Tuatha Dé Danann
The Divine Otherworld Community of Irish, Scottish and Manx Mythology
[Note: all spelling in Modern Irish unless stated otherwise]
Modern long form of name:
Tuatha Dé Danann “Peoples of the Goddess Dana”
Modern short form of name:
Tuatha Dé “Peoples of the Goddess”
Older forms of name:
Tuath Dé “People of the Gods / God / Goddess”
Tuatha Dé “Peoples of the Gods / God / Goddess”
Derived from the following words:
Tuath (pl. Tuatha), “people, tribe (or the territory, kingdom thereof)”
Dia (gs. Dé, pl. Déithe) “god or goddess” (Note: in Old Irish the word dé is dependant on context for its exact meaning and translates variously as “god, goddess, gods”; from dé is derived the Modern Irish word dia “god” and its genitive version dé)
Dana (gs. Danann), the name of a female deity
Origins
The Tuatha Dé Danann is a race of supernaturally-gifted people in the literature and folklore of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man adapted from the Celtic pantheon of the pre-Christian Gaelic peoples. When Ireland was converted to Christianity in the 4th to 7th centuries CE the native gods and goddesses were assimilated by the country’s monastic schools into a new corpus of histories, genealogies and toponyms they were devising. Based upon the older oral traditions of the Irish people this literary tradition gave the emerging Christian society a broad sense of continuity with its pre-Christian past. However, in order to accommodate the indigenous deities with Christianized belief (which was informed by an “approved” body of Biblical, ecclesiastical and Classical texts) those previously worshipped as gods and goddesses were rationalized in several ways, dependent on the writer or the school of thought he adhered to.
While some presented the origins of the Tuatha Dé Danann as that of biblical fallen or rebellious angels (creatures from Christian mythology who sided with Lucifer or who chose to remain “neutral” in the struggle between Lucifer and god), others preferred to see them as an ancient race of human beings possessed of magical abilities or later credited with the same (one apparently influential theory pointed towards an origin in the legendary Garden of Eden and so freed the Tuatha Dé of the “original sin” imposed on the rest of humanity under Christian theology). Yet other Early Christian scribes, rather than questioning or explaining away the origins of the Tuatha Dé, simply accepted them as being present throughout the Irish literary tradition without further need for comment or justification. Despite these various redactions a few writers did make some acknowledgement of the pre-Christian worship or divinity of the Tuatha Dé Danann though often with caveats or justifications for their prior status (often these monastic scribes will gloss the Tuatha Dé and other associated personages with Latin terms translating as “gods of the earth” or “gods beneath the earth” and suchlike).
It is difficult to state with any certainty whether or not the Irish pantheon was known to the pre-Christian Irish by the collective title of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The earliest forms of the name appear without the “Danann” as the Tuath Dé (also occurring in the plural, Tuatha Dé) which has been translated several ways: “People(s) of the Goddess / God” or “People(s) of the Gods” (the monastic Latin gloss “People of the Gods” occurs in one manuscript). The problem is the Irish word dé which can have more than one meaning, depending on the context (or what the people using it originally intended it to mean). This has left modern scholars divided over which translations to use, or whether the meaning of the name changed over time, which adds to the difficulties of interpretation. Additionally, as well as Tuath(a) Dé the terms Fir Dé “Men of God(s)”, Fir Sí “Men of the Otherworld”, Aos Sí “People of the Otherworld” (particularly popular later) and (more rarely) Síodhaithe “Otherworld beings” were also widely used and seemed freely interchangeable.
To add to the complications a number of group names associated in the later literature with the Tuatha Dé (or Tuatha Dé characters) also occur in some very early texts, specifically the Fir Trí nDéithe “Men of the Three Gods”, and the Trí Dé Dána “Three Gods of Skill” (later appearing, probably through accumulated confusion, as the Trí Dé Danann “Three Gods of Dana”) obscuring the exact origins of the name Tuatha Dé Danann even further.
What we can say is that an early stage the name Tuatha Dé also became the term for the Israelites in Irish literature (“Peoples of God”). This probably caused some confusion between the two groups so in the late 10th or 11th centuries CE a name was added to distinguish which party was being referred to. This was Dana (gs. Danann). The Tuatha Dé thus became the Tuatha Dé Danann. This, to some, indicates that the title Tuath Dé was indeed an original native term for the gods, since it needed later qualification to distinguish it from the adopted name for the people of Israel (perhaps itself no coincidence).
However there is a problem with all this. The name Dana is unknown in that form in Irish Mythology, appearing only in the genitive version of Danann, and it is a relatively late newcomer. And where it does occur it is invariably in association with the relatively late and heavily edited Leabhar Gabhála stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Furthermore in the earliest appearances it is written Donann not Danann. While this could be scribal errors, or variant or regional spelling, it adds to the impression put forward by some that the name Dana / Danann was a late invention, designed to identify the Tuatha Dé proper from the Israelites and nothing more than that. A related suggestion that it is derived from another independent female deity in Irish Mythology, Ana (gs. Anann), and that Ana became Dana, is grammatically unsatisfactory and does not answer the question of how Donann became Danann. Similarly a derivation from dán “skill, art” as in the very early title of Trí Dé Dána, works poorly on linguistic grounds.
Yet, the name Dana / Dona (Old Ir. Danu / Donu), if it did exist, has several close comparisons in the Celtic and Indo-European world, not least Dôn, the “goddess” figure of Welsh literature and mother of the Children of Dôn (often equated with the Tuatha Dé Danann in modern studies: some have in fact argued for an Irish borrowing). This has led to suggestions of a derivation from Old Irish don “place, ground, earth” and the related words domhain “depth, deep, abyss” and domhan “earth, world” which would match, ironically, the Latin glosses written by the monastic scribes describing the Tuatha Dé as “earth gods”. An original title then might have been Tuath Dé nDonann “People of the Gods of the Earth” (“nDonann”, through nDanann, could also give Anann, the “n” at the start of Donann eclipsing the “d” sound). However this is pure speculation and does not necessarily imply that there was no goddess closely associated with the Tuatha Dé as a sort of mother figure or progenitor. In fact, the latter concept probably suggested the idea of giving them a female designation, regardless of what name that deity may have originally had (and there is a very strong presumption for regarding the Mórríon, in her more pacific guises, as fulfilling that role).
It is clear from the above that in looking for the origins of the name Tuatha Dé Danann the early interaction between non-Christian and Christian traditions in Ireland was complex and multi-layered, and that a number of different influences may have been at work.
The Otherworld And Otherworld People In Irish Mythology
Aos Sí “People of the Otherworld (Otherworld Residences, Territories)”.
Derived from the following words:
Aos “People (Folk, Class)”
Sí “The Otherworld”
Sí “Otherworld Residence, Territory”
The name Aos Sí refers to a race of supernaturally-gifted people in the literature and folklore of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, who are almost certainly identical with the Tuatha Dé Danann. The name itself seems to be as old as the name Tuatha Dé Danann but its meaning and use is tied up with the complexities of the word Sí in the Irish language since the term has two broad but linked meanings. The first was Sí “the Otherworld”: this was the underground, undersea world of the Tuatha Dé Danann and Aos Sí in Irish Mythology, and originally the home of the gods in the pre-Christian Celtic religion (hence the frequent Latin glosses in the Medieval manuscripts of the Tuatha Dé and Aos Sí as “gods of the earth”). It was reached through ancient burial mounds, caves, lakes, wells, the ocean, occasionally through mists, or more supernaturally via dreams or visions (c.f the archaeological evidence throughout the Celtic world of presumed votive offerings deposited in the ground and in shaft-pits, bogs and lakes – gifts to the gods below? ). Later it became associated with overseas islands reached by boat or ship: while this has been attributed to Classical (Greek and Roman) literary influences it could well be a continuation of native traditions and the islands may have been manifestations of the undersea aspect of the Otherworld. In later folklore mysterious coastal or overseas islands became more prominent.
The second definition of Sí was “Otherworld Residence, Territory” (pl. Síthe “Otherworld Residences, Territories”). These Síthe were primarily equated with the ancient burial mounds that dotted the landscapes of Ireland and Scotland. They were regarded as the Otherworld residences or dwellings of the Tuatha Dé Danann and Aos Sí; and they also gave access to their Otherworld territories. However the term was also sometimes equated with other areas associated with the supernatural like notable hilltops, caves, wells, lakes and certain wilderness areas. The Síthe were both part of yet separate from the Otherworld as a whole, and often represented the homes or kingdoms of particular members of the Otherworld community; and presumably at one stage the most prominent native gods or goddesses. It’s probable that the concept of the Tuatha Dé and Aos Sí living in different residences or territories within the Otherworld reflected the territorial divisions of Ireland and Scotland into separate kingdoms and territories with many famous residences of particular mythological figures sited around both countries. In a sense the Otherworld was an idealized version of Ireland and Scotland distinguished by the supernatural aspects of its inhabitants, creatures and lands.
Consequentially the interpretation and translation of the word Sí in the literature or folklore is often dependent on context. The origin of this complexity lies in the evolving meaning and sense of the word, both in the pre-Christian and Christian periods. Originally Sí seems to have meant the dwelling place of the gods in general (“The Otherworld”), but then moved towards meaning the dwelling place of a particular god or goddess (“Otherworld residence, territory”), while retaining the original meaning in certain circumstances. The result is the semantic ambiguities surrounding the word Sí found in the Irish mythological tradition though Aos Sí means simply the “People of the Otherworld Residences, Territories” (which can be glossed in English as the “Otherworld People, Folk”).
While in the early literature the Tuatha Dé and the Aos Sí are occasionally treated as different peoples, in general it is understood that they are the same race. The name Tuatha Dé Danann is very much the formal and “literary” term while the name Aos Sí is a more familiar one (in a sense the Tuatha Dé became the Aos Sí). The argument put forward by a minority of modern scholars, that the Tuatha Dé and Aos Sí originally represented different levels or classes of gods in the pre-Christian pantheon, echoes of which then survive into the literary tradition, remains largely unproved. However, it is worth noting that several references are made in the Irish texts to the rather tantalizing term Déithe agus Andéithe (Old. Ir. dé ocus andé) “Gods and Un-Gods” amongst the Tuatha Dé and Aos Sí. It is explained by the scribes in their Latin comments that the Déithe were their gods and the Andéithe their “husbandmen” (that is farmers, commoners and so on), giving the theory some credence, as well as hinting at far greater complexities of thought behind the character of the Tuatha Dé than we see in the literary milieu.
Related Terms Or Words
Two relatively old words that have partially survived or influenced modern Irish terms should be mentioned here. Both mean “A dweller in a Sí; inhabitant of a Sí” and existed in the same literary context as Aos Sí.
The first is Sídhaighe, Síodhaighe. This is not in the modern language as such but its influence (possibly via the word Sídheog?) can be seen in the contemporary words Sióg and Síogaí [see entries Sióg and Síogaí, below].
The second survived into Early Modern Irish as Síodhaidhe. This then became Síodhaí (gs. Síodhaí, pl. Síodhaithe). This word, rarely used, is now equated with the contemporary Irish word Síogaí “Elf, fairy” [See entries Síogaí and Síodhaidhe, below]. However Síodhaí is still an acceptable word for use when describing the beings of traditional Irish literature since Síogaí is a term more appropriate to the elf-like creatures of European folklore or Children’s fiction and is not an exact equivalent.
The Otherworld As The Afterlife
The Otherworld or Sí, while the world of the gods, was almost certainly the world of the spirits of the dead too: that is, in crude terms, the Irish afterlife. However, those mortals who visited or stayed in the Otherworld were primarily famous figures: heroes and members of the aristocracy. It is unclear whether certain chosen ones of the gods, the members of the noble or learned classes, or the people as a whole were permitted to dwell with the deities in their world after death (or while being invited or intruding there in life). This is one of several crucial areas of the Celtic religious thought of pre-Christian Ireland that (along with the beginning and end of the world) is lost or beyond conclusive reconstruction.
It is worth noting that the Irish word for “Heaven”, Neamh, though now understood to refer to the Christian afterlife, may have had a non-Christian meaning earlier in its usage. However, this is a matter of (considerable) debate and nowhere in the myths is the Otherworld ever referred to as Neamh.
Gods And Under-Demons
Aside from the gods represented by Tuatha Dé Danann and Aos Sí, and some favoured or chosen mortals, the Otherworld was also home to the traditional rivals of the Tuatha Dé, the Fomhóraigh “Under-Demons” (sg. Fomhórach). The name probably originates from fo (faoi) “under” (in the sense of “underneath, underground, subterranean”) and mórach “demon, phantom” (pl. móraigh), since the Fomhóraigh were viewed in the earliest layer of myths as living beneath the surface of the earth, and beneath the sea (this latter association partly led to a later Medieval reinterpretation of the name as “Undersea Ones” from what was probably a false etymology of fo- “under-“ and muir “sea, ocean”).
Despite the translation of the term Fomhóraigh as “Under-Demons”, these particular demons could on occasion appear as simply another rival group of gods. Both the Fomhóraigh and the Tuatha Dé Danann interact, intermarry and share some names, titles and personages in common. Two extremely rare names for both the races that occurs in the very earliest texts illustrate this: Na Daoine Teathrach “The People of Teathra” and Fir Teathrach “Men (People) of Teathra”. Teathra (gs. Teathrach) was a Fomhórach who for a time ruled the Tuatha Dé in the more literary accounts of early Irish history, and the use of his name aptly shows the complexity of Tuatha Dé and Fomhóraigh relationships.
Because of the confusion that exists over the exact distinction between the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fomhóraigh it has been argued that they simply represent two broad divisions of the same divine community, the latter viewed as slightly more hostile or “demonical” than the other. Related to this has been the suggestion that the differences between both reflect class divisions in the community of the Gods, between an aristocratic and noble class on one hand and a cruder, commoner class on the other (reflecting the class system of Irish society). Some have attempted to link this to the supposed divisions between the Tuatha Dé and the Aos Si referred to above. But to some modern scholars the division between Gods and Under-Demons (Under-Gods?) seems to go further than mere class, and is a more fundamental, if fluid, one. They are distinct races of the Otherworld, though ones that freely interact when not engaged in rivalry. What confusion there is stems from the misunderstandings or redactions of the early Christian scribes, who overemphasized the rivalry and monstrous nature of the Fomhóraigh and confused beings from both groups.
The Nature Of Divinity
This takes us to the divine nature of the gods and the much-debated Irish concept of the afterlife. It is clear from Irish Mythology (and related Celtic mythologies) that the Irish gods were divine (by the virtue of being worshipped as gods), immortal (by being original and ever-living) and progenitors (by being the parent or parents of some mortal heroes or the divine ancestors of certain peoples). Beyond that it is difficult to go. Modern or populist classifications of “sky-god”, “sun-god”, “nature-goddess”, etc. though clearly appealing to modern minds are simply wrong. To talk in these terms when describing Irish mythological beings is to misunderstand the complex nature of the Celtic pantheon. Most Irish “gods” and “goddesses” don’t fit into the neat categories of modern classifiers because they were never intended to. The divine beings of Irish mythology were multi-layered, multi-faceted characters with more than one attribute, and even shared attributes. There was no one “war god” because several shared that role. Yes, certainly, some beings were clearly more associated with particular aspects of life or nature than others (Goibhne with smithcraft, the Mórríon with warfare and death) but this did not imply exclusivity.
Interestingly, though immortal the gods could die (or rather be killed). While this may seem like a paradox to contemporary minds it was far more common in ancient theologies. Likewise the habit of divine or supernatural beings engaging in shapeshifting, moving from “human” to animal form, or undergoing serial reincarnations, was perfectly acceptable. It did not, as is sometimes claimed, imply a general belief in reincarnation. There was none. Those who underwent shapeshifting or rebirths were divine beings or heroes with supernatural attributes. The pre-Christian Irish, as the Celts in general, clearly believed in an afterlife of sorts where one would dwell with one’s ancestors in the company of the gods. The question was to whom this afterlife extended. The people as a whole or only a privileged few? That is a question that has yet to be answered.
Irish Folklore
Later Irish folklore, which had deviated somewhat from the early literary milieu, uses several terms to describe the Otherworld People as well as traditional ones like the Tuatha Dé Danann and Aos Sí. Most of these continue a seemingly old practice amongst ordinary folk of not referring to the Otherworld community by their proper name or title but in a circumspect way (though whether this is a post-Christian development or not is impossible to say).
Na Daoine Uaisle “The Noble, Aristocratic People”
Na Daoine Maithe “The Good People”
English Translations And Anglicised Forms
In the English language, especially in recent times, a number of names have been used to describe the Tuatha Dé or Otherworld community of Irish Mythology. Common terms are: the “Fairies (or Faeries)”, the “Hidden People”, the “Otherworld People (or Folk)”, the “Ever-Living Ones” and numerous others. Of these the “Otherworld People” is probably the most appropriate since it reflects the main aspects of the Irish and Scottish traditions (though colloquially “Fairies” will probably remain the most popular with all its unfortunate overtones). Other terms, especially those popularised in Neo-Celtic and Wiccan circles and some contemporary Fantasy fiction, are much more problematic with little or no veracity. Names like the “Sí”, “Shee”, “Shea”, “Dananns”, “Seelies”, etc. are very poor transliterations and should be avoided.
One of the sadder effects of the slow degradation of native Irish and Scottish culture and their replacement with an Anglo-American approximation, has been the loss of the genuine imagery associated with the Otherworld People (be they the Tuatha Dé or Aos Sí) in both countries. The use of the term “Fairies” as a translation in the dominant English language has resulted in 19th and 20th century European folklore images of fairies, elves, dwarfs, trolls and the like, supplanting much of the indigenous tradition. This has been exacerbated by the popular view of “fairies” created by Children’s books, television programmes and movies. In contrast to nations like Greece, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, etc. very few Irish people are aware of their own mythological or literary traditions nor are they taught them in most Irish schools. Scotland has an even worse record.
Recently a major Irish language news site described the character of Legolas from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings as a “Lucharachán”. This word actually means a “dwarf or pygmy” and by no stretch of the imagination could it be used as an equivalent to Tolkien’s Elves (which, in fact, borrow heavily from Irish Mythology and the lore of the Tuatha Dé Danann). If any word should have been used it would be Síogaí “elf, fairy”, a far better approximation. The complete lack of familiarity with their own mythology for most Irish people means few if any would have been struck by the incongruous nature of the use of Lucharachán, a sad situation which seems likely to grow.
Names Of The Otherworld
Leaving aside the general name of Sí, or the many names of particular Síthe mentioned as being located in Ireland (and Scotland, the Isle of Man and elsewhere), a large number of titles, poetical and descriptive, existed for the Otherworld. They referred to the Sí as a whole or particular regions or aspects of the Otherworld. The most important were:
Má Mheallach “Delightful, Pleasant Plain”
Má Mhoin “Plain of Feats, Tricks”
Tír Tairngaire “Promised Land”
Eamhain Abhlacha “Twins of the Apple Trees, Apple Orchard” (alt. “The Twin Apple Trees, Apple Orchards”?)
Tír na mBan “Land of the Women”
Má dhá Cheo “Plain of the Two Mists”
Tír na nIonaidh “Land of Wonder”
Tír faoi Thoinn “Land under the Wave”
Tír na mBeo “Land of the Living”
Insí Tuaisceartach “Northern Islands”
Teach Doinn “Tower of the Dark One”
Má Fionnairgid “Plain of White Silver”
Má Airgeadnéil “Plain of the Silver Cloud”
Má Réin “Plain of the Sea”
Í Bhreasail “Island of Breasal”
Ciúin “Calm, Silent, Gentle (Land, Place)”
Iomchiúin “Very Calm, Silent, Gentle (Land, Place)”
Ildathach “Multicoloured (Land, Place)”
Inis Subha “Island of Gladness, Joy”
Airgtheach “Silver (Place, Land)”
Tír na nÓg “Land of the Young, Youth”
Má Teathrach “Plain of Teathra (the Sea)”
A Note On Spelling And Language
All spelling in the names and titles above are in Modern Irish, unless otherwise specified.
Modern Irish Words And Terms Derived From Sí
The Otherworld-related words and terms below are taken from Niall Ó Dónaill’s 1977 “Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla”, the standard, modern Irish-English dictionary. It should be noted, however, that there remains considerable debate about some of the English translations proffered, particularly for more traditional words or terms specific to Ireland’s culture.
Sí (gs. Sí, pl. Síthe) “Fairy mound” [alt. spl. Sídh, pl. Sídhe] [rel. Aos Sí “Inhabitants of fairy mounds; fairies”, Bean Sí “Fairy woman; banshee”] Note: “Fairy” is a particularly bad translation here, influenced by the English language, and the correct equivalent should be “Otherworld; Otherworld residence, territory”
The following words, though derived from the Irish Sí, are more applicable to the type of elfin or fairy-like beings that are encountered in modern Fantasy fiction, Children’s stories or non-Irish folklore. Their use in the context of the Irish “Otherworld People” is problematic.
Sián (gs. Sián, npl. Siáin, gpl. Siáin) “fairy mound”
Sióg (gs. Sióige, npl. Síoga, gpl. Sióg) “Fairy” [alt. spl. Sídheog]
Síogaí (gs. Síogaí, pl. Síogaithe) “Elf, fairy” [alt. spl. Síodhaí]
Síbhean (gs. & npl. Símhná, gpl. Síbhan) “Fairy (woman)”
Síofróg (gs. Síofróige, npl. Síofróga, gpl. Síofróg) “Elf-woman, fairy; enchantress” [alt. spl. Siabhróg]
Síofra (gs. Síofra, pl. Síofraí) “Elf, sprite; elf-child, changeling” [alt. spl. Siafra, Siafrach, Síodhbhra, Siabhra, Siabhair]
Early Modern Irish Words And Terms Derived From Sí
These words are taken from Foclóir Uí Dhuinnín, the historic 1927 Irish-English dictionary, which uses the older unreformed spelling.
Síodh (gs. Síodha, Sídhe, d. Síd, pl. Sídhe, Síodha) “A tumulus or knoll, a fairy hill, an abode of fairies, arising from cairn or tumulus burial”
Doras an tSíodha “The tumulus entrance”
Lucht an tSíodha “The people of the fairy-mound”
Fear an tSíodha “The owner of the fairy-mound”
Aos Sídhe “Fairy-folk”
An Sluagh Sídhe “The fairy-host”
Bean Sídhe “A woman of the fairies”
Fear Sídhe “A man of the fairies”
Fir Sídhe (Fir Síthe) “Men of the fairies; phantoms”
Duine Sídhe “A fairy person”
Eachradh Sídhe “Fairy steeds”
Eoin tSídhe “Fairy birds”
Ceol Sídhe “A fairy music luring the unwary to their doom”
Liaigh Sídhe “A fairy doctor”
Leannán Sídhe “A fairy lover”
Ara Sídhe “A fairy-friend”
Ceo Sídhe “A fairy mist”
Solas Sídhe na bPortaighthe “The bog fairy-light, Will o’ the wisp”
Uaisle Sídhe “Fairy nobles”
Maithe Sídhe “Good fairies”
Síodhaidhe (gs. Síodhaidhe pl. Síodhaidhthe) “the occupier of a fairy-mound, a fairy chief; a fairy, goblin”
Síodhbróg (pl. Síodhbróige) “A fairy”
Sídheog (pl. Sídheoige) “A fay or fairy”
Fothsagán (pl. Fothsagáin) “A fairy, well-disposed towards mortals”
Siabhra (gs. Siabhra, pl. Siabhraí, Siabhraidhe, Siabhraighthe) “A phantom or spectre, fairy or goblin”
Siabhradh “A phantom, a spectre, a goblin; a spectre-like mortal”
Síodhbhradh (gs. Síodhbhraidh, Síodhbhartha, pl. Síodhbhradh, Síodhbhraidhe) “A fairy child or changeling”
Further Reading
It’s frequently been noted that much of the information for Early Irish, Scots and Manx Literature, Mythology and Folklore, whether online or in printed form, is of little value for a genuine understanding or elucidation of the pre-Christian beliefs of the Celtic peoples of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Many of the “Celtic” books that have been published down through the years, even the most popular ones (or perhaps especially the most popular ones), are of mixed value; sometimes, in the case of older academic publications, it is simply because the theories in them have gradually fallen out of favour, been replaced or disproved (yet publishers will continue to produce them, usually because they are no longer in copyright). More troublesome are the far greater number of books based upon populist, soft-focus stereotypes of the Celts. These works are usually informed by modern romanticism or ideas and concepts taken from the contemporary genres of Fantasy fiction, Anglo-Germanic folklore or children’s literature. Though undoubtedly profitable for author and publisher alike such books simply contribute to the spread of misinformation and confusion about the genuine nature of the various Celtic mythologies.
When it comes to information on the internet the situation is far worse, especially since what is available exists in such vast and readily accessible quantities (though much of it is repetitive). Most of it is out of date: antiquated theories or explanations taken from no longer copyrighted materials originally published in the 19th or early 20th centuries and posted or summarised on various websites, blogs or forums (often with a “Tolkienesque” veneer). In recent years the so-called “Celtic Reconstructionist” movements (Wiccans, Neo-Celts, Neo-Pagans, Druids, etc.) have become increasingly important in this area, though normally using a mix of the same dubious sources mentioned earlier as the basis for their “reconstructions”. Even Wikipedia, for all its vaunted new-found scholarly rigour, offers relatively poor fare.
However, a handful of sites, of academic or near academic quality, do exist online: and some of unexpected provenance.
First and foremost are those offering original source materials.
The Corpus of Electronic Texts or CELT is perhaps the single most important resource for anyone wishing to know the ancient stories and histories of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Maintained by the University College Cork (and partly funded by the Irish state) the site contains hundreds of documents published online in both their original languages and with translations, and are available to people across the globe to view and study for free (and also to download!). Nothing else quiet like it exists on the internet and it is one of the academic treasure troves of the Celtic world. Though some of the older publications contained on the site have English translations dating to the late 1800s that would now be contested (in parts, at least), even the oldest works have a scholarly value that is second to none (and most have or will be updated). Furthermore many of the works on the site are no longer available or can only be purchased at great expense from specialist publishers.
The team behind CELT have also contributed to the creation of the extraordinary Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language or eDIL which is a searchable glossary of the Irish language for the period 700-1700 AD, and the Celtic Digital Initiative, which contains many interesting articles and studies. Perhaps of related interest is the enormously popular Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann or Placenames Database of Ireland, containing a comprehensive list of placenames in Irish and English from across the island of Ireland, often with their origins, earliest appearances and translations. It is fully interactive, with mapping and data-search, making it a unique resource.
The private academic site *selgā, a catalogue of primary source materials for Celtic studies, provides links to many online resources (as well as printed ones) and is well worth visiting.
For those wishing to see what the original stories of Irish myth looked like, in a quite literal sense, then Irish Script On Screen or ISOS is an unbelievable experience. It contains thousands of scanned images of medieval or later Irish manuscripts that anyone can view and is child’s play to navigate or search.
Mary Jones is a well regarded Celtic site, though one aimed at a more general audience with a very wide range of out-of-copyright translations of Irish myths and sagas presented in scholarly form. Somewhat populist in places, and given to occasional bouts of Celtic romanticism, it nevertheless remains a good starting point for a tentative reader.
From a very different angle, but one focused much more on interpreting Irish (or more particularly Scottish) Mythology, is the website Tairis. It’s something of an unexpected delight since it represents one person’s personal interest in “Celtic Reconstructionism”, usually a sure sign of trouble. However here it has managed to achieve a remarkable degree of scholarly thought and contains some genuinely useful summaries of modern academic opinion. Fun, well written and intelligent, a careful reading makes it highly useful.
In a similar vein is the collaborative effort represented by Land, Sea and Sky. At first glance it may seem like another “neo-pagan” site but like Tairis there is more of the enquiring scholar here than the born-again-druid. It contains lots of useful information, much of it remarkably free of mystical nonsense, and is a very useful primer for Celtic Mythology in general, even if some of the conclusions in the articles go too far in their suggested interpretations based upon the evidence available.
All these sites contain very useful links to other generally quality web sites, as well as bibliographical guides.
For more on Irish language resources please visit here.
