August Eve :: Deity of the Sabbat :: Lugh
Lugh is a solar, light and fire deity. He is the Irish Celtic god of sorcery, poetry, history and carpenters. Adept in
all the arts, Lugh is seen as a patron god of the arts, he is equally as pleased by the work of the simple cobbler as he is
by the sculptured creation of the smiths. Since the majority of art and work is produced to be sold or traded, Lugh is
considered to hold influence over the areas of money, commerce and trade. When trade routes expanded, Lugh’s areas of
influence did as well; he became a protector of travelers, especially of merchant caravans. Like many deities, Lugh’s
personality is dualistic in nature. He is seen as the benevolent god who shared the knowledge of ploughing, sowing and
reaping with the people, but the circumstances through which he obtained this knowledge illustrate the warrior aspect of
his personality.
It was the time of the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh, Bress the Beautiful, who had been ousted as kind of the Tuatha de Danann, was now fighting as an officer on the side of the hated Formorian forces. Armored and carrying the shield that magically protected him from ever being wounded, Lugh defeated Bress in hand to hand combat. He stood erect on the bloody battlefield, magic lance in hand, threatening to end the life of the traitorous former king. In exchange for the knowledge of the harvest, Lugh spared his opponent.
Lugh was not born with all of the skills that were later attributed to him. Etlinn, the Formorian moon goddess and Cian, a shepherd and minor sun deity of the Tuatha de Danann, were his parent but he was raised by the sea god Manannan mac Llyr, to whom he was given by Cian as repayment for previous favors. Manannan mac Llyr treated Lugh as his own and immediately saw the innate abilities within the young, fair-haired boy. Mac Llyr trained, educated and instilled in Lugh the morality of a good leader and king. He learned to appreciate poetry and history alongside the tactical, finer points of warfare. When he was ready to leave his foster father’s house, mac Llyr presented him with a horse he named Enbarr.
Astride Enbarr, Lugh traved overland to the court of Nuada, king of the Tuatha de Danann. When he arrived at Tara’s protective walls with a retinue of fairies dancing around Enbarr’s hooves, he was greeted by a guard who demanded to know his skill.
Lugh replied, “I am a wright”.
The gatekeeper answered, “We already have a wright. Your skills are not needed here.”
Lugh countered, “I am a historian”.
“We already have a record keeper,” came the bored reply.
But Lugh was determined and began to list his many talents, “ I am a smith, a hero, a warrior, a poet, an artisan, a craftsman…; surely you can not have all of these?”
“Ah, but we do, young traveler.” The keeper began to shut the gate.
“Wait! Have you a single man who possesses all of these skills?”
The swinging gate paused and began to move in reverse. As Lugh crossed the threshold, the keeper greeted him, “Welcome to Tara, the home of Nuada, King of the Children of Dana”
The court was soon embroiled in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh (previously mentioned). King Nuada was killed during the fighting and Lugh, who had distinguished himself as a warrior and leader of men was crowned King.1 Lugh did indeed make a great king. He continued to lead the Tuatha de Danann in battles against the dark Formorians and avenged the death of his father Cian by killing the demonic Balor using a sling shot to penetrate his one remaining eye. He gave the people the knowledge he wrested from Bress, which allowed them to cultivate the land for a more stable food supply and he declared an annual celebration in honor of his foster mother Tailtea who had cleared the first forests from the land.
Lugh's Many Names
Find “Fair Haired One”
Lamhfhada “of the Long Arm”
Llew Llaw Gyffes
Lleu Llaw Gyffes
Llwch Llawwynnawe
Lug Lonnbemnech “Many Blows”
Lug Samildanach “Many Skilled”
Lugus
Continue to August Eve :: Llew Llaw Gyffes
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