NAME Labhraidh
EPITHET Swift Hand on the Sword (Luathlam ar Cledeb)
ALTERNATIVE Labra / Labraid / Luath ar Claideb /
Luathlam ar
Cladeb
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Field of Happiness (Magh Mell)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Li Ban (wife); Fand (sister-in-law)
ENEMIES Eochaidh Iuil / Senach Siabarthe / Eogan
Indber
SEE ALSO Cu Chulainn / Fand / Laeg / Li Ban / Manannan
REMARKS Labhraidh heard about Cu Chulainn's fighting
skill against the Fomorians so he sent his wife Li Ban with
a message asking for Cu Chulainn's help against his 3
enemies: Eochaidh Iuil, Senach Siabarthe, and Eogan Indber.
In return for Cu Chulainn's help, Labhraidh offerred him
the hand of Fand.
Li Ban returned with Cu Chulainn's charioteer Laeg so
that he could do a reckoning of Magh Mell, Labhraidh's
territory, which was an island in a lake. When Laeg
returned to Cu Chulainn, he described Labhraidh as having
long blond hair held back by a golden apple.
In the garden of Labhraidh was a house that could hold
150 warriors, purple trees with beautiful songbirds, fruit
trees that could bear enough fruit to feed 300 warriors, a
supernatural well and a vat of intoxicating mead that never
went dry. The island was also visited by troops of women.
Cu Chulainn came to Magh Mell and Labhraidh put him in
charge of his army and made him his champion. During the
battle with the Fomorians, Cu Chulainn killed Eochaidh Iuil
and 30 of his warriors. The Fomorian chieftain Senach
Siabarthe attacked next and he also was killed by Cu
Chulainn. Labhraidh and his army, which had been held in
reserve, then attacked and together they routed the
remainder of their enemies including Manannan and his
warriors who fought for Eogan Indber of the Fomorians. Cu
Chulainn had to be cooled in three vats of water so that he
would not turn his anger against his friends.
NAME Labraid Loingsech
EPITHET The Mariner Who Speaks (Labraidh Loineach)
ALTERNATIVE Labra / Labraidh / Maen / Maon / Moen (dumb)
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Carlow / Meath
TERRITORY Mide / Leinster / Munster / Connacht / Ulster
LANDMARKS Barrow / Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c / BC 529-510 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
BATTLES Dind Rig
ACCESSORIES Galian warriors
RELATIVES Ailill (father); Moriath (wife); Oengus Ollom
(grandson); Laoghaire (grandfather); Ugaine
(great-grandfather); Cesair (great-grandmother);
Cobhthach (granduncle); Scoriath (father-in-
law); Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
ENEMIES Cobhthach
SEE ALSO Ailill Aine / Cesair / Cobhthach Coel /
Craiphtine / Eremon / Ferchertne / Laoghaire Loc
/ Moriath / Scoriath / Ugaine / Tea
REMARKS When Labraid was still a youth, his grandfather
and then his father were both murdered by his grandfather's
brother Cobhthach Coel. When Cobhthach poisoned Labraid's
father, he cut out his heart and made Labraid eat it. The
horror of the expierence caused the boy to lose his voice
and he became known as Moen (dumb).
Labraid fled from Ireland to the land of the Pretani
where he served as a mercenary to the chieftain of the
Armenia, a tribe who decorated their hair with flecks of
gold. After some time passed, Labraid travelled on to Gaul
to see if he could make use of his great-grandmother's
connections. At the suggestion of his poet Ferchertne, he
sailed to Aremorica and met Scoriath, the head chieftain of
the Fir Morc.
While Labraid was playing hurley one day, he was hit
with a stick which made him yell out, thereby regaining his
speech. Scoriath had a beautiful daughter named Moriath
who fell in love with Labraid and they eventually married.
With the help of his father-in-law, Labraid raised an army
and set sail for Dinn Rig.
When they approached the shore, Cobhthach's druid
asked the first ship if the leader could speak and the
reply was "Yes, he is Labraidh Loineach (the mariner who
speaks)" which was a play on his name.
Labraid landed at Wexford with his army of Gaesatae
(battle-line) which was made up of Galian and Luaighni
warriors of the Cauci and Menapii tribes. They carried
spears with blue-green iron heads called Laighne (Lyna).
Labraid and his warriors seized control of Dinn Rig and
called the territory Laighin {Ly-in} which became known as
Leinster.
Labraid spent a year secretly building a special iron
house. On the eve of Samhain a great feast was held.
Cobhthach and his chieftains who had survived the battle
were invited as the guests of honor. They were tricked
into entering the iron house which was then set afire and
they were roasted alive. With the death of Cobhthach,
Labraid became the high chieftain of Ireland.
Labraid could hear everything that was happening
around him, even if it was whispered, because he had
horse's ears. He wore his hair so his people would never
see his disfigurement. Every time he had his hair cut, he
would have the barber killed in order to keep the secret.
One barber managed to tell the tree he was hanged on before
he died. Eventually a branch of the tree was cut off and
made into a harp for Craiphtine. The first time Craiphtine
played the harp, it told of Labraid's horse ears.
Labraid spent 19 years as the high chieftain of
Ireland before he was slain by Melge, son of Cobhthach, who
became the next high chieftain. He ruled the island for 17
years until he was killed by Mug Corb, son of Rechtaid
Rigderg of Mumu. Labraid's son Oengus Ollom also served 18
years as the high chieftain of Ireland until he was killed
by Irereo, son of Melge.
EPITHET The ancient (Ada)
ALTERNATIVE Ladha
GENDER M
CATEGORY druid
TYPE navigator
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Kerry
TERRITORY Munster
LANDMARKS Corco Duibne
SITES Dun na mBarc / Ard Ladrann
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 21st c
RELATIVES Bith (father); Cessair (sister); Bath (brother)
SEE ALSO Banba / Cessair
REMARKS When Cessair and her followers landed at Dun na
mBarc in Corco Duibne in Munster, she divided the women
into 3 groups. Ladra the navigator went with Banba and her
15 women to form a settlement but he died from excess of
women. Another story said that he died when an oar pierced
his buttock. He was buried (without a green point) at Ard
Ladrann.
NAME Laeg
EPITHET Greatest of Charioteers
ALTERNATIVE Laeg {Lay} / Loeg
GENDER M
SYMBOL raven
CATEGORY hero / charioteer
TYPE champion driver for Cu Chulainn
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Ath Ferdiad (Ferdiad's Ford) / The Otherworld -
Plain of Delight (Magh Mell) / Ath Lethain
(Lethan's Ford)
CENTERS Dundalk (Dun Dealgan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech & Irgairech
ACCESSORIES buckskin tunic / cape of raven feathers / battle
cap / head badge of red-gold / golden goad
RELATIVES Riangabair (father); Id, Ibar and Sedlang
(brothers)
ENEMIES Host of Connacht / Lugaid mac Curoi
SEE ALSO Badbh Catha / Calatin / Cu Chulainn / Fand /
Ferdiad / Follomain / Ibar mac Riangabra / Id
macRiangabra / Lethan / Li Ban / Lugaid mac
Curoi / Sedlang
REMARKS Laeg and his brothers were all charioteers for
famous chariot warriors. Laeg was the charioteer and good
friend to Cu Chulainn and could operate in a close
proximity when Cu Chulainn was in his warrior's heat. He
always called Cu Chulainn "Cucuc". Laeg was described as a
slender, tall man with curly red hair and a freckled face.
Laeg and Cu Chulainn shared many adventures, and Laeg
had to fight in some of the battles himself. He fought his
brother Id, charioteer of Ferdiad, during the combat
between Cu Chulainn and Ferdiad at Ath Ferdiad. He also
fought Mulcha, Lethan's charioteer.
When Cu Chulainn had been cured by his god-father Lugh
and had awoken from his 3-day healing sleep, he was told of
the slaughter of the boy-troop of Ulster and their leader
Follomain. Follomain and the troop of 3x50 warrior youths
had been under Cu Chulainn's protection and now they were
all dead.
Cu Chulainn told Laeg to prepare his battle chariot
and to attach the scythes to the wheels, then to prepare
the horses and himself. The battle chariot was a heavy war
chariot covered with sharp points and barbs so that it
resembled a charging porcupine. The scythes were long
blades that were parallel extensions of the wheel. They
spun around as the wheel turned, causing considerable
damage to the lower parts of animals and humans.
Laeg then prepared the horses: the Black of Saingliu
and the Gray of Macha. He dressed them in their coats of
armor and iron chain mail and attached them to the battle
chariot. Laeg next put on his charioteer's battle dress
with his tunic of buckskin and a cape of raven feathers
over it. He wore his multi-colored battle-cap which was
covered in figures. The battle-cap protected his shoulders
and back and was fitted with a crest on the top. He then
placed the strip of red-gold over his forehead which was
his badge of charioteering. He took the hobbles off the
horses, and with his golden goad in his right hand and the
reins in his left, he drove over to pick up his master,
Cucuc.
Cu Chulainn was dressed in his battle armor of 27
waxed tunics girdled by cord, swathings and ropes. This
was to protect himself when he became deranged by his
riastarthae. Over this he wore his champion's battle
girdle made from the forequarters of 7 young oxen. The
girdle covered the area from under his armpits to the
narrow of his waist. He then wore his silken trews with
bands of golden plates against the soft parts of his loins.
Over this he wore another battle girdle of cowhide. The
next layer was a hide kilt made from the shoulders of 4
oxen. This protected him from the narrow part of his waist
to the thick part of his legs.
Cu Chulainn then loaded his battle chariot with his
favorite weapons of war. He took with him 1 tusk-hilted
long sword, 8 little swords, 1 quiver of 8 small spears, 1
five-pronged spear, 8 little darts, 1 javelin, 8 small
shafts, 1 play-staff, 8 shields for feats and his dark red
curved shield with its keen cutting edge of hard iron. Cu
Chulainn then put on his crested four-cornered war helmet
with a carbuncle at each corner and placed his purple fan
over his face. He then put a cloak of invisibility over
himself, his charioteer and his horses: a talent he had
learned from his foster-father Manannan.
Cu Chulainn then let out a warrior's yell that shook
the very fabric of the earth and air around him, alerting
the fiends, goblins and spirits of the coming slaughter.
His body took on the contorted shape of his riastarthae,
shifting bone and muscle. One eye was sucked into his head
and the other grew to 5 times its normal size. His mouth
opened from ear to ear, his hair bristled and his
champion's light stood out on his forehead. In this
monstrous state, he then mounted his war chariot and was
driven to the camp of the Host of Connacht.
Laeg manouevered the war chariot through the hoard of
enemy warriors while Cu Chulainn delivered his thunder-feat
of 100, the thunder-feat of 200, the thunder-feat of 300,
the thunder-feat of 400, until he reached the thunder-feat
of 500.
Laeg then drove the chariot in a large circle around
the Host of Connacht, pushing the earth into a high wall
(the hedge of Badbh) so that they could not escape. He
then rode 6 times in a spiralling circle through the
warriors of Connacht, with the scythes piling the
slaughtered mutilated corpses onto a bed of six rows.
Sessrech Breslige (Great Sixfold Slaughter) was the name of
this massacre. Laeg then drove off the battlefield without
having any wounds or injuries to his master, his horses or
himself.
Before the Battle of Gairech & Irgairech, Cu Chulainn
had Laeg awaken the warriors of Ulster. Laeg reported to
Cucuc that they went into battle naked (without armor)
except for their weapons.
Laeg also sailed with Li Ban to Mag Mell (Plain of
Delight) of The Otherworld in a bronze boat to inspect the
beauty of Fand. He then returned with Cu Chulainn to
recover Fand's territory in The Otherworld.
Laeg, the Black of Saingliu, Cu Chulainn and the Gray
of Macha all died on the same day. Laeg was killed by a
javelin that was especially made by the sons of Calatin to
kill a champion. Lugaid mac Curoi was the warrior who
threw the javelin. Laeg, the greatest of charioteers, was
dead.
NAME Laeghaire mac Crimthann
ALTERNATIVE Laegaire / Laoghaire / Leaghaire / Loegaire /
Loeghaire / Loegure / Loghaire
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / Red Branch champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Tyrone
TERRITORY Connacht / Ulster / The Otherworld - The Plain
of the Two Mists (Magh Da Cheo)
SITES Bird Lake (Enloch)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Crimthann (father); Der Greine (wife); Fiachna
mac Retach (father-in-law)
ENEMIES Goll mac Dolb
SEE ALSO Dolb / Fiachna mac Retach
REMARKS Crimthann Cass, a chieftain of Connacht, was
holding an assembly at Bird Lake in county Tyrone when out
of the mist came Fiachna mac Retach of the sidhe. He
reported that his wife and daughter had been abducted and
were being held by Goll mac Dolb of Magh Mell (Field of
Happiness). Fiachna explained that he was hiring
mercenaries and would pay in silver and gold to those
warriors willing to help. Laeghaire mac Crimthann, a Red
Branch champion of Ulster, volunteered and brought 50
warriors with him. They followed Fiachna mac Retach to
Magh Da Cheo (The Plain of Two Mists) in The Otherworld
where Laeghaire killed Goll in combat.
Fiachna was so happy to be reunited with his wife and
family that he offered his daughter's hand in marriage to
Laighaire. Laighaire married Der Greine (Sun Tear) and
decided to stay in the Sidhe. None of his warriors
returned from the battle and legend claims that they all
found partners among the Danann.
NAME Laighlinne
ALTERNATIVE Laiglinde / Laiglinne
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Partholean tribe
COUNTRY Turkey / Ireland
REGION Asia Minor
TERRITORY Phrygia
LANDMARKS Plateau of Phrygia
SITE Loch Laiglinne (burial site)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
RELATIVES Partholon (father); Dealgnaid (mother); Aife
(sister/wife); Senboth, Slainge, Rudraidhe,
Eber, Er, Orba, Ferann and Fergna (brothers);
Aidne, Aine, Fochain, Muchos, Melepard, Glas,
Grennach, Ablach and Gribendach (sisters); Magog
(ancestor)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Dealgnaid / Eber / Magog / Partholon / Rudraidhe
/ Senboth / Slainge
REMARKS Laighlinne, son of Partholon, was one of the
four chieftains who helped lead their people from their
territory on the Plateau of Phrygia in Turkey to Ireland.
In the 10th year of their arrival he led his warriors
against the Fomorians during the battle of Magh Ibha.
Fifteen years after they arrived in Ireland,
Laighlinne died. When they were digging his grave, Loch
Laiglinne in Ui mac Uais of Breg burst over the land.
NAME Lam Gabuid
EPITHET Hand of the Yellow Spear
ALTERNATIVE Lamha
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Aengus (son)
ENEMIES Cet
SEE ALSO Aengus mac Lamh Gabuid / Cet
REMARKS Lam threw a spear at Cet who was raiding wild
cattle in Ulster but Cet recovered the spear and threw it
back at Lam, cutting off his hand.
ALTERNATIVE Lamfhind / (Lam = hand)/(fine = tribe or family)
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Russia / Ukraine
REGION Daghestan (Eastern Albania)
TERRITORY Scythia
LANDMARKS Caucasus / Caspian Sea / Black Sea / Strait of
Kerch (Euxine River) / Rhipaean Mountain / Azov
Sea (Maeotic Marshes)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 18th c
RELATIVES Agnomain (father); Eber Glunfhind (son); Glas
and Allot (brothers); Iafeth and Rifath Scot
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Reafloir
SEE ALSO Brath / Feinius Farsaid / Nel / Iafeth /
Reafloir / Rifath Scot / Sru / Feinius Farsaid
REMARKS Lamfind, son of Agnomain, was a descendant of
Rifath Scot. Agnomain had killed Reafloir, son of Refill
"The Sea Lord", in combat for the position of head
chieftain of the two arms of the family of Feinius Farsaid.
The followers of Refloir refused to be led by Agnomain and
drove the children of Nel out of the territory.
Agnomain secured 3 ships and put 20 female and 40 male
warriors in each. After 7 years of searching the north
side of the Caspian Sea looking for a way to the great
ocean, Agnomain died.
The 3 ships were now led by Allot, Cing and Caicher
the druid, all under the head chieftain Lamfind. The
Goidel travelled from Eastern Albania (Dagestan), a
territory situated north of the Caucasus on the Caspian
Sea, to the Euxine River (Strait of Kerch).
The druid Caicher advised that when they should pass
through the waters of the Sirens they could wax their ears
for protection. Here north of the Rhipaean mountain they
found a spring with water that tasted like wine.
After 3 nights of rest they pushed onward to the
Maeotic Marshes (Sea of Azov). Here Lamfhind had a son
born to him who was named Eber Glunfhind (Glun = knee or
generation)/(fine = tribe or family). Eber Glunfhind was
the next chieftain of his people.
Alloth, brother of Lamfind, also had a son born in the
marshes and he was Eber Dub. The tribe stayed in the
marshes until the time of Brath, son of Death.
NAME Laoghaire Lorc
ALTERNATIVE Laegaire / Laeghaire / Leaghaire / Loegaire /
Loeghaire / Loegure / Loghaire / Loiguire Lorc
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Mide / Leinster / Munster / Connacht / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c / BC 581-579 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
RELATIVES Ugaine (father); Cesair (mother); Ailill Aine
(son); Labraid (grandson); Cobhthach and Fergus
Cnai (brothers)
ENEMIES Cobhthach
SEE ALSO Ailill Aine / Cesair / Cobhthach Coel / Labraid
Loingsech / Ugaine
REMARKS Laoghaire became the high chieftain of Ireland
for 2 years after the death of his father. His brother
Cobhthach hated him and was alway looking for a way to kill
him.
Laoghaire received word that his brother had died and
was laid out in his burial chariot ready to be taken to his
mound to be buried. Laoghaire was to erect the standing
stone for his brother. When Laoghaire went into the
tumulus and bent down to view his brother, Cobhthach, who
was only faking death, stabbed Laoghaire in the heart.
NAME Larine macNois
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster exile / cause of Connacht
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan) / Raith Cruachan
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
RELATIVES son of Nos / great-grandson of Blathmac /
Lugaid (brother)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Pictland / Ulster
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Cu Chulainn / Lugaid macNois /
Medbh
REMARKS Larine was a younger, foolish and arrogant
brother of Lugaid macNois. Medbh and Ailill were priming
him to fight Cu Chulainn so that when he lost, Lugaid would
avenge his death. Lugaid went to the camp of Cu Chulainn
and told him of Medbh's plan.
When Larine arrived for battle in the early morning
with his wagon of weapons, he was not accompanied by the
usual array of warriors to watch the combat. The only
followers he had were 3x50 women, boys and girls who went
to jeer at him.
Cu Chulainn had decided not to bring any weapons to
the encounter and when Larine arrived, Cu Chulainn rushed
him and knocked his weapon away. Then he grabbed Larine in
a bear hug and shook him until the air was fouled by his
waste. Cu Chulainn then threw him with all his might and
he landed at the door of Lugaid's tent.
Larine was the only combatant to escape death after
having challenged Cu Chulainn on the Cualnge Cattle Raid.
Larine's body was never the same again: his joints and
muscles always ached, he could not eat right and he had to
relieve himself frequently.
NAME Latis
GENDER F
CATEGORY deity
TYPE water goddess
CULTURE Pictish / Briton - Brigantes tribe
COUNTRY England
REGION Cumbria
TERRITORY Lloegr
LANDMARKS bogs / swamps / pools
SITES Birdoswald / Fallstead
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 13th c / BC 6th c
REMARKS The water deity Latis was venerated at
Birdoswald and Fallstead in Cumbria in association with
bogs, swamps, pools, and beer. This territory was settled
by the Brigantes in two waves. The first group settled the
area in BC 13th century and the second arrived in BC 6th
century.
NAME Latobius
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE mountain god
CULTURE Hallstatt
COUNTRY Austria
TERRITORY Alps
LANDMARKS Alps / Mur
SITES Mount Koralpe
AGE Iron
DATES BC 4th c
REMARKS Latobius was a mountain and sky god who was
venerated on Mount Koralpe which reached 7000ft (2144 m)
into the sky. A tributary of the Mur river has its
headwaters there, eventually flowing into the Drave and
into the Danube.
The area was settled by early Hallstatt Celts who
mined salt, then by invading Gallic warriors in BC 4th
century.
NAME Le Fer Flaith
ALTERNATIVE Le Fear Flaith / Lia Fer Flatha
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / young son of Conaire (Ard Righ
Eirinn)
CULTURE Goidel / Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg / Magh Liffey / Magh Cnamroiss
(Field of Bonewood)
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
RELATIVES Mess Buachalla (grandmother); Conaire Mor
(father); Cairbre Musc, Cairbre Baschain,
Cairbre Riada, Oball and Oblene (brothers)
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Cairbre Musc / Cairbre Riada / Conaire
Mor / Da
Derga / Donn Desa / Ingcel / Mac
Cecht / Mess
Buachalla / Red Riders
REMARKS Le Fer Flaith was with his father the high
chieftain of Ireland on their way to Da Derga's Hostel when
they came up behind the 3 Red Riders. Le Fer Flaith rode
ahead on his horse to ask the 3 Reds if they would allow
the entourage of the high chieftain of Ireland to pass. He
could not get any closer than the distance of a good spear
cast, but one of the red warriors recited a poem of coming
doom, bloodshed and destruction.
Ingcel described Le Fer Flaith as a boy of 7 years
with 3 colors of hair: green, yellow-crimson and gold. He
had red-freckled skin and wore a cloak of purple. He and
3x50 boys sat on blue-silver chairs. Le Fer Flaith carried
15 darts made from the stocks of bullrushes with thorns for
heads. During the destruction at Da Derga's, Le Fer Flaith
put out 15 right eyes including one of Ingcel's which had
seven pupils.
When Conaire asked Mac Cecht to get him water to
quench his terrible thirst due to a druidic spell, Mac
Cecht took Le Fer Flaith with him. Mac Cecht hid him under
his arm for protection but by the time his wild ride for
water met with success, Mac Cecht's warrior heat had melted
the flesh from Le Fer Flaith's body, leaving only bones.
Mac Cecht buried his remains at Magh Cnamroiss (Field of
Bonewood).
NAME Lebarcham
ALTERNATIVE Lavarcham / Lebharcham / Lebhorcham
GENDER F
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / filidh
TYPE warrior / watch guard / messenger / poet
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh Muirthemni
SITES Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Aue (Ear) (mother); Adarc (Horn) (father);
Deirdre (foster-daughter)
SEE ALSO Conchobar / Cu Chulainn / Deirdre / Fand / Li
Ban / Naoise
REMARKS Lebarcham daughter of Aue (Ear) and Adarc (Horn)
was on watch when Cu Chulainn approached the raith of Emain
Macha and she gave the warning to Conchobar that the 7-
year-old Cu Chulainn was returning in a battle frenzy.
Conchobar sent Lebarcham to fetch Cu Chulainn for the
Samhain festival at Emain Macha which led to the drunken
ride to Temair Luachra.
During another Samhain celebration, Lebarcham
suggested to Cu Chulainn that he capture some birds for the
women to wear on their shoulders. Cu Chulainn was angry
because of the frivolousness of the deed until she reminded
him that many of the women blemished themselves by going
around with one eye closed in imitation of him when he was
in his riastartha. The situation led to him trying to
shoot down two Danann goddesses, Fand and Li Ban, who were
disguised as birds.
Lebarcham was the filidh whom Conchobar appointed to
oversee the upbringing of Deirdre who would be his
concubine when she was old enough. They lived in seclusion
away from males with their female servants and Deirdre's
maidens in a great wood of Ulster. One day when Deirdre
was reaching womanhood and pining for a handsome man,
Lebarcham told her of Naoise, a youth of raven-black hair,
blood-red cheeks on snow-white skin. Deirdre immediately
fell in love and demanded to meet this Red Branch warrior.
When they finally met, Deirdre used her charms to persuade
Naoise to take her away from her dreary life. Naoise and
Deirdre eloped to Albainn (Scotland/northern England) where
Naoise and his brothers hired out as mercanaries and lived
a life of youthful adventure.
When Conchobar was forced by the warriors of the Red
Branch to allow Deirdre and Naoise to return to Ulster,
Conchobar sent for Lebhoecham and asked if Deirdre was
still beautiful. Lebarcham spoke of her bad points and
tried to convince Conchobar that Deirdre had lost her
looks. The situation eventually led to the the civil war
of Ulster.
Years later when Cu Chulainn prepared for his death
ride, Lebarcham begged him not to go and instigated 3x150
women to keen, lament and hit their hands in protest that
they would not see him again.
NAME Leil
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Rix
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain of Britain
CULTURE Goidel - Coritani tribe
COUNTRY England / Wales / Scotland
TERRITORY Lloegr / Cambria / Albainn
SITES Caer Leil (Carlisle)
CENTERS Caer Troia (Town of Troy) present-day Ilford
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 10th c (ruled 25 years) / BC 935 ca. (died)
RELATIVES Brute Greenshield (father); Rud Hud Hudibras
(son); Ebraucos (grandfather)
SEE ALSO Ebraucos / Rud Hud Hudibras
REMARKS During Leil's time as high chieftain of Britain
he brought peace and prosperity to his people. He
constructed a fort in northwestern England which he called
Caer Leil.
In the last years of his rule, civil war broke out
among the tribes and was still raging when his son Rud
established himself as head chieftain.
NAME Leir
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Rix
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain of Britain
CULTURE Goidel - Coritani tribe
COUNTRY England / Wales / Scotland
REGION Leicestershire / Lincolnshire
TERRITORY Lloegr / Cambria / Albainn
LANDMARKS Thames / Soar
SITES burial chamber just south of Leinster
CENTERS Caer Troia (Town of Troy) present-day Ilford /
Caerleir (Leir's fort), present-day Leicester
AGE Iron
DATES BC 9th (ruled 60 years) / BC 816 ca. (died)
RELATIVES Bladud (father); Goneril, Regan and Cordelia
(daughters); Marganus and Cunedagius (grandsons)
ENEMIES Goneril / Regan
SEE ALSO Bladud / Cordelia / Cunedagius / Dianos /
Goneril / Marganus / Regan
REMARKS Leir succeeded his father as the high chieftain
of Britain and ruled for sixty years. During his reign he
founded Caerleir (Leir's fort) on a tributary of the Soar
river where present-day Leicester now stands.
Leir had three daughters and when he became older he
asked his daughters how much they loved him. Goneril and
Regan, the two oldest, flattered the old man and were
married off to two important chieftains with dowries of
huge sections of Britain.
Cordelia, who was his favorite daughter and who loved
him the most, refused to answer such a silly question. The
old man became angry and refused her a dowry, but she was
allowed to marry a chieftain of Gaul.
Not long after, the two elder daughters conspired and
divided his territory between themselves. Leir was
maintained by his elder daughter Goneril and was allowed to
keep a retinue of 140 warriors, which were soon reduced to
30. Leir appealed to his second daughter Regan, who took
him in but reduced his retinue to 5 warriors. This was a
major insult to the once-powerful chieftain so he returned
to live with Goneril who added insult to injury by reducing
his retinue to 1.
Leir, highly insulted, sailed to Gaul to visit his
youngest daughter and there he was treated with the dignity
he deserved. Cordelia outfitted her father with fine
clothing that befitted his status and provided him with an
army to recapture his territory.
When Leir died, his daughter Cordelia buried him in a
chamber under the Soar river downriver from Leicester and
dedicated the chamber to Dianos, god of the portal.
NAME Len
EPITHET Of the Many Hammers
GENDER M
CATEGORY artisan
TYPE goldsmith
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Killarney
TERRITORY Munster
SITES Loch Leann (Lake of Learning)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
SEE ALSO Bobd Dearg
REMARKS Len was a goldsmith for Bodb Dearg. Loch Leann
(Lough Lena) was named after him.
NAME Lena
GENDER M
CATEGORY herder
TYPE swineherd
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Leinster
SITES Hostel (Bruidhean)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Mac Da Tho (father); Ucha (mother)
SEE ALSO Eochaid Belbuide / Mac Da Tho / Ucha /
REMARKS Lena found Mac Da Tho's boar in the oak forest
and reared it for 7 years until it buried him alive with
earth that it pushed over him when he was sleeping.
Mac Da Tho's swineherd Follscaide took the animal to
the hostel to be slaughtered for the feast. Lena was also
accused of capturing 7 cows from Eochaid Belbuide.
NAME Lendabair
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS Dun Rudrige
SITES Tech Midchuarta
CENTERS Taltiu (Teltown)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Eogan (father); Findige (mother); Conall
(husband); Rathand and Irial Glunmar (sons)
SEE ALSO Bricriu / Conall Cernacht / Cu Chulainn / Emer /
Eogan mac Durthacht / Fedlimid Nocruthach /
Loeghaire Buadhach / Sencha mac Ailella
REMARKS During the feast given by Bricriu at his new
home Tech Midchuarta, he convinced Lendabair that because
of her beauty and fame she should be the first of the women
to enter the great hall ahead of Fedlimid and Emer: a
privilege called first footing.
When the time came for the women to make their grand
entrance to the feast, the three wives of the champions and
their 3x50 maidens began their procession slowly and with
great dignity. As they came closer to the entrance they
each began to hurry so they would be the first to enter.
When each realized that the other was also trying to get
there first, all three hiked their dresses to their hips
and ran.
Sencha realized that Bricriu was behind this and
ordered the guards to close the door. Outside the door the
women began a war of words as they praised their husbands.
Conall and Loeghaire tore poles from the walls to let their
women in but Cu Chulainn lifted the side of the building so
Emer could make her grand entrance with her 150 women.
When Cu Chulainn dropped the wall back into place it
sunk 7 feet into the ground and the house shook so much
that Bricriu's bower fell and he and his wife ended in the
garbage heap with the dogs. Bricriu put a geis of not
eating and drinking on the host until the raith wall was
fixed. Cu Chulainn completed the repairs in record time
and the party continued.
NAME Leno
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun god
CULTURE Ligurian
COUNTRY France
REGION Alpes-Maritimes
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS island of Lerins
AGE Bronze
REMARKS Leno was a sun god who was venerated on the
island of Lerins in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France.
This area of southern France was populated by people of the
Ligurian culture who migrated into the area in the Bronze
Age.
NAME Lenus
ALTERNATIVE Lenos
GENDER M
SYMBOL goose
CATEGORY deity
TYPE sun healer god
CULTURE Belgae - Treveri tribe
COUNTRY Germany / Luxembourg / France
REGION Rhineland
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Ardenne Highlands / Moselle
SITES curative spring
CENTERS Trier
AGE Iron
DATES BC 9th c / BC 1st c
RELATIVES Ancamna (consort)
SEE ALSO Ancamna
REMARKS Lenus was a male consort of the goddess Ancamna
who was venerated at Trier. He was venerated in a small
wooded valley with steep sides across the river Moselle
from Trier. The territory belonged to the Treveri tribe
who had settled the area by BC 9th century and were still
in the area when the Romans invaded Gaul in BC 1st century.
The Nemetes tribe of the Celto-Germani culture also moved
into the area during BC 1st century.
NAME Leonnorios
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE horse warrior / war leader
CULTURE Galatian - Tolistoboii, Tectosages and Trogmi
tribes
COUNTRY Turkey
TERRITORY Gaul / Galatia
LANDMARKS Plateau of Phrygia
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 278 / BC 270
SEE ALSO Brennus / Lutarios
REMARKS Leonnorios and Lutarios were two chieftains who
separated from Brennus and in BC 278 took 20,000 warriors
across the Bosporus to present-day Turkey.
There they fought as mercenaries for Nicomedes, leader
of Bithynia. They must have had a large proportion of
female warriors because one of the four subjects of the
sculptures by Attalo and Eumenes was The Battle of the
Amazons which was dedicated to the Gauls. St Jerome
remarked about the Gallic virgins who killed themselves to
avoid outrage.
In BC 270 the warriors of Leonnorios were badly
defeated by Antiochos Soter and his war elephants. The
survivors settled on the Plateau of Phrygia and developed
the Territory of the Galatians with its tetrarchy system of
rule.
NAME Lethan
EPITHET The Broad
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht / Conalle Muirthemni
SITES Guala Mulchi (Mulcha's shoulder) / Ath Lethain
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid (died)
ACCESSORIES Mulcha was his charioteer
RELATIVES Meslethain (fosterling)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Pictland / Ulster / Cu Chulainn
SEE ALSO Cu Chulainn / Diliu macGarach
REMARKS Lethan was angered because a mere boy had killed
so many of Connacht's warriors, so he challenged Cu
Chulainn to combat. During the combat, the two charioteers
also fought and both chariots were smashed. The edge of
the river was called Mulcha's shoulder (Guala Mulchi). Cu
Chulainn took Lethan's head, and the ford in the district
of Conalle Muirthemni was named Ath Lethain. Lethan's
fosterling was the charioteer for Diliu macArach.
NAME Li Ban
EPITHET Paragon of Women
ALTERNATIVE Le Bane
GENDER F
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - Field of Happiness (Magh Mell)
LANDMARKS Magh Muirthemni
SITES An Téte Brecc
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
ACCESSORIES bronze boat
RELATIVES Aed Abrat (father); Labhraidh (husband); Fand
(sister); Aeonghus (brother)
SEE ALSO Aed Abrat / Aeonghus mac Aedh Abrat / Cu
Chulainn / Emer / Fand / Labhraidh / Laeg /
Manannan
REMARKS Li Ban was of the Danann and a daughter of Aed
Abrat. She was asked by her husband Labhraidh to solicit
the help of the Ulster champion Cu Chulainn.
Li Ban and her sister Fand changed themselves into
birds and flew to the lake at Magh Muirthemni where Cu
Chulainn was holding a Samhain festival. Cu Chulainn,
against the wishes of his wife Emer, slung stones at the
birds and grazed one. Later when he had fallen asleep
sitting against a rock, he had a vision of two women
approaching him. One wore a green cloak with five folds
and the other wore a red cloak. They began to beat him
with horsewhips and he went into a coma-like state that
lasted for a year.
On the following Samhain after her brother Aeonghus
had cured Cu Chulainn, Li Ban arrived at Magh Muirthemni
and made this proposal to Cu Chulainn: if he would help
Labhraidh in his fight against his enemies, he would be
rewarded with the love of Fand who had been deserted by
Manannan.
Li Ban took Laeg to the far side of the lake looking
toward the island and they were met by a bronze boat that
took them to the island and on to Magh Mell in The
Otherworld. She took Laeg through a door into a house
where there were 3x50 couches with a beautiful woman on
each couch. She then took him to Oenach Fidgai to meet her
father Aed Abrat and her sister Fand. Fand told Laeg to go
and get Cu Chulainn because the battle would be that day.
NAME Li mac Dedaid
ALTERNATIVE Li mic dedad
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel - Clanna Dedad (The Degads)
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Kerry
TERRITORY Munster
SITES Temair Luachra (Tara of the Rushes)
CENTERS Raith Traigh Li - Tralee (Strand of Li)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Dedad (father); Dare, Conganchness, Echbel,
Gabalglinde and Foenglinde (brothers); CuRoi
(nephew); Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
SEE ALSO Conganchness mac Dedaid / CuRoi macDaire / Dare
mac Dedaid / Dedad / Echbel mac Dedaid /
Foenglinde mac Dedaid / Gabalglinde mac Dedaid
REMARKS Li was a champion warrior of the Clanna Dedad of
Munster. Temair Luachra was the headquarters of the clan
but his own fortress was Raith Traigh Li (Tralee).
NAME Lia
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain / treasurer
TYPE battle-line
CULTURE Fianna - Clanna Morna
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht / Luachar
CENTERS Raith Luachar
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Morna (wife); Goll and Conan (sons); Eremon and
Tea (ancestors)
ENEMIES Fionn
SEE ALSO Aoife / Conan Maol / Cumhal / Eremon / Fionn mac
Cumhaill / Goll / Morna / Tea
REMARKS When his son Goll killed Cumhal and became the
chieftain of the Fianna, Lia was appointed treasurer. The
wealth of the Fianna was kept in a bag from ancient times.
It was made from the skin of Aoife taken when she was in
the form of a crane. The treasure had been kept at Raith
Luachar.
Fionn killed Lia and took the crane bag with all its
wealth. Lia's son Conan harassed Fionn for 7 years trying
to avenge his father's death.
NAME Liath
ALTERNATIVE Leithe (gray)
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Beltainn (Brilliant Fires)
CATEGORY warrior / wood cutter
CULTURE Nemedian tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Mide
SITES Druim Leith (Tara)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th-18th c
RELATIVES son of Laigne Lethan-glas
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Nemhedh
REMARKS Liath, a follower of Nemhedh, chopped the
tangled woods off the hill of Tara (Druim Leith) so that
its corn would grow rich. Until his time it had been
covered with hazel trees.
NAME Lir
EPITHET Of the Sorrow
ALTERNATIVE Ler
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / chieftain
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
LANDMARKS Sliabh Fuait (Fuad's mountain)
CENTERS Sidhe Fionnachaidh (Hill of the Whitefield)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES Danann Civil War
RELATIVES Aebh (1st wife); Fionnula and Fiachra
(daughters); Aodh and Conn (sons); Aoife (2nd
wife); Lodan (son): Sinainn (granddaughter)
ENEMIES Midhir
SEE ALSO Aebh / Ailill of Aran / Aoife / Bodb Dearg /
Daghda / Fionnbharr / Fionnula / Ilbhreach /
Manannan / Midhir / Ochall / Ochne / Sinainn
REMARKS Lir was a chieftain of the Danann and after the
Danann were defeated, the Goidel divided the island into
five coiceda (provinces). When Daghda allotted his
chieftains the sidhes of Ireland, Lir was given Sidhe
Fionnachaidh on Slieve Fuad (Sliabh Fuait), close to
present-day Newtonhamilton in county Armagh.
When the Daghda appointed Bodb Dearg as the new head
chieftain, Lir sided with Midhir during the civil war that
followed. The main chieftains involved in the war were
Bodb Dearg, Ilbhreach, Lir, Midhir, Ochall Ochne and
Fionnbharr, who replaced Manannan after his death.
When the civil war was over, Bodb Derg tried to make
amends with Lir by suggesting that he marry one of his
foster-daughters who were daughters of Ailill of Aran. Lir
chose Aebh because she was the oldest of the three and, he
hoped, the wisest. She died giving birth to their second
set of twins and Lir was very sad until Bobd Dearg
convinced him to marry again and he chose Aoife, the next
oldest sister.
Lir and Aoife were happy for a while and she was a
good mother to her sister's children but she then started
to become jealous of the attention they received, so she
turned them into swans and cursed them to remain in that
form for 900 years.
NAME Litaviccus
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE freedom fighter / war leader
CULTURE Gallic - Æudi tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
SITES Bibracte / Gergovia
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 55-52
ACCESSORIES 10,000 battle-line soldiers
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Convictolitavis / Eporedorix / Vercingetorix /
Viridomarus
REMARKS Litaviccus was a youth of noble birth who set
out to destroy the Roman domination over his people. He
convinced his troops that the Romans had killed two Ædui
chieftains named Eporedorix and Viridomarus and that they
should attack Romans wherever they found them. After his
trick was exposed, Litaviccus went to the Aedui stronghold
of Bibracte where he convinced the Ædui vergobret
(magistrate) Convictolitavis and other Ædui chieftains to
raise troops to help Vercingetorix fight the invading
Romans. They all made treaties with Vercingetorix and sent
troops to help him at the fortress Gergovia.
Eporedorix and Viridomarus arrived at the Ædui
stronghold of Noviodunum and heard that their tribe was
rebelling against the Romans. They killed the Roman guards
and civilians at the fort, set Caesar's hostages free to
return to their different tribes and recovered their stolen
goods from the Romans.
Litaviccus continued to fight skirmishes, recruited
warriors to help Vercingetorix and disrupted the Roman
grain supply and baggage trains.
NAME Llassar Llaes Gyfnewid
ALTERNATIVE Llasar Laes Gyngwyd {Hlass-ar Lyze Gung-wud} /
Llassar Llaesgyvnewid
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / warrior / druid
TYPE war god / giant / master artificer / smith /
saddle-maker
COUNTRY Ireland / Wales
REGION Gwynedd {Gwin-eth} / Clwyd {clud}
TERRITORY Gwynedd / The Otherworld
SITES Lake of the Cauldron
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
ACCESSORIES supernatural cauldron / Azur Chaulk (Blue
Enamel)
RELATIVES Cymidei Cymeinvoll (wife); Lassar (son)
ENEMIES Matholwch
SEE ALSO Bran / Cassubellaunos / Cymidei Cymeinvoll /
Matholwch
REMARKS Llassar Llaes Gyfnewid was a supernatural being
from The Otherworld who emerged from the Lake of the
Cauldron. He was a giant of man with yellow-red hair
carrying a cauldron and followed by his wife who was even
larger than he was.
Matholwch the high chieftain of Ireland was present
when they appeared and agreed to support them for 16
months. As time went on, the couple and their children
became a burden so he decided to rid Ireland of them.
Matholwch built an iron house and invited Llassar and
his family to a feast. When all had drunk their fill and
had fallen asleep, Matholwch had the iron house covered
with charcoal and fired white-hot. Llassar and his wife
used their incredible strength to break a hole through the
wall and escaped with the cauldron to Wales but lost their
children in the iron house.
Bran granted the two sanctuary in exchange for the
supernatural cauldron. The cauldron had the gift of
reviving the dead although it left them speechless. In
Wales, the couple prospered and produced many fine
warriors. They forged the best weapons and Llassar proved
to be a master saddle-maker renowned for his system of
coloring the saddlehorn with blue enamel (Azur Chaulk), a
process called "Calch Llassar". Llassar and Cymidei had a
son named Lassar who was one of the Seith Marchawg (7
horsemen) left to protect Wales when Bran and his warriors
invaded Ireland. He was killed by the Belgae chieftain
Cassubellaunos when he invaded Wales.
ALTERNATIVE Llefelys / Llevelys {Hlev-ell-iss} / Lluelys
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Brenin
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Belgae - Catuvellauni tribe
COUNTRY England / Belgium
TERRITORY Lloegr / Gaul
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Beli (father); Lludd, Cassubellaunos, Nynniaw
(brothers); Penaraddun (aunt); Tasciovanos and
Epaticcos (nephews)
SEE ALSO Beli / Cassubellaunos / Epaticcos / Lludd /
Nynniaw / Penarddon / Tasciovanos
REMARKS Llevelys married the daughter of an important
Gaulish chieftain and moved to Gaul to rule the territory.
Llevelys' brother Lludd had a problem with 3 pests that
were infecting England and he asked him for help.
The two brothers met in the middle of the channel
between the territories and spoke through a copper tube to
keep their conversation from being overheard by the
Corainied who were one of the pests. The tube was infested
with a demon who twisted their words but pouring wine
through the tube cured the problem.
Llevelys then explained to his brother that the 3
pests or plagues of England were: the Corainied who could
hear every whisper, two dragons that fought every Beltainn
Eve, and a giant who was robbing his larder after using his
sorcery to put everyone to sleep. Llevelys explained how
Lludd could solve his problem, then sailed back to Gaul.
EPITHET Lion of the Skillful Hand (Llew Llawgyffes)
ALTERNATIVE Lieu Llaw Gyffes {hlahy' hlau' guh'-es, hlye low
guff-ez}
GENDER M
SYMBOL Lynx / eagle / holly
CATEGORY deity / warrior / chieftain
TYPE sun god / horse warrior / divine warrior
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Wales
REGION Gwynedd {Gwin-eth} / Clwyd {clud}
TERRITORY Gwynedd / the Cantref of Dinoding
SITES Caer Dathl (Fort Dathal) at Caernarfon
CENTERS Mur Castell
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Arianrod (mother); Gwyddion (father); Blodeuedd
(wife); Dylan (half-brother); Gilfaethwy
(uncle); Math (great-uncle)
ENEMIES Grown
SEE ALSO Arianrod / Blodeuedd / Dylan / Gilfaethwy /
Gwyddion ap Don / Gronw Pebyr / Math
REMARKS Llew was raised by his father at Caer Dathl
(Fort Dathal) at present-day Caernarfon. His mother
Arianrod was the moon goddess and would have nothing to do
with Llew because he was conceived by rape. Because they
were of the Danann, it was the mother's privilege to supply
the child with a name, weapons and a wife.
Llew's father Gwyddion tricked Arianrod into giving
Llew a name by disguising himself and his son as shoemakers
and visiting Arianrod at her rath. Arianrod saw Llew pin a
wren to the boat with an arrow without killing it. She
asked who was the lion with the skillful hand and thus the
boy was named.
When it was time for Llew to be armed, Gwyddion took
him to Arianrod's raith Caer Sidin disguised as bard.
Gwyddion used his sorcery to create the illusion that
Arianrod's raith was under attack. Arianrod armed everyone
including her son only to find that she had been tricked
into arming Llew and that her fortress was not under
attack.
Because Arianrod had cursed Llew never to have a wife
of any known race that inhabited the earth, Math set about
to create one for him. With the help of his student
Gwyddion, they welded the flowers of oak, broom and
meadowsweet and produced a maiden that was the most
beautiful of all. She was named Blodeuedd and the two were
married.
Math gave Llew the Cantref of Dinoding (Eifynydd /
Ardudwy) to rule over from Mur Castell. Llew and his wife
Blodeuedd lived happily and were loved by his people until,
by chance, Blodeuedd met a young noble while he was hunting
in their territory. Unknown to Llew, they began plotting
to dispose of him.
Llew had to be tricked into revealing his
vulnerability because as a solar deity he was almost
impossible to kill. As it turned out, Llew could be killed
by a special spear that was forged during the special
sacrificial days and took a year in the making. Llew could
be killed neither inside nor outside a house; neither on
horseback nor on foot; neither standing in water nor on dry
land; neither naked nor clothed.
One day, Blodeuedd tricked Llew into standing in a
vulnerable situation and out from a hidden position came
Gronw with the supernatural spear that he threw at Llew.
The spear with its poisonous head sank into Llew's body.
Llew let out a scream, changed into an eagle and flew
off. Gwyddion found him by following a sow until it
stopped beneath a tree beside a brook now called Nant y
Llew. Gwyddion knew that the dying eagle was his son and
beckoned him close so he could touch him with his wand.
Llew changed back into his human shape and was taken
to Caer Dathl where he was healed back to his former
strength. Llew and Gwyddion went to take vengeance on his
wife and her lover. After the ordeal was over, Llew
invited the people of Gronw's territory to join with his,
which they did.
ALTERNATIVE Llud {hlood} / Lludd {Hlooth} / Lud
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE horse warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Belgae - Catuvellauni tribe
COUNTRY England / Wales
REGION Greater London / Buckinghamshire / Oxfordshire
TERRITORY Lloegr
LANDMARKS Thames
SITES Oxford / Dinas Ffaraon Dandde (Dinas
Emrys) /
Parth Ludd (Ludgate Hill)
CENTERS Trinovantum - Caer Lludd (Kaerlud) present-day
London
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Beli (father); Tasciovanos and Epaticcos (sons);
Cassubellaunos, Nynniaw, Llevelys (brothers);
Penarddun (aunt)
SEE ALSO Beli / Cassubellaunos / Epaticcos / Llevelys /
Nynniaw / Penarddun / Tasciovanos
REMARKS Lludd was a son of Beli and the head chieftain
of the Belgae in England. During his time, England was
plagued by 3 pests: the Corainied, a people who could hear
every whisper on the breeze; a horrible scream that was
heard every Beltainn Eve that would cause the crops to fail
to grow and make the cows go barren; and the mysterious
disappearance of all food from the larder every night.
Lludd was perplexed about how to resolve the situation
and sent a message for help to his brother Llevelys, a head
chieftain in Gaul, to meet him in the channel between the
two territories. The brothers spoke through a copper tube
so that their conversation could not be overheard by the
Corainied. The tube was infested with a demon who twisted
the words of the two brothers and they were ready to fight
until wine was poured down the tube to cure the problem.
Lludd returned with poisonous insects given to him by
his brother. He ground the insects and sprinkled them over
the assembly of people. Because his own people were
immune to them, only the Corainied died.
The horrible scream was coming from the dragon of
Britain who was fighting off a foreign dragon. Lludd dug a
pit in the center of Belgic Britain near present-day
Oxford. In the pit he placed a vat of beer and covered it
with a sheet. When the monsters fought long enough they
changed into the shape of two wild boars and settled onto
the sheet where they sank into the vat and became drunk on
the mead. He then trapped them in the sheet and took them
to Wales and at Dinas Ffaraon Dandde (Flaming Pharaoh),
which later became known as Dinas Emrys, they were buried
in a stone chamber (tumulus).
The third pest that was plaguing England was a giant
who cast a spell over the raith, then stole all the food
from the larder. Lludd stayed awake by submerging his head
continuously into a vat of cold water. When the giant
appeared, Lludd fought him and beat him by force and the
giant swore that he would be Lludd's most loyal subject.
During his rule, Lludd captured Trinovantum, the
center of the Trinovantes tribe, and renamed it Caer Lludd
(Lludd's fort) or Lludd-din (Lludd's city). The name
slowly evolved as Lundein and eventually London. He also
built a sun temple on the top of a hill. He was buried
there and it was called Parth Ludd (Ludgate Hill). After
his death, Cassubellaunos became the head chieftain of the
Belgic tribes because the children of Lludd were too young
to rule.
NAME Llwyd fab Cil Coed
EPITHET Gray Son of the Wood Retreat (Llwyd fab Cil
Coed)
ALTERNATIVE Llwyd {Hloid} / Lloyd / Loid
GENDER M
CATEGORY ovate
TYPE sorcerer
CULTURE Pictish
COUNTRY Scotland / Wales
LANDMARKS River Clyde (Clud)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
ENEMIES Manawydan
SEE ALSO Gwawl fab Clud / Manawyddan / Pryderi / Pwyll /
Rhiannon
REMARKS Llwyd was a friend of Gwawl son of Clud and
sought revenge for him by making Rhiannon and Pryderi
prisoners along with all their people and possessions.
Manawyddan captured Llywd's wife while she and some of
Gwawl's warriors were stealing the grain from Rhiannon's
land in the disguise of mice. This was in revenge for the
way Gwawl had been made a fool of when they used him to
play Badger in the Bag after Rhiannon rejected Gwawl for
Pwyll. In exchange for the safe return of his pregnant
wife, Llwyd had to promise to do no more damage and seek no
revenge.
EPITHET Llediaith (half tongue / foreign accent)
ALTERNATIVE Llyr {hloorr, hleer}
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / Brenin
TYPE sun god / chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Coritani tribe
COUNTRY Wales / England
REGION Leicestershire
TERRITORY Lloegr
LANDMARKS Soar river
SITES Leicester (Caerleir)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Iwerydd (1st wife); Bran (son); Branwen
(daughter); Penarddun (2nd wife); Manawyddan
(son)
SEE ALSO Bran / Branwen / Iwerydd / Manawyddan /
Penarddun
REMARKS Llyr was a sun god of the Coritani tribe and was
venerated at present-day Leicester, the camp of Llyr on the
Soar river in Leicestershire. He married a sea goddess
named Iwerydd (Atlantic) of the Danann and she bore a son
(Bran) and a daughter (Branwen).
Llyr also married Penarddun of the Belgae culture and
she bore a son Manawyddan. Both consorts were of cultures
that were invading Britain, one from the west and one from
the east.
NAME Loarn macEirc
EPITHET The Great (Mor)
ALTERNATIVE Loarn mac Earca
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel - Dal Riada / Danann / Pictish / Scotti -
Clanna Loarn
COUNTRY Ireland / Scotland / England
REGION Argyll
TERRITORY Albainn / Cinel Loairn / Islay / Jura / Kintyre
CENTERS Dunadd
AGE Ui Néill
DATES AD 6th c / AD 538 (died)
RELATIVES Earc (mother); Muiredach (father); Fergus,
Angus, Muirchertach (brothers); Domangart
(nephew); Comgall and Gabran (great-nephews);
Eremon, Tea and Cairbre Riada (ancestors)
ENEMIES Pictish - Caledonians
SEE ALSO Angus macEirc / Cairbre Riada / Comgall /
Domangart / Eremon / Fergus macEirc / Gabran /
Muirchertach / Muiredach / Niall Noighiallach /
Tea
REMARKS Loarn, son of Muiredach, son of Eogan, son of
Niall Noighiallach, was a descendant of Eremon and Tea of
the Milesian (Goidel) invaders to Ireland. He was the
chieftain of the Clanna Loarn which settled on the north
side of Loch Fyne. His territory was called Cinel Loair.
After the death of his nephew, Loarn became the 3rd
head chieftain of the Dal Riada of Albainn. Under his
leadership the Dal Riada expanded their territory into the
islands of Kintyre, Islay and Jura. The invading Goidel
became known as Scotti, which meant Irish. Comgall son of
Domangart was appointed head chieftain after him, and their
descendants expanded into Morvern.
NAME Loch Lethglas
EPITHET Green-gray Lake / Halfgreen
ALTERNATIVE Liath Leathghlas mac Luasgaigh / Luog / Luoch
GENDER M
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY filidh
TYPE negotiator / poet
CULTURE Fir Domnann tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
ENEMIES Danann
SEE ALSO Lugh
REMARKS Loch Lethglas was the poet to Indech mac De
Domnann and fought on the side of the Fomorii during the
battle of north Moytura. He kept the record of the
fomorian causilities during the battle and asked the
identity of the wounder of Balor.
Loch was taken prisoner by Lugh during the second
battle of Magh Tuireadh. Lugh agreed to spare his life in
return for 3 wishes. Lugh asked for Loch's cooperation in
stopping the Fomorians from plundering Ireland. His three
desires were granted.
Loch then named Lugh's 9 chariots; Luachta, Anagat,
Achad, Feochair, Fer, Golla, Fosad, Craeb and Carpat. When
Lug asked him the names of the charioteers he receited
Medol, Medon, Moth, Mothach, Foimtinne, Tenda, tres and
Morb.
NAME Loch macMofebis
EPITHET Great Lake (Loch Mor)
ALTERNATIVE Loc mac Mofebis
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster / cause of Connacht
LANDMARKS Cenn Tire Moir (Great Headland)
SITES Ath Traged (Foot-Ford)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid (died)
RELATIVES Mofemis (father); Emonis (mother); Long
(brother)
ENEMIES Cu Chulainn
SEE ALSO Bricriu / Cu Chulainn / Ferghus mac Roig / Laeg
/ Long macEmonis / Medbh / Morrighan
REMARKS During the Cualnge Cattle Raid, Loch's brother
was killed by Cu Chulainn. Loch swore that if Cu Chulainn
was not a beardless youth he would kill him in combat.
Medbh happened to hear him swear this and had her women
convince Cu Chulainn to wear a false beard because none of
the older warriors would fight with him.
Cu Chulainn took a handful of grass and, chanting a
magical spell, made it into a beard on his face. He walked
onto a hill so the warriors of the Host of Connacht could
see him. Loch son of Mofemis saw that Cu Chulainn had a
beard and when Medbh offered him the same deal as she had
his brother, Loch said he would fight Cu Chulainn in 7
days' time. Medbh placed guards to watch Cu Chulainn
throughout the night but in the morning they were always
dead.
When the day came for the combat between Loch and Cu
Chulainn, Loch refused to fight at the ford where his
brother had died, so they moved to the next ford upstream.
While they were moving up to the ford at Cenn Tire Moir,
the Host of Connacht drove the cattle across, showing again
that Medbh's word was not worthy of consideration.
It was at this time that the Morrighan decided to
interfere with Cu Chulainn while in combat. First she came
in the form of a red-eared white hornless heifer with her
50 heifers, each 2 with a silvered bronze chain between
them. Cu Chulainn used a shot from his stick-sling to
break the heifer's leg.
As Loch and Cu Chulainn resumed their fight, the
Morrigan came again in the form of a black eel and wound
around Cu Chulainn's legs and tripped him. Loch took the
opportunity to thrust a spear through his chest from side
to side. Ferghus, who was watching the combat, said it was
an evil deed and they should taunt Cu Chulainn to get up
his rage. Bricriu Nemthenga, the exiled Ulster bard, began
to belittle Cu Chulainn. Cu Chulainn flew into a rage and
crushed the eel with his heel on the head, squashing its
brains and crushing its ribs.
The Morrighan came next as a red she-wolf and attacked
Cu Chulainn, but he took out her eye with a little dart.
Loch then wounded him again in the loins and Cu Chulainn
called Laeg for his Gae Bulga which he sent downstream to
his master. Loch drove his shield into the river bed to
protect himself but Cu Chulainn aimed over his shield and
hit him in the chest, piercing his horned-skin armor and
his heart.
Loch knew he was dying and he asked Cu Chulainn to
move back so that he could fall on his face pointing east
so that no one could say that he was running away as he
died. Cu Chulainn answered that it was a true warrior's
request and he would honor it for he had fought a valiant
fight. Loch fell forward and Cu Chulainn took his head.
The ford was named Ath Traged (Foot-Ford) in Cenn Tire Moir
(Great Headland).
NAME Loche
GENDER F
CATEGORY servant
TYPE handmaiden to Medbh
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES Rede Loche (smooth lake)
CENTERS Raith Cruachain
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
SEE ALSO Cu Chulainn / Medbh
REMARKS One evening when the Host of Connacht was camped
by Rede Loche in Cualnge, Medbh sent her handmaiden Loche
disguised as herself to go to the river for water. Cu
Chulainn, who was hovering around the camp looking for a
worthy target to sling a stone at, spied her and thought it
was Medbh. He shot a stone from his sling and hit her on
the head, breaking Medbh's diadem and splitting Loche's
skull.
NAME Locrinus
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / Rix
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain of Britain
CULTURE Latin / Goidel / Greek - Coritani tribe
COUNTRY England / Wales / Scotland
REGION Cornwall
TERRITORY Lloegr / Cambria / Albainn
CENTERS Caer Troia (town of Troy) present-day Ilford
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 11th c (ruled 10 years) / BC 1086 ca. (died)
RELATIVES Brute (father); Ignoge (mother); Camber and
Albanactus (brothers); Gwendolen (wife); Maddan
(son); Estrildis (consort); Habren (daughter);
Corineus (father-in-law)
ENEMIES Humber
SEE ALSO Albanactus / Brute / Camber / Corineus /
Gwendolen / Maddan
REMARKS Locrinus was the oldest of Brute's sons and
became the head chieftain of his people. His brother
Camber took his followers into present-day Wales and
conquered a territory west of the Severn. Albanactus took
his followers north of the Humber and carved out a
territory there.
When Albanactus was attacked by a chieftain named
Humber from the continent, both Locrinus and Camber raised
armies and came to the aid of their brother. The combined
forces drove off the invaders and their chieftain drowned
in the river, giving it his name, but Locrinus' brother
Albanactus was killed.
Among the spoils for the victors were 3 maidens who
had been taken hostage by Humber back on the continent.
Locrinus fell in love with Estrildis who had skin whiter
than any new snow. He would have married her except that
Corineus and his battle-axe reminded him that his daughter
Gwendolen was promised to him as wife.
Locrinus married Gwendolen and she bore him a son
named Maddan. He also had a secret relationship with
Estrildis whom he kept hidden in subterranean quarters
beneath the fortress, where she gave birth to a female
child whom they named Habren.
When Corineus died, Locrinus sent his wife to her
father's land in Cornwall and brought Estrildis and Habren
out of hiding. Gwendolen, being her father's daughter,
raised an army of her father's people from Cornwall and
attacked her husband. Locrinos was killed in the battle
and his wife Gwendolen became the new high chieftain of
Britain.
NAME Loeghaire Buadhach
EPITHET The Triumphant / The Victorious
ALTERNATIVE Laegaire / Laeghaire / Laoghaire / Leaghaire /
Loegaire {Layeray} / Loegure Buadach / Loghaire
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior / Red Branch champion
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster / Immail
SITES Tech Midchuarta / Hostel (Bruidhean)
CENTERS Raith Imbil
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Mac Da Tho's / Cualnge Cattle Raid / Gairech &
Irgairech
ACCESSORIES Sword (Nitach the Wounder) / 5-pronged spear /
charioteer - Sedlang son of Riangbur
RELATIVES Connad (father); Fedlimid (wife); Iliach
(grandfather)
ENEMIES Host of Connacht
SEE ALSO Bricriu / Cet mac Magach / Conall Cernacht /
Connad Buide / Cu Chulainn / Derbhorgill /
Domhnall / Fedlimid Nocruthach / Finnabair /
Iliach / Mac Da Tho / Sedlang
REMARKS Loeghaire was a Red Branch champion of Ulster
and had his fortress at Raith Imbil at Immail in the north
of Ulster. Loeghaire studied under the Albainn champion
Domhnall along with Cu Chulainn and Conall Cernacht.
During Bricriu's feast, Loeghaire was described as
wearing his hair in braids that were brown at the base,
blood-red at the centre and blond at the tips. He had
three circlets of gold on his head and he wore a scarlet
tunic embroidered with silver and gold. He carried a 5-
pointed spear and a speckled shield with a border of white
gold.
When the 3 heroes Cu Chulainn, Conall and Loeghaire
were sent to the Raith Cruachain, Finnabair who was on
guard duty described Loeghaire's horses as dapple-gray in
color, high heads with pointed ears, narrow nostrils, curly
manes and tails. They had broad chests and backs with
narrow girths. They were aggressive, wild, sinous and
fast. Finnabair also described Loeghaire's chariot as
being made of spruce with a wicker covering and having
black iron wheels. Its reins were yellow and it had a
silver yoke and straight poles. There was also a flock of
birds flying above the chariot.
Loeghaire was one of the candidates for the hero of
Ulster and he went against the wildman (Geilt) in the head-
chopping contest but lost his nerve when it came time to
put his head on the block.
During the feast at Mac Da Tho's hostel, Cet mac
Magach seemed to have topped everyone in the boasting
contest and because no one could match his deeds he was
about to carve the boar. Loegaire said it was hard to
tolerate Cet cutting up the boar before their eyes. Cet
reminded Loeghaire that in his youth on a border raid into
Connacht he had to leave his chariot and horses behind. The
only item he had taken from Connacht was a spear in his
side. Loeghaire sat down again and was quiet.
During the Cualnge Cattle Raid, Loeghaire led a troop
of warriors from the north. He was described as a fierce-
looking warrior with sparse grizzly hair on his head. He
had huge yellow eyes and wore a yellow tunic with lace
covered by a yellow cloak held with a pin of gold. He wore
a great smiting sword at his waist and carried a broad-
plated spear with a long shaft and a drop of blood on its
edge. His charioteer was Sedlang son of Riangabar.
NAME Lomna Druth
EPITHET The Buffoon
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / filidh
TYPE seer
CULTURE Baperi tribe (they of the Porcupine)
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Dublin
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
RELATIVES Donn Desa (father); Fer Lee, Fer Rogain and Fer
Gar (brothers)
ENEMIES Host of Eirinn / Conaire
SEE ALSO Conaire / Da Derga / Donn Desa / Fer Gar
/ Fer
Lee / Fer Rogain / Ingcel
REMARKS Lomna Druth was a seer with the raiders when
they attacked the hostel of Da Derga. After Ingcel went to
do a reckoning of the hostel, he described the people he
saw to Fer Rogain, who identified them, then Lomna Druth
prophesied the outcome of their deeds.
Lomna Druth prophesied that Ingcel would carry off the
head of a chieftain of a foreign country and that Ingcel
and his brothers would come through the destruction alive.
He also prophesied that he himself would be the first to
lose his head and that it would be thrown into the hostel 3
times and thrown back out 3 times.
Lomna Druth led the raiders in the initial attack and
as he stepped into the hostel, a door guard sliced off his
head which rolled outside only to be thrown back in three
times as he had prophesied.
NAME Lon macGarach
EPITHET Blackbird
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES Ard Ciannacht / Ath meic Garach
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid (died)
ACCESSORIES Meslir was his charioteer
RELATIVES son of Garach; Uala and Diliu (brothers)
ENEMIES Ulster / Cu Chulainn
SEE ALSO Cu Chulainn / Diliu macGarach / Nera / Orlam /
Uala macGarach
REMARKS The three sons of Garach were distraught at the
deaths of Orlam and the two sons of Nera, and decided to
take revenge upon Cu Chulainn. Lon and his two brothers
thought they could have their charioteers hold strips of
aspen-wood so as to attach themselves into one unit and
attack Cu Chulainn together.
To a champion warrior this was a dishonorable deed,
and Cu Chulainn cut the heads off all six of them, showing
no mercy.
NAME Lon macLiovun
EPITHET The Big Man
ALTERNATIVE Lon Maclivin
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / druid
TYPE master artificer / supernatural blacksmith
COUNTRY Ireland / Scotland
TERRITORY The Otherworld - in the west
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
ACCESSORIES large skin helmet
RELATIVES Una (mother)
SEE ALSO Caoilte / Fionn
REMARKS Lon was described by the Fianna as a tall man on
one leg with one eye in his forehead and wearing an
exceptionally large skin helmet. He told Fionn that he was
a smith and he wanted the Fianna to come to his smithy to
make their swords. There were 7 smiths at work, and
Derglas served them all and gained the name the Thinman
(Caoilte).
NAME Lond
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / guard
TYPE one of the 12 guards of Tara
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath / Dublin
TERRITORY Mide
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg / Magh Liffey
SITES Da Derga's Hostel
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Ath Cliath
ACCESSORIES horse-rod / ivory hilted sword
ENEMIES Ingcel / sons of Donn Desa
SEE ALSO Art / Buder / Conaire / Da Derga / Donn Desa /
Ingcel / Trefers
REMARKS There were 12 guardsmen of Tara protecting the
high chieftain of Ireland. They were described in three's:
the 3 Londs, the 3 Arts, the 3 Buders, and the 3 Trenfers
of Cuilenn.
They all had yellow hair, wore blue kilts and were
described as handsome, hardy and well-built. They wore
ivory-hilted swords at their sides and carried horse-rods
in their right hands. They were present at the battle of
Ath Cliath on Magh Liffey but failed in their job of
protecting the high chieftain of Ireland.
NAME Long macEmonis
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster / cause of Connacht
SITES Ath Grenca
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid (died)
RELATIVES Mofemis (father); Emonis (mother); Loch
(brother)
ENEMIES Cu Chulainn / Cualnge / Pictland / Ulster
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Cu Chulainn / Finnabair / Loch
macMofebis / Medbh
REMARKS Long was beckoned to the tent of Ailill and
Medbh because his older brother refused to fight Cu
chulainn, a youth who had no beard. Medbh offered Long the
hand of Finnabair for his wife; a livery for 12 men from
cloth of every color; a chariot worth 4x7 bondmaids and
entertainment at all times at Raith Cruachen if he killed
Cu Chulainn.
Long accepted Medbh's offer and stayed the night
there. In the morning he rose, drove to the ford to do
battle with Cu Chulainn, and was killed immediately.
NAME Los Lurgann
EPITHET Speedy Foot
ALTERNATIVE Laith Luachra / Luath Lurgann
GENDER F
CATEGORY rigbean (noble woman)
TYPE guardian of Fionn
CULTURE Danann / Goidel / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Offaly / Laois
TERRITORY Leinster
LANDMARKS Sliabh Bladhma (Bladh's mountain)
SITES Loch Lurgan (burial site)
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd-3rd c
RELATIVES Trein Mor (father); Cumhal (brother); Fionn
(nephew/foster-son); Tuireann (niece)
SEE ALSO Cumhal / Fionn mac Cumhaill / Murna / Tadhg mac
Nuadat / Tuireann
REMARKS Los Lurgann was present when the twins of her
brother, Cumhal, were born. Tadhg, the grandfather,
condemned the male child to death by sacrificing him to the
sea. Los Lurgann rescued him from the loch and found that
he was holding a salmon in his hand. The baby's mother
Murna gave him the birth-name Demna. Los Lurgann escaped
with Demna to the forest of Slievebloom (Sliabh Bladhma) in
the counties of Offaly and Laois in Leinster. Here she
raised him from a babe to a youth in secret and safety of
their hideout. Los Lurgann trained the youth in the art of
weapons, making sure that he excelled at running, leaping
and swimming which were necessary skills for the Fianna.
Demna learned to run faster than anyone else because
Los Lurgann armed themselves with hawthorn switchs while
they chased each other around a tree. If Los Lurgann
caught up to him she would beat him with the switch and he
became so fast that in time he could catch her and beat her
with his hawthorn.
Los Lurgann also trained Demna to leap better than
anyone else. She dug a hole in the ground for him to jump
out of and when he succeeded she would make the hole a
little deeper. This was kept up until he could jump out of
a hole that was chest high.
Los Lurgann also taught him to swim better than anyone
else by throwing him into the water day after day until he
could swim over 9 waves.
When he was old enough, Los Lurgann took Demna to find
his name and avenge his father's death. He found the
children of his father's enemies swimming in a lake and
drowned them. One of the parents on shore saw Demna and
asked the identity of the fair-haired one who was drowning
their children. From then on he was called Fionn (fair).
Los Lurgann then ran back to the woods carrying Fionn
on her back until she was tired. Then Fionn threw her over
his back and raced as fast as he could to escape his
enemies, the Clanna Morna. Fionn ran so fast that Los
Lurgann was killed from the friction heat. Fionn buried
her by a lake that became known as Loch Lurgan.
NAME Lot
EPITHET Blubber Lips / The Active
ALTERNATIVE Loth Luamnach
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE supernatural
CULTURE Fomorii
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 19th c
BATTLES Magh Ibha
RELATIVES Goll (husband); Cichol Gricenchos (son)
ENEMIES Partholean
SEE ALSO Cichol Gricenchos / Partholon
REMARKS Lot daughter of Neir from the land of Sliab
Emoir (Mount Hermon) was a Fomorian chieftain who was
described as a monstrous warrior equal to all her troops.
She had four eyes on her back and her bloated lips were in
her breasts. When her son Cichol led an attack against
partholon and his followers on their settlement in Ireland,
each Fomorian ship contained 150 female and 50 male
warriors.
NAME Loth mac Fergusa maic Leti
EPITHET Loth the Great (Loth Mor)
ALTERNATIVE Inloth
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Temair Luachra
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Temuir Luachra
RELATIVES Fergus mac Leti (father); Cur mac Da Lot (son);
ENEMIES Echbel mac Dedaid
SEE ALSO Cur mac Da Lot / Echbel mac Dedaid / Fergus mac
Leti
REMARKS Loth mac Fergusa maic Leti was killed by Echbel
mac Dedaid during the battle of Temuir Luachra in Munster.
NAME Lothar
GENDER M
CATEGORY herder
TYPE cowherd
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Kerry
TERRITORY Connacht
SITES Finnabair of Cualnge
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
ENEMIES Cualnge / Pictland / Ulster
SEE ALSO Medbh
REMARKS Lothar was sent by Medbh to retrieve the Brown
Bull and bring it to their camp. The bull gored Lothar and
with his 150 heifers attacked the Connacht camp and killed
50 warriors.
NAME Lovernios
EPITHET The Fox
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
CULTURE Belgae - Arverni tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd c
RELATIVES Bituitus (son)
SEE ALSO Bituitus
REMARKS Lovernios was a chieftain of the Arverni tribe
before the Roman invasion into southern France during BC
2nd century.
NAME Luchtine
EPITHET The Divine Wright
ALTERNATIVE Luachaid / Luachadhae / Luchne / Luchta {looch-
ta} mac Luachadhae / Luchta Sear / Luchtai /
Luchtaine / Luchtar / Luchra / Luichne /
Luichtne / Luicne / Luicni / Luigne
GENDER M
FESTIVAL summer solstice
CATEGORY deity / hero / druid
TYPE god of woodworkers / artificer / Tri De Dana
CULTURE Danann
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuireadh)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 16th-15th c
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
RELATIVES Esaire (mother); Luachaid (father); Creidhne,
Goibhniu, Diancecht and Samhain (half-brothers);
Net (grandfather); Magog and Iarbonel
(ancestors)
ENEMIES Fomorii
SEE ALSO Creidhne / Diancecht / Esaire / Goibhniu /
Iarbonel / Magog / Net / Samhain
REMARKS Luchtine, son of Esaire, daughter of Net, and
his 2 brothers Goibhniu and Luchtine were referred to as
the Tri De Dana (3 for the Danann). The three artificers
built an arsenal of weapons in preparation for a war with
the Fomorii.
The spears were made as follows: Goibhniu flung the
red-hot spearhead into a doorpost, Luchtaine drove the
handle into the hot shaft and Creidhne pinned the two
together with hot nails from his tongs. Luchtine also made
the wooden parts of the shields. Weapons made by the Tri
De Dana always hit their mark and no one ever recovered
from their wounds (poison).
Luchtine made a shield for Manannan using hazel wood
that was split by the poison which leaked from the head
wound that Lug gave Balor when he killed him. Luchtine
died from a fire dart during battle of north Moytura.
NAME Lucterius
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE horse warrior / freedom fighter
CULTURE Gallic - Cadurci tribe
COUNTRY France
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Garonne (Garumna) / Isle / Dordogne / Lot
SITES Alesia (Alise Ste Reine)
CENTERS Uxellodunum (oppidum)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 52
BATTLES Uxellodunum / Alesia
ENEMIES Rome
SEE ALSO Drappes / Vercingetorix
REMARKS Lucterius was sent by Vercingetorix to recruit
warriors from other tribes to help fight the invading
Romans. He received support and hostages from the Ruteni,
Nitiobriges and Gabali tribes and was on his way into the
territory of the Narbonne tribe when he found out that
Caesar had arrived with fresh troops from Italy. Lucterius
decided that it was best to get his warriors out of the
territories which were full of Romans.
Later in the war for Gaul, Lucterius teamed up with
Drappes, whose specialty was attacking wagon-trains of
supplies and baggage. Once, when Lucterius, Drappes and
their warriors were being chased by the Romans, they headed
to his fortress Uxennodunum which was located in a position
of natural strength.
The legions of Romans who had been following them set
up three camps around the oppidum. Because Lucterius had
survived the seige of Alesia he knew the importance of
grain supplies so he, Drappes, and a group of lightly-armed
warriors left to obtain grain. They succeeded in getting
grain from the Cadurci tribe and some they stole from the
Romans. When they were 12 miles from the oppidum they
divided into two groups.
Drappes stayed put with his grain and Lucterius tried
to sneak into the fortress before dawn. Lucterius was
unlucky, as the Romans found out and attacked. Lucterius
and a few of his warriors escaped but the Romans discovered
from one of the prisoners that half of the grain was still
out there only 12 miles from the oppida.
The Romans attacked Drappes' group and he was taken
prisoner. Caesar then arrived on the scene at Uxellodunum
and proceeded to cut off their water supply. The warriors
inside filled barrels with talon, pitch and wood and rolled
them down on the Roman siege works, causing great
destruction to the Romans. Finally the Romans succeeded in
cutting off the water supply and the Celts had to
surrender.
Caesar ordered the sword hand to be cut off all
prisoners as an example to anyone else who would think
about challenging the might of Rome. Lucterius was
captured by a Roman lackey and turned over to Caesar in
chains. One can only guess at his fate.
NAME Lugaid Lamderg
EPITHET Of the Red Hand (Lamderg)
ALTERNATIVE Lugaidh / Lugdach / Lughaidh / Luighdeach
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel - Dal nAraide tribe
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster / Lough Neagh
SITES Temair Luachra
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Temuir Luachra
RELATIVES Lete (father); Fergus mac Leti (brother)
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Cu Chulainn / Fergus mac Leti /
Mane Milscothach / Medbh
REMARKS Lugaid Lamderg, a son of Lete, chieftain of the
Dal nAraide, was with Cu Chulainn on his wild Samhain ride
which led them to Temuir Luachra at the same time that
Medbh and Ailill of Connacht were there to celebrate the
first month of their son Mane Milscothach's life.
NAME Lugaid mac Curoi
ALTERNATIVE Lugaid mac Conrui / Lugaidh / Lugdach / Lughaidh
/ Luighdeach
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / champion
CULTURE Goidel / Danann - Clanna Dedad (The Degads)
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Munster / cause of Connacht
LANDMARKS Slievegallion (Sliabh Fauit) / Liffey
SITES Hostel (Bruidhean)
CENTERS Cathair Chonroi
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Mac Da Tho's / Cualnge Cattle Raid
ACCESSORIES supernatural spears
RELATIVES CuRoi (father); Blathnat (mother); Dare
(grandfather); Eremon and Tea (ancestors)
ENEMIES Ulster / Cu Chulainn / Conall Cernacht
SEE ALSO Blathnat / Calatin Dana / Conall Cernacht / Cu
Chulainn / CuRoi macDaire / Dare mac Dedaid /
Echbel mac Dedaid / Erc mac Cairbre / Eremon /
Laeg / Loth mac Fergus maic Leti / Mac Da Tho /
Medbh / Tea
REMARKS Lugaid, son of CuRoi, son of Dare, son of
Dedaid, was a champion warrior of the Clanna Dedad and a
descendant of Eremon and Tea of the Milesian (Goidel)
invaders.
To irritate the Ulster warriors during the feast of
Mac Da Tho's, Lugaid mentioned the killing of the Ulster
warrior Loth mac Fergusa maic Leti by the Munster warrior
Echbel mac Dedaid.
During the Cualnge Cattle Raid, Lugaid fought on the
side of Connacht. After the raid was over, Medbh swayed
Lugaid, Erc mac Cairbre and the remainder of the Clanna
Calatin to seek revenge on Cu Chulainn for the humiliation
she had received. The battle took place near Slievegallion
(Sliabh Fauit) south of Armagh.
Afterwards, Erc mac Cairbre set up a sham fight to
entice Cu Chulainn to enter. A filidh asked Cu Chulainn if
he could borrow one of his spears made by the sons of
Calatin. Cu Chulainn threw it to him butt end first and it
passed through his head and killed 9 warrriors behind him.
Lugaid threw the spear back and killed Cu Chulainn's horse
the Black of Saingliu.
Another filidh, overseeing a sham combat, called upon
Cu Chulainn to give him a spear of the Clanna Calatin or be
satirized. Again Cu Chulainn threw the spear butt first,
killing the filidh and 9 warrriors. Again Lugaid retrieved
the spear and this time his throw killed Cu Chulainn's
charioteer Laeg.
Cu Chulainn observed another combat by two warriors
watched over by a filidh and was asked for his spear and
again the filidh lost his life along with 9 warriors.
Lugaid retrieved the spear and his cast hit Cu Chulainn in
the stomach which spilled his bowels.
Cu Chulainn tied himself to a pillar and his remaining
steed, the Gray of Macha, came to his side and fought 3 red
routs, killing 50 warriors with his teeth and 30 with his
hoofs. Erc mac Cairbre threw a spear of the Clanna Calatin
and hit the Gray of Macha. Cu Chulainn died and Lugaid
finally had his revenge for Cu Chulainn having killed his
father. When Lugaid went to arrange Cu Chulainn's hair and
cut off his head, Cu Chulainn's sword dropped from his hand
and cut off Lugaid's right hand.
While Lugaid was heading south, he was set upon by
Conall Cernacht by the river Liffey. Because Lugaid had
only one hand, Conall tied one hand behind his back and for
half a day they fought with neither gaining over the other.
Finally Conall's horse bit Lugaid and tore flesh from his
side, then Conall finished him and took his head.
NAME Lugaid macDare
ALTERNATIVE Lugaidh Laigde Daire / Lugdach / Lughaidh mac
Daire / Luighdeach
GENDER M
CATEGORY hero / warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE Bronze
DATES BC 10th-9th c.
RELATIVES Lugaid Cal, Lugaid Corr, Lugaid Corp, Lugaid
Oircthe and Lugaid Laeg (sons); Ith (ancestor)
SEE ALSO Ith / Lugaidh mac Conn
REMARKS A divination revealed to Lugaid macDare that a
descendant of his would become the high chieftain of
Ireland so he named each son Lugaid after himself.
One day during a hunt, the 5 boys were chasing a
golden fawn when it turned into a hag who demanded that
they sleep with her. Lugaid Laeg (Laige/Laigdech/Laoighdhe) was
the only one who would agree and the hag turned into the
earth goddess or Sovereignty of Munster. She told him that
he would become a great chieftain.
From Lugaid Cal came the Calraige of Connachta, of
Lugaid Corr (Coir) were the Corpraige, Lugaid Corp was the
progenitor of the Dal Coirpre of Clíu (Clíach), from Lugaid
Oircthe sprang the Corcu Oircthi (Oircte) and from the seed
of Lugaid Laeg came the Corcu Laegde of whom one was
Lugaidh mac Conn.
NAME Lugaid macNois
ALTERNATIVE Lugaidh / Lugdach / Lughaidh / Luighdeach
GENDER M
FESTIVAL Samhain (Night of the Dead)
CATEGORY warrior / Ri Ruirech
TYPE chariot warrior / head chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Munster / cause of Connacht
SITES Ath Cruinn (Ford of Cronn) at Glaiss Cruinn
(Cronn's stream)
CENTERS Raith Cashel (Caisel)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
BATTLES Cualnge Cattle Raid
RELATIVES son of Nos; Cu Chulainn (foster-brother)
ENEMIES Cualnge / Pictland / Ulster
SEE ALSO Ailill macMata / Cu Chulainn / Cuillius / Larine
/ Mane / Medbh
REMARKS Lugaid, son of Nos and grandson of Lomarc, was a
foster-brother to Cu Chulainn. While the Host of Connacht
was camped by the ford of the Cronn, Cu Chulainn slayed
Mane, a son of Medbh and Ailill, and many other warriors.
Lugaid was sent to parley with Cu Chulainn and was
made welcome by the offer of goose, salmon, a sprig of sea-
grass, cresses and a sprig of lavender. Lugaid and Cu
Chulainn paid each other compliments and discussed an
agreement by which Cu Chulainn could fight the champions of
the Host of Connacht one by one. Lugaid reported back to
Ailill and Medbh but they rejected the idea. Cu Chulainn
went back to slinging stones on the Host of Connacht during
the night. Ailill's charioteer Cuillius was unfortunately
one of his victims.
Medbh and Ailill had convinced Lugaid's brother Larine
to fight Cu Chulainn so that Lugaid would have to take
revenge for him when he died. Lugaid went to Cu Chulainn
and asked him not to kill his brother Larine and Cu
Chulainn agreed.
NAME Lugaid Reoderg
EPITHET Of the Red Frost (Reoderg)
ALTERNATIVE Lugaidh / Lugdach / Lughaidh / Luighdeach
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior
TYPE chariot warrior / champion
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Armagh
TERRITORY Ulster
SITES Tech Midchuarta
CENTERS Emain Macha (Navan)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 2nd-1st c
RELATIVES Derbhorgill (wife)
SEE ALSO Aeonghus mac Aedh Abrat / Bricriu / Conchobar
mac Nessa / Cu Chulainn / Derbhorgill
REMARKS Lugaid Reoderg was a champion of Ulster and a
good friend of Cu Chulainn's. When Cu Chulainn was visited
by Aeonghus at An Téte Brecc, Lugaid was sitting by his
head as he lay under a Danann spell. During the feast of
Bricrui Nemhthenga at Tech Midchuarta, Lugaid sat in the
8th position to the champion's side of Conchobar.
NAME Lugaid Riab nDerg
EPITHET Of the Red Stripes
ALTERNATIVE Lugaidh / Lugdach / Lughaidh / Luighdeach
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht / Leinster / Mide / Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES BC 1st c / BC 33-8 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
RELATIVES Bres, Nar and Lothar (fathers/uncles); Clothra
(mother/aunt/consort); Crimthann (son);
Derbhorgill (wife); Medbh (aunt); Eochaidh
(grandfather)
SEE ALSO Clothra / Conaire Mor / Crimthann Nia Nair /
Derbhorgill / Eochaidh Feidhleach
REMARKS Lugaid Riab nDerg was a son of Clothra and her
brothers Bres, Nar and Lothar (The 3 Finns of Emain). His
body was divided by three stripes which represented each of
his fathers. This made Lugaid a fullblooded grandson of
Eochaidh Feidhleach. Lugaid sired a son Crimthann by his
mother.
Lugaid became the high chieftain of Ireland 5 years
after the death Conaire Mor. He married Derbhorgill, the
daughter of the head chieftain of Lochlann. After 25 years
ruling Ireland, he died when he fell on his sword while
travelling to the assembly of Tailtiu. It was said that he
died in sorrow for his wife.
NAME Lugaidh mac Conn
ALTERNATIVE Lugaid mac Con / Lugaid mac Dairine / Lugdach /
Lughaidh / Luighdeach
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Ard Righ Eirinn
TYPE chariot warrior / high chieftain
CULTURE Danann / Goidel - Corcu Laegde / Pictish
COUNTRY Ireland
REGION Meath
TERRITORY Connacht / Leinster / Mide / Munster / Ulster
LANDMARKS Magh mBreg
CENTERS Raith Rig - Tara
AGE Iron
DATES AD 2nd-3rd c / AD 170-200 (Ard Righ - Kings List)
BATTLES Cinna
RELATIVES Connla (father); Dairine (mother); Achtan
(wife); Nia (son); Art Aenfer (uncle); Cormac
macAirt (cousin/stepson); Conn (grandfather);
Eremon, Tea, Ith and Eochu Apthach (ancestors)
ENEMIES Art Aenfer / Cormac macAirt / Ferches / Fergus
Dubdetach
SEE ALSO Achtan / Art Aenfer / Conn Cetcathach / Connla /
Cormac macAirt / Eochu Apthach / Eremon / Fergus
Dubdetach / Ith / Lugna / Nia / Tadg mac Cein /
Tea
REMARKS Lugaidh mac Conn, son of Connla, son of Conn
Cetcathach, was a descendant of Eremon and Tea. On his
mother's side (disstaff) he was of the Corcu Laegde and a
descendant of Ith. Lugaidh attacked Ireland with a force
of Britons and claimed his right to the position as high
chieftain of Ireland when he killed Art Aenfer in battle.
He then married Achtan, mother of Cormac macAirt.
Lugna sent his foster-son Cormac to Tara to continue
his training with Lugaidh. One day Lugaidh was making a
judgment on a situation where a sheep had eaten the woad
plants of a woman. Lugaidh said that the sheep would be
equal compensation for the woad. However, Cormac pointed
out that the wool of the sheep would be fair compensation
for the eaten woad because both the wool and the woad would
grow back.
The people claimed Cormac's decision as true and his
side of the house stood. Lugaidh's judgment was declared
false and his side of the house fell down the hill. After
30 years of rule, Lugaidh was deposed and Cormac became the
new high chieftain of Ireland.
Soon after, Cormac was driven from Tara by Fergus
Blacktooth, the head chieftain of Ulster. While in exile,
Cormac approached Tadg mac Cein and asked him to be his war
leader in return for all the land Tadg could encircle in
one day. Tadg agreed to this so Cormac then went to
Lugaidh, put a spear to his heart and demanded that Lugaidh
be his champion and bring him the head of Fergus Blacktooth
as compensation for having taken his father's life.
Lugaidh first tried to trick Cormac by bringing the
the head of Fergus's brother, then that of another warrior
who looked like him, and when that did not work he finally
brought the head of Fergus. When Cormac accepted this as
the real head of Fergus Blacktooth, Lugaidh then sliced off
the head of Cormac mac Airt, only to find he had been
tricked and that it was a look-alike dressed as the high
chieftain of Ireland. Lugaidh was finally slain by the
poet Ferches son of Comman.
NAME Lugh
EPITHET The Shining One / Fair-haired of the Long Reach
(Lugh Lam Fhada) / Master of All Talents
(Samildanach) / Stubborn Born (Dul-Dana)
ALTERNATIVE Lochca / Logai / Logo / Logones / Lucc /
Luch /
Lug mac Cein / Lugh mac Ethnenn / Lugh {Luhkh,
Lookh} / Lugos / Luog
GENDER M
SYMBOL Lynx / T (Holly) / sunwheel / Milky Way (chain
of Lugh)
FESTIVAL Tailteann games / summer solstice / Lugnasadh
(Lugh's Wedding)
CATEGORY deity / hero / warrior / druid / 4th Ri Ruirech
TYPE sun god / god of war / god of crafts / chariot
warrior / sorcerer / leech / architect / bard /
head chieftain
CULTURE Danann / Fomorii
COUNTRY Ireland / England / France / Netherlands /
Romania / Spain / Switzerland / Canada / United
States
REGION Sligo
TERRITORY Lloegr / Connacht
LANDMARKS Plain of Towers (Magh Tuiredh)
SITES Tara / Croagh Patrick / Coem-druim
(died)
CENTERS Sidhe Rodruban (Fodrubain)
AGE Bronze
DATES BC
16th-15th c / BC 17th c / BC 1686-1646
(Kings List)
BATTLES second battle of Magh Tuireadh (north Moytura)
ACCESSORIES gold helmet / gold breastplate / golden boots /
green cloak / lance / pronged spear / sword /
shield / sling / ravens (prophetic birds)
RELATIVES Cian (father); Ethniu (mother); Echtach, Bua,
Buach and Englecc (consorts); Naas (wife);
Ainnle and Abartach (sons); Tailtiu (foster-
mother); Eochaid, Gobhniu and Manannan (foster-
fathers); Cailleach (consort); Ebliu (half-
sister); Diancecht and Balor (grandfathers);
Esaire (great-grandmother); Magog, Iarbonel and
Net (ancestors)
ENEMIES Balor / Birog / MacCuill
SEE ALSO Abartach / Balor / Birog / Cailleach Beara /
Cian / Cu Chulainn / Daghda / Diancecht / Ebliu
/ Eochaid mac Eirc / Esaire / Ethniu / Goibhniu
/ Iarbonel / Magog / Manannan / MacCuill / Naas
/ Net / Nuadha / Oghma / Tailtiu
REMARKS Lugh was the son of Cian, son of Diancecht, son
of Esaire, daughter of Net. He was also the son of Ethniu,
daughter of Balor, son of Dot, son of Net. Lugh's
bloodline made him a very important boy. Because of a
prophecy that his grandfather Balor, head chieftain of the
Fomorii, was to die at the hands of a grandson, Balor tried
to sacrifice him to the sea at birth. Lugh was rescued by
a filidh named Birog.
Lugh received his name from his grandfather Balor
while he was with Cian picking apples. Lugh was picking
the best apples from the top branches and Balor yelled
"Away with you, Lui!" Cian heard this and named his son
Lugh Lam Fhada (Fair-haired of the Long Reach). Lugh was
fostered by his uncle Goibhniu, the goddess Tailtui,
Eochaid the rough son of Dui and Manannan who called him
Dul-Dana (blind, stubborn-born).
Lugh grew into a tall fair warrior, close-shaven with
black and blond curly hair. He had a countenance so
radiant that no mortal could look upon him. When Lugh
approached the entrance to Tara, he was challenged. He had
to prove that he had an art which they needed, because none
could enter Tara without a useful art. Lugh named off his
many talents one by one, but each time the guard at the
gate replied that they already had someone with that
talent. Lugh was refused entry until he asked if they had
anyone who had all the talents. He was given entry and
announced as a Samildanach.
Once inside, Nuadha asked him to play fidchell and
Lugh won every game. Oghma threw a great flagstone through
the wall so that it landed outside of Tara. It should have
taken fourscore (4x20) yoke of oxen to move it back into
place but Lugh put it back into place himself and expertly
repaired the damage. He was then asked to play the harp.
The first melody Lugh played on the harp caused the
warriors to fall into a healing sleep. The second melody
was so sad the warriors began to weep but the third caused
them to be of such good cheer that they began to celebrate.
The Danann had beaten the Firbolg when they arrived in
Ireland, but they were then subjugated by the Fomorians and
taxed very heavily. Lugh was asked if he could help them
win a battle against the Fomorians and was given the head
chieftain's chair for 13 days. He then interviewed the
different chieftains and masters until he was satisfied
with their qualifications. He was elected as war leader
and for the next 7 years prepared for a battle with the
Fomorians.
Lugh acquired a supernatural spear from the city
Gorias which he gave to Manannan; an invincible sword,
Cliamh Soluis (the sword of light) from the city of Finias
(city of wisdom) which he gave to Nuadha; a supernatural
cauldron from the city of Muirias which he gave to Daghda;
and the stone of Fail from Falias that became the sacred
stone of the Danann.
The battle between the Danann and the Fomorians took
place on a summer solstice and was fought in the county of
northern Sligo in the province of Connacht on the Plain of
Towers (Magh Tuireadh). Lugh initiated the war when he
killed 18 out of 27 of the Fomorian tax collectors. Before
the battle began, Lugh made the first reckoning in Ireland
by calculating the number of Fomorian warriors against the
Danann. Lugh then performed a druidic dance around his
warriors by hopping on one foot, hat pulled down over one
eye and holding one hand in the air and chanting spells.
Lugh wore his knee-length silk kirtle with red gold
woven into the fabric. Over this he wore the golden helmet
and breastplate given him by Manannan. He also wore
Manannan's green cloak held with a silver fibula and his
golden boots. For weapons Lugh carried his large single-
edged sword at his waist, a 5-barbed lance, a bi-pronged
spear, his sling and his black shield with a silvered
bronze rim. It is said that Lugh was the first person to
use a horse in battle, introduce ball play and fidchell.
Lugh always had a flock of ravens swarming around his
head whispering messages into his ears. During the battle,
Lugh was kept in the background until Nuadha was killed and
he assumed the position of head chieftain. He went into
battle as a chariot warrior and led his people from the
front. When his grandfather Balor came on to the
battlefield with his magical eye that could destroy
hundreds of warriors, Lugh entered into the forefront of
the battle and took out Balor's eye with his sling. This
decisive move caused the end of the Fomorian influence in
Ireland. (Balor was the bull, sun god of the D [oak] or
waxing half of the year and Lugh was the Lynx, the sun god
who killed him and ruled the T [holly] or waning half of
the year.)
Lugh killed Cermat in combat when he found that Cermat
was having an affair with his wife Naas. When Naas died,
her burial place became known by her name. Lugh lam-fhada
Lonn-beimeannac (Long-Armed Lugh of the Mighty Blows) was
killed by MacCuill at Coem-druim in revenge for his
father's death.
Lugh ruled as head chieftain of the Danann for a span
of 40 years and was replaced by The Daghda. When Daghda
was allotting sidhes to his chieftains, Lugh was given
Sidhe Rodruban as his home.
For many centuries, Lugh has been venerated on the
tops of hills and mountains. Croagh Patrick in county Mayo
was the most noted in Ireland. Lugnasadh (Lugh's Wedding)
was held at Carmun. The festival suggests the names Lugh
and Naas as well as tying, bonding and good fortune.
Some of the many sites named after him are:
England - Carlisle (Luguvallos) - stronghold of Lug (or he
who is strong like Lug)
France - Loudun in the department of Vienne
- Laon (Laudunum) in the department of Aisne
- Lyons (Lugudunum) the fort of Lugh
Ireland - Precipice Lugnanarrib, Croagh Patrick, co. Mayo
- Lugnasadh (Lugh's Wedding) at Carmun
Italy - Lugo in the northeast province of Ravenna
Netherlands - Leyden (Lughdunum Batavorum) north of the
Hague
Poland - Liegnitz (Legnica) in Silesia at the confluence
of the Katzbach and the Schwarzwasser
Romania - Lugoj (Lugos) - town on the River Temes (Tamis)
Spain - Tarragona - the Lugoves tribe
- Lugo, town and province in Galicia
Switzerland - Lugano in Ticino district
- Lugoues at the town of Avenches
U.S.A. - New England ogham stone - Lugh Mab Mabimo
(LGH MB MBM) Lugh son of Valiant
- Wyoming - pictograph and name in ogham
-
Colorado - Arkansas River (Lughnasadh site)
NAME Lugna
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / chieftain
TYPE chariot warrior
CULTURE Goidel
COUNTRY Ireland
TERRITORY Connacht
AGE Iron
DATES AD 3rd c
RELATIVES Cormac macAirt (foster-son)
SEE ALSO Achtan / Art / Cormac macAirt / Lugaidh mac Conn
REMARKS Lugna agreed to foster Art's child when he was
born. When Art's consort Achtan did not show up at his
raith at the appointed time to give birth to their child
and it began to thunder and lightning, Lugna knew that the
child had been born and set off to find him.
When he finally found the distraught mother and her
maid in the woods, she told him that the boy had been taken
away by a she-wolf. One of Lugna's warriors Grec found the
boy in a cave with the wolf and her whelps. He had to kill
the bitch but he rescued the boy and the wolf pups.
Lugna named the boy Cormac macAirt as his father had
wished. When Cormac was young, he was teased by one of the
other fosters about not knowing who his clan and race were
because he was without a father. He went to his foster-
father to complain, only to find out that he was the son of
Art who had been the high chieftain of Ireland.
Lugna took the boy and his wolves to Tara where he was
taken into fosterage by Lugaidh mac Conn, the high
chieftain of Ireland and Cormac's step-father.
NAME Lutarios
GENDER M
CATEGORY warrior / Brenin
TYPE horse warrior / war leader
CULTURE Galatian - Tolistiboii, Tectosages, Trocni
tribes
COUNTRY Turkey
TERRITORY Galatia
LANDMARKS Plateau of Phrygia
AGE Iron
DATES BC 3rd c / BC 278 / BC 270
ACCESSORIES horses
SEE ALSO Brennus / Leonnorios
REMARKS Lutarios and Leonnorios were chieftains who
separated from Brennus's horde and in BC 278 crossed to
Asia Minor to fight as mercenaries for Nicomedes, the
leader of Bithynia.
Lutarios must have had a large proportion of female
warriors because there was a reference by St Jerome of the
Gallic virgins who killed themselves to avoid outrage.
Also, one of the four subjects for the sculptures by Attalo
and Eumenes and dedicated to the Gauls was The Battle of
the Amazons.
Lutarios and Leonnorios led a force of approximately
20,000 warriors. They terrorized Asia Minor for a while
before being defeated in BC 270 by Antiochos Soter and his
war elephants. The survivors settled on the Plateau of
Phrygia where they developed the Territory of the Galatians
with its tetrarchy system of rule.
NAME Luxovio
ALTERNATIVE Luxovius / Luxovios
GENDER M
CATEGORY deity
TYPE healing sun god / tutelary god
CULTURE Gallic - Lingones tribe
COUNTRY France
REGION Haute-Saône
TERRITORY Gaul
LANDMARKS Vosges
SITES Waters of Luxeuil (thermal spring)
AGE Iron
DATES BC 6th c / BC 1st c
RELATIVES Bricta (consort)
SEE ALSO Bricta
REMARKS Luxovio gave his name to the settlement of
Luxeuil, at the base of the Vosges mountains, which has
been known since ancient times for its mineral waters. The
Lingones tribe settled in the area around BC 6th century
and were still there when Caesar conquered the area in BC
1st century. Luxovio was most likely the healing sun god
consort to Bricta.