Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. Among Celts in close contact with Ancient Rome, s...
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Daghda was chief amongst the Gaelic gods and was therefore an equivalent to the king of the Greek gods, Zeus. Daghda’s name means the “good god”, not in the moral sense but meaning good at everything. One of the main differences was that the Irish gods were not worshipped or sacrificed to, but instead they were characters of an oral poetic tradition. Daghda was a mystical supernatural being with magical powers, and his strength derived from his knowledge of the hidden, which in folklore was the highest kind of wisdom.
About The Dagda
He is a powerful figure who wields a giant club that can both kill and resurrect men. In addition to his mighty club, the Dagda also possessed a large cauldron. The cauldron was magical in that it had an endless supply of food in it -- the ladle itself was said to be so large that two men could lie in it.
The Dagda is typically portrayed as a plump man with a large phallus, representative of his status as a god of abundance.
The Dagda held a position as a god of knowledge as well. He was revered by many Druid priests, because he bestowed wisdom upon those who wished to learn. He had an affair with the wife of Nechtan, a minor Irish god. When his lover, Boann, became pregnant Dagda made the sun stop setting for nine entire months. In this way, their son Aonghus was conceived and born in just one day.
When the Tuatha were forced into hiding during the invasions of Ireland, the Dagda chose to divide their land among the gods. Dagda refused to give a section to his son, Aonghus, because he wanted Aonghus' lands for himself. When Aonghus saw what his father had done, he tricked the Dagda into surrendering the land, leaving Dagda with no land or power at all.
The Tale of The Dagda
Daghda was especially connected to two particular implements. The first was the large bronze cauldron from which it was said he ate his porridge. Another version of this was that he ate it from a huge hole in the ground. The second was the club with which he armed himself. Its enormous size meant that it had to be transported on wheels. Daghda was a warrior god, taking part in many battles. His death occurred when he was killed by a female warrior called Caitleann who cast a sling shot at him and he died of the wound.
