Gods and Goddesses, Fairies and Fey: Brigid and the Danann

By Guest Author: Sheila R Lamb

In the stories about the Túatha de Danann, the one which fascinated me was Brigid. Of all the Danann, she is the most diverse. She had intriguing story lines, and she carries her name across history.

The Danann are part of Ireland’s ancient mythology and legends. They are known as warriors and gods, but they are also known as fairies.

It’s an interesting contradiction.

I read several different sources about the Túatha de Danann, including Lady Gregory’s Irish Myths and Legends. I read good websites, such as online excerpts from CELT (Corupus of Electronic Texts), Sacred Texts, and Timeless Myths. I read questionable websites (no names mentioned). Putting all the various stories together, their tale goes something like this: the Túatha de Danann were among the first settlers of Ireland. They had magical or druidical powers. Some sources believe they arrived from the lost island of Atlantis. They brought…