The Faery Lineage and Irish Mythology — The Tuatha De Danann

The Tuatha De Danann, which is often translated to mean ‘tribe of Dana,’ were the people of the Goddess Dana. Sometimes, they were considered to be the people of the god whose mother was Dana. The ancient Celts called them the Sidhe, the spirit-race of ancient Ireland. They are the source of the Faery Lineage.

Who Were the Tuatha De Danann?

The origins of the Tuatha De Danann are quite unclear. However, according to the traditional history of Ireland, specifically the Mythological Cycle, the Tuatha De Danann were the fourth waves of invaders to come to Ireland, conquering the Fir Bolg. Eventually, they would be challenged by the Milesians, and take refuge in the Underworld. They were to become the gods and goddesses of Ireland, worshipped, respected, and sometimes feared.

When they retreated, they moulded the Underworld to suit themselves. Their country of choice was Tir na nOg, the Land of Perpetual Youth. They lived here in beauty and joy, never aging, and never knowing pain, disease, or death. They were masters of sorcery and magick, and the Celts often said that the Tuatha De Danann had been sent from the stars to teach humanity about love and living in harmony with nature.

The Tuatha De Danann and the Faery Lineage

The Tuatha De Danann became a Faery people of Ireland, and many were great warriors under the High Kings of ancient Eire (another name for Ireland). Some of them even became a part of the legendary fiana. However, in time and with the changing beliefs of the people of Ireland, they began to dwindle.

Eventually, they lost the awesome power they had once possessed. They shifted with the Celts, and became the Daoine Sidhe and the Fenian Heroes. The Daoine Sidhe retained some of their god-like stature, while the Fenian Heroes were the poets, the romantics, and the warriors of the Tuatha De Danann. In time, even these incarnations would shift and change, eventually resulting in the modern view of the fairy.

These immortal characters greatly enriched the lives of the Celts. As fantastical creatures of magick, the Tuatha De Danann were the focus of songs and tales for thousands of years, and eventually became the stuff of legends and fairy tales, even into the modern era.