The Dagda

**The Dagda** ("the good god" or "the great god") was the chief deity of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Irish mythology. A father-figure and king, he embodied multiple divine roles as a druid, warrior, and fertility god. His power extended over life and death, agriculture, weather, and wisdom, with some sources crediting him with control over time and seasons.

Typically depicted as a large bearded man wearing a hooded cloak, the Dagda possessed several magical items: a staff with the power to both kill and restore life, an inexhaustible cauldron called the coire ansic, and a flying harp named Uaithne that would only play when called by its secret names. His main dwelling was Brú na Bóinne (modern-day Newgrange), though he was also associated with other significant Irish sites including Uisneach, Grianan of Aileach, Lough Neagh, and Knock Iveagh.

The Dagda's complex relationships included marriage to the Morrígan and a love affair with Boann. His children included several important mythological figures: Aengus, Brigit, Bodb Derg, Cermait, Aed, and Midir. Known by various names including Eochu or Eochaid Ollathair ("horseman, great father") and Ruad Rofhessa ("lord of great knowledge"), he may have been connected to the death god Donn and the harvest figure Crom Dubh. Several Irish tribal groups claimed descent from him, including the Uí Echach and the Dáirine.

Scholars have drawn parallels between the Dagda and other Indo-European deities, particularly the Germanic god Odin, the Gaulish Sucellos, and the Roman Dīs Pater.