This article is about a mythical people of Ireland. See Achaeans for the homeric Greek Danaans.

The Tuatha Dé Danann ("peoples of the goddess Danu) were the fifth group of inhabitants of Ireland according to the Lebor Gabála Érenn (Book of Invasions) tradition. They are thought to represent the gods of the Goidelic Irish, athough their Christian redactors have reduced them to historical kings and heroes. They have many parallels across the Celtic world. Nuada is cognate with the British god Nodens; Lug is a reflex of the pan-Celtic deity Lugus; the name of Lug's successor, the Dagda, is explained by the Irish texts as "the good god"; Tuireann is related to the Gaulish Taranis; Ogma to Ogmios; the Badb to Cathubodua. Even after they are displaced as the rulers of Ireland, characters such as Lug, the Mórrígan, Aengus and Manannan appear in stories set centuries later, showing all the signs of immortality.

The Tuatha Dé were descended from Nemed, leader of a previous wave of inhabitants of Ireland. They came from four northern cities, Falias, Gorias, Murias and Finias, where they acquired their occult skills and attributes. They arrived in Ireland, on or about May 1, on dark clouds, although later versions rationalise this by saying they burned their ships to prevent retreat, and the "clouds" were the smoke produced.

Led by their king, Nuada, they fought the first First Battle of Magh Tuiredh (Moytura), on the west coast, in which they defeated and displaced the clumsy and ill-armed Fir Bolg, who then inhabited Ireland. Nuada lost an arm in the battle. Since he was no longer perfect, he could not continue as king and was replaced by the half-Fomorian Bres, who turned out to be a tyrant. The physician Dian Cecht replaced Nuada's arm with a working silver one and he was reinstated as king.

The Tuatha Dé then fought the second Battle of Magh Tuiredh against the Fomorians. Nuada was killed by the Fomorian king Balor's poisonous eye, but Balor was killed by Lug, who took over as king.

A third battle was fought against a subsequent wave of invaders, the Milesians, from Spain, descendants of Míl Espáine (who are thought to represent the Goidelic Celts). The Milesians encountered three goddesses of the Tuatha Dé, Ériu, Banba and Fodla, who asked that the island be named after them; Ériu is the origin of the modern name Éire, and Banba and Fodla are still sometimes used as poetic names for Ireland.

Their three husbands, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine, who were kings of the Tuatha Dé at that time, asked for a truce of three days, during which the Milesians would lie at anchor nine waves' distance from the shore. The Milesians complied, but the Tuatha Dé created a magical storm in an attempt to drive them away. The Milesian poet Amergin calmed the sea with his verse, before his people landed and defeated the Tuatha Dé at Tailtiu. The Tuatha Dé were led underground into the Sidhe mounds by The Dagda.

The Tuatha Dé Danann fought against the witch Carman and her three sons. They are said to have brought chariots and druidry to Ireland.

The Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann

The Tuatha Dé Danann brought four magical treasures with them to Ireland:

• The Dagda's Cauldron
• the Spear of Lugh
• the Stone of Fal
• the Sword of Nuada

Tuatha Dé Danann High Kings of Ireland

• Bres 1897-1891 BC
• Nuada 1890-1871 BC
• Lug 1870-1831 BC
• Eochaid Ollathair 1830-1751 BC
• Delbáeth 1750-1741 BC
• Fiachna 1740-1731 BC
• Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine 1730-1701 BC

Tuatha Dé Danann family tree

The following table is based on the genealogies given by Seathrún Céitinn and in the Lebor Gabála Érenn. Inconsistencies and duplication are obvious from the number of Delbáeths and Elathas given.

 Nemed | Iarbonel Faidh | Beothach | Iobáth | Enna | Tabarn | Tat ______________________|__________________________ | | Allaoi Iondaoi | _______|_________________________ Orda | | | Neit Elatha Edarlám _______|_______________________ | | | | Bres Eochaid Easar Breac Delbáeth | ___________|____________________ | Nuada | | | | Elatha (=Elcmar) Dian Cecht Creidhne Goibniu Luchtaine | |__________ _____|_________________________ ____|______________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | Edarlám Nemain | Cian Cethen Airmed Miach Dagda Fiacha Bres Ogma Allód Delbáeth | Cu | | | | | Ernmas | Lug ______________________|_________________ Delbáeth Manannan Boann Bec-Felmas | | | | | | (=Tuireann) | Cermait Aengus Áed Cáem Bodb Midir Brigid | Abhean ____________|____________ _________________________|__________________________ | | | | | | | | | | Mac Cuill Mac Cecht Mac Gréine Fiachna Brian Iuchar Iucharba Ollamh Iondaoi Danu ________|_________ | | | | Aoi Ériu Banba Fodla (=Badb) (=Macha)(=Mórrígan) (=Anann) 

Other members of the Tuatha Dé Danann include:

• Abarta
• Beag
• Bechuille
• Brea
• Fand

The Tuatha Dé Danann in modern popular culture

Literature

• The Pliocene Saga by Julian May posits that the Tuatha Dé Danann and other mythological creatures were descended from extraterrestrials with advanced technology and psychic abilities.
• Diane Duane: A Wizard Abroad.
• The David Sullivan series, beginning with Windmaster's Bane by Tom Deitz, deals with a Georgia teen accidentally getting tangled up in faery affairs.
• The crux of O.R. Melling's The Singing Stone is a young woman's quest to recover the four treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Film

• The Tuatha Dé Danann is the name of a fictional submarine in the anime series Full Metal Panic!.

Roleplaying games

• The Tuatha Dé Danann is a term used in reference to certain characters in the online roleplaying game Darkages.

Music

Tuatha De Danann is a folk metal group from Brazil, inspired by Celtic culture, with a mediaeval sound.

See official website([1] (http://www.tuathadedanann.com.br)) for more information.