Background
Balor was an imposing leader among the Formorians, a menacing and demonic faction oppressing the Tuatha De Danann. His demise was foretold and occurred during the fierce Battle of Moytura, where he met his end at the hands of his grandson, Lugh. The sheer size of Balor was so immense that when he fell, twenty-seven soldiers were crushed beneath him.
The Legend of Balor
In his youth, Balor once observed his father’s Druids crafting a lethal death spell. As he watched, the mystical vapors seeped into one of his eyes, bestowing upon it the ominous power of death. To conceal this danger among his own people, Balor kept this dreadful eye shut, causing his eyelid to become so burdensome that it required the strength of ten men to lift it. Nonetheless, in battle, the eye emerged as a formidable weapon, capable of slaying anyone it gazed upon. Balor thus became a notorious figurehead within the Formorian ranks, and local lore in Cong Co Mayo claims that the rocks in the area are transformed men, petrified by the deadly glare of his eye.
On that fateful day, a Druid foretold that Balor would eventually perish at the hands of his own grandson. In a bid to thwart this prophecy, Balor imprisoned his exquisite daughter, Eithne, in a tower and decreed that her life must be free of any mention of men. Ironically, despite his efforts, it was Balor himself who destined Eithne to meet her true love.
Although Balor owned numerous cattle, he was envious of a magnificent cow known as Glas Ghoibhneann, owned by Cian of the Tuatha De Danann. Disguising himself, he cunningly stole the prized cow. In pursuit of his lost animal, Cian encountered the stunning Eithne. Upon recognizing him as her beloved from dreams, they fell deeply in love. From this union, Eithne gave birth to a son named Lugh. Balor, upon discovering the birth of his grandson, ordered that the child be killed. However, Lugh escaped this fate, ultimately fulfilling the prophecy when he vanquished Balor with a slingshot in the epic Battle of Moytura.
Conclusion
Balor stands as a mythical tyrant akin to a nefarious Goliath, marked by the devastating power of his eye. Unwittingly, he incites a lineage that features prominent figures such as Lugh and Cuchulain, both significant icons in Irish mythology. His infamous confrontation with Lugh during the Second Battle of Moytura remains a legendary tale well-remembered in folklore.
