Luga (Lug, Lugh, Lámfada)
The Irish name for the Celtic sun god. Also known as
Lleu in Wales and Lugos in France.
He was part Fomorii, since his grandfather was the Irish one-eyed god
Balor, the Formorii champion. The Formorii were
sea gods who challenged the Tuatha De Danann for control of Ireland.
Because of a prophesy that Balor would be killed by his own grandson,
he locked his daughter Eithne in a crystal tower on Tory Island. But
Cian, son of the Tuatha De Danann healing god, Dian Cecht, managed to
seduce the girl with the help of the druidess, Birog. Triplets were
conceived but Luga's two siblings were turned into seals.
Luga became a great warrior and eventually took over the leadership
of the DeDanann from Nuada. At the
second great battle between the Formorii and the De Danann, Luga fulfilled
the phophesy by killing Balor with a sling shot.
Before delivering this blow, Luga circled the ememy army on one foot
and with one eye closed (Balor had one eye) then produced the battle
frenzy as Cuchulainn, by withdrawing
one eye into his head and expanding the other into a hideous, paralysing
stare. Balor's own single eyelid had to be raised by four servants,
and Luga send his shot smashing into the eye as soon as it was opened.
Balor's eye was forced back through his head and his ferocious gaze
fell on his own troops.
Balor died and the Formorii scattered.
