The Dagda
("good god" - Daga Devos) is, in Irish Celtic mythology, the most important god of the Tuatha Dé Danann just after Lug. He is also known in literature as Eochaid (“who fights by the yew”), Ollathair (“the powerful father”) and Ruadh Rofessa (“Red of ideal science”). He appears in particular in the story "Cath Maighe Tuireadh" (Battle of Mag Tured).
Tuatha Dé Danann
In the mythical story, as told to us by the Lebor Gabála Érenn (Books of the Conquests of Ireland), the gods landed and took possession of the island, after defeating the Fir Bolg during the Cath Maighe Tuireadh (Second Battle of Mag Tured). According to medieval literary sources, divine society is structured in the same way as human society, and the organization of the Tuatha Dé Danann (People of the tribe of Dana) is hierarchized into three functional classes:
* the priestly function whose role covers the Sacred is ensured by the Dagda
* the warrior function which is responsible in particular for sovereignty, represented by Ogme the god-warrior and Nuada the god-king
* the artisan function which must produce for the whole community, represented by Goibniu, Credne and Luchta
This diagram takes up the tripartite ideology of the Indo-Europeans as studied by Georges Dumézil. Lug, nicknamed Samildanach (the polytechnician), does not belong to any of these classes because, as the supreme god, he can assume all the functions of each of them.
The god-druid
The Dagda is the god-druid par excellence (and therefore the god of druids), he is in charge of the sacred, science, contracts. He reigns over time, eternity and the elements, as well as over the Sidh (the Celtic Other World) but he himself lives in the Brug na Boinne, or "Hotel de la Boyne" that Oengus, his son, goes to. delight him. Under the pretext of having the enjoyment of it for a night and a day, the Dagda lends its residence, but the duration symbolizes eternity and Oengus keeps it definitively. This residence, which is none other than a Sidh, is assimilated to the megalithic site of Newgrange, north of Dublin.
He forms a pair with his brother Ogme (the Ogmios of the Gauls), the god of warrior magic, of which he is the complement. By virtue of his function, he is a perfect druid, he is omniscient and omnipotent, he is also a powerful warrior. He has a fatherly and nurturing side. He is sometimes described as a hideous giant and a bawdy ogre. His couplings with the goddesses are numerous. Several talismans are known to him, including the cauldron of abundance (symbol of prosperity), the club that kills and resurrects (symbol of his power) and the wheel (cosmic symbol).
In Gaul its function is divided between three distinct gods:Esus, Sucellos and Taranis.
Talismans
The magic harp
The Dagda is also the tutelary god of musicians and as such he possesses a magic harp, which is another of his talismans; it is known by the names of Dur-Dabla and Coir Cethar Chuir. This instrument has the particularity of knowing all the melodies of the music and of being able to play them alone, on the instruction of the god. In the story entitled Second Battle of Mag Tured (Cath Maighe Tuireadh), the harp is stolen by the Fomorians, the Dagda sets out to find it, accompanied by Lug and Ogme. They find it hanging on the wall of a residence of the enemies, at the call of the god, the harp flies away and kills nine Fomorians. So she plays the wailing tune and the women start crying, then she plays the smiling tune and the boys start laughing; finally she plays the sleep tune and the enemy army falls asleep.
The Dagda sometimes uses the services of a harpist named Uaithne (meaning harmony)
The Cauldron
The cauldron is an important element in Celtic mythology. That of Dagda comes from the island of Murias of the druid Semias, before the Tuatha Dé Danann settled in Ireland. It symbolizes sovereignty, abundance and resurrection (see Gundestrup cauldron). It is found in the Arthurian legend in the form of the "grail".
The wheel
The wheel symbolizes cosmic power. The wheel of Dagda has eight spokes, it deafens whoever hears it, blinds whoever sees it and kills whoever it falls on.
The club
The Dagda has the right to life and death:the club kills at one end and resurrects at the other. She can crush nine men at once. It is so heavy that it takes eight men to carry it, and it leaves a furrow in the ground that can serve as a boundary between the two worlds. It is mounted on wheels.
Kinship
His brothers are Elcmar, Nechtan and Midir. From his relationship with Boand, he has a son Oengus, he is also the father of Brigit and King Bobd. His wife is Morrigan.