Celtic Goblet - Mullingar Pewter - King Lugh - Legend

LUGH - THE KING OF A MAGICAL RACE
     Lugh was son of Kian of Tuatha the Danaan people. Eithlinn, a noble lady, loved Kian who was father of her triplet sons.
     When Balor of the Evil Eye, a Famorian, and enemy, heard this he ordered that the three babies be drowned at a spot off the Irish coast. The servant carrying out orders wrapped the triplets in a sheet.
     On the way, one of the babies fell from the bundle into a little bay. The remaining two were drowned by the servant who reported mission successful. But that fallen child was saved by a Druidess. His father Kian gave him as a youth to his brother a famous and learned smith who diligently taught him every kind of craft and handiwork. He was the famed Goban Saor of legend who combined hard manual work with art and music thereby setting a standard maintained to the present day.
     On coming to manhood Lugh presented himself at the Royal Palace of Tara. Disdain turned to keen interest when the King discovered he had in his palace a young man who was not alone a carpenter, but a scientist, a physician, a poet, a harper and musicologist, and was gifted with all the soldierly skills including the one of sword and spear. The Goban Saor had done a wonderful job.
     Many stories and legends are attributed to Lugh but one has relevance to Irish Music today. The Fomorian race, whose fortunes were ending at the hands and arms of the Danaans; stole the harp of the great Dagda and made prisoner of his personal harper. Lugh led Dagda and fighter Ogma to the banqueting hall of the Fomorian's encampment. The stolen harp was visible to them on a wall. Invoking magical powers of the Tuatha de Danaan the harp was rescued, nine Fomorians being killed in the process.
     Now that Dagda had his harp back Lugh joined him in the first known "seisiun" of Irish music as practiced right up to this present day.  The musical mode of three distinct strains for the Irish harp entered legend because of this event.
     The second battle of Moytura saw the Tuatha de Danaan victorious over the Fomorians.  Balor, as a result of battle weariness, allowed his infamous eye to droop for a few moments.  Lugh picked up a stone and waited until Balor opened his eye. Hurling the stone with his mighty strength Lugh sank it into his evil eye destroying his brain. Balor lay dead. The Fomoriams were routed.