Who was Lugh?
Jul 21, 2022, 07:04 PM
Speaker: John Ward
An audio overview about the sun God Lugh who gave his name to the most vibrant of cross quarter days, Lughnasa in August.
Lugh played a major role in the battle of Moytura where the Tuatha de Denann defeated the Fomorians led by Balor of the Evil Eye, being his grandfather no less. That defeat at the Poisoned Glen in Donegal is a cracking tale as of course is the one involving his son*, Cúchulainn in The Táin. Lugh offered the boy his only respite from days of slaughter as he finally got some rest for three days and nights, thus recovering from his wounds.
Negotiation and guile were also part of his skillset as he did a deal with the Fomorians to gain knowledge of ploughing, sowing and reaping the harvest. While this demonstrates a move from the megalithic to the modern, needless to say, all his good work will soon be pinched by that grand interloper St Patrick who subsequently replaces him as the hero in all future telling of the battle right down to Reek Sunday occurring on Garland Sunday. Give me the badass daring-do deeds of Lugh over the po-faced saint any day!
© 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if enjoyed, but with a credit or a social media tag to Racontour Productions please.
SPOTIFY: This platform has allowed us to be creative in ensuring you can access it on your smart phone with ease. Below are the Spotify options: -
Celtic Calendar playlist - no music, just audio of all four festivals.
Samhain folklore - music and lore for Samhain
Imbolc folklore - music and lore for Imbolc
Bealtaine folklore - music and lore for Bealtaine
Lughnasa folklore - music and lore for Lughnasa
*Cúchulainn was effectively born three times, so it all gets complicated on the birth cert. Suffice it to say that Lugh was his divine father with the mortal, Deichtire, sister of Conchobar MacNessa, King of Ulster.
An audio overview about the sun God Lugh who gave his name to the most vibrant of cross quarter days, Lughnasa in August.
Lugh played a major role in the battle of Moytura where the Tuatha de Denann defeated the Fomorians led by Balor of the Evil Eye, being his grandfather no less. That defeat at the Poisoned Glen in Donegal is a cracking tale as of course is the one involving his son*, Cúchulainn in The Táin. Lugh offered the boy his only respite from days of slaughter as he finally got some rest for three days and nights, thus recovering from his wounds.
Negotiation and guile were also part of his skillset as he did a deal with the Fomorians to gain knowledge of ploughing, sowing and reaping the harvest. While this demonstrates a move from the megalithic to the modern, needless to say, all his good work will soon be pinched by that grand interloper St Patrick who subsequently replaces him as the hero in all future telling of the battle right down to Reek Sunday occurring on Garland Sunday. Give me the badass daring-do deeds of Lugh over the po-faced saint any day!
© 2021-2022 Racontour Productions. This clip forms part of the Celtic Calendar audio archive from Racontour Productions. Feel free to share if enjoyed, but with a credit or a social media tag to Racontour Productions please.
SPOTIFY: This platform has allowed us to be creative in ensuring you can access it on your smart phone with ease. Below are the Spotify options: -
Celtic Calendar playlist - no music, just audio of all four festivals.
Samhain folklore - music and lore for Samhain
Imbolc folklore - music and lore for Imbolc
Bealtaine folklore - music and lore for Bealtaine
Lughnasa folklore - music and lore for Lughnasa
*Cúchulainn was effectively born three times, so it all gets complicated on the birth cert. Suffice it to say that Lugh was his divine father with the mortal, Deichtire, sister of Conchobar MacNessa, King of Ulster.