Queen of Queens

An Morrígu is a complex and multifaceted figure (all of na Morrigna are if we’re being honest). As Jonathan O’Sullivan speaks of her in 'Go Deep with the Mórrígan':

The Mórrígan, Ireland’s Goddess of poetry, prophesy, battle and fate. The Great Queen of the Otherworld. Judge of the worthiness of heroes and Gods alike, architect of destiny… all matters are within the scope of her rule.

I have to admit, however, that something hasn’t sat right with me about the collection of deities known collectively by her name; something about their functions and attributions just doesn’t make any damned sense in light of the modern obsession with her (and them all) as the blood born “Battle Goddess” of old.

Don’t get me wrong… There’s no doubt in my mind that an Morrígu (and the rest of na Morrigna) has some sort of war provenance- however you’d like to define it. Prophesy, Fate, and more are also definitively beneath her purview depending on how you’d like to interpret the myths. There’s simply too much evidence to say otherwise.

But I do highly question the idea that battle’s the sole purview of the figures of na Morrigna, and that all their skills work towards this singular function; the modern near obsessive focus on na Morrigna– but especially on an Morrígu herself- as what feels (at least to me) purely a Battle Goddesses hasn’t ever sat right with me. Especially since I questioned their roles as “justice” figures several years ago, now.

At the end of that article I said something that was, at the time, a spur of the moment thought- but which has only grown in intensity for me over the years:

In interpreting it this way, Macha (specifically) isn’t just a Goddesses of sovereignty- nor does she really become a Goddess of justice. Instead, if she is to become anything in this relation to justice, she arguably becomes a Goddesses of Just Action, Right Judgment, and Righteous Vengeance… In other words, she becomes the external harbinger of violent and aggressive retaliation for a decisive lack of moral correctness, fairness, and true justice.

Even further, these unjust actions and wrong judgment, when committed by Kings especially, can be considered a violation of the sovereignty she grants as a Goddess with that purview. As a result, I believe that she can additionally be interpreted as the punisher of those who pervert the sovereignty bestowed upon them by Na Morrígna and other sovereignty figures by abusing their authority in these unjust ways.

Sovereignty is a word that’s associated with na Morrigna a lot. Everyone recognizes they have some sort of sovereignty function, even if it’s not well designed… And yet it still tends to take a massive back see to their warrioress functions- especially for modern followers

I’m beginning to think, however, that the sovereignty aspect goes a lot deeper- and the battle functions are far more complex- than modern interpretations and followers may actually be giving them credit for. And this idea was really solidified for me after reading about the the potential etymology of Danu / Danann and the origin of the Gods on Tairis last year.

See, Anu is generally considered to be the “Mother Goddess” of the Tuatha Dé– not in that weird Neo-Wiccan “Earth Mother” way, though that certainly gets conflated here… But as their actual literal mother to some degree. And some theories hold that the name Danu– the name of the figure called the “Mother Goddess” (especially in that creepy “Earth Mother” way) in modern times- may even have been a corruption of her name.

The theory that Danu never existed, and is an etymological corruption, holds a lot of weight. This is especially true given the fact that Anu significantly predates any mention of Danu altogether; analogs to Danu‘s name don’t begin appearing until roughly the 11th Century- and even the “proper” name Danu is actually a highly controversial reverse etymological reconstruction based on those analogs.

There’s also site etymology (which Tairis notes) that seems to exhibit eerily similar corruptions that appears to lend even more credence to this theory… But moving on from the quagmire that is Danu‘s incredibly questionable- and highly unlikely– existence for the moment.

Later version of the Lebor Gabála Érenn has a passage (again, mentioned by Tairis) which I find quite interesting:

an Morrígu, daughter of Delbaeth, was [the] mother of the other sons of Delbaeth: Brian, Iucharba, and Iuchair.

Now, as Tairis points out, the prevailing theory about this version is that Anu and an Morrígu are being conflated with one another incorrectly in this passage… However, I know there are some theories floating around that hold that Anu (and / or or possibly Anand) is actually another name for an Morrígu.

Given the number of times that an Morrígu can be seen to be conflated with Anu– and the number of times both can be seen to be conflated with the figure who later gets called Danu… I personally lean towards a variation of that second interpretation that I’ve heard: That Anu is possibly (a form of) her truer name- with an Morrígu properly being a collective mantular title (leading to na Morrigna).

Now combine that with the fact that there’s a little known additional theory which holds that an Morrígu is potentially the daughter of an Cailleach; this is another theory I’m inclined towards myself for various reasons- least of which is the heavy sovereignty aspects of na Morrigna that I spoke about earlier.

This was a fringe theory originally proposed by my friend Cass McLean (now of vlfgrim.com) at one point. Unfortunately she pulled her research several years ago due to repeated sniping and lack of credit, and has never reposted it since. What evidence and sources I did have once upon a time have now been lost as a result, as it all happened well before I actually started collecting and cataloging the sources I was using; their loss continues to annoy me to absolutely no end for a number of reasons.

Here’s the thing about an Cailleach that most people seem to ignore in their focus of her as “The Winter Hag” who sits on the other side of the Scottish dichotomy with Brighid: She’s not just “the Hag”, though… She’s the actual Creatrix of Ireland; she formed the land by dropping stones from her basket as she passed over it.

If an Morrígu is her daughter, that could explain a lot of the very strong sovereignty aspects of her- as well as a number of other functions. But then there’s also the bit from above; note that it lists Anu’s father as Delbaeth.

If Danu is a corruption of Anu’s name- and Anu is, in fact, another name for an Morrígu? That would make an Morrígu the daughter of Delbaeth, and potentially his wife (or, at the very least, his co-creator). By proxy, that would also make her the mother, grandmother, and grandmother-in-law of a whole host of some incredibly interesting characters.

Delbaith / Delbaeth [who is] father of Mórrígan, / an Morrígu / Anu / Anand / Danu; na Morrigna, the Great Queen(s) [both of whom are] Parents of Brian, Iuchair and Iucharba; na trí dé dána, the three Gods of skill [and] Grandparents of Fódla, Ériu, and Banba; Goddesses who represent the land of Ireland itself [who themselves are] Wives of Mac Cuill, Mac Greine and Mac Cecht; Gods associated with the three realms of land, sea and sky.

That’s a hefty roster of incredibly important figures- both in regards to the Tuatha Dé‘s own genealogy- but also Irish cosmology itself. And the implications of that are absolutely wild to me; it quite possibly makes an Morrígu truly one of the most important figures of mythos… The ultimate sovereignty figure of Ireland.

If that’s the case, especially given all of her relatives up to this point? Then an Morrígu is rightfully the protector of the land, and judge of those who inherit it; the representative (and potentially the guardian) of the contract of faith and land between the men (humanity) and other-men (the Tuatha Dé)- as well as acting as punisher and executioner of those who violate either the land or the Contract of Faith.

With that in mind, I don’t think that an Morrígu (as Anu)’s title as “The Great Queen” is just a fancy epithet… I think she may actually be the Great Queen of the Tuatha Dé.

It should be noted here, however, that I didn’t make this last connection myself. Rather, it was another user who recently mentioned making the connection in her own UPG surrounding an Morrígu. And while I said I had to think on it when it was first mentioned to me, I have to admit that when I read it, it felt like the last piece of the puzzle had finally clicked into place; I really don’t think there’s any question here in light of the theories I already had about them.

By logical extension… If she is the Great Queen of the Tuatha Dé? That could potentially make the theory that na Morrigna itself is a mantular title all that much stronger. And in that regard, I feel it’s most likely that her name as an Morrígu is a title in and of itself as well, symbolizing her place as the head of na Morrigna– the other figures of which could very well be her court; her agents and enforcers.

But of course, this is all largely speculation on my part- and as of writing this I haven’t seen anyone else really talking about it in the same manner as me (though that may just be what I get for being isolated for so long); others have pointed out that it's at least plausible, if not entirely true, certainly. But there’s a bit of my own take on it that could be argued as massive theological and academic leaping. Still, it’s definitely been something that’s been nagging at me for around a year now, and I just can’t seem to let it go.