Shee
Lugh, the disturbed cairn on the highest part of Moytura. |
Balor at work! by Simon Bisley. |
The Arrival of Lugh Lugh, the champion of the Túatha Dé Danann was also descended from both tribes. His mother was Eithne, the daughter of Balor and Caithleen. There was a prophesy that Balor would die by the hand of his own grandchild, and to ensure that this should never come to pass, he locked Eithne up in the glass tower on Tory Island, and commanded that she should never see or know a man. However, by way of an incident where Balor stole a magic cow from three brothers, one of the brothers named Cian ended up on Tory Island to recover his cow, and with the aid of a Druidess, he was taken to meet with Eithne. They lay together and conceived, and then Cian was whisked back to Ireland. Balor fell into a dreadful rage when he discovered that his daughter was pregnant. She gave birth to triplet sons, and Balor commanded that they be thrown into a whirlpool; however, one of the babes was rescued by Manannan mac Lir, the god of the Sea, who raised him as his own son in the Land of Promise. This child was Lugh of the Long Arm, the Ildana of the Túatha Dé Danann.
Lugh, the Ildana first made his appearance at Tara where Núada was back on the throne; Lugh asked to enter and the doorkeeper asked him what special skill he possesses. Lugh named off a number of skills and the doorkeeper went in to the King, only to be sent back each time with the message that there is already a member of the Túatha Dé Danann present with such a skill. After going through a great number of his talents Lugh became tired of the game and asked if anyone in the hall possessed all the skills which he had listed. As there was no one, he was admitted, and after several feats of strength and music, Núada was so impressed that he gave over his throne to Lugh for the duration of the battle. Lugh next appeared on the Hill of Uisneach, the centre of Ireland where a fair was being held. He was mounted on Manannan's enchanted horse, and bore his armour, helmet and enchanted sword, 'the Answerer'. A group of Formorian tax collectors arrived and Lugh slayed eight nines of them, sending the survivors back to Balor with a message that they were not to enter Ireland again. Balor was incensed, and sent out his armies to slay the the Túatha Dé Danann, and commanded them to tie Ireland to their ships and drag the island into the icy North Sea. Breas lead an army which landed at Ballisodare and proceeded to ravage the province of Connaught. Lugh met them in battle, and after three days fighting they resolve to meet at Maigh Tuireadh to settle the matter once and for all. The date they agreed on was Samhain, the beginning of the new year. |
The
Stuckera Stone at Kilmactranny, on the south end of Moytura, Co Sligo. |
