What does "Shining Ones" Mean?

Image: “Riders of the Sidhe” by John Duncan

The first Irish fairies were not small and winged, but tall, ageless and sometimes radiant. They were the Tuatha dé Danann (Clan of Danu), who possessed more-than-human abilities.

In Ireland, they encountered fierce, seafaring raiders called Formorians, also people with extraordinary talents but normal lifespans. The two groups clashed.

The TDD eventually defeated the Formorians, but were, themselves, vanquished by incoming Celts. Banished to the hills, the TDD gained the name People of the Hills (Daione Sidhe), which was shortened to Sidhe (pronounced Shee). The Sidhe fought against Viking with mortals at the Battle of Clontarf, 1014 C.E.

In later years, not everyone felt comfortable naming them. Just as characters in the Harry Potter series called Voldemort “You-Know-Who" or “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,” the Irish referred to these powerful beings as “Shining Ones”, “Gentry” or “Fair Folk.” Fair folk is the source of the word “fairy.”

Shining Ones: Legacy of the Sidhe explains what the ever-living ones and their descendants are doing today. And who knows? If you’re Irish, you might be part-Shining One, too. http://tinyurl.com/pqd2bnl