Lugh, Samildánach - "Many-Gifted One" Options

[SeamusMcEuen]

Lugh


In the night skies of this season, the Perseid meteor showers dance in the dark. They are still known in Ireland as the Games of Lugh....

..."The thing, the other, and what's between" form the Magick Three, recognizing the too often ignored yet crucial relationship between ostensible opposites. Inside and Outside meet at thresholds, Earth and Sky meet at mountain tops, Sea and Earth meet at tide lines, New Year and Old Year meet at Samhain. Any of these things, by bringing opposites into reconciliation, also represent the meeting place of our mundane world and the magical "Otherworld", and are therefore Sacred. A God, who embodies the coming together of many different Realms and Energies, would be extraordinarily powerful even in the company of other Deities.

Such a God is Lugh.

From the outset, Lugh's unique place in the pantheon is guaranteed by his "inter-racial" conception. His mother, Eithne, is the daughter of King Balor, and therefore a princess of the Fomors, the one race said to have always inhabited Ireland. Fomorians, depending on which tale is heard, are monstrously ugly or breathtakingly beautiful, and in either case not to be trusted. Balor, whose magical stronghold is on Tory Island, is aware of a prophecy that he will be killed by his grandson; accordingly, he keeps his daughter Eithne sequestered in a tower, out of the reach of men. The Tuatha Dé Danann, however, are also aware of the prophecy and eager to be rid of Balor's invincible fiery Eye, and one of their number, Cian contrives, with the help of the Druidess Bioróg, to win past Balor's Magickal defenses and break into his stronghold, they escape, and are Wed.

Eithne delivers Lugh, and two more babies (destined to become seals) making Lugh one of three. Balor tries to drown all three, but only Lugh escapes the briny deep, to be fostered by Tailtiu. Cian tries to protect the child magically, and as a result is found out by Balor and killed himself, which leads to the young Lúgh vowing to avenge his father's death. It is his own grandfather who gives him his name, calling him "little one with the long hand" when, mistaking him for the gardener's assistant, he remarks on his ability to reach many apples at once. We learn that he was fostered not only to Tailtiu but to Manannán mac Lir, the ruler of the Otherworld Feast in the Land of Apples, and that he had inherited the use of Manannán's sword Freagartach ("The Answerer"). His usual personal weapon, however, was the Spear of Gorias,. He also inherited Manannán's corrbolg or "crane bag" filled with magical treasure

Irish History tells of Lugh's sudden appearance on the eve of a great battle. The castle gatekeeper refuses to admit him. Lugh says he's a carpenter. The gatekeeper says they already have one. Lugh says he's a smith. He's told they have one of those too. ...At this point, it appeared that anything that Lugh might offer, the gateman would reject, but Lugh persisted with a list of his qualifications - Harpist, Poet, Sorcerer, one skilled in the strategies and tactics of War, Cupbearer, Metalworker and Physician. In each case, the gateman replied that they already had one.

Finally Lugh said, "Then ask the good King if he has anyone who has all of these skills. If he does, I will not enter Tara

When Nuada heard these words, he sent his best chess player to the main gate of Tara to challenge Lugh to a game of chess. Lugh firmly trounced him. At this, Lugh was finally welcomed to Tara. He is the Samildánach, the "Many-Gifted One".

The Tuatha De Danann, were contesting for supremacy in Ireland with the Fomorians. Nuada King of the De Danann was a mighty Warrior, but unfortunately one day in battle, his arm was hacked off at the shoulder. Now, the King must be whole and unblemished on all levels, so even though Nuada's arm was replaced with a lifelike one made of silver, he could no longer lead his people. He was no longer whole and unblemished.

King Nuada was replaced by Eochaid The Beautiful, son of a De Danann woman named Elotha. She had not told him that his father was a Fomorian chief. Eochaid was crowned King of the De Danann with the proviso that if he did not please the people, he would have to abdicate his throne. Yet, after his coronation, for a King of the De Danann, Eochaid became more and more partial to their enemy, the Fomorians. Eventually, the Tuatha De Danann rebelled against him, and Eochaid had to agree to abdicate, but he asked to remain king for just seven years more. He wanted to give his newfound friends, the Fomorians, time to build up their forces.

At that critical point when the Fomorians were finally at the peak of their power, Nuada Silver Arm had a miraculous recovery. Miach, a healer, came to him, and put his hacked-off arm back on, chanted powerful healing charms, and in three days it was restored completely. Nuada then recovered his throne as well and Eochaid defected to the Fomorians. Nuada appointed Lugh as Battle Chief, and he led the Warriors of the Tuatha De Danann to victory over Eochaid and the Fomorians. Lugh`s grandfather Balor had given the Fomorian side a great advantage with his magic eye that consumes anything he looks at, but Lúgh destroys the eye with a slingstone, leading to a rout of the Fomóirí. Then he prepares to destroy his "dark twin", the usurper Bres, who has a Fomorian father and a Danann mother, and in a patrilinear tradition this places his allegiance with his father's people, so that he comes to exhibit Fomorian traits: his stinginess and greed withhold the resources of the Land from the Tuatha Dé Danann, driving them to revolt -- which becomes possible when Nuada's arm is healed, restoring his ability to wield sovereignty. Lugh spares his life when Bres reveals the secrets of the agricultural cycle