Who Were the Tuatha De Danann? A Brief Look at Gaelic Mythology

As a writer, I try to include a grain of truth even in my fictional tales. I love looking at ancient superstitions and mythology for my inspiration. While researching my Gypsy Fairy Tale series, I came across stories of the Tuatha De Danann, the supernatural creatures who were the first to rule over Ireland. So who was this supernatural group? Read on to learn more about them and their surprising connection to modernity.

The name Tuatha De Danann is usually translated as "the tribe of the goddess Danu" or the earlier name Tuath De is translated as "tribe of the gods". By either name, this group of people would be a supernaturally gifted race that represented the principal deities of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland. They were the cornerstone of Irish mythology and were generally portrayed as kings, queens and heroes of the distant past. It has been said that they were the first rulers of Ireland and that they were even once worshiped as gods.

They were descended from Nemed, chief of the ancient inhabitants of Ireland. They came to Ireland in dark clouds and landed on the mountains, other stories made them arrive in boats which they burned so that it looks like they arrived in a cloud of mist.

After their king, Nuada, they fought many battles to secure their reign of Ireland, including the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh where Nuada lost an arm. The arm was replaced by a silver arm and he was declared king. A spell was repeated and over the course of nine days and nine nights flesh grew on the prosthesis. Alas, Nuada was killed in the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh by the poisoned eye of King Fomorian, but the Tuatha De were still victorious and Champion Lugh took over as king.

It was the third battle, against invaders called the Milesians (or sons of Mil), that sealed their fate. The three kings of Tuathe De Danann demanded a three-day truce between themselves and the invaders and demanded that the Milesians anchor nine waves from the shore. They complied. The Tuathe De Danann created a magical storm in the hope of driving them away, but the Milesian poet Amergin calmed the sea and the invaders were able to return to shore and defeat the great Tuatha De Danann. The poet then divided the land between the two forces, attributing the above-ground part to the Milesians and the underground part to the Tuatha De Danann.

So, condemned to wander in the tunnels, they fell back under the mounds of Sidhe. Over the centuries, they have been closely linked to stories of fairies and other enchantments. They were said to be the keepers of the four treasures which were Dagda's Cauldron, Lugh's Spear, Fal's Stone, and the Sword of Light. They also make an appearance in Catholicism as Brigid, one of the first Tuatha De Danann, became Saint Brigid in the Catholic religion and is still celebrated to this day in Ireland.

Now that you know a little more about the Tuatha De Danann, does it make you want to learn more about Gaelic mythology?