According to archives, the Annals of the Four Masters and recorded history of the Book of Invasions, the Tuatha de Danann ruled Ireland from 1897 BC to 1700 BC. The story of their invasion of Ireland and preceding war with the Fir Bolg (the previous inhabitants of Ireland), the Formorians and lastly the Milesians is a spellbinding chronicle of ancient Irish history.
The Tuatha De Danann first appeared in Western Connaught and came to Ireland, according to the legend, from four great cities, which the original or even probable locations is not preserved: Falias, Murias, Gorias, Finlas, from each city they had brought a single magickal treasure but also they were far superior in knowledge, wisdom, magick and were highly skilled in the arts and crafts of the age. From Falias the "The Lia Fail" or "Stone of Destiny" was brought forth, which legend states, shrieks or lets loose a terrible roar when the true successor to the throne of Ireland was in itÆs presence. From Murias "The Great Cauldron" of The Daghda "The All Father of the Tuatha de Danann" was brought so that the armies of the Tuatha de Danann never went hungry. Later the cauldron was bestowed upon Arianrhod, Goddess of the Spinning Silver Wheel, the Weaver of Fate, she stirred the cauldron for a year and a day to yield three magickal drops. From Finlas the infallible spear, property of Lugh, of the Long Arm, and from Gorias the invincible sword of Nuada, of the Silver Hand, Cliamh Solais (The Sword of Light).
Tuatha De Danann means "Children of Danu" or "Clan of Danu". Danu is the Divine Universal Mother, Mother to the Daghda and Great Mother to The Tuatha de Danann. One tale says that the Tuatha de Danann were Gods that came from the sky, landed on a mountain top and their ships blotted out the sun for 3 days. Another tells tale of the Tuatha de Danann coming from the sea, hence the reference to the Lost City of Atlantis, they were also said to have burned their ships upon arrival, proclaiming their intent to remain in Eire.
According to legend, before the invasion of the Milesians the "Danann" were the masters of Ireland and very much in physical form and able to be seen. Inhabiting Erin after conquering The Fir Bolgs and the Formorians. The Milesians eventually defeated the Tuatha de Danann. At this point the Tuatha de Danann were forced to become a spirit race and take refuge in a different dimension of time and space than our own. They were believed to be living under mounds and fairy raths and cairns in Ireland, and in TÝr na nOg (Tyeer-nahn-ohgg), Land of Eternal Youth or Otherworld. Those of the Tuatha de Danann that remained in Ireland became the "Daoine Sidhe (deena-shee)" or ôPeople of the Moundsö, or "The Lordly Ones", "The Good People" or known by many as the Fae Folk of Ireland. Names of places in Ireland with the pre-nouns Lis, Rath, and Shee are associated with these people for example Lismore, Lisdoonvarna, Sheemore, and Rathfarnham etc. Yet another legend infers that they arrived on the 1st of May, that corresponds to the celebration of Beltane, surrounded in a magickal cloud, and when the cloud dissipated, the Fir Bolg began to be apprehensive about the presence of the yet to be identified beings. Ensuing battles between these two races and others for ascendancy in Ireland and countless legend was henceforth born and recorded.
