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Lugh is the Irish sun god, a hero god, and a god of war.Young, strong, radiant with hair of gold, master of all arts, skills and crafts. Lugh was the grandson of Balor, a Formorian King. There was a druidic prophecy that Balor would be slain by his own grandson. Therefore he had his only child Ethnia locked up in a high tower, Tor Mor, with twelve matrons to keep her away from all men.
One day, a man named Kian wanted revenge on Balor for stealing his magic cow, so with the help of a druidess he disguised himself as a woman and sought shelter at the tower. The druidess put an enchantment on the matrons, and when they had left again, Ethnia was pregnant and gave birth to three sons nine months later. When Balor heard of this, he ordered that the children were drowned. |
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A servant wrapped the babies in a cloths and took them with to drown. But one of the babies fell out of the wrapping and the servant only drowned the other two. This child was Lugh. Lugh grew up and learned many trades. He was a carpenter, warrior, druid, mason, smith, harper, poet, physician and goldsmith. In the second battle of Moy Tura he threw a stone into Balors eye and killed him, thus fulfilling the prophecy. Lugh was the father of the famous Celtic hero Cu Chulainn.
The Romans identified Lug with Mercury. The most popular and widely worshipped of the Celtic gods, Lug's name in its various forms was taken by the cities of Lyons, Loudun, Laon, Leon, Lieden, Leignitz, Carlisle and Vienna. |
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