The Dagda

"Dagda" redirects here. For other uses, see Dagda (disambiguation).

The Dagda
Chief/leader of the Gods.
Member of the Tuatha Dé Danann
AbodeBrú na Bóinne
Weapons
BattlesMagh Tuiredh
Artefacts
Genealogy
Parents
SiblingsOgma
Consorts
Children
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The Dagda (Old Irish: In Dagda [ˈdaɣða], Irish: An Daghdha) is considered the great god of Irish mythology.[1] He is the chief god of the Tuatha Dé Danann, with the Dagda portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid.[2][1][3] He is associated with fertility, agriculture, manliness and strength, as well as magic, druidry and wisdom.[2][4] [5][6] He can control life and death (cf. his staff, below), the weather and crops, as well as time and the seasons[citation needed].

He is often described as a large bearded man or giant[5] wearing a hooded cloak.[7] He owns a magic staff (lorc) of dual nature: it kills with one end and brings to life with the other.[8] He also owns a cauldron (the coire ansic) which never runs empty, and a magic harp (Uaithne, though this may be the name of the harper), which will not play unless called by its two bynames, and the harp can fly itself to the Dagda when thus beckoned. He is said to dwell in Brú na Bóinne (Newgrange). Other places associated with or named after him include Uisneach, Grianan of Aileach, Lough Neagh and Knock Iveagh. The Dagda is said to be the husband of the Morrígan and lover of Boann.[5] His children include Aengus, Brigit, Bodb Derg, Cermait, Aed, and Midir.[2]

The Dagda's name is thought to mean "the good god" or "the great god". His other names include Eochu or Eochaid Ollathair ("horseman, great father"), and Ruad Rofhessa ("mighty one/lord of great knowledge"). There are indications Dáire was another name for him.[5] The death and ancestral god Donn may originally have been a form of the Dagda,[9] and he also has similarities with the later harvest figure Crom Dubh.[10] Several tribal groupings saw the Dagda as an ancestor and were named after him, such as the Uí Echach and the Dáirine.

The Dagda has been likened to the Germanic god Odin, the Gaulish god Sucellos,[2] and the Roman god Dīs Pater.[5]

  1. ^ a b Cotterell, Arthur (2006). The Encyclopedia of Mythology. Hermes House. pp. 106, 121. ISBN 978-0681375819.
  2. ^ a b c d Koch, John T. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2006. pp. 553–54 [ISBN missing]
  3. ^ Wilkinson, Philip; Carroll, Georgie; Faulkner, Mark; Field, Jacob F.; Haywood, John; Kerrigan, Michael; Philip, Neil; Pumphrey, Nicholaus; Tocino-Smith, Juliette (2018). The Mythology Book (First American ed.). New York: DK. p. 164. ISBN 978-1-4654-7337-0.
  4. ^ An Dagda. Mary Jones's Celtic Encyclopedia. [ISBN missing]
  5. ^ a b c d e Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí (1991). "Daghdha". Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition. Prentice Hall Press. pp. 145–147. ISBN 9780132759595.
  6. ^ Monaghan, Patricia (2014) [2004]. "Dagda". The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Infobase Publishing. pp. 113–114. ISBN 9781438110370.
  7. ^ Ward, Alan (2011). The Myths of the Gods: Structures in Irish Mythology. pp. 9–10 [ISBN missing]
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference dagdas_staff-ed-bergin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Ó hÓgáin 1991, s.v. "Donn", pp. 165–66
  10. ^ MacNeill, Máire. The Festival of Lughnasa: A Study of the Survival of the Celtic Festival of the Beginning of Harvest. Oxford University Press, 1962. p. 416 [ISBN missing]