Lug's Diary

 

 

In this diary you will be informed of the « history » of Ireland, before the Celts themselves came. Naturally, it is only the Celts belief. The celtic mythology is a heroic mythology. The Celts believed in their gods and goddesses and associated their lives to them. They represented their heros, the essential of their religious traditions and the state of their people in these gods. As you will see, the Celts played a important role in the « history » of Ireland.

 

By the way, Lug is the god of the Light, a warrior, a sorcerer and a technician. Also, the Celts calendar wasn’t divided into twelve months, but into thirty-six periods of nine to eleven days each. These periods were associated to a specific type of tree. The periods weren't called « period », but the name of a tree.

 

 

My young years till today, the 3 of the second period

 

My grand-father, Balor, chief of the Fomoire, threw me to the sea today with my two brothers. He was told of a prophecy where he will die from one of his grand-sons. To escape his fate, he decided to kill us, but I survived. Unfortunately, my two brothers didn’t make it. I was educated by the Tuatha De Danann, a family of gods. I am half Tuatha De Danann and half Fomoire, another family of gods. I really regret being related by blood to the Fomoire. They are the opressors and destructives demons of our time.

 

4 of the fifth period

 

The first battle of Mag Tured, or, in my language, the celtic language, the “Cath Maighe Tuireadh”, is being discussed right now. We may start a war soon.

 

6 of the fifth period

 

The battle is inevitable. Us, the Tuatha De Danann, are going to fight against the Fir Bolg, another family of gods, to restate our city, Emain Macha. Five years ago, they threw us out our lands and we want them back.

 

8 of the fifth period

 

The war started today. Our troups are already getting weaker. I think I have an idea to save our people. I’ll see if it’s going to work.

 

10 of the fifth period

 

It’s been two days since the war started. We have won ! Everyone thinks I saved the day, but all I did was organize the battle. I summoned every druid, warriors who were left behind at the beginning, poets, butlers, prophets, craftsmen and others. We have a lot of prisonners from the Fir Bolg. It was our time to take back our city and we did it !

Unfortunatly, King Nuada lost his arm. He can’t keep the throne because of his arm. It’s a rule from our people. And I’m sad it exists. I think he would have been the best king who ever sat on the throne of these lands. Some of the population wants me as the new king, but I’m not so sure about that idea. I’ll have to think before answering them.

 

1 of the sixth period

 

I’m relieved. Bres will be the new king. It was decided today. I won’t have to take more responsabilities than I want. But, I think this choice is quite suspicious. Bres is half Fomoire as I am. That is one reason why I didn’t wanted to become king. I personally prefer having a king who has pure Tuatha De Danann blood. I can’t really talk openly about my feelings about him, but I have bad ones. We will see what will happen in the next periods.

 

7 of the seventh period

 

It’s been seven years since Bres took his place on the throne and Ireland is getting weaker each day. Before, with Nuada or even the Fir Bolg, Ireland was more prosperous. We have problems all around our lands. I hope it will change, and soon. Each day, I see gods dying of hunger and thirst. Also, like if it wasn’t enough, the Fomoire are attacking more and more. Two days ago, they almost break through our city limits.

 

3 of the eighth period

 

I talked to Diancecht, my grand-father, today and he told me he had an idea to reinstate Nuada on the throne. He didn’t want to tell me more, but I am pretty much confident it will work.

 

9 of the eighth period

 

This was the greatest day I had since we won against the Fir Bolg ! Nuada is back on the throne ! I couldn’t believe it when Diancecht and Nuada came to see me and asked me to join them. We made a visit to the palace. Nuada has a new arm and it’s silver ! Diancecht made it for him. It was easy for him since he is the healing god. I proposed my services to Nuada and he accepted them. Emain Macha already seems more joyful !

 

9 of the ninth period

 

Since Nuada came back on the throne, one period ago, a lot of things changed. fewer and fewer people are dying. The lands are prosperous again ! The only problem left is the Fomoire. They just can’t stop attacking our city ! I hope someone will come up with an idea.

 

11 of the twenty-first period

 

Nuada is discouraged. He wants to pass the throne to someone else. The  conflict with the Fomoire is discouraging him. He can’t do a thing to make them stop. I’ll try to encourage him. It’s not his fault after all.

 

5 of the twenty-second period

 

Nuada left the throne to me ! A half Fomoire ! At fisrt I wanted to refuse, but I realize all the population is counting on me. I finally did refuse the throne, but I accepted to take the commands of the battle.

 

10 of the twenty-fourth period

 

I decided to start a second battle to free us of these Fomoire. It may be my chance to take revenge against my grand-father, Balor, who is the chief of the Fomoire clan.

 

3 of the twenty-fifth period

 

The second battle of Mag Tured started today. The Fomoire are attacking more fiercly than before, but we are prepare to face them. Tomorrow, I will send all the troups to the battlefield. I hope it will be a short war.

 

1 of the twenty-sixth period

 

The war is finished. We won, but at a terible price. Nuada is lost. Balor killed him in front of my own eyes. When I saw this, I ran to my grand-father to defy him and he pointed his unique eye, which he had kept close during all the battle. Balor has only one enormous eye which kills instantaneously whoever stares at it. No weapons can kill him beside striking him in the eye. I stopped at a certain distance from him and I immediately threw my sling at his unique eye. It killed Balor instantaneously.

There will be a meeting to choose the next king tomorrow. I have no idea who could be the next one.

 

2 of the twenty-sixth period

 

Everyone voted for me ! I will be the next king. This time I couldn’t refuse, with Nuada dead… I decided to bring prosperity to Ireland as Nuada did. It’s my way of honouring him.

 

1 of the twenty-sixth period

 

Eight years have passed since the second battle of Mag Tured. I am still the king and Ireland is prosperous. I didn’t really have the time to write in this diary these last years. Being king takes a lot of my time. I hope things are going to stay as they are now.

 

4 of the thirtieth period

 

Strange ships arrived today on the shore. I will investigate them tomorrow.

 

5 of the thirtieth period

 

I went to investigate on the ships, and there were strange people on board. They talked our language, but were very different from us. They want to take our lands ! I asked them time to prepare for battle and they accepted. They don’t seem an intelligent race.

 

6 of the thirtieth period

 

This morning I ordered Manannan to cause a storm which could kill these mortals. He is the gods of the sea, so he can control it. And yes, now I am sure of it. These strange people are mortals. I expect this storm will be a success.

 

2 of the thirty-first period

 

Manannan’s storm wasn’t a success. It was a failure ! The mortels survived and attacked us so suddenly I couldn’t order the defense ! We lost and we had to bargain. Us, the Tuatha De Dannan, are keeping the invisible regions, which we call The Otherworld, and the mortal invaders, who we now call the Celts, are keeping the visible region, which is Ireland. We made sure they wouldn’t want to come on our side, and make them feared the Otherworld. But, we keep contact with the Celts by the intermediate of the druids who communicate our will to the king and to the tribe.

 

 

Cynthia Benoit-Labrèche