A series by Gemma Grant

‘What we have, we hold’ could be attributed to the various races that called Ireland home. From the earliest times, these settlers left their mark on the land and none more so than the people of the goddess, Danu.

The Tuatha Dé Danann have provided us with myths and legends that still exist, long after their demise. It is not known how long they governed Ireland, with their impressive skills as sorcerers and battle-hardened warriors. It is claimed that under their tenure, the land prospered. Crops produced good food, forests were bountiful and the weather temperate.

However, it was still not sufficient to quell the war-like nature of the legendary, Dé Danann.

Lugh of the Long Arm, grandson of the Fomorian leader, Balor of the Evil Eye, was a great and powerful leader. Lugh’s wife caught the attention of the High King, Cermait Honey-Mouth, son of the Dagda. For his indiscretion, Lugh fought and killed Cermait, leaving Ireland without a high king.

Cermait’s three sons, Mac Cúill (Son of the Hazel), Mac Cecht (Son of the Plough) and Mac Gréine (Son of the Sun), were eager to fill his shoes.

One of their first tasks was to avenge their father’s death. Together, they hunted down and killed Lugh. A difficult enough task, but their next task was to prove even more difficult: how to agree on the governance of Ireland.

Continue reading in this week’s Ireland’s Own