Tuatha Dé Danann - A Family Tree

Written by Ben Kesp 

Statue of Goddess Danu

Following on from my post on the Irish deities and mythological races of Ireland, I am trying my hand at compiling the family tree of the Tuatha Dé Danann.  Not an easy task I will add due to the contradictory nature of Irish Mythology.  Goddess Danu is seen as the mother of the Danann and Dagda or the Great Dagda is seen as the father of the Gods.  It is unclear if Dagda is the son or the husband of Danu as different sources position him in both places. 

There are five brothers: (Dagda, Dian Cécht, Lir, Nuada and Ogma). 

v  Dagda (God of Earth) (Father of the Gods) (King of Ireland)(Or Eochaid Garb)

o   Husband to Danu with children:     

§  Bridgit (Goddess of Poetry, Arts & Crafts) (Arrival of Spring - Imbolc)

·         Wife to Bres (God of Agriculture) with child:  

o   Rúadan

§  Bodh Derg (King of Tuatha Dé Danann when they and moved to the Sídhe)

§  Néith (God of War)

·         Husband to Badb? (Daughter of Goddess Ernmas)

§  Midir

·         Husband to Fúmnach

·         Husband to Étaín (The Wooing of Étaín)

§  Áine

§  Cermait

·         Husband to (Unknown) with children: 

o   Mac Cuil (Last Danann King of Ireland)

§  Husband to Banda (Last Danann Queen)

o   Mac Cecht (Last Danann King of Ireland)

§  Husband to Fohla (Last Danann Queen)

o   Mac Grené (Last Danann King of Ireland)

§  Husband to Ériu (Last Danann Queen)

o   An affair with Bóann with Child:

§  Aengus Óg (God of Love & Youth)

·         Husband to Caer Iborméith

o   Husband to Morrígan  (Daughter of Goddess Ernmas) with Child:  

§  A child that was killed after birth by Dian Cécht for its appearance.

           

v  Dian Cécht (God of Healing)

o   Husband to (unknown) with children:

§  Miach (Replaced Nuada’s arm with a Silver one – killed by his father)

§  Airmed

§  Étan (Poet)

o   Husband to Danu  with children:

§  Cian

·         Husband to Ethlinn (Dau of Balor, Fomorian King) with child:

o   Lugh (Sun God & Storm God)(Lughnasa)

§  Husband to Deichtine with child:

·         Cú Chulainn (The Hero)

o   Husband to Eimer

o   Affair with Fand (Daughter of the Goddess Flidaid)

§  Husband to Buí (Dau of King of England)

§  Husband to Nás (Dau of King of England) with child:

·         Ibic

§  Sawan

§  Goibhniu

v    Lir (God of the Sea – in the otherworld – Tír na nÓg)

·         Husband to (Unknown)  with child:

o   Manannán mac Lir (God of Sea & Invisibility)

·         Husband to Áine?  with children:

o   Mongán

o   Niamh

o   Eogabail

o   Husband of (Unknown) with child:

o   Áine (Goddess of Wealth, Summer & Sovereignty)(Sky Goddess/Sun Goddess)                                              

v    Nuada (Of the silver arm – King of Ireland)

o   Husband to Eithne

o   Husband to Nemain with child:

v  Tagd

o   Husband to Eriu with child:   

v  Muirne

·         Wife to Cumhail with child:

o   Finn

v    Ogma (Champion of Ireland)

o   Husband to (Unknown) with children:

§  Tuireann

·         Husband to (Unknown) with children:

o   Brian (Killed by Lugh Solar & Storm God)

o   Luchar (Killed by Lugh Solar & Storm God)

o   Lucbarba (Killed by Lugh Solar & Storm God)

§  Delbeath (King of Ireland)

·         Husband to Ernmas* (Mother Goddess/Farming) with children:

o   Fiachna (King of Ireland)

o   Ollom

§  Glonn (Trinity)

§  Gnim (Trinity)

§  Coscar (Trinity)

§  Badb (Goddess of War and Death) (Trinity)

§  Macha (Goddess of War, Sovereignty and Horses) (Trinity)

§  Morrígan (Or Anann - Personal Name) (Goddess of War, Death and Rebirth) (Trinity)

§  Wife to Dagda (God of Earth, Father of the Gods) with child:

·      A child that was killed after birth by Dian Cécht for its appearance

o   Banda (Last Danann Queen of Ireland)

§  Wife to Mac Cuil (Last Danann King)

o   Fohla (Last Danann Queen of Ireland)

§  Wife to Mac Cecht (Last Danann King)

o   Eriu (Last Danann Queen of Ireland, Ireland named after her – Erin)

§  Wife to Mac Grené (Last Danann King)

§  Cairbre

Family line of Bres – God of Agriculture

     Dealbaeth (Fomorian King)

o   Husband to (unknown) with child:

§  Elatha (Fomorian Prince)(Possibly a Moon God)

·         Husband to Eri (Tuatha Dé Danann) with child:

o   Bres (King of Ireland)

§  Husband to Brigit (Daughter of Dagda) with child:

·         Rúadan

*The first three daughters of Goddess Ernmas; Badb, Macha and Morrígan make up the Triple Irish War Goddess and have similar attributes.  The latter three, Banda, Fohla and Eriu make up the three Matron Goddess of Ireland.  It is unclear if in fact the all six sisters make up Badb, Macha and Morrígan, however many sources write that Eriu is the matron goddess of Ireland.  Badb is mentioned to have been one of the wives of the War God Neit, son of Dagda (father of the gods).

Image of Goddess Statue from Goddessgift