Angus and Newgrange

Angus Mac Og comes to Newgrange

Angus Mac Og, son of Boann and the Dagda, is the youth triad of youth, warrior and sage. His preoccupation is love and beauty, and his kisses are transformed into birds which fly invisibly to the youths and maidens of Ireland, to whisper words of love into their ears.

Angus plays a crucial part in the defeat of the Formors, where he comes up with a plan to secure all the cattle in Ireland from Fomor domination. During Bresses' reign over Tuatha de Danann, he chances upon his father, The Dagda, building a castle for his Fomor masters. Angus asks what Dagda will demand in payment when the work is finished, but the Dagda says he does not know, so Angus says "Ask Bress to assemble all the cattle in Ireland, so you may choose one as payment." When he does, choose the black-maned one, whose name is Ocean.

When the Dagda finishes his work, he secures payment as Angus had advised and later when the Formors are defeated, ownership of Ocean becomes significant as it was Ocean that the cattle of Tuatha de Danann habitually followed, and at the end of the battle, they heard the call of Ocean, and dutifully returned home.

Angus dutifully remains close to his mother, the Goddess of the river Boyne, and he is traditionally honored on it's banks. It is on the river Boyne he is said to have a fairy palace. He acquired this through his shrewdness, for he was away at the time that his father gave each member of his tribe an underground sidhe.

Returning from his trip, Angus demanded a dwelling of his own, but his father tells him they are all gone. Angus protests, but his father says their is nothing he can do. Angus then begs to be allowed to stay for just one day and night in th Dagdas own sidhe.

The Dagda agrees, but come morning, Angus refuses to leave. He argues that time and eternity are composed of days and nights, and therefore he has been granted residency in perpetuity. The Dagda has to accept this as truth and leaves to live elsewhere.

Angus is committed to his role as Irish Lord of Love, but eventually wastes away for the love of a maiden he sees in a dream.


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