Chapter V
Reading edition
THE TUATHA DÉ DANANN
Many strands went to the weaving of the later conception of the gods, but there still hung around them an air of mystery, and the belief that they were a race of men was never consistent with itself.
"He was their god,
The withered Cromm with many mists...
To him without glory
They would kill their piteous wretched offspring,
With much wailing and peril,
To pour their blood around Cromm Cruaich.
Milk and corn
They would ask from him speedily
In return for a third of their healthy issue,
Great was the horror and fear of him.
"to faint in the light of the sun she loves, To faint in his light and to die."
Various magical possessions were ascribed to Manannan—his armour and sword, the one making the wearer invulnerable, the other terrifying all who beheld it; his horse and canoe; his swine, which came to life again when killed; his magic cloak; his cup which broke when a lie was spoken; his tablecloth, which, when waved, produced food. Many of these are found everywhere in Märchen, and there is nothing peculiarly Celtic in them. We need not, therefore, with the mythologists, see in his armour the vapoury clouds or in his sword lightning or the sun's rays. But their magical nature as well as the fact that so much wizardry is attributed to Manannan, points to a copious mythology clustering round the god, now for ever lost.
Notes in this chapter
Note 1 · Footnote 199: (return) HL 89; Stokes, RC xii. 129. D'Arbois, ii. 125, explains it as "Folk of the god whose mother is called Danu."Note 2 · Footnote 200: (return) RC xii. 77. The usual Irish word for "god" is dia; other names are Fiadu, Art, Dess.Note 3 · Footnote 201: (return) See Joyce, SII. i. 252, 262; PN i. 183.Note 4 · Footnote 202: (return) LL 245b.Note 5 · Footnote 203: (return) LL 11.Note 6 · Footnote 204: (return) LL 127. The mounds were the sepulchres of the euhemerised gods.Note 7 · Footnote 205: (return) Book of Fermoy, fifteenth century.Note 8 · Footnote 206: (return) LL 11b.Note 9 · Footnote 207: (return) IT i. 14, 774; Stokes, TL i. 99, 314, 319. Síd is a fairy hill, the hill itself or the dwelling within it. Hence thosNote 10 · Footnote 208: (return) Joyce, SH i. 252; O'Curry, MS. Mat. 505.Note 11 · Footnote 209: (return) "Vision of Oengus," RC iii. 344; IT i. 197 f.Note 12 · Footnote 210: (return) Windisch, Ir. Gram. 118; O'Curry, MC ii. 71; see p. 363, infra.Note 13 · Footnote 211: (return) Windisch, Ir. Gram. 118, § 6; IT iii. 407; RC xvi. 139.Note 14 · Footnote 212: (return) Shore, JAI xx. 9.Note 15 · Footnote 213: (return) Rh[^y]s, HL 203 f. Pennocrucium occurs in the Itinerary of Antoninus.Note 16 · Footnote 214: (return) Keating, 434.Note 17 · Footnote 215: (return) Joyce, SH i. 252.Note 18 · Footnote 216: (return) See p. 228. In Scandinavia the dead were called elves, and lived feasting in their barrows or in hills. These became Note 19 · Footnote 217: (return) Tuan MacCairill (LU 166) calls the Tuatha Déa, "dée ocus andée," and gives the meaning as "poets and husbandmen." ThiNote 20 · Footnote 218: (return) LL 10b.Note 21 · Footnote 219: (return) Cormac, 4. Stokes (US 12) derives Anu from (p)an, "to nourish"; cf. Lat. panis.Note 22 · Footnote 220: (return) Leicester County Folk-lore, 4. The Cóir Anmann says that Anu was worshipped as a goddess of plenty (IT iii. 289).Note 23 · Footnote 221: (return) Rh[^y]s, Trans. 3rd Inter. Cong. Hist. of Rel. ii. 213. See Grimm, Teut. Myth. 251 ff., and p. 275, infra.Note 24 · Footnote 222: (return) Rh[^y]s, ibid. ii. 213. He finds her name in the place-name Bononia and its derivatives.Note 25 · Footnote 223: (return) Cormac, 23.Note 26 · Footnote 224: (return) Cæsar, vi. 17; Holder, s.v.; Stokes, TIG 33.Note 27 · Footnote 225: (return) Girald. Cambr. Top. Hib. ii. 34 f. Vengeance followed upon rash intrusion. For the breath tabu see Frazer, Early HistNote 28 · Footnote 226: (return) Joyce, SH i. 335.Note 29 · Footnote 227: (return) P. 41, supra.Note 30 · Footnote 228: (return) Martin, 119; Campbell, Witchcraft, 248.Note 31 · Footnote 229: (return) Frazer, op. cit. 225.Note 32 · Footnote 230: (return) Joyce, PN i. 195; O'Grady, ii. 198; Wood-Martin, i. 366; see p. 42, supra.Note 33 · Footnote 231: (return) Fitzgerald, RC iv. 190. Aine has no connection with Anu, nor is she a moon-goddess, as is sometimes supposed.Note 34 · Footnote 232: (return) RC iv. 189.Note 35 · Footnote 233: (return) Keating, 318; IT iii. 305; RC xiii. 435.Note 36 · Footnote 234: (return) O'Grady, ii. 197.Note 37 · Footnote 235: (return) RC xii. 109, xxii. 295; Cormac, 87; Stokes, TIG xxxiii.Note 38 · Footnote 236: (return) Holder, i. 341; CIL vii. 1292; Cæsar, ii. 23.Note 39 · Footnote 237: (return) LL 11b; Cormac, s.v. Neit; RC iv. 36; Arch. Rev. i. 231; Holder, ii. 714, 738.Note 40 · Footnote 238: (return) Stokes, TIG, LL 11a.Note 41 · Footnote 239: (return) Rh[^y]s, HL 43; Stokes, RC xii. 128.Note 42 · Footnote 240: (return) RC xii. 91, 110.Note 43 · Footnote 241: (return) See p. 131.Note 44 · Footnote 242: (return) Petrie, Tara, 147; Stokes, US 175; Meyer, Cath Finntrága, Oxford, 1885, 76 f.; RC xvi. 56, 163, xxi. 396.Note 45 · Footnote 243: (return) CIL vii. 507; Stokes, US 211.Note 46 · Footnote 244: (return) RC i. 41, xii. 84.Note 47 · Footnote 245: (return) RC xxi. 157, 315; Miss Hull, 247. A baobh (a common Gaelic name for "witch") appears to Oscar and prophesies his deatNote 48 · Footnote 246: (return) Joyce, SH i. 261; Miss Hull, 186; Meyer, Cath Finntraga, 6, 13; IT i. 131, 871.Note 49 · Footnote 247: (return) LL 10a.Note 50 · Footnote 248: (return) LL 10a, 30b, 187c.Note 51 · Footnote 249: (return) RC xxvi. 13; LL 187c.Note 52 · Footnote 250: (return) Cf. the personification of the three strains of Dagda's harp (Leahy, ii. 205).Note 53 · Footnote 251: (return) See p. 223, infra.Note 54 · Footnote 252: (return) D'Arbois, ii. 372.Note 55 · Footnote 253: (return) RC xii. 77, 83.Note 56 · Footnote 254: (return) LL 11; Atlantis, London, 1858-70, iv. 159.Note 57 · Footnote 255: (return) O'Donovan, Grammar, Dublin, 1845, xlvii.Note 58 · Footnote 256: (return) RC xii. 77.Note 59 · Footnote 257: (return) Lucian, Herakles.Note 60 · Footnote 258: (return) RC xii. 89. The name is found in Gaulish Gobannicnos, and in Welsh Abergavenny.Note 61 · Footnote 259: (return) IT i. 56; Zimmer, Glossæ Hibernicæ, 1881, 270.Note 62 · Footnote 260: (return) Atlantis, 1860, iii. 389.Note 63 · Footnote 261: (return) RC xii. 89.Note 64 · Footnote 262: (return) LL lla.Note 65 · Footnote 263: (return) RC xii. 93.Note 66 · Footnote 264: (return) Connac, 56, and Cóir Anmann (IT iii. 357) divide the name as día-na-cecht and explain it as "god of the powers."Note 67 · Footnote 265: (return) RC xii. 67. For similar stories of plants springing from graves, see my Childhood of Fiction, 115.Note 68 · Footnote 266: (return) RC xii, 89, 95.Note 69 · Footnote 267: (return) RC vi. 369; Cormac, 23.Note 70 · Footnote 268: (return) Cormac, 47, 144; IT iii. 355, 357.Note 71 · Footnote 269: (return) IT iii. 355; D'Arbois, i. 202.Note 72 · Footnote 270: (return) LL 246a.Note 73 · Footnote 271: (return) Irish MSS. Series, i. 46; D'Arbois, ii. 276. In a MS. edited by Dr. Stirn, Oengus was Dagda's son by Elemar's wife, tNote 74 · Footnote 272: (return) LL 245b.Note 75 · Footnote 273: (return) IT iii. 355.Note 76 · Footnote 274: (return) O'Donovan, Battle of Mag-Rath, Dublin, 1842, 50; LL 246a.Note 77 · Footnote 275: (return) D'Arbois, v. 427, 448.Note 78 · Footnote 276: (return) The former is Rh[^y]s's interpretation (HL 201) connecting Cruaich with crúach, "a heap"; the latter is that of D'ArbNote 79 · Footnote 277: (return) Vallancey, in Coll. de Rebus Hib. 1786, iv. 495.Note 80 · Footnote 278: (return) LL 213b. D'Arbois thinks Cromm was a Fomorian, the equivalent of Taranis (ii. 62). But he is worshipped by Gaels. CriNote 81 · Footnote 279: (return) RC xvi. 35, 163.Note 82 · Footnote 280: (return) Fitzgerald, RL iv. 175.Note 83 · Footnote 281: (return) RC xxvi. 19.Note 84 · Footnote 282: (return) Annals of the Four Masters, A.M. 3450.Note 85 · Footnote 283: (return) RC xii. 83, 85; Hyde, op. cit. 288.Note 86 · Footnote 284: (return) LU 94.Note 87 · Footnote 285: (return) RC xii. 65. Elsewhere three supreme "ignorances" are ascribed to Oengus (RL xxvi. 31).Note 88 · Footnote 286: (return) RC iii. 342.Note 89 · Footnote 287: (return) LL 11c; LU 129; IT i. 130. Cf. the glass house, placed between sky and moon, to which Tristan conducts the queen. BedNote 90 · Footnote 288: (return) HL 146.Note 91 · Footnote 289: (return) See my Childhood of Fiction, 114, 153. The tale has some unique features, as it alone among Western Märchen and saga Note 92 · Footnote 290: (return) O'Grady, TOS iii.Note 93 · Footnote 291: (return) RC i. 41.Note 94 · Footnote 292: (return) O'Curry, MC i. 71.Note 95 · Footnote 293: (return) LL 117a. See p. 381, infra.Note 96 · Footnote 294: (return) Cumont, RC xxvi. 47; D'Arbois, RC xxvii. 127, notes the difficulty of explaining the change of e to i in the names.Note 97 · Footnote 295: (return) HL 121.Note 98 · Footnote 296: (return) See Crooke, Folk-Lore, viii. 341. Cf. Herod, ii. 131.Note 99 · Footnote 297: (return) Loth, i. 269.Note 100 · Footnote 298: (return) HL 563.Note 101 · Footnote 299: (return) Train, Isle of Man, Douglas, 1845, ii. 118; Grimm, Teut. Myth. ii. ch. 24; Frazer, GB2 ii. 99 f.Note 102 · Footnote 300: (return) Bathurst, Roman Antiquities at Lydney Park, 1879; Holder, s.v. "Nodons."Note 103 · Footnote 301: (return) See Rh[^y]s, HL 122; Cook, Folk-Lore, xvii. 30.Note 104 · Footnote 302: (return) Stokes, US 194-195; Rh[^y]s, HL, 128, IT i. 712.Note 105 · Footnote 303: (return) Loth, ii. 235, 296. See p. 160, infra.Note 106 · Footnote 304: (return) Joyce, OCR.Note 107 · Footnote 305: (return) For these four Manannans see Cormac 114, RC xxiv. 270, IT iii. 357.Note 108 · Footnote 306: (return) O'Grady, ii.Note 109 · Footnote 307: (return) Bodley Dindsenchas, No. 10, RC xii. 105; Joyce, SH i. 259; Otia Merseiana, ii. "Song of the Sea."Note 110 · Footnote 308: (return) LU 133.Note 111 · Footnote 309: (return) Moore, 6.Note 112 · Footnote 310: (return) Geoffrey, Vita Merlini, 37; Rees, 435. Other saintly legends are derived from myths, e.g. that of S. Barri in his boaNote 113 · Footnote 311: (return) RC xii. 59.Note 114 · Footnote 312: (return) Folk-Lore Journal, v. 66; Rh[^y]s, HL 314.Note 115 · Footnote 313: (return) Larminie, "Kian, son of Kontje."Note 116 · Footnote 314: (return) Joyce, OCR 37.Note 117 · Footnote 315: (return) D'Arbois, vi. 116, Les Celtes, 39, RC xii. 75, 101, 127, xvi. 77. Is the defaced inscription at Geitershof, Deo M ...Note 118 · Footnote 316: (return) Holder, s.v.; D'Arbois, Les Celtes, 44, RC vii. 400.Note 119 · Footnote 317: (return) Holder, s.v. "Lugus."Note 120 · Footnote 318: (return) Stokes, TIG 103. Gaidoz contests the identification of the Lugoves and of Lug with Mercury, and to him the Lugoves arNote 121 · Footnote 319: (return) HL 425.Note 122 · Footnote 320: (return) See p. 349, infra.Note 123 · Footnote 321: (return) See p. 272, infra.Note 124 · Footnote 322: (return) HL 409.Note 125 · Footnote 323: (return) See Loth, RC x. 490.Note 126 · Footnote 324: (return) Leahy, i. 138, ii. 50, 52, LU 124b.Note 127 · Footnote 325: (return) LL 215a; see p. 78, supra.Note 128 · Footnote 326: (return) See, further, p. 385, infra.Note 129 · Footnote 327: (return) The Welsh People, 61. Professor Rh[^y]s admits that the theory of borrowing "cannot easily be proved."Note 130 · The meaning formerly given to Tuatha Dé Danann was "the men of science who were gods," danann being here connected with dán, "knowledge." BuNote 131 · But why were the Tuatha Dé Danann associated with the mounds? If fairies or an analogous race of beings were already in pagan times connecteNote 132 · The formation of the legend was also aided by the old cult of the gods on heights, some of them sepulchral mounds, and now occasionally siteNote 133 · Tumuli may already in pagan times have been pointed out as tombs of gods who died in myth or ritual, like the tombs of Zeus in Crete and of Note 134 · Danu gave her name to the whole group of gods, and is called their mother, like the Egyptian Neith or the Semitic Ishtar.218 In the annalistNote 135 · Danu is also identified with Brigit, goddess of knowledge (dán), perhaps through a folk-etymology. She was worshipped by poets, and had two Note 136 · Brigit, or goddesses with similar functions, was regarded by the Celts as an early teacher of civilisation, inspirer of the artistic, poeticNote 137 · Other goddesses remembered in tradition are Cleena and Vera, celebrated in fairy and witch lore, the former perhaps akin to a river-goddess Note 138 · Although the Irish gods are warriors, and there are special war-gods, yet war-goddesses are more prominent, usually as a group of three—MorrNote 139 · The prominent position of these goddesses must be connected with the fact that women went out to war—a custom said to have been stopped by ANote 140 · The Matres, goddesses of fertility, do not appear by name in Ireland, but the triplication of such goddesses as Morrigan and Brigit, the thrNote 141 · Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba, who give a title to the whole group, are called tri dee Donand, "the three gods (sons of) Danu," or, again, "goNote 142 · Another son of Brigit's was Ogma, master of poetry and inventor of ogham writing, the word being derived from his name.255 It is more probabNote 143 · Among other culture gods were those associated with the arts and crafts—the development of Celtic art in metal-work necessitating the existeNote 144 · Another god of crafts was Creidne the brazier (Ir. cerd, "artificer"; cf. Scots caird, "tinker"), who assisted in making a silver hand for NNote 145 · Diancecht, whose name may mean "swift in power," was god of medicine, and, with Creidne's help, fashioned a silver hand for Nuada.264 His soNote 146 · An early chief of the gods is Dagda, who, in the story of the battle of Mag-tured, is said to be so called because he promised to do more thNote 147 · If Dagda was a god of fertility, he may have been an equivalent of a god whose image was called Cenn or Cromm Cruaich, "Head or Crooked One Note 148 · To him noble Gaels would prostrate themselves."278Note 149 · Elsewhere we learn that this sacrifice in return for the gifts of corn and milk from the god took place at Samhain, and that on one occasionNote 150 · Dagda may thus have been a god of growth and fertility. His wife or mistress was the river-goddess, Boand (the Boyne),281 and the children aNote 151 · The beautiful and fascinating Oengus is sometimes called Mac Ind Oc, "Son of the Young Ones," i.e. Dagda and Boand, or In Mac Oc, "The YoungNote 152 · Equally influenced by Märchen formulæ is the story of Oengus and Etain. Etain and Fuamnach were wives of Mider, but Fuamnach was jealous of Note 153 · The whole story is built up on the well-known Mãrchen formulæ of the "True Bride" and the "Two Brothers," but accommodated to well-known mytNote 154 · Oengus appears in the Fionn cycle as the fosterer and protector of Diarmaid.290 With Mider, Bodb, and Morrigan, he expels the Fomorians whenNote 155 · Although Mider appears mainly as a king of the síde and ruler of the brug of Bri Léith, he is also connected with the Tuatha Déa.292 LearninNote 156 · The victory of the Tuatha Déa at the first battle of Mag-tured, in June, their victory followed, however, by the deaths of many of them at tNote 157 · The Brythons worshipped Nuada as Nodons in Romano-British times. The remains of his temple exist near the mouth of the Severn, and the god mNote 158 · Ler, whose name means "sea," and who was a god of the sea, is father of Manannan as well as of the personages of the beautiful story called Note 159 · The greatness of Manannan mac Lir, "son of the sea," is proved by the fact that he appears in many of the heroic tales, and is still remembeNote 160 · Manannan appears in the Cúchulainn and Fionn cycles, usually as a ruler of the Other-world. His wife Fand was Cúchulainn's mistress, DiarmaiNote 161 · The parentage of Lug is differently stated, but that account which makes him son of Cian and of Ethne, daughter of Balor, is best attested.3Note 162 · Lug is associated with Manannan, from whose land he comes to assist the Tuatha Déa against the Fomorians. His appearance was that of the sunNote 163 · The euhemerists assigned a definite date to Lug's death, but side by side with this the memory of his divinity prevailed, and he appears as Note 164 · While our knowledge of the Tuatha Dé Danann is based upon a series of mythic tales and other records, that of the gods of the continental CeNote 165 · Irish mythology points to the early pre-eminence of goddesses. As agriculture and many of the arts were first in the hands of women, goddessNote 166 · This supremacy of goddesses is explained by Professor Rh[^y]s as non-Celtic, as borrowed by the Celts from the aborigines.327 But it is too