Thursday, August 11, 2005
UI's Celtic Mythology - Dian Cecht
Dian Cecht was the Irish god of healing. It was said that with his daughter Airmid, he had charge of a spring whose waters restored the dying gods to life. After Nuada, the leader of the Tuatha De Danann, lost his hand fighting the Firbolg at the first battle of Magh Tuireadh, Dian Cecht gave him a silver hand, thus earning him the title Nuada "of the Silver Hand". Impressed though the Tuatha De Danann were by Dian Cecht's handiwork, Nuada was felt to be no longer fit to be a war leader and Bres, who was half Fomorii, took his place. But Bres was a tyrant and became very unpopular, so Nuada was restored to the leadership, once Dian Cecht's son Miach had made him a new hand of flesh and blood. Apparently the god of healing grew jealous of his son's medical skills and so killed him.
# posted by United Irelander @ 12:05 AM 
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