The ancient Welsh annals say that Anne was the 'cousin' of 'The Virgin' Mary, as the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, however, she is identified with a (so-called) 'sister' of Jesus by the Byzantine archivist-historian Sophronius of Jerusalem.

In the Arthurian legend Don appears as Annowre, a sorceress who imprisoned Arthur in the Perilous Forest. Like Beli Mawr, Don is honored by several hills in County Kerry's 'Breast of Anu' and in Leicestershire's 'Black Annis.' Don was the patroness of springs and fountains. Don is represented in the night's sky as Llys Don, better known as Casseopeia. This theonym appears to be derived from Proto-Celtic *Dānu meaning 'fluvial water'.ĭon, Danu or Anu was a Mother-Goddess and the wife of Beli Mawr. Ford asserts that she is the equivalent of the Irish Danu and of the Gaulish goddess 'whose name is preserved in the river name Danube (Donau)'. She is the mother of Arianrhod, Gwydion, Gilfaethwy, Gofannon and Amaethon. She does not play a direct part in the action of the Mabinogi, though many characters in that cycle are related to her. Secondary Sourcesĭôn (Welsh pronunciation /doːn/) was a Welsh mother goddess. There is no reason to think she was an historical figure.Īnother way to look at this is that she WAS a historical figure, who was confabulated with myth over the centuries because of her name. The Mabinogion, a collection of Welsh legends, calls her Dôn, sister of Mâth mab Mathonwy, King of Gwynedd. In Ireland she was Danu, the matriarch of the Túatha Dé Danann, who took their name from her. In fact, she seems to have been a Christianized version of the Celtic goddess Anû, the mother goddess of the Celts. According to Harleian MS 3958, Beli Mawr was husband to Anna (who may be a confabulation of Dôn), a 'near kinswoman of the Virgin Mary.' A medieval tradition identifies her as a sister (or daughter) of Joseph of Arimathea, but the tradition is not old enough to be authentic.

The Mabinogion by Unknown