The father god and ruler of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Perhaps the most important of all the Celtic deities, Dagda (sometimes referred to as ‘The Dagda’) was worshiped by the Celts as the god of magic, wisdom, and fertility.
Dagda’s many fine possessions indicate the array of his talents. His magical club could kill with a strike from one side and restore life with a blow from the other. The weapon was so big that it could injure more than one man at a time, and Dagda had to drag it behind him on two wheels.
His cauldron could provide an endless supply of food for the gods. His fruit trees were always ready to harvest. Of his two swine, one was always roasting upon a spit while the other was always alive.
His harp could summon the seasons.
In various stories, Dagda is named as the son, the father, and sometimes the husband of the mother goddess Danu. His wife is usually given as Bóand. He also mates with Mórrígan at the start of the new year. His many children include Angus Óg, Bodb Derg, Brigit, and Midir.
Dagda killed many Fomorians in the second battle of Mag Tuired. But this battle ended his career, for he was killed there by Caitlín, wife of the Fomorian leader Balor.
In the middle of the second battle of Mag Tuired, the Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann called a truce. The fighting halted for a short time, but neither side let its guard down. The Fomorians kept themselves busy looking for ways to gain the advantage over their adversaries. They thought that if they could distract the great father god, they might be able to win the battle. They also knew that Dagda had a weakness for porridge, his favorite food, so they decided to concoct a porridge of superhuman proportions.
The Fomorians began by digging a massive crater in the earth. They poured in enough milk to satisfy an entire village for one year. Then they added enough fat to supply an entire kingdom for two years. Next they added enough meal to feed every man, woman, and child in an entire province for three years. Then, for good measure, they threw in a flock of sheep, a herd of goats, and a passel of pigs.
The Fomorians challenged and taunted Dagda to eat the porridge or die. Dagda leaned over the great crater in the ground and sniffed at the mixture of ingredients. He put one giant finger into the mess and tasted it. To the amazement of the Fomorians, Dagda ate the entire huge crater of porridge. Feeling tired after such a big meal, Dagda lay down under a tree for a nap.
The Fomorians, annoyed that their plot had failed, devised a backup plan. They called for a woman to tempt the Dagda. If he mated with her, he would die. The Fomorians hid behind trees to see what would happen. Dagda woke briefly to see a young maiden lying beside him. Although he noticed that she was very pretty, he was still sleepy and satisfied from his meal, so he rolled over and went back to sleep. The Fomorians were foiled again.