Hello and welcome to the second part of our six part series on Heroes. My name is Rachel McGee and I’m a part of Project Béaloideas. Last week, we spoke about one of the three Gods of Skill from the Tuatha Dé Danann, Dagda. Today we’ll be looking at Lugh Lámhfhada - the second God of Skill - and one of his heroic stories. This is the story of the Coming of Lugh.
The story starts with Nuada, of the Silver Hand, hosting a great feast at Teamhair for the Tuatha Dé Danann. At the front gates, there were two door-keepers: Gamal, son of Figal, and Camel, son of Riagall. A young warrior approached the doorkeepers and asked to be brought to the king.
All that needed to be were already there, so the doorkeepers weren’t sure why this young man would want to join the Tuatha Dé at Tara.
And so the door-keeper says “Who are you yourself?”
“I am Lugh, son of Cian of the Tuatha dé Danann, and of Ethlinn, daughter of Balor, King of the Fomor,” the young man began, “and I am foster-son of Taillte, daughter of the King of the Great Plain, and of Echaid the Rough, son of Duach.”
“What craft do you practice? For no one without a craft goes into Tara.”
“Question me, I am a carpenter.”
“We already have the best carpenter of Ireland, Luchtar of the Luchaid.
“Then I am a smith.”
“Well, we already have the best smith in all of Ireland, Colum Cúaléinech of the Three New Techniques.”
“Then I am a master harper.”
“No, we have the best Harper already, Abhean, son of Bicelmos, that the Men of the Three Gods brought from the hills.”
Although being denied again, Lugh persisted. They went through a range of skills that Lugh claimed to possess:
“Then I am a Poet; a teller of all tales.”
“I am a Cup-Bearer; who will never spill a drop.”
“I am a Magician; who can control the world and more.”
“Then I am a Champion; of all games and arts.”
Once again, the doorkeeper insisted they had men of all these skills and there was no need for anyone else at the King’s table.
“Go and ask the King if he has any one man that can do all of these things, and if he had, I will not ask to come into Teamhair.”
So the doorkeeper goes to the King and says “There is a warrior at the doors. He claims to be the master of everything, and he is looking to come into Teamhair.”
“Try him with the Chess Boards,” the King said.
So the boards were brought out and Lugh won every game that was played. When the King was told this, he said: “Let him in, for the like of him never came into Teamhair before.”
And so Lugh made his way into Tara, and he took his seat of knowledge at the King’s table. Lugh played the harp for them all night long; eventually putting them to sleep for the first time in forever with a sleepy tune. From then onwards, Lugh was known as the Ildánach - the most skilled one. Nuada saw the skills Lugh possessed, and he wondered how he could save the country from the Fomor with his help. With this, the King sat Lugh in his place, for thirteen days so that everyone could listen to his advice. This was the beginning of Lugh Lámhada, and the beginning of his journey to becoming a god of skill.
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