Pictish Mystic · Lore · Book of Invasions
Tailtiu and the Origin of Lughnasadh
The First Battle of Mag Tuired was over, and the Fir Bolg had lost. The Book of Invasions says a hundred thousand of them fell. Nuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann lost his arm in that battle, so Bres son of Elatha took the kingship for seven years. But the next part of the old text does not follow the winners. It follows the widowed queen of the losing side.
Tailtiu, daughter of the king of Spain, was queen of the Fir Bolg, wife of Eochu son of Erc, the king the Tuatha Dé Danann had slain. After the slaughter she came to the forest of Coill Cuan. The wood was cut down by her, and before the end of a year it was a plain under clover-flower.
Cian son of Dian Cécht gave her his son in fosterage: Lugh, whose mother was Eithne, daughter of Balar. Tailtiu died at Tailtiu, and her name clung to the place. Her grave lies north-east of the Seat of Tailtiu.
Every year Lugh held her games and her song of lamentation, with feats of arms, a fortnight before Lughnasadh and a fortnight after. And so, the old text says, comes Lughnasadh: the festival of Lugh.
Sources
- Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions), Part 4, The Tuatha Dé Danann, §§56, 58 and 59, from R. A. S. Macalister's edition, on Mary Jones's Celtic Literature Collective: https://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html
Story told by John.
These are legends from medieval manuscripts, not recorded history.
First shared on X @dalriada36963 and TikTok @johnshaw333.
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