Hist Myth Dagda Father God Figure - HTML

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21st July 2017 HIST & MYTH: The Dagda

- Father God Figure
Post 227. Written by Ben Kesp.
Of all the Irish deities making up the pantheon of gods, the

Dagda is seen as the most powerful and omnicompetent, unlike
his counterparts who are often limited in their abilities.
[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUcpcJxq7BI/WXG9GLFrEdI
/AAAAAAAAF7E/SNcHZAzmju8Q-Z-2S9oTGnypjKafsmlkQCLcBGAs
/s1600/Dagda%2B-%2BCeltic%2BMysteries.jpg]
What I found interesting on my research of the Dagda is his role

when it came to the introduction of Christianity. Ireland’s culture
and belief systems have been very insular due to its isolation
from mainland Europe and its strong ties with its former pagan
culture. The development of the Irish church intertwined and
fused the old pagan beliefs into the new religion with many
crossovers with the gods of old. It appears to have been easier to
Christianise and bestow saint hood on former gods than to have
them removed altogether. All of the old pagan customs and
rituals were based on earth’s seasonal cycles of the year and
each is attributed to a related god, so as the seasons impacted
the people, so did the god.
The pagan Irish gods of old came from the “Otherworld” however
with the onset of Christianity this would have become better
known as “Tír na nÓg” meaning the “land of the forever young”.
This place of existence has become associated with the hills and
forts of Ireland or fairy forts. With the arrival of the mythical
Milesians to Ireland at around the same recorded time period, for
the arrival of the Celtic settlers and influence, the gods of old
were not defeated but retreated under the mounds of Ireland and
have since remained allowing the new religion and culture to take
root. However, it appears all the gods and goddesses except for
the Dagda fled to the underground palaces. So what happened to
the Father God or Earth God?
It is possible and of course, there are many theories, that the

Dagda, served as the father of the god for the new Christian
religion intertwining the old with the new. The Irish Celtic Church
[http://kespwriting.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/the-irish-celtic-
church.html] was not Roman in influence but more Celtic in nature
and the transition to the new religion probably would have had an
easier cross over if it incorporated what people already believed
in. The Goddess Brigit [http://kespwriting.blogspot.com.es/2017/02
/hist-myth-imbolc-feast-of-st-brigid.html] also survived this
transition.
The Dagda is seen as the father of the Irish Gods, but not an
origin god as many versions of myths depict him as the son of
Goddess Danu making her the mother Goddess. The Dagda was
the father to Brigit, Aine, Midir, Cermait, Bodh Dhearg and to
Aengus, God of Love through an affair he had with the Goddess
Boann of the River Boyne. In order to hide this infidelity, the
Dagda had the sun stand still for nine months so Aengus was
born in one day. Aengus later tricked his father into giving him
his home at Brú na Boinne, which means palace, referring to the
location of the world’s most important prehistoric Neolithic
landscapes containing the Newgrange and Knowth
[http://kespwriting.blogspot.com.es/2017/03/hist-myth-knowth-
ancient-site.html] monuments.
It is possible and probably a fact, that the Dagda’s role continued

well into the Christian period transitioning into the father god for
the Christian followers. To banish a belief system and to replace
with another would be a difficult task so allowing the Dagda who
represented the old beliefs and traditions of the seasonal cycles
to continue, allowed people still to believe in him. Even though
the Dagda was never bestowed with sainthood and his places of
worship replaced with Christian shrines, his name lived on within
the minds of the people allowing him not to disappear like the
other gods of old.
The Dagda is depicted as an immense figure carrying a club

capable of killing nine men with one blow and with a touch from
its handle it gives life to the dead; he possessed a cauldron
which never emptied ensuring abundance for everyone; a harp
which ensured the seasons of the year followed one another in
the correct order. This latter is amusing, considering that today
Ireland lacks a divide in its seasons resulting in a jumbled mix of
weather patterns rolling throughout the year. So I wonder should
that harp be still playing!
[https://1.bp.blogspot.com
/-9JC5sKmc5Jw/WXG9AzrXlWI/AAAAAAAAF7A/qgJIfWYWtQY-
mJuT2jkMoAVTsiceD5PcQCLcBGAs/s1600
/Dagda%2B-%2BPinterest.jpg]
The Dagda is certainly an interesting and complex figure in Irish

myth and in the old belief systems. If his role was to serve as a
cross over to the Christian religion, he has long since faded over
the centuries that followed, however the Dagda will never truly be
forgotten, having his name securely rooted as the Father God in
Irish mythology.
Images: Celtic Mysteries & Pinterest
Discover more on Ben Kesp, author and writer on the Ben Kesp
Website [http://www.benkesp.com/] .
Discover how to Contribute on the Ben Kesp Website
[https://www.benkesp.com/submissions] .
Posted 21st July 2017 by Ben Kesp
Labels: Ancient, Dagda, Ireland, Irish Celtic Church, Irish Gods,

Tuatha De Danann
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Literature and Culture … search

21st July 2017 HIST & MYTH: The Dagda

Of all the Irish deities making up the pantheon of gods, the

What I found interesting on my research of the Dagda is his role

It is possible and of course, there are many theories, that the

It is possible and probably a fact, that the Dagda’s role continued

The Dagda is depicted as an immense figure carrying a club

The Dagda is certainly an interesting and complex figure in Irish

Images: Celtic Mysteries & Pinterest

Posted 21st July 2017 by Ben Kesp

Labels: Ancient, Dagda, Ireland, Irish Celtic Church, Irish Gods,

Comment as: raeshooter5005@gmail.comSign

Publish Preview Notify me

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