Irish Mythology : The Children of Danu

by Daniel Allison

In Irish Mythology; The Children of Danu, Daniel Allison retells the ancient myths at the heart of Irish tradition. These are the sublime tales of Lugh and Balor, of the Dagda and the Morrigan, and of the titanic battles fought for Ireland by waves of conquering peoples. Working from centuries-old manuscripts compiled by medieval monks, Allison brings the stories rampaging to life in his trademark, gripping style. From epic battles to savage betrayals, and from sky-breaking spells to quests beyond time, this cycle of tales is as wildly fantastical as it is starkly human. Daniel Allison is a USA Today bestselling author, oral storyteller, coach and retreat leader from Scotland. He is the author of Scottish Myths & Legends, Finn & The Fianna and The Orkney Cycle, as well as the forthcoming Scottish Myths & Legends Vol. II. He hosts the House of Legends podcast and leads annual mythic immersion retreats in the Highlands of Scotland.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology

440 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2023

About the author

Daniel Allison is a USA Today bestselling author, oral storyteller and podcaster from Scotland. He is the author of Irish Mythology: The Children of Danu, Scottish Myths & Legends, Finn & The Fianna and The Orkney Cycle: The Shattering Sea, as well as the forthcoming Scottish Myths & Legends Vol. II.

Daniel’s hosts the House of Legends podcast and trains storytellers online through his Myth Singers Celtic Storytelling Apprenticeship. He leads annual mythic immersion retreats in the Scottish Highlands which guide participants towards a living relationship with Celtic and Nordic myth.

Reviews

[Demena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow, but I absolutely loooooved this

[Peter Poletti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent retelling of Irish mythology that has me hooked on exploring this mythology further.

[Hannah Figgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between these beautiful covers the challenging and sometimes confusing material of the Mythological Cycle is made coherent, brought to life, and engagingly told in a way that is easy to follow without being "dumbed down." This is not a translation or simple presentation of the cycle, but an imaginatively engaged telling of it; it reads like a novel, which is an interesting way to experience these ancient stories. Figures such as Lugh, Balor, Nuada, the Morrigan, and Diancecht are given a depth of flesh and blood that one expects of characters in a novel. Though the style is modern, it does not take away the ancient feel of the tales but offers a fresh way of experiencing them. There were some truly beautiful passages of description and action that I found myself rereading.
Nearly every chapter has a note giving a simple explanation of the background of the story, a brief overview of alternative versions, and an explanation of things the author chose to alter. I found these notes to be helpful and enjoyable. It was interesting to get glimpses of where the interaction between the old tales themselves and the author's imagination were taking place.
I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in Irish mythology, whether they be brand-new beginners or long-time expeditioners-- it is both an accessible place to start and a lively, thrilling journey through the stories.

[Megan Figgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the way that these complex stories were written in an easy to read way, similar to a novel. Daniel did a very good job immersing you into this story and making the characters so relatable and familiar. I was sad to finish it, it definitely brought tears to my eyes!

[Somhairle Mac Gille Easbuig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a potent interpretation of Irish mythology that crackles with the lithe, poetic vitality of an oral storyteller steeped in his craft. It feels like a skilful balance is struck here between imaginative literary embellishment and respect for the inner mystery of the tales and their narrative flow. Characters and worlds are sensitively brought to life without feeling overwrought and space is left at the right moments for the imagination to soar as it might at a fireside telling. I read the book quite swiftly and became really immersed in these stories and thoroughly engaged throughout.

The book opens with the fitting words ‘It began with a dream’ and from there we are borne across swathes of mythic time, from visions of the mysterious peoples of the ‘early invasions’ to the arrival of the otherworldly Tuatha Dé Danaan or ‘Children of Danu’ whose adventures are at the heart of this book, and finally to the coming of the Gaels to Ireland. The narrative swoops gracefully from the recounting of vast mythic battles against the Fomorians (the disturbing sea-dwelling enemies of The Tuatha), the clashes of druids and sorcerers, and political intrigue and treachery at the royal hall of Tara, to richly lyrical passages of great poignancy and profundity. I found myself really moved by such episodes as ‘A Cloak of Flowers’ in which the murder of the legendary healer Miach is redeemed through the gift of healing wisdom and plant lore transmitted to his loving sister Airmed, and the closing chapter ‘The Children of Lir’, where four Tuatha sibling children are laid under enchantment by their stepmother and must endure together for nine hundred years in the form of swans.

In The Children of Danu I felt in the presence of a narrator who has a real love and reverence for these wild old stories that have been passed down and sculpted by so many tongues and souls across time. In the evocation of the mystical draw that Ireland, this ‘beating green heart of a blue world’ has for the Tuatha and the Gaels in the book, I felt the moving echoes of distant ancestral days, a sense of how intimately the peoples of this place have loved the land that held them, how it sung them into being and spoke to them of times when the immortal Sidhe and the Gods walked the land, and how they in turn sang it into being through the weaving and passing down of myths.

Though I am a lover of myth and story I am not nearly as familiar with Irish mythology as I would like to be and for me The Children of Danu has been a really welcome and inspiring gateway to further exploration of a very rich field. I was reminded again in reading it of how much we need storytelling, how much power myths can hold to illuminate our situations and channel vital medicine and magic into our lives.

[Sarah Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking for a book like this for so very long, that as soon as I started it, I wanted to cry with happiness. I've read a good few books about Irish mythology, and sometimes, the authors are too scholarly for my taste, and almost incoherent at times. What should be beautiful tales, often loose their unique magic. This book was completely different, the old stories were told the way my grandma used to tell them. The author retold the stories in such an approachable and brilliant way, that part one just flew by. The Morrigan was always my firm favourite, and the way the Tuatha De Danann shield themselves with the mist. The Druids, Firbolgs, Formorians, and the Stone of Destiny. Everything is in here and is told perfectly. No matter the modern era, these tales are beyond important for so many reasons. This is a book I'll treasure for sure.

[Csenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC copy in exchange for honest review.

"Irish Mythology" is the perfect blend of respect for tradition, deep love for myths, and creative storytelling. This book bridges the divide between oral storytelling and written fiction with a lively style that begs to be read aloud. Epic battles, formidable heroes, powerful magic, and deep personal emotions create a mythic landscape that is vividly alive. Peeling back layers of Christian retellings, and tracing the untold inner motivations of larger-than-life characters, Daniel Allison weaves old stories into a powerful narrative. His admitted goal is to make new generations of readers fall in love with Irish mythology. Mission accomplished.
If you enjoyed Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, you will love this book.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful, engaging retelling of Irish myth and is easily my favorite retelling of myth that I've ever read. Not only is it written by an oral storyteller so that it's a joy to read, the research and thoughtfulness of the retelling is apparent throughout the book. Each character has such depth, which feels consistent with their historical attributes but makes them feel even more real. You can also tell that the stories were carefully selected to fit into a long narrative of a book and keep the story going. I knew I was reading myth with complicated historical tradition, but it read like a delicious novel.

[Philippe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The way the Irish myths are narrated make them very alive. The passage of time is at the same time felt and easy to ignore.

I found the notes at the end of each chapter to be exceptionally interesting, giving context, explaining choices, proposing sources and extra resources. They add a lot of honesty in explaining why some myths are written in the way they are.

The only thing that I found disappointing was the missing myths, when I realised there was a sequel to this book in which to find them. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Irish culture.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irish mythology? Great topic! But if you're imagining that this book will leave you skipping lightly through Disney-fied fields of shamrocks with cute little fairies and leprechauns -- think again. When you pick up this book, pick up a sword -- because soon you'll find yourself wading through mud, blood, severed limbs and more gore than you've imagined, let alone seen. This is the real, and really bloody Irish mythology. The author knows his stuff -- and he writes about it with clarity and beauty. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Irish mythology.

[Gerry Adair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great entry into Irish Myth and legend. Allison brings mythic figures to life and offers compelling depictions of the wars between the Tuatha and the Firbolgs and Formorians. His account of the Children of Lir is heartbreaking.

[Nancy McQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!