Editing Liath Luachra

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'''Liath Luachra''' or the "'''Grey one of Luachair'''", is the name of two characters in the [[Fenian Cycle]] of [[Irish mythology]]. Both appear in ''[[The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn]]'', which details the young life and adventures of the hero [[Fionn mac Cumhaill]]. [[Alfred Nutt]] for example distinguished the two as figures of different gender.<ref name=nutt/>

The first Liath Luachra is one of Fionn's foster mothers who raise him after the death of his father [[Cumhal]] at the hands of [[Goll mac Morna]]. She is a great warrior and a companion of Fionn's aunt, the [[druidess]] [[Bodhmall]]; together they raise the boy in secret in the forest of [[Slieve Bloom Mountains|Sliabh Bladhma]]. Eventually Fionn's ever-spreading fame threatens to bring his father's killers to him, and his caretakers send him to find his own way. By this point they have taught him enough that he can survive on his own, and he goes into the king of [[Bantry]]'s service.<ref name=mackillop-liath-luachra>"[https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100103724 Liath Luchra]", MacKillop, James (1998). ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. Oxford. {{ISBN|0-19-860967-1}}.</ref><ref>"The Boyish Exploits of Finn" ¶4, {{harvp|Meyer|1904|p=181}}</ref>

The second Liath Luachra is a tall, hideous warrior and a member of the [[Fianna]]. He had been an enemy of Cumhal, and even dealt him the first blow in the battle at which he died. Later Goll mac Morna gave him possession of Cumhal's treasures, and made him the Fianna's official treasurer. His ''corrbolg'' or ''crane bag'' is one of the warrior band's great treasures. Eventually he kills a young warrior named Glonda; Fionn sees the man's mother crying blood over the murder and decides to avenge him. He kills Liath easily and takes his treasure from him. This Liath has a son, [[Conán mac Lia]], who becomes lord of Luchair and a marauder against Fionn and the Fianna. He is eventually reconciled with the group and joins them.<ref name=mackillop-liath-luachra/><ref>"The Boyish Exploits of Finn" ¶2, ¶16,{{harvp|Meyer|1904|pp=180, 185}}</ref>

==References==
;Citations
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=nutt>{{citation|last=Nutt |first=Alfred |author-link=Alfred Nutt |title=A Dictionary of Irish Mythology |journal=The Folk-Lore Record |volume=4 |publisher=<!--Folk-lore Society--> |date=1881|page=17 and note†<!--1–44-->}}</ref>
}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation|last=Meyer |first=Kuno |author-link=Kuno Meyer |title=The Boyish Exploits of Finn |trans-title=tr. of ''Macgnimartha Find'' |journal=Ériu |volume=1 |year=1904 |pages=102–103<!--180–190-->}}
{{refend}}

{{Celtic mythology (Fenian)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liath Luachra}}
[[Category:Fenian Cycle]]


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