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Deep in the mists of time, the Fomor** and the Tuatha de Danaan lived together in harmony in Ireland. A few families intermarried and peace was secured. But for one family, peace was not to be. Balor, champion of the Fomor, received a prophecy that his grandson would be the instrument of his death. Fearing this, Balor locked his daughter, Ethlinn, in a tower to keep her from being courted. Much to Balor's dismay, Ethlinn was wooed by Cian, A Tuatha de Danaan. Soon, Ethlinn gave birth to a son. Ethlinn refused to name the child, but finally did after some trickery on the part of Cian***. He was named Lugh, which means light or brightness. When Balor heard of the boys birth, he plotted to kill the infant. But, the plot failed and Lugh was spirited away to be fostered by Manannan, a Fomor uncle. During his fosterage, Lugh became a skilled warrior earning the name Maicnia. And becoming excellent at crafts, earned him the name Samildanach.
But, good things do not last forever. Bress was king of
the Fomor. He became tyrannical and placed a heavy tribute on the Tuatha
de Danaan. To add injury to insult, Bress refused to honor the visiting
bards in the customary manner. King Nuada and the Tuatha de Danaan prepared
for war.
During the preparations, a young man appeared at the gates of Tara, the traditional seat of Irish power. He asked for entrance, "I am Lugh, son of Cian, my father, and Ethlinn, my mother." As was the rule at Tara, no one could pass through the gates unless they were master of a skill. "Do you have a carpenter?" asked Lugh. "Yes," replied the Gatekeeper. "Do you have a musician?" Again, "Yes." Lugh asked if there was a poet, a healer, a warrior or a blacksmith at Tara. Each time, the Gatekeeper replied, "Yes." Finally, Lugh asked, "Is there someone at Tara who was the master of all there skills?" The Gatekeeper was impressed with Lugh's manner and allowed his entrance. Lugh displayed such extreme talent for various skills, that King Nuada stepped down from his throne and installed Lugh as King of the Tuatha de Danaan. With their new king, the Tuatha de Danaan continued to prepare for war with the Fomor.
The day came and the battle on Mag Utireadh na b-Formorach began. The battle was hard fought on both sides. So much that the combatants no longer stood on the ground, but fought on the bodies of fallen warriors. Lugh dashed about the battlefield lending aid to all those that needed it. Finally, Lugh came face to face with his grandfather. Now, Balor possessed a death dealing eye that was so big that it took four men to lift it's lid. Remembering the prophecy, Balor called for his eye to be opened so he could strike Lugh down. As the eye opened, Lugh placed a tathlum, a concrete ball, in his sling and struck Balor's eye. The hit was so hard that the eye was knocked out the back of Balor's head killing a hundred warriors. For his expertise with a sling, Lugh was given the title Lugh Lamhfhada or bright one of the long arm. With the champion Balor dead, the Fomors faltered. Seeing the weakening in the line, the Tuatha de Danaan renewed their fight and drove the Fomors from Ireland.
* "The Shining One" is an amalgam of Irish and Welsh stories of Lugh (Llew in Welsh). There is more to the story of Lugh than is presented here. For instance, the Welsh story of how Llew was betrayed by his wife has been omitted. Also omitted is how Lugh helped his son, Cuchlainn, in the story "Tain Bo Cuailnge."
** It is important to know that the spelling of proper names may be different than what the reader has seen before. During my research, I have found Fomor also spelled Formors, and the Tuatha de Danaan spelled as Tuatha de Danu. Alternate spellings also exist for Ethlinn (Elatha, Ethniu), Nuada (Nuadha), Samildanach (Ioldanach) and Lamhfhada (Lamfada, Lamfhada). So, quite naturally, it is impossible for me to tell which spelling is most proper.
*** Irish and Welsh mythology is replete with deceit,
betrayal and bloody battles. These color to an already brilliant collection
of stories.
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