Also called Donn Fírinne, the Dark One, Tech Duinn.
Their story
In the Book of Invasions Donn is one of the sons of Míl, drowned off the south-west coast after he insulted Ériu, and buried on a rock called Tech Duinn, the House of Donn. An old poem has him say that all his descendants will come to his house after death, and so he came to be seen as the lord of the dead. In Munster folklore Donn Fírinne of Knockfierna in County Limerick rode a white horse, raised storms and gathered the dead.
Best times to give to them
- Samhain
- at funerals and anniversaries
- Lughnasadh
What they like being given
- a candle for the dead
- bread left out on Samhain night
- the names of your ancestors spoken aloud
- a small glass of whiskey or juice
How to honour them
- Keep an ancestor shelf and tell him the names of your beloved dead.
- On Samhain night, set a place or leave a light for those who have gone before.
- Ask for calm seas when you or loved ones travel by water.
How they can help you
- grief
- ancestor work
- facing death calmly
- safe travel on the sea
Symbols
- Tech Duinn, the Bull Rock
- the dark horse
- the hill of Knockfierna
The idea that Donn is the Irish god of the dead is a scholarly reading of scattered evidence.
Sources
- Lebor Gabála Érenn
- MacKillop, Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
More Celtic gods
- The Dagda The good god, father of all
- Lugh Master of all the arts
- Cernunnos The antlered one of the wild
- Manannán mac Lir Lord of the sea and the Otherworld
- Aengus The young god of love
- Nuada The king with the silver hand
- Dian Cécht Physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann
- Goibniu Smith of the gods and brewer of the feast