Sunday, March 22, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

The Dagda's Harp — Celtic Myth and Magical Teaching

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by Searles O'Dubhain

In the mythic cycle of the Battle of Moytura, the Dagda — the Good God, the All-Father, the Master of All Skills — recovers his stolen harp from the halls of the Fomoire. The tale seems simple. Searles O'Dubhain, Druidic practitioner and contributor to the Journal of the Henge of Keltria, shows that it is anything but. Every name, number, and action encodes a teaching: the three strains of music map the three Celtic realms; the nine Fomoire killed represent the sacred center of the Grove; the harp's name, "Daur Da Blao," conceals the mystery of inner silence. This essay is an act of initiation — a slow unweaving of myth into living instruction for the modern Druid.

Originally published in the Journal of the Henge of Keltria, this version was posted to alt.religion.druid in September 2003. Searles O'Dubhain was one of the central voices in early Druidic Usenet communities, known for patient scholarship grounded in living practice.

To understand The Dagda (or "An Dagda" as we Gaels are wont to call Him), we must study the ancient tales about Him. An Dagda means "The Good God" because he was able to do everything well. He was "Samildanach" or "many skilled" (Lugh is also Samildanach). He is the epitome of the God in Irish mythology and their ancient religious practices. Sometimes, he is all powerful and at other times he seems a gentle fool. Whether The Dagda is playing the fool or the hero, He is always at the center of the life of the gods. The tale of The Dagda's harp is an excellent example of the way in which The Dagda works. This tale occurs at the end of Cath Magh Tureadh or the Battle of Moytura. It is a seemingly simple tale of a stolen harp, but I believe it is much, much more than that. Its placement at the climax of the Battle of Moytura implies its extreme importance in Celtic Magick.

Listen to the Tale of The Dagda's harp:

The Fomoire had stolen The Dagda's harp as well as capturing his harper, Uaithne. They were taken under the Sea to the lands of Elatha mac Delbaeth and Bres mac Elathan. This was a kingdom of the Fomoire, to the West. The Dagda, Lugh and Ogma went to the banqueting hall of the Fomoire. Their purpose was to recover the harp, the harper and everything else that had been stolen by the Fomoire. The music of this harp had been Magically sealed within it by the enchantments of The Dagda. Only He could release the music so that it could be played. The Fomoire prevailed upon The Dagda to play for them while they feasted. And so, The Dagda called to His harp upon the wall:

Come Daur Da Blao,
Come Coir Cetharchair,
Come summer, come winter,
Mouths of harps and bags and pipes!

Upon hearing this incantation, the harp sprang from the wall to The Dagda's hand, killing nine of the Fomoire in the process. The Dagda proceeded to play the three "strains" of the Bard. He played the "Goitrai" or the "Sorrowful Strain" so that all the mourning women wept. He played the "Geantrai" or the "Joyful Strain" so that the women and the children laughed in delight. He played the "Suantrai" or the "Sleep Strain" so that all the Fomoire were overcome by sleeping and dreaming. While the Fomoire dreamed, The Dagda and His companions all left, taking with them a cow that had been promised to them, as well as the harp.

Now what are we to make from this seemingly simple tale? What does it mean? Why is it told to us? Where is the Magick of it? Where is the Wisdom? Perhaps, this simple story conceals more complex truths than we see upon its surface? Perhaps this well is deep with Wisdom? Let us plunge into the Cauldron of Wisdom and see what is brewing within!

Let's take this tale one line at a time and even one word or name at a time, if necessary:

The Fomoire had stolen The Dagda's harp as well as capturing his harper, Uaithne.

Who are the Fomoire? The word "Fomoire" has its roots in the words "fo" for "under" and "muir" for "sea". The Fomoire are on the physical level, sea pirates, such as the Vikings. On a spiritual level, they represent an earlier order of deities, those that connect directly to the mind. We have already seen that the Celts considered the Sea to be a place of the Otherworld. Under the Sea, is a land of the Dead and Otherworldly beings. The Fomoire have traditionally been considered to be Otherworldly beings. They are literally those beings or parts of us that exist when our thoughts are allowed to go "under the Sea" or into the Subconscious. The "harp" of The Dagda has been "stolen" by the Fomoire. The music of this harp is bound within it by The Dagda. Only He can release it. It is useless to the Fomoire.

The name of The Dagda's harper is Uaithne. This can mean many things. I loosely translate it to mean: "the inner voice of enchantment." This translation is based on similar words that have the following translations:

  • Uatha: "Caves"
  • tuaithne: "a negative charm or Magick"
  • aith: "tongue"

This name is important because ONLY the Dagda can play his harp. He does not need a harper as such. The Dagda is the Master of the harp and its music. Even The Dagda's harper cannot play upon it without the permission of The Dagda. The Dagda's harper is WITHIN the harp itself. He must release its music. He must free "the inner voice of enchantment." This means that one can possess all of the outward physical signs of a thing without truly "having" it. The Dagda's harp and its harper are useless to the Fomoire without the Magic of The Dagda.

The harp's name is "Daur Da Blao". Let us examine this: "Daur" means "Oak" and "Blao" means "four music" or "the music of the four". Therefore "Daur Da Blao" means: "Oak of the Two Sides" or even "Oak of the Two Expressions." In Celtic mythology the Oak is the "Door between the Worlds". The Druids always made sure that their sacred groves contained Oak trees. The Oak is the World Tree, the connection between the Sky, the Land and the Sea. "Daurdabla" also means "the tree of the two expressions." These "two expressions" are: "The Land of Here" and "The Otherworld" — or the Subconscious and the Super-conscious, depending upon your way of looking at it. The Dagda's harp is the connection between all of the worlds, just as the Oak is the bridge between the Three Realms. The name of the harp reveals its Magical nature. It is the Key of the Cosmic Oak.

The second name of the harp is "Coir Cetharchair" which can be loosely translated as "The Harmony of the Four Chords" or perhaps more accurately: "Justice (or harmony) of the Four Orders." Whether it means the four modes of human existence (physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual) or the four elements or the four cardinal directions, the fact remains that within the harp of The Dagda exists a harmony that encompasses all of Creation. This harp IS the music of the universe. It is a "Four in One" like a square within a circle. Those who know it speak of the Harmony and Joy inherent within all of Creation.

The Dagda, Lugh and Ogma went to the banqueting hall of the Fomoire.

Why did The Dagda go with Lugh and Ogma? Lugh is the Sun God and the Master of All Skills. He is the "many gifted" one, "Samildanach." He is the Celtic Apollo. He brings light, victory and creativity to the battle against the powers of darkness, chaos and ignorance. He is an aspect of the super-conscious, the Sky God. Ogma is the inventor of the Ogham and is the "Word" or "Poetry" of the Celts. He is a form of Hercules or the Titan, a Deity of physical strength. He is also the scribe, the "keeper of the Word." In terms of the Three Realms, Ogma corresponds to the Land and the material plane.

These three Deities are a Trinity, a combination of:

  • The Sky (Lugh, the Sun, the Super-conscious, the All-Skilled)
  • The Land (Ogma, Strength, Physical Reality, the Word)
  • The Otherworld (The Dagda, the Cauldron, the Harp, the Music of Creation)

Together, they represent the whole of Celtic existence. They form a balanced Triad.

The Fomoire prevailed upon The Dagda to play for them while they feasted.

Even the Fomoire knew The Dagda's power. They prevailed upon him — they made a kind of request — they pled with him to bring the harp to life for them. They were captivated by the very thing that they had taken, not realizing that it was useless to them without the Dagda's power. So too, do we reach out to "have" things, to "own" them, without realizing that what we lack is the key to unlock their meaning — the Inner Voice of Enchantment.

The Dagda called to His harp upon the wall.

He did not use force. He called. He NAMED it. Within the calling of the Rightful Name of a thing lies the power to release it or to control it. The Dagda was "Ruad Rofessa," the "Red Master of Occult Knowledge." His Occult Knowledge contained the true name of the harp. He spoke it and the harp came to him.

Come Daur Da Blao, Come Coir Cetharchair, Come summer, come winter, Mouths of harps and bags and pipes!

This is the incantation. Note that he calls the harp by BOTH of its names. He calls all of Creation, represented by summer and winter — the two great divisions of the Celtic year. He calls the "Mouths of harps and bags and pipes," which are all of the musical instruments of Bards, the sounds that were considered the voice of the gods. The entire creative force of the Universe is called into manifestation by this incantation.

Upon hearing this incantation, the harp sprang from the wall to The Dagda's hand, killing nine of the Fomoire in the process.

The harp was freed from the enclosure that bound it. Nine men were killed. The number nine is very significant here. Nine is the number of spaces within the inner sanctum of the kingdom. Nine is the number of rooms within the grianán or "sun chamber." Nine is the number of Hazels giving Wisdom to the well of Segais and nine is the number of Witches that warm the Cauldron of Wisdom with their breath within Caer Sidi. Nine is the number of spaces created when the four qualities of one plane of existence intersect the four qualities of another plane of existence. Nine is represented by the Ogham "Phagos." This "Nine" is the Sacred Center of the Grove. It is also the traditional number of warriors assigned to protect the righ or "king" when in battle. Nine is the number required for completeness. Nine is the number of Fomoire that stood between Daurdabla and the Dagda.

He played the "Goitrai" or the "Sorrowful Strain" so that all the mourning women wept. He played the "Geantrai" or the "Joyful Strain" so that the women and the children laughed in delight. He played the "Suantrai" or the "Sleep Strain" so that all the Fomoire were overcome by sleeping and dreaming.

These three "strains" of music are symbolic of the three worlds of the Celtic Cosmos:

  • The Middle World of Woe and Strife — Goitrai: "woe in battle and strife"
  • The Sky World, the Planes of Brightness and Joy — Geantrai: "Delight in Creation on high"
  • The Otherworld, "under the Sea," the Land of the Ancestors and the Eternal Dream — Suantrai: "swan-like voyages of dreams," beyond the edge of Reality... Other and Eternal

These threes can be seen in the wailing over death, the joy of children, the transition into sleep. Sleep and Dreams — powerful lands of Other, Worlds of Magick, Pathways to Worlds, Moonbeams and Waves of Creation. Otherworldly times of dreams.

While the Fomoire dreamed, The Dagda and his friends all left, taking with them a cow that had been promised to them, as well as the harp.

The dream paths were opened and The Dagda and his companions departed through the portals that He had created between the Land of the Fomoire and the rath of the Sidhe. The Dagda did no further harm to his sleeping enemies. He sought only to recover what was His to begin with, the Power of the harp. The Inner Music that is summoned by the Silence Within. The Dagda's harp is "Daurdabla." His music is "Coir cethair chuir." He is the source of all Goitrai, Suantrai and Geantrai. He is the Master of Magicks.

The Dagda is "Samildanach," just as is Lugh. In fact, the Dagda is the SOURCE of the "many skills." He is the "All Father," Eochaidh Ollathair. The Dagda has followed the four precepts of the Mage:

  • He has KNOWN (The Secrets of the Harp, The Study of Occult Wisdom)
  • He has DARED (The Journey to the Land of the Fomoire, Otherworldly Travel)
  • He has WILLED ("Come Daur Da Blao!", Magical Chanting)
  • He has kept SILENCE (The Harmony of Inner Silence, The Power Within)

He is Ruad Rofessa, "The Red Master of Occult Knowledge." Let us also learn the lessons of the Dagda's harp. Let us endeavor to know our own Secret Inner Voice. Let us become "Red Ones" as well. It is only when the Inner Voice is freed from the captivity of the Subconscious that we are able to Work, Dare, Will and Manifest our own Magicks from deep within our Inner Silence. We seek to become the new Druids and the Dagda is our Master.

Colophon

Written by Searles O'Dubhain. Originally published in the Journal of the Henge of Keltria; this version posted to alt.religion.druid on 20 September 2003. Searles O'Dubhain was one of the most prolific and thoughtful voices in early Druidic Usenet communities, contributing extensive analyses of Celtic mythology, cosmology, and practice throughout 2003 and beyond.

Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Original Message-ID: [email protected]

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