The Shining Ones: The Tuatha Dé Danann of Ireland
Were the Shining Ones of ancient Ireland an alien race? Photo: Sanna Hines
The Tuatha Dé Danann or the Shining ones of Ireland were an ancient race of people believed to be the descendants of fairies. Some believe they were extraterrestrial in origin.
Who were the Shining Ones?
The Tuatha Dé Danann were a race of magical beings who possessed extraordinary powers and were often worshipped as divine creatures in Ancient Ireland.
The Shining Ones held a strong belief in Goddess Danu, also known as "the mother," and were sometimes referred to as "followers of Danu."
They originated from four major cities: Falias, Gorias, Finias, and Murias. When they arrived in Ireland, they brought with them fascinating skills and wisdom gained from the four wise men residing in each of the four cities.
The Shining Ones are said to have brought four treasures that proved to be beneficial to Ireland.
The small, dark native peoples of Ireland during that time appeared significantly different from the Shining Ones, who were commonly depicted as tall with fair skin, red or blonde hair, and blue or green eyes.
Interestingly, during the same period when the Tuatha De Danann arrived in Ireland, there were discoveries in archaeology that revealed small populations of red-haired individuals around the world.
For example, excavations conducted in Xinjiang Province, China, revealed mummies with blonde or red hair, which dated back to around four thousand years ago.
The well-preserved mummy of nobleman Yoya from ancient Egypt, who lived around 1400 BC, also exhibited Nordic features and blonde hair, much like his wife, Thuya, who was also the great-grandmother of Tutankhamun.
The Gods, in particular, were often depicted with features that symbolized their powers, such as Brigit, the Goddess of light and fire, who was believed to have sparked flames with her bright red hair at birth.
The magical abilities and otherworldly artifacts of the Tuatha de Danaan left an indelible mark on the history of Ireland.
The Shining Ones were known to possess a variety of magical, or perhaps technologically advanced, devices. According to ancient sources, they wielded a Magical Rod that enabled them to transform objects and individuals into different forms.
On the Mound of Tara, they placed the Lia Fail, or the Stone of Destiny, which would roar upon the election of the rightful king.
Lugh possessed an invisible sword that guaranteed victory to anyone who wielded it, and the Cauldron of Dagda was a vessel capable of feeding an army without ever being emptied.
The Tuatha de Danaan also possessed a remarkable boat known as the Ocean-sweeper, which sailed without a traditional sail and could be steered through the power of the sailor's thoughts. Aonbarr, their steed, was believed to be a flying machine capable of traversing both land and sea.
Where did the Shining Ones come from?
Arriving from the sky on top of Sliev-an-lerin, the Iron Mountain in the County Leitrim, the Shining Ones had to engage in two significant battles before they could establish their authority over Ireland.
Their first battle was against the Firbolgs (also known as the Men of the Bags), which took place at Magh-Tuireadh, where the Tuatha De Danaan used their ability to appear and disappear at will, thanks to their cloaking technique, to confuse the Firbolgs.
In the second battle, the Shining Ones confronted the Fomore, a group of malevolent giants notorious for their raids on Ireland from Tory Island.
Among the leaders of the Fomore was the giant Balor, who possessed the ability to unleash a potent beam of energy, known as the "flux of energy," to strike his foes across the channel separating Tory Island from Ireland. Accounts of Balor's appearance suggest that he resembled a machine rather than a living being.
Were the Shining Ones Ancient Aliens?
Many people believe that the Shining Ones were an ancient race of aliens who visited the ancient Irish people.
To someone who doesn't understand, even the simplest modern technologies can appear to be powerful magic.
An airplane may appear to be a ship sailing through dark clouds, while a television screen can feel like a window to another realm, and a phone can seem like a magical stone that speaks and provides divine guidance.
Those who control such magical tools may seem godlike, with their height, red-golden hair, and sky-blue eyes, wielding powerful and fiery weapons. They may even appear ageless, immortal, wise, beautiful, and terrifying - much like gods themselves.
The 'magic' attributed to the Shining Ones could have been misunderstood technology by the local population. Whether this technology was man-made or of extraterrestrial origin is a matter of debate.
It’s possible that these people were migrants from advanced civilizations in our world, possibly displaced by the Great Flood, searching for new homes and bringing with them remnants of their knowledge and technology.
Experts argue that the lack of physical evidence proves that the Shining Ones never existed and are just a myth that helped the ancient Irish people understand their world.
What do you think? Are the Shining Ones an example of an ancient alien civilization visiting earth? Let us know in the comments.
If you enjoyed this article about the Shining Ones you might also be interested in learning about ancient alien sightings or UFO sightings from the early modern era.
