Lugh

Lugh's name was also spelled Lew, Llew, Lug or Lleu. Sometimes he was called Lugh Lamhfada, meaning Lugh of the Long Arm. He was the God of the Sun, of light, and he was greatly skilled at all things. His name is translated as "the Shining One". As a Divine Jack-of-all-Trades, he was patron God to all manner of craftspeople, musicians, magicians, healers and warriors. In looks, he was youthful, fair-haired and handsome.

The first of three harvest Sabbats of the year, is called Lughnasadh, after this Celtic God. There are two origins in myth for this festival. Though named for Lugh, the festival was actually in honour of his foster-mother (whose name was Tailtiu). If she were not remembered each year, Lugh would ravage the countryside and decimate the crops. The other version of the Lughnasadh celebration is that Lugh sacrifices himself to ensure prosperous crops in the upcoming harvest.

In later Celtic myth, Lugh became the leader of the Tuatha de Danann after King Nuada lost an arm and could not keep his throne. His son was the great Irish hero Cuchulainn (known as the Hound of Ulster). Lugh's own parentage is a little murky, but he was either the son of Danu and Beli or of Cian and Ethlinn (and raised by a foster mother).