Series One: Heroes, Episode Three: Ogma

Ogma

Hello and welcome to the third part of our six-part series on Heroes. Today, we’ll finish up our stories on the Triple Gods of Skill. Until now, we've talked about the Dagda and Lugh Lámhfhada, but there are parts of their stories that we didn't share with you. These parts are vital to this week's champion, Ogma.

After the First Battle of Maigh Tuireadh, the Fomor came and taxed the Tuatha Dé Danann. Under the rule of Bres, the Tuatha Dé Danann payed this tax. The thing we didn’t mention was that the Fomor wanted more. They put the Dagda and Ogma to work. The Dagda had to build forts daily, to be built on his own, without any assistance from the Tuatha Dé Danann. As well as that, Cridenbel, a blind man, who was as clever as a fox, would steal the best parts of his meals. The Dagda almost died from hunger.

Ogma was left in a similar predicament. Instead of building forts, Ogma had to collect and carry firewood. He was never given a break and he also almost died from the hunger too. However, this malnourishment did nothing to diminish his strength, as seen when Lugh of the Long Hand reached Tara. Nuada, the High King of Ireland, was amazed by Lugh’s wide range of skills but Ogma wasn’t as impressed. Ogma stood as Nuada’s champion after Bres’s betrayal and as one of the strongest gods physically, Ogma challenged Lugh. He picked up a flagstone, that would normally have taken eighty oxen to move normally, and he threw it across Tara’s boundary. Lugh put his hand to the stone then and threw it back into the centre of the King’s hall. After seeing Lugh’s strength, as well as his skills and intelligence, was satisfied. From then on, Ogma fought as Lugh’s champion, and Lugh stood as Nuada's.

When the battle against the Fomor came, Ogma promised to fight against one third of the Fomorian army and to put an end to one of the Fomorian Kings. And as this was what he promised, that is what he did. He fought against one third of the Fomorian army, and won. He took Orna, Tethra’s sword, as he did so. At this time, swords would sing of what they did, or what was done with them, whether good or evil. As well as this, he fought against Indech, a Fomorian King and won. Unfortunately, both warriors were fatally wounded during this fight. As we know, Ogma’s strength lasted long enough for him to go on an adventure with the Dagda and Lugh. But after that, we have little to no information on what happened to him.

Chances are, you recognised Ogma’s name, or at least noticed that his name sounds like Ogham, the ancient Gaelic tract. Well, this isn’t a coincidence. Ogma created this tract. The first time he used Ogham, it stood as a warning. He learned that the Sí wanted to kidnap Lugh’s wife and to take her back to the Otherworld. Now, Lugh had four wives at any one time, so we’re not certain which wife they planned to abduct. Anyway, Ogma took a piece of birch and cut seven carvings of the letter ‘b’ into the wood. With this message, Ogma warned Lugh that only Birch would be enough to protect her from the Sídhe.

This is Ogma’s story and the most information we have at him so far. Chances are, he, the Dagda, and Lugh will make a return in our later series. But until then, that's all we have on the Triple Gods of Skill. Join us next week to hear our story on the Gael.