Legends of Sligo

WGW Sligo County, Ireland

THE BATTLES OF MOYTURA

This is a view of the plateau where the two battles of Moytura allegedly were fought some 3000 years ago. The photo was taken from atop Carrowkeel hill, and Moytura is in the background across Lough Arrow.

As everyone knows, the Celts were not the first settlers of Ireland. Long before they arrived one previous invader, the Tuatha De Danann, fought two others, the Fir Bolgs and the Formorians, in separate battles for control of Ireland. Both battles occurred on the Moytura plateau just east of Lough Arrow in southern Sligo. The De Dananns narrowly won the first battle and gave the losing Fir Bolgs their choice of one of Irelands four sections. The Fir Bolgs chose Connacht which, of course, includes Sligo.

The Formorians, who were a seafaring people based on Tory Island off the coast of Donegal, were at first friendly to the De Danann, but this alliance eroded over time. Animosity grew to the point where the Formorians landed a vast army in Ballysadare Bay under the command of a giant named Balor of the Evil Eye. Balor had but one monstrous eye that had the power to destroy everything it gazed upon.

The De Danann, who also had magical powers, were led by King Nuadha of the Silver Arm, so called because an appendage lost in the war with the Fir Bolgs had been replaced with one made of that metal, although the lost hand was preserved and later reattached by magic. Nuadha’s war chief was Lugh whose battle cry “Eire go bragh!” is heard to this day. During the long and bloody battle Balor slew Nuadha, then Lugh killed Balor with a slingshot that knocked his eye clear out of his head.

After that, the demoralized Formorian remnants fled back through Ballysadare Bay and left Ireland to the Tuatha De Danann. That is, until the Milesians arrived from Spain, but that is another story.

contributor:
Paul Burns
pabloburns@comcast.net

WGW Sligo County, Ireland

Legends of Sligo

THE BATTLES OF MOYTURA

SLIGOHOME

*********************