Lugh or Lú is one of those deities in the Irish mythological cycle, handed down to us in a scattering of manuscripts. These manuscripts were typically written and decorated by monks, working as scribes. They were documenting and embellishing mythic stories of the people.
Irish myth can be evasive. There are different accounts of the same stories, or much crossover from one source to another. Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin did a great job at introducing these stories in her book An introduction to early Irish literature.
Illustrations of Lugh by Maud Gonne
Before going near who Lugh was, I want to highlight the beautiful illustrations of Lugh by Maud Gonne. Gonne was a revolutionary, mystic and actor. She was fiercly nationalistic and a vocal advocate of women’s rights. W.B. Yeats got caught in her energy, and it seems like he couldn’t just let her go.
The illustrations are from the 1909 book “The Coming of Lugh: A Celtic wonder-tale” written by Ella Young. If you happen to have a copy of the original, you’re welcome to send me it 😉.
Pointing out Lugh?
There is an Ogham stone in Ardmore, Co. Waterford. The inscription starts with “LUGUDECCAS…”.
That’s a person’s first name, and according to that page may mean “Pointing out Lug”.
How do we know about Lugh?
For me, primary sources are important. They’re a way to cut to the chase, to see what others are talking about.
We have manuscripts that have survived the ages. One in particular is in Trinity College Dublin, reffered to as manuscript H 2.17 (catalogue no. 1319). You can view it on Irish Script on Screen.
The manuscript is written in Old Irish, written by monks, and tells the story of Cath Maige Tuired (the Battle of Magh Tuireadh). There’s a signficant “second” or “last” battle too. It’s a battle between the Tuatha Dé Danann and Na Formoirí / The Formonians, in a way between “good and evil”.
When did this battle take place? In the time of the gods. Our Irish myths can be evasive because different manuscripts can tell different variations of the same stories and/or people. It’s best not to think overly rationally about it.
Lugh himself features in this saga. He’s an interesting god, because he’s a mix of the Tuatha Dé Danann (his father Cian) and the Formonians (this mother Ethliu). Some accounts also say that he’s father or divine father of the great Cú Chulainn.
I’m no story teller, and I heartily recommend:
- Candlelit Tales podcast episode #122 – Aron and Sorcha Hegarty
- Story Crow on Lughnasadh – Oliver Lavery is an engaging story teller
Lugh Samildánach
In one of the stories Lugh says (according to Ní Bhrolcháin):
“I am builder, smith, champion, harper, warrior, poet, historian, sorcerer, physician, cupbearer, brazier.”
Lugh has a couple of nicknames. One is Lugh Samildánach. In modern Irish we can write it as “samhail dánach”.
“Samhail” means a model, or in the image of. “Dánach” means talented. So toghether you get the meaning like “image/model of … having arts/skills”, or even “the archetype of all talents”.
In Irish we have related words in use:
We can also go digging on eDil, a dictionary of Old and Middle Irish. It tells us several meanings of “dán”, including:
- a gift;
- a gift from God or Holy Ghost;
- a natural talent;
- profession;
- destined to, in store for; especially destined by fate, fated, allotted
This brings us to the phrase in Irish “i ndán do” which can mean that you’re fated to be, or you had it coming.
Lugh Lámhfhada
Lugh is also an expert with the spear, killing his grandfather Balor of the Evil Eye with a spear or slingshot (depending on the source).
Lámhfhada means “long armed”. A bit like Elastigirl from the Incredibles (thanks to member Mark Kay for this point).
A warning to Today’s Ireland
Philosopher and bog shaman John Moriarty warned in his book Invoking Ireland:
Evidence everywhere suggests that we are the new Fomorians. Ní
In Ireland which will it be? Orpheus and his song or Hercules and his club?
He lays it down to us. Do we take a cultural route of poetry and song, or the violent path of Hercules. Moriarty is imploring us to take the Orphic route.
Gaeilge Gach Lá is not Perfection
Jungian analyst Barbara Hannah, what I might call a soulmate of Louise von Franz, who both worked with C. G. Jung in Zürich said:
Jung became more and more convinced that a satisfactory solution to the contradictions inherent in this one-sidedness could only be found by giving up the hopeless search for perfection and replacing it with a quest for wholeness.
Gaeilge Gach Lá is about the journey, and not about perfection. It’s about exploring your interests with natural curiosity, including language, music and art making.
Aonach Tailteann
We have two love conversations recorded, and see our page on Lúnasa.
Aonach Tailteann was an assembly or fair that Lugh established in honour of his foster mother Tailte.
Reflecting on our Irish Language Journey
What’s ripening for you in your Irish language journey right now?
References
Hannah, B. (1971) Striving Towards Wholeness. New York: C. G. Jung Foundation for Analytical Psychology.
Ní Bhrolcháin, M. (2009) An introduction to early Irish literature. Dublin: Four Courts Press.
Moriarty, J. (2006) Invoking Ireland: Ailiu Iath n-hErend. Dublin: The Lilliput Press. Ireland
Young, E. (1909) The Coming of Lugh. Illustrated by Maud Gonne. Dublin: Maunsel & Co.
If you’re not familiar with the Irish Pagan School (https://irishpaganschool.com/), they have a lot of material on folklore and myths and ogham. They are a group of Irish pagans who work with Irish mythology. You may want to check them out.
Go raibh maith agat, a chara.