brigid and Tuireann. Smith of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His weapons were always lethal and his mead gave invulnerability.
Gaudenzi
CREIDHNE
Brother of Goibniu and Luchtaine, who all together are known as the Tri Dee Dana, three gods of art who forged weapons with which the Tuatha Dé Danann battled against the Fomorians). Creidhne may have fashioned Nuada's silver hand. Worked in bronze, brass and gold.
Bronze Age Reenactment site
THE DAGDA
Supreme god of Irish myth, his name means the Good God, not necessarily good except that he was good at everything or "all powerful". Father figure, protector, armed with magic club that could kill 9 at one blow, and bottomless cauldron, a magic harp that put the seasons into order, and two pigs, one that always grows while the other always roasts. King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, lover of Boann, he mated with the Morrigan on Samhain in trade for a battle plan. Sometimes powerful and dignified, sometimes crude and comical, in a short tunic that bares him, front and back.
Celtictale.com
Gaudenzi
Another good Dagda image
LUGH
Long Hand, Many-Skilled, Fierce-Striker, Boy Hero. His father was Cian of the Tuatha Dé Danann and his mother was Ethniu, daughter of Balor of the Fomorians, so he was born of an important union between two warring factions. Lugh went as a youth to Tara to join court of King Nuada. After proving himself by passing many challenges, Nuada chose him to lead the Tuatha Dé Danann to freedom from the Fomorians. He was victorious in the Second Battle of Mag Tuireadh, where he killed Balor. Later he founded the festival of Lughnasadh in honor of his foster mother.
Timeless Myths
Thinkquest
NUADA Airgetlám - "Silver Hand"
He was the first King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, before they came to Ireland. Lost an arm in first battle of Mag Tuired with the Fir Bolg which made him ineligible for kingship. The throne was taken by Bres, a Fomorian prince, who became an oppressor. Nuada's arm was replaced by Dian Cecht and Creidne who made him a silver one, and he was restored as king until he was beheaded by Balor in the second battle of Mag Tuiread against the Fomorians. His sword was one of the four Tuatha Dé Danann treasures, brought to Ireland from one of their 4 great home cities.
Jim Fitzpatrick
sources: wikipedia
www.godchecker.com
McKillop's Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
I decorated this article with clip art from Aon
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Featured October 27 , 2007
