CELTIC GODDESS
Danu
The Irish mother goddess Danu was the ancestor from which all Tuatha Dé Danann claimed descent. Despite her importance to Irish mythology, Danu largely remains a mystery. She was an ancient deity, and made no appearances in the larger Celtic mythos. Though scholars have frequently sought answers regarding this mysterious matriarch, few definitive details have been found.
Though Danu was the mother goddess and namesake of the Tuatha Dé Danann tribe, much about her remains shrouded in mystery. Danu was the source of the tribe's common heritage, as well as its nobility, unity, and power. As a goddess of sovereignty and power, Danu would grant gifts to rulers and those of noble birth. Though such gifts varied in value and substance, it is nevertheless clear that the kings, chiefs, and Ollam of the Tuatha Dé Danann all drew their power from her. The Tuatha Dé Danann were creative, crafty, and skilled; it has been theorized that Danu was the source of such talents.
As a mother goddess, Danu was believed to have suckled many of the gods and instilled in them a sense of wisdom. Given the migratory nature of the Tuatha Dé Danann, it has been speculated that she was a wind or earth goddess as well. All things in Ireland depended upon her blessings. Her connection to the earth also tied her to the fairies, fairy mounds, and the many standing stones and dolmens of Ireland.