![]() Lugh’s killing of Bres attests to this fact. Illustration of Lugh’s magic spear by Harold Robert Millar. This seems opposed to his role as an arbiter of justice but Lugh was not above-using tricks to get his way. There were aspects of a trickster god in the mythology of Lugh. He was said to enact justice on wrongdoers and his justice was often merciless and swift. Named after his foster mother Tailtiu, the Assembly was an Irish version of the Olympic games where horse racing and various displays of martial arts were practiced.Īs per his name, Lugh was also the god of oaths and contracts. He is said to have invented the Irish board game of fidchell, as well as started the Assembly of Talti. He is usually described as looking very youthful and handsome and was said to be a master horseman.Īpart from being a great warrior, Lugh was also considered a craftsman and inventor. He was a fierce warrior and fighter, wielding his famed spear with great skill. The god Lugh was a bundle of contradictions. Some of his other names are mac Ethleen/Ethnenn (meaning ‘son of Ethliu/Ethniu’), mac Cien (meaning ‘son of Cian’), Lonnbéimnech (meaning ‘fierce striker’), Macnia (meaning ‘youthful warrior’ or ‘boy hero’), and Conmac (meaning ‘hound-son’ or ‘son of hound’). He was also called Ildánach (‘skilled in many arts’) and Samildánach (‘skilled in all the arts’). It could also mean ‘artful hands,’ referring to his reputation as a master craftsman and artist. One of the names that the ancient Celts had for him was Lámfada, which means ‘long arm.’ This was possibly a reference to his skill with and fondness for spears. Lugh also bore many epithets and titles, which allude to his different skills and powers. The Proto Indo-European ‘k’ did not give rise to the Celtic ‘g’ and this theory does not stand up to criticism. ![]() Modern scholars do not find this theory convincing because of phonetic reasons. However, earlier scholars theorized that his name derived from the root word ‘leuk.’ It was also a Proto Indo-European word that meant ‘flashing light,’ giving rise to speculation that Lugh may have been a sun god at some point. There may have been two roots for the name ‘Lugh.’ Most modern scholars think that it derives from the Proto Indo-European root word ‘leugh’ which means ‘to bind by oath.’ This ties in with the theories that he was also the god of oaths, truth, and contracts. His status was almost equal to that of the High King, which shows us how highly the Irish valued literature and the arts. All the High Kings of Ireland had a Chief Ollam to cater to them and their court. Lugh was not just a king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, but also the first Ollamh Érenn or Chief Ollam of Ireland. They were their ancestors, their chiefs, and their kings. Whatever the case may have been, the gods of Celtic mythology are very close to the hearts of the Irish people. ![]() It is also equally possible that he was an ancient all-wise and omniscient Celtic god that the later generations adapted as a mythic hero. It may have been that these heroes of legend were once men who were later deified. ![]() The ancient Celts considered the Tuatha Dé Danann their ancestors and the forefathers of the Irish people. Lugh is considered a savior and hero in Celtic mythology since he helped the Tuatha Dé Danann to win against the Fomorians. Unlike Bres, he chose the Tuatha Dé Danann. Since the two clans were always warring against each other, like Bres, Lugh had to choose between his mother’s and his father’s family. His half Tuatha Dé Danann and half-Fomorian lineage meant that it placed him in an interesting position. Lugh was the son of Cian, the physician of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and Ethniu or Ethliu. Most texts associate him with art and craftsmanship, weaponry, law, and truth. According to some sources, he was a sun god. Considered a master craftsman and a wise king, it is difficult to tell exactly which domains he ruled over. Lugh was a very important figure in Irish mythology. Festivals and Sites Associated with Lugh.Warrior and King of the Tuatha Dé Danann. ![]()
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