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www.celtic-connection.com
DECEMBER 1999/JANUARY 2000
The Storyteller's Gift: The Coming of the Tuatha de Danann to Ireland
(Adapted from Lady Gregory's 1904 collection Gods and Fighting Men)
DARKNESS FLEES BEFORE LIGHT OF WINTER SOLSTICE
"The wren, the wren, the king of all birds, on St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze; Although he is little, his family is great, I pray you good lady, give us a treat"
By CYNTHIA AUSTIN
T WAS on Beltaine, the first day of May, that the Tuatha de Danann, the people of the gods of Dana, came through the high air to Ireland.
Although they landed in northwest Connacht, the Firbolgs, that were in Ireland before them, saw nothing but a mist lying on the hills where they landed.
It was from the north they came. And they brought from their cities their four treasures: the Lia Fail, the Stone of Destiny, a Sword from which none could escape, a Spear of Victory and the Cauldron, that no company ever went away from unsatisfied.
Nuada was king of the Tuatha de Danann. Chief in his company were his brother Ogma, Manannan, son of Lir, Neit, a god of battle and Credenus the Craftsman and Goibniu the Smith.
Their greatest women were Badb, a battle goddess, the Morrigu, the Crow of Battle, Eire, Fodla and Banba, daughters of the Dagda and Brigit, a woman of poetry. Her sway was great and noble and she was a woman of healing and of smith's work. The meaning of her name was Breo-saighit, a fiery arrow.
Below the sea the de Danann had a well where the nine hazels of wisdom grew; that is, the hazels of inspiration and the knowledge of poetry. Their fruit fed five waiting salmon and were a person to eat of the salmon they would know all wisdom and poetry.
At the time of the arrival of the de Danann, Eochaid was king of the Firbologs.
Messengers came to him at Teamhair (Tara) and told him that a new race of people had come into Ireland but it was not known whether they were of the earth or the skies and they had settled at Magh Rein (County Leitrium).
Eochaid was not surprised by the news for a dream had come to him. Upon asking his Druids for its meaning he was told that a strong enemy would be coming against him.
Eochaid and the FirBolgs sent their champion Sreng to meet the
strangers at Magh Rein. A great fighting man of the Tuatha de Dannan, Bres, met him and the two heroes compared fighting weapons. The two agreed that despite whatever happened in the future, they themselves would be friends.
Sreng returned to the FirBolgs with the missive that the de Danaan would be content with one half of Ireland, but failing that, there would be battle.
Eochaid and his advisors consulted and decided to fight the de Danaan, concluding that if they gave up half the island, "they [the de Danaan] will soon take the whole."
And so it was that both sides prepared to battle at Magh Nia (Moytura near Cong). The battle commenced on Midsummers day and for three days the Firbolgs beat the Tuatha de Danann champions.
On the fourth day the de Danann got the upper hand and at Traigh Eothaile (near Ballisodare) King Eochaid fell. The de Dannan gave the remaining FirBolg their choice of provinces and they took Connacht; and Sreng and his people lived there and their children after them.
the Tuatha de Dannan took possession of Teamhair and to the north of the Hill of the Hostages they placed their stone, the Lia Fail and so it used to roar under the feet of every king that took possession of Ireland...
Who Were the Tuatha de Dannan?
The Tuatha de Dannan are the principal divinities of Old Irish tradition. They are described as excelling in every art and are also called the "Ever-Living One's" or the "people of the sidhe."
According to the pseudo-historical text Lebor Gabala (Book of Invasions), the de Dannan arrived in Ireland 37 years after the Firbolg, whom they displaced, and 297 years before the Milesians, descendants of present day Irish.
The Firbolg descend from northern Gaul. While they were once termed "Men of the Bags" after "bolg" it is now thought they were named for their diety Bolg or Bolga.
During the 37 year reign of the Firbolgs, their king Eochaid was known as a just and generous monarch. It is for his wife, Tailtiu, that the annual Lugnasadh fair was founded. Mythologically, Tailtiu is thought by some to be a much older earth goddess historically retained until the era of the Firbolgs.
East of Cong, present day enthusiasts can visit the 60-foot high Ballymagibbon Cairn which dates from about 3,000 B.C.
The enormous cairn was erected to commemorate the early days of the battle between the Firbolg and the de Danann tribes before the tide turned against the Firbolg. Each stone is said to represent the head of a Danann.
By CYNTHIA AUSTIN
It is the midnight of the year and the bells are tolling the passage of the Holly King, monarch of the waning year. He has been vanquished, in his guise as the wren by the Oak King, ruler of the waxing year.
The eternal duel of the light and dark brothers personifies the winter solstice which is occurring deep in space as the star that lights our world reaches the southernmost post of its journey.
The bright Oak King rules the world at the same time the sun is growing in strength, from the winter solstice on about December 21 to the summer solstice.
At the summer solstice in June, the Oak King, as a robin, is slain again by the dark Holly King and the dark lord of the waning year then accompanies the sun to the winter solstice to meet his doom again as the sun is reborn.
These twins, forever in pursuit of one another, are each what the other is not but without which neither can exist. The tension created by their rivalry fuels our world and the psychological processes which drive each of us through torment and joy.
The creative element paired with each of these forces is the Goddess and it is she that gives birth to the sun-god at the winter solstice. The birth of this bright god was the basis for the December festivals of the ancient world.
Known by different names, the sun-child was celebrated throughout Mesopotamia, Persia and Europe, including the druidic Alban Arthan and the Roman Saturnalia. The Christian reinterpretation of the goddess' birth of the sun-child is the Christmas nativity.
Deep in the forest heart, the Holly King shudders as the days of his dark reign draw to an end, for it is nature's promise that the darkest days always beget light.
The Oak King grows in strength, yet he too waits for the divine sun-child of the goddess to shine upon our world. Welcome the solstice, may it bring light and peace to our lives.
ANNUAL SOLSTICE CONCERT
MISSION — The Mission Music Society will present Francis Xavier and Nos Galan in a Christmas solstice concert featuring ancient carols and festival folksongs on December 12. This concert is always a highlight of the season and will be presented at St. Andrew's United Church at 7756 Grand Street in Mission. Tickets are 812 and available at Pharmasave on First Avenue. For more information, call (604) 826-5937.
Colourful Life of the Celts and Their World View Depicted in Symbols
SYMBOLS OF THE CELTS by Sabine Heinz Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN 0-8069-8634-4
What is it about the art of the ancient Celts that makes it so fascinating? Their first symbols such as the dragon, are pictorial representations that date back to about 800 BC, but are still sought after in today's fashions and jewellery, graphic designs, and even architecture.
Their wanderings and language, retained through magnificent stories and myths are depicted in Symbols of the Celts by Sabine Heinz. The author was born in Berlin and remains there today as a scientific associate at Humbolt University, where she has been assigned to head the field of Celtology.
Brimming with myths, poems, history and art, Symbols of the Celts is essential reading for the Celtic enthusiast. Divided into 50 important pictorial groupings, the reader is first introduced to each motif, then receives an entertaining history, and gets a brief outlook on its relation to modern times.
Topics include wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish, trees and flowers, numbers, spirals, swords, crosses, fertility magic, transmigration of souls, the Otherworld, the year circle, and much more. Important sources are given in an appendix.