Danu
Danu is an obscure figure who appears only a handful of times in Irish mythology, and always under the genetive form of the name: "Danann" or "Danand". This has led many to suggest that the name of the Goddess is a reconstruction based off of the name Tuatha Dé Danann, which is often translated as "people of the goddess Danu". Tuatha Dé Danann itself may be a term added later by the Irish monks to differentiate the native Irish Gods from the biblical characters referred to as "Tuatha Dé" (People of God) in the writings, making the subject slightly more complicated.
Although many people assume Danann only shows up briefly in the Lebor Gabala Erenn (LGE), she does also make a couple appearances in the Cath Maige Tuired: "The women, Badb, Macha, Morrigan and Danann offered to accompany them." and "the three queens, Ere, Fotla and Banba, and the three sorceresses, Badb, Macha and Morrigan, with Bechuille and Danann their two foster-mothers" (Gray, 1983). It is possible that the second reference is a transcription error and should read "Dinann" which would mean the list included Be Chuille and Dinann the two daughters of Flidais listed as she-farmers in the LGE, something that would make more sense in the context of the reference, however the first appearance seems to stand alone. It's also worth noting that genealogies in the mythology are extremely convoluted between sources, so it is also possible based on the way that one redaction of the LGE describes "Danand" as a daughter of Flidais, and later says it is Dana, not Flidais, who is Bechuille's mother, that the reference in the Cath Maige Tuired reflects a different understanding of the Goddesses. In the LGE Danu is described as "mother of the Gods" and in some versions is equated to Anu, one of the Morrignae and a daughter of Ernmas (Macalister, 1941). Although in different versions Anu is listed as the seventh daughter of Ernmas, making Danu/Anu a sister to the three Morrignae rather than one of their number. We see her equated to Morrigu and listed as the mother of three sons by her own father as well as mother of all the Gods, for example, here: "The Morrigu, daughter of Delbaeth, was mother of the other sons of Delbaeth, Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchair : and it is from her additional name "Danann" the Paps of Ana in Luachair are called, as well as the Tuatha De Danann." (Macalister, 1941). She is sometimes also equated to Brighid because both are listed in different places as the mother of the three sons of Tuireann. It is possible that Danu was a name used for Anu, the Morrigu or Brighid, but is also possible that the later references to Danu were added in by monks seeking to give Danu more legitimacy as an important factor among the Gods. The third possibility, of course, is that there were originally regional variations of the stories that placed different Goddess in the same role depending on which Goddess mattered in what region and the attempt to unify these stories created the muddy waters we have today.
Elsewhere in literature Danu is described as a goddess and druidess (O hOgain, 2006). She is sometimes called the mother of the Gods but in other places is associated specifically with the three Gods of skill (O hOgain, 2006). It is extremely difficult to sort out any coherent list of her possible parentage, siblings, or children. Very little personal information is attributed to her that is not elsewhere applied to someone else, leading me to suspect that at least part of her story was grafted on at a later time.
Many modern authors associate her with the Welsh Don and with continental Celtic Goddesses based on the widespread use of the root word for her name Dánuv, which is associated, for example, with the Danube river. the name Danu itself seems to come from the Proto-Indo-European word for river*. She has associations with both rivers and as a Goddess of the earth; she likely was originally a river Goddess whose focus later shifted to the earth (O hOgain, 2006).
In modern myth we can find many new stories that include Danu; these are by nature based on the individual's personal inspiration. Alexei Kondratiev wrote an essay called 'Danu and Bile: the primordial parents?' where he links Danu and Bile as a likely pairing that could represent the parents of the Gods. Similarly Berresford Ellis also sees Danu and Bile as a pairing. Some modern pagans and Druids have created elaborate creation stories involving these two and internet sources will list Danu as the mother of deities like Cernunnos and an Dagda. It is best to bear in mind the lack of substantial historic evidence relating to this Goddess and take much of the modern myth and information for what it is.
Creating a relationship with this Goddess would be challenging and would rely on personal intuition to a great degree. The lack of substantial information and mythology means we have only hints to work with. She is a river Goddess. She is a land Goddess. She is a mother of many children and a druidess. Beyond this, let your own imbas guide you.
References
Gray, E., (1983) Cath Maige Tuired
O hOgain, D., (2006). The Lore of Ireland
MacAlister, R., (1941) Lebor Gabala Erenn, volume 4
* http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?t...
Although many people assume Danann only shows up briefly in the Lebor Gabala Erenn (LGE), she does also make a couple appearances in the Cath Maige Tuired: "The women, Badb, Macha, Morrigan and Danann offered to accompany them." and "the three queens, Ere, Fotla and Banba, and the three sorceresses, Badb, Macha and Morrigan, with Bechuille and Danann their two foster-mothers" (Gray, 1983). It is possible that the second reference is a transcription error and should read "Dinann" which would mean the list included Be Chuille and Dinann the two daughters of Flidais listed as she-farmers in the LGE, something that would make more sense in the context of the reference, however the first appearance seems to stand alone. It's also worth noting that genealogies in the mythology are extremely convoluted between sources, so it is also possible based on the way that one redaction of the LGE describes "Danand" as a daughter of Flidais, and later says it is Dana, not Flidais, who is Bechuille's mother, that the reference in the Cath Maige Tuired reflects a different understanding of the Goddesses. In the LGE Danu is described as "mother of the Gods" and in some versions is equated to Anu, one of the Morrignae and a daughter of Ernmas (Macalister, 1941). Although in different versions Anu is listed as the seventh daughter of Ernmas, making Danu/Anu a sister to the three Morrignae rather than one of their number. We see her equated to Morrigu and listed as the mother of three sons by her own father as well as mother of all the Gods, for example, here: "The Morrigu, daughter of Delbaeth, was mother of the other sons of Delbaeth, Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchair : and it is from her additional name "Danann" the Paps of Ana in Luachair are called, as well as the Tuatha De Danann." (Macalister, 1941). She is sometimes also equated to Brighid because both are listed in different places as the mother of the three sons of Tuireann. It is possible that Danu was a name used for Anu, the Morrigu or Brighid, but is also possible that the later references to Danu were added in by monks seeking to give Danu more legitimacy as an important factor among the Gods. The third possibility, of course, is that there were originally regional variations of the stories that placed different Goddess in the same role depending on which Goddess mattered in what region and the attempt to unify these stories created the muddy waters we have today.
Elsewhere in literature Danu is described as a goddess and druidess (O hOgain, 2006). She is sometimes called the mother of the Gods but in other places is associated specifically with the three Gods of skill (O hOgain, 2006). It is extremely difficult to sort out any coherent list of her possible parentage, siblings, or children. Very little personal information is attributed to her that is not elsewhere applied to someone else, leading me to suspect that at least part of her story was grafted on at a later time.
Many modern authors associate her with the Welsh Don and with continental Celtic Goddesses based on the widespread use of the root word for her name Dánuv, which is associated, for example, with the Danube river. the name Danu itself seems to come from the Proto-Indo-European word for river*. She has associations with both rivers and as a Goddess of the earth; she likely was originally a river Goddess whose focus later shifted to the earth (O hOgain, 2006).
In modern myth we can find many new stories that include Danu; these are by nature based on the individual's personal inspiration. Alexei Kondratiev wrote an essay called 'Danu and Bile: the primordial parents?' where he links Danu and Bile as a likely pairing that could represent the parents of the Gods. Similarly Berresford Ellis also sees Danu and Bile as a pairing. Some modern pagans and Druids have created elaborate creation stories involving these two and internet sources will list Danu as the mother of deities like Cernunnos and an Dagda. It is best to bear in mind the lack of substantial historic evidence relating to this Goddess and take much of the modern myth and information for what it is.
Creating a relationship with this Goddess would be challenging and would rely on personal intuition to a great degree. The lack of substantial information and mythology means we have only hints to work with. She is a river Goddess. She is a land Goddess. She is a mother of many children and a druidess. Beyond this, let your own imbas guide you.
References
Gray, E., (1983) Cath Maige Tuired
O hOgain, D., (2006). The Lore of Ireland
MacAlister, R., (1941) Lebor Gabala Erenn, volume 4
* http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?t...
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