Editing The Dagda (section)

== Mythology ==
[[File:Newgrange, Ireland 001.jpg|thumb|The rising Sun illuminates the inner chamber of [[Newgrange]] only at the [[winter solstice]].]]
Before the Second Battle of [[Mag Tuired]] the Dagda builds a fortress for [[Bres]] called Dún Brese and is also forced by the [[Fomorians|Fomorian]] kings [[Elatha]], Indech, and [[Tethra]] to build [[ringforts|raths]].<ref name=Moytura /> In the lead up to the Second Battle of Mag Tuired, when Lugh asks Dagda what power he will wield over the Fomorian host, he responds that he "will take the side of the men of Erin both in mutual smiting and destruction and wizardry. Their bones under my club will be as many as hailstones under feet of herds of horses".<ref name=Moytura />

The Dagda has an affair with [[Boann]], the goddess of the River Boyne. She lives at [[Newgrange|Brú na Bóinne]] with her husband [[Elcmar]]. The Dagda impregnates her after sending Elcmar away on a one-day errand. To hide the pregnancy from Elcmar, the Dagda casts a spell on him, making "the sun stand still" so he will not notice the passing of time. Meanwhile, Boann gives birth to [[Aengus]], who is also known as Maccán Óg ('the young son'). Eventually, Aengus learns that the Dagda is his true father and asks him for a portion of land. In some versions of the tale, the Dagda helps Aengus take ownership of the Brú from Elcmar. Aengus asks and is given the Brú for ''láa ocus aidche''; because in Old Irish this could mean either "a day and a night" or "day and night", Aengus claims it forever. Other versions have Aengus taking over the Brú from the Dagda himself by using the same trick.<ref>Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p.39</ref><ref name="Hensey">Hensey, Robert. Re-discovering the winter solstice alignment at Newgrange, in ''The Oxford Handbook of Light in Archaeology''. Oxford University Press, 2017. pp.11–13</ref>

It has been suggested that this tale represents the [[winter solstice]] illumination of Newgrange at Brú na Bóinne, during which the sunbeam (the Dagda) enters the inner chamber (the womb of Boann) when the [[Sun path|sun's path]] stands still. The word ''solstice'' (Irish ''grianstad'') means sun-standstill. The conception of Aengus may represent the 'rebirth' of the sun at the winter solstice, him taking over the Brú from an older god representing the growing sun taking over from the waning sun.<ref>Anthony Murphy and Richard Moore. "Chapter 8, Newgrange: Womb of the Moon", ''Island of the Setting Sun: In Search of Ireland's Ancient Astronomers''. Liffey Press, 2008. pp.160–172</ref><ref name="Hensey"/>

The ''[[Tochmarc Étaíne]]'', tells the story of how Bóand conceives Aengus by the Dagda.<ref name="TE">''[[Tochmarc Étaíne]]''. [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T300012/index.html Corpus of Electronic Texts]</ref> In the Aislinge Oengusso or Dream of Aengus the Dagda and Boand help Aengus to find a mysterious woman who he has fallen in love with in his dreams.

In a poem about [[Conaille Muirtheimne|Mag Muirthemne]], the Dagda banishes an octopus with his "mace of wrath" using the following words: "Turn thy hollow head! Turn thy ravening body! Turn thy resorbent forehead! Avaunt! Begone!", the sea receded with the creature and the plain of Mag Muirthemne was left behind.<ref name="ucc.ie">[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T106500D/text099.html The Metrical Dindshenchas poem on Mag Muirthemne]. [[Corpus of Electronic Texts]].</ref>

In the ''Dindsenchas'' the Dagda is described as swift with a poison draught and as a justly dealing lord. He is also called a King of Erin with hosts of hostages, a noble, slender prince, and the father of Cermait, Aengus, and Aed.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T106500D/text022.html| title = ''The Metrical Dindsenchas'' poem 22 "Ailech I"}}</ref>

He is credited with a seventy- or eighty-year reign (depending on source) over the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]], before dying at Brú na Bóinne, finally succumbing to a wound inflicted by [[Cethlenn]] during the battle of Mag Tuired.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macalister |first=Robert Alexander Stewart |url=http://archive.org/details/leborgablare04macauoft |title=Lebor gabála Érenn : The book of the taking of Ireland |date=1938–1956 |publisher=Dublin : Published for the Irish texts Society by the Educational Company of Ireland |others=Kelly – University of Toronto |pages=314, 124–125 (Cetlenn); ¶366, pp. 184–185; Poem LV, str. 32 on p. 237}}</ref>