Dagda

The Dagda (“good god” - Daga Devos ) is, in the Irish Celtic Mythologie, the most important god of the Tuatha Dé Danann just after Lug . It is also known in the literature under the names of Eochaid (“which fights by the yew”), Ollathair (“the powerful father”) and Ruadh Rofessa (“Red of ideal science”). It appears in particular in the account “Cath Maighe Tuireadh” (battles of Mag Tured) .

Tuatha Die Danann

In the mythical history, such as it is brought back to us by the Lebor Gabála Érenn (Books of the conquests of Ireland) , the gods unloaded and taken possession of the island, after having beaten the Fir Bolg at the time of the Cath Maighe Tuireadh (Second battle of Mag Tured) . According to the medieval literary sources, the divine company is structured same manner as the human society, and the organization of the Tuatha Dé Danann (People of the tribe of Dana) is treated on a hierarchical basis in three functional classes:
  • the sacerdotal function whose role recovers Crowned is ensured by Dagda
  • the warlike function which takes care in particular of the sovereignty, represented by Ogme the god-warrior and Nuada the god-king
  • the artisanal function which must produce for the whole of the community, illustrated by Goibniu, Credne and Luchta
This diagram shows the tripartite ideology Indo-Europeans such as she was studied by Georges Dumézil. Lug, called Samildanach (the polytechnician), does not belong to any of these classes because, as a supreme god, it can take up all the duties of each one of it.

The god-druid

Dagda is the god-druid par excellence (and consequently the god of the Druide S), he in load crowned, science, the contracts. It reigns on time, eternity and on the elements, as on the Sidh (the Other Celtic World ) but itself lives Brug Na Boinne, or “hotel of Boyne” that Oengus, his/her son, will charm to him. Under pretext of have of it the pleasure during one night and a day, Dagda lends its residence, but the duration symbolizes eternity and Œngus the guard definitively. This residence, which is not other than a Sidh, is comparable with the site megalithic of Newgrange, in the north of Dublin.

It forms a binomial with his brother Ogme (Ogmios of the Gaulois), the god of the warlike magic, of which it is the complement. From its function, it is a perfect druid, he is omniscient and omnipotent, it is also a powerful warrior. He has a paternal and feeder side. Sometimes one describes it like a hideous giant and an ogre ribald. Its couplings with the goddesses are numerous. One knows several talismans to him, whose cauldron of abundance (symbol of prosperity), bludgeon which kills and ressuscite (symbol of its power) and coil it (cosmic symbol).

Into Gaulle his function is divided between three distinct gods: Esus, Sucellos and Taranis.

Talismans

The magic toothing-stone

Dagda is also the guardian god of the musicians and for this reason it has a magic toothing-stone, which is another of its talismans; one knows it under the names of Hard-Dabla and Coir Cethar Chuir . This instrument with the characteristic to know all the melodies of the music and being able to play them all alone, about instruction of the god. In the account entitled Second Battle of Mag Tured (Cath Maighe Tuireadh), the toothing-stone is stolen by the Fomoires, Dagda is put at its research, accompanied by Lug and Ogme. They find it hung to the wall of a residence of the enemies, with the call of the god, the toothing-stone flies away and kills nine Fomoires. Then she plays the air of the lamentations and the women start to cry, then she plays the air of the smile and the boys start to laughing; finally she plays the air of the sleep and the enemy army falls asleep.

Dagda has sometimes recourse to the services of a harpist of the name of Uaithne (which means harmony)

The cauldron

The cauldron is an important component in the Celtic Mythologie. That of Dagda comes from the island of Murias of the druid Semias, before Tuatha Dé Danann do not settle in Ireland. It symbolizes sovereignty, abundance and resurrection (see Chaudron of Gundestrup). One finds it in the Légende arthurienne in the form of the “Graal”.

The wheel

The wheel symbolizes the cosmic power. The wheel of Dagda is with eight rays, it returns deaf that which hears it, blind man that which sees it and kills that on which it falls.

The bludgeon

Dagda has the right of life and dead: the bludgeon keep silent by an end and ressuscite of the other. It can crush of a blow nine men. It is so heavy that one needs eight men to carry it and it leaves a furrow in the ground which can be used as border between the two worlds. It is assembled on wheels.

Relationship

His/her brothers are Elcmar, Nechtan and Midir. Of its relation with Boand, it has a Oengus son, he is also the father of Brigit and king Bobd. His wife is Morrigan.

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