faerielands

The "True" Sidhe

[source unknown]

It is a common belief among the Celtic people that there is an invisible realm inhabited by Otherworldly beings. These beings can be called fairies, gnomes,or elves along with several other names but they are known collectively as the "The Sidhe"

When most people speak of The Sidhe, they really mean a race called Tuatha De Danaan children of the goddess Dana. The Book of Invasions, written in the 12th century chronicles the repeated Irish invasions. The Tuatha De Danaan arrive during the 5th wave. They came to Ireland from 4 cities in the north, exactly where is unknown. They were a people of occult knowledge, ancient lore, magic, witchcraft, sorcery and druidic arts. When they landed in Ireland, they burned their boats so that they would never think to return. Why they fled their homeland is uncertain.

The Tuatha De Danaan were tall, noble in their appearance and with a sweet silvery speech. When they arrived they carried with them four great magical treasure: The Stone of Destiny, the flashing spear of their warrior-god Lugh, the sword of Nuada, and the great cauldron of their all-powerful god, The Daghda.

The Fir Bolg were a dwarfish race, who lived in Ireland when the Tuatha de Danaan arrived. They became suspicious and jealous of the newcomers and declared war. A great battle was fought near the western coast, in Magh Tuiredh. The Tuatha De Danaan defeated the Fir Blog and over 1,000 of them died, including their king Eocchaid MacEric.

However during this victory a great tragedy occurred to the Tuatha De Danaan, the King, Nuada lost his hand. The laws of the Tuatha De Danaan required that the king be in perfect physical condition, so he lost the throne. Diancecht, the god of Medicine, along with Goibhniu, god of the forge fashioned him a silver hand, with skill and magic, Nuada had a new hand that worked as well as the old.

The Fir Bolgs withdrew to the western province of Connacht. Here their bitterness grew, and they swore blood-feud against the Tuatha. Nauda replacement, Bres, was ill-equipped to rule. The Fir Bolgs continued to raid the Tuatha's settlements. During their many battles the legends of ancient Ireland and the Sidhe were born. The final battle took place and the bards' verses of the battle tell of how the field rolled with thunder as the shields of the enemy broke, how the wind had sung as the spears and javelins hurled through the aire, and how the swords had flashed like forked lightning thrown by the fingers of the gods.

In the last invasion of Ireland, the Milesians came -- sons of King Mil -- the Celts. The battled the Tuatha for the isle. First the Tuatha sent Banbha, whose powerful magic did not touch the Milesians. Next came Fodhla, but her magic also failed. Finally came Eriu who sat atop a hill and tossed mud balls down at them. Each mud ball that smashed broke into thousands of warriors. But the Milesians held them off and won the day. However, the men were so impressed with her magic, they named the isle after her, Erin. After the defeat, Dagda lead them underground, where they still live today. Spirits beneath the earth; they still have their magic, practise their wizardry, and tell stories from the old days.

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