Editing Nuada Airgetlám

{{Short description|First king of the Tuatha Dé Danann in Irish mythology}}
{{redirect|Nuada|the given name|Nuada (given name)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
[[File:Armagh St. Patrick's Cathedral of the Church of Ireland North Aisle “Tandragee Man“ 2019 09 09.jpg|thumb|The [[Tandragee Idol]], which may represent Nuada<ref name="ohogain"/>]]
In [[Irish mythology]], '''Nuada''' or '''Nuadu''' (modern spelling: '''Nuadha'''), known by the epithet '''Airgetlám''' ('''Airgeadlámh''', meaning "silver hand/arm"), was the first king of the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]]. He is also called [[Nechtan (mythology)|Nechtan]] and [[Nuadu Necht]], and is sometimes believed to be [[Elcmar]], husband of [[Boann]].<ref name="ohogain">Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 326–327</ref> He is mostly known from the tale in which he loses his arm or hand in battle, and thus his kingship, but regains it after being magically healed by [[Dian Cécht]]. Nuada is thought to have been a god and is related to the [[Celtic Britons|British]] and [[Gaul]]ish god [[Nodens]], who is associated with hunting and fishing.<ref name="ohogain"/> His [[Welsh mythology|Welsh]] equivalent is Nudd or [[Lludd Llaw Eraint]].

{{Nuada Airgetlám}}

==Etymology==
Middle Irish ''Núada/Núadu'' means ''hero'' or ''champion'', which is "probably a euhemerized name for the deity."<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Matasović|first=Ranko|url=https://archive.org/details/EtymologicalDictionaryOfProtoCeltic/page/n351/mode/2up?view=theater|title=Etymological dictionary of proto-Celtic|date=2009|publisher=Brill|isbn=978-90-04-17336-1|location=Leiden|pages=352|oclc=262430534}}</ref> The name Nuada may derive from a [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] [[word stem|stem]] *''noudont-''  or ''*noudent-'', which [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] suggested was related to a [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] root meaning "acquire, have the use of", earlier "to catch, entrap (as a hunter)". Making the connection with Nuada and Lludd's hand, he detected "an echo of the ancient fame of the magic hand of [[Nodens]] the Catcher".<ref>[[J. R. R. Tolkien]], "The Name Nodens", Appendix to "Report on the excavation of the prehistoric, Roman and post-Roman site in [[Lydney Park]], Gloucestershire", ''Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London'', 1932</ref> Similarly, [[Julius Pokorny]] derives the name from a [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] root ''*neu-d-'' meaning "acquire, utilise, go fishing".<ref>[[Julius Pokorny]], ''[[Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch]]'' 768.</ref> Matasovic says that the formation from Proto-Celtic ''*nawito-'' meaning "need, compel" is quite difficult.<ref name=":0" />

==Description==
Nuada was king of the [[Tuatha Dé Danann]] for seven years before they came to Ireland. They made contact with the [[Fir Bolg]], the then-inhabitants of the island, and Nuada sought from them half of the island for the Tuatha Dé, which their king rejected. Both peoples made ready for war, and in an act of chivalry allowed their numbers and armaments to be inspected by the opposing side to allow for a truly fair battle. During this first great battle at Mag Tuired, Nuada lost an arm<ref>Or a hand – [[Old Irish language|Old Irish]] ''lám'' can mean either. ''The First Battle of Mag Tuired'' ([http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/1maghtured.html §48] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504180957/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/1maghtured.html |date=4 May 2009 }}) specifically says that Sreng "severed his right arm at the shoulder; and the king's arm with a third of his shield fell to the ground".</ref> in combat with the Fir Bolg champion [[Sreng]]. Nuada's ally, Aengaba of Norway, then fought Sreng, sustaining a mortal wound, while [[the Dagda]] protected Nuada. Fifty of the Dagda's soldiers carried Nuada from the field. The Tuatha Dé gained the upper hand in the battle, so to speak, but Sreng later returned to challenge Nuada to single combat. Nuada accepted, on the condition that Sreng fought with one arm tied up. Sreng refused, but by this point the battle was won and the Fir Bolg all but vanquished. The Tuatha Dé then decided to offer Sreng one quarter of Ireland for his people instead of the one half offered before the battle, and he chose [[Connacht]].<ref>''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]'' [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html §58, 60, 64] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715225248/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html |date=15 July 2010 }}; ''The First Battle of Mag Tuired'' [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/1maghtured.html §20, 48, 56] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504180957/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/1maghtured.html |date=4 May 2009 }}</ref>

Having lost his arm, Nuada was no longer eligible for kingship because of the Tuatha Dé tradition that their king must be physically perfect, and he was replaced as king by [[Bres]], a half-[[Fomorian]] prince renowned for his beauty and intellect. The Fomorians were mythological enemies of the people of Ireland, often equated with the mythological "opposing force" such as the Greek [[Titan (mythology)|Titans]] to the [[Twelve Olympians|Olympians]], and during Bres's reign they imposed great tribute on the Tuatha Dé, who became disgruntled with their new king's oppressive rule and lack of hospitality. By this time Nuada had his lost arm replaced by a working silver one by the physician [[Dian Cecht]] and the wright [[Creidhne]] (and later with a new arm of flesh and blood by Dian Cecht's son [[Miach]]). Bres was removed from the kingship, having ruled for seven years, and Nuada was restored. He ruled for twenty more years.<ref>''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]'' [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html §64] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715225248/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html |date=15 July 2010 }}; ''The Second Battle of Mag Tuired'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T300010.html pp. 27–35] (Gray translation); ''[[Annals of the Four Masters]]'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text004.html M3304-3310]; [[Geoffrey Keating]], ''History of Ireland'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text019.html 1.9]</ref>

Bres, aided by the Fomorian [[Balor]] of the Evil Eye, attempted to retake the kingship by force, and war and continued oppression followed. When the youthful and vigorous [[Lugh]] joined Nuada's court, the king realised the multi-talented youth could lead the Tuatha Dé against the Fomorians, and stood down in his favour. The second Battle of Mag Tuired followed. Nuada was killed and beheaded in battle by Balor, but Lugh avenged him by killing Balor and led the Tuatha Dé to victory.<ref>''The Second Battle of Mag Tuired'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T300010.html pp. 35–43, 61] (Gray translation); ''[[Annals of the Four Masters]]'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100005A/text004.html M3311-3330]; Geoffrey Keating, ''History of Ireland'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100054/text021.html 1.21]</ref>

Nuada's great sword was one of the [[Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann]], brought from one of their four great cities.<ref>''The Second Battle of Mag Tuired'' [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T300010.html p. 25] (Gray translation); ''[http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/jewels.html The Four Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220160626/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/jewels.html |date=20 February 2012 }}''</ref> In ''The Fate of the Children of Tuireann'' Nuada is described as having a one-eyed door-keeper, whose eye is replaced by the brother healers [[Miach]] and Oirmiach with that of a cat.<ref>{{cite book |title=Oide Cloinne Tuireann |date=1901 |publisher=M. H. Gill and Son |location=Dublin |page=67 |url=https://archive.org/details/fateofchildrenof00sociiala/mode/2up |access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref>

==Relationships==
Nuada may be the same figure as [[Nechtan (mythology)|Nechtan]] and [[Elcmar]], who are described as the husbands of [[Boann]].<ref name="ohogain"/><ref>James MacKillop, ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology'', 1998, p. 307</ref> His father is named in the genealogies as Echtach son of Etarlam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/fraech.html|title=The Cattle-Raid of Fraech|website=www.maryjones.us|access-date=13 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230081945/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/fraech.html#|archive-date=2013-12-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the medieval texts, Nuada is described as having two brothers, [[Dian Cecht|Dian Cécht]] and [[Goibniu]].<ref>[https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T300011/text075.html ''The Second Battle of Moytura'' Sections 74,75]</ref> Ethadon is named as one of Nuada's sons and Gaible his grandson. Gaible stole a bundle of sticks from the Dagda's daughter (named as Ainge), and where he hurled them, a fair wood grew.<ref>[https://www.ucd.ie/tlh/trans/ws.rc.15.001.t.text.html ''Dindsenchas'' "Fid n-Gaible"]</ref> In ''The Book of Invasions'', Nuada is given a son named Caicher and a grandson Uillend.<ref>''[[Lebor Gabála Érenn]]'' [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html#55 §64] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100715225248/http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/lebor4.html#55#55 |date=2010-07-15 }}</ref>

==Legacy==
Characters who share the name Nuada include the later High Kings [[Nuadu Finn Fáil]] and [[Nuadu Necht]], and Nuada, the maternal grandfather of [[Fionn mac Cumhaill]]. A rival to [[Conn of the Hundred Battles]] was [[Mug Nuadat]] ("Nuada's Slave"). The [[Delbhna]], a people of early Ireland, had a branch called the [[Delbhna Nuadat]] who lived in [[County Roscommon]]. The present day town of [[Maynooth]] in County Kildare is named after Nuada (its Irish name is Maigh Nuad, meaning The plain of Nuada). 
The Pre-Patrician section of the ''[[Annals of Inisfallen]]'' have an incomplete entry on Nuada. There, in an entry on the division of Ireland between the sons of [[Érimón]] it says, "Every family [...] subsequently in Ireland is of the race of Nuada on account of his maintenance by his kinsmen and on account of his patience."<ref>https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T100004P/text007.html ''Annals of Inisfallen'' "Pre-Patrician section," entry 68.2</ref>

==Mythological parallels==
Nuada's name is cognate with that of [[Nodens]], a [[Celtic Britons|British]] deity associated with the sea and healing who was equated with the Roman [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]], and with Nudd, a Welsh mythological figure. It is likely that another Welsh figure, [[Lludd Llaw Eraint]] (Lludd of the Silver Hand), derives from ''Nudd Llaw Eraint'' by alliterative [[Assimilation (linguistics)|assimilation]].<ref>James Mackillop, ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology'', 1998, p. 266</ref> The [[Norse mythology|Norse]] god [[Týr]] is another deity equated with Mars who lost a hand.<ref>Mary Jones, [http://www.maryjones.us/jce/nodens.html "Nodens"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070713234149/http://www.maryjones.us/jce/nodens.html |date=13 July 2007 }}, ''[http://www.maryjones.us/jce/jce_index.html Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608085721/http://www.maryjones.us/jce/jce_index.html |date=8 June 2008 }}''</ref> [[Sabazios]] is another Indo-European deity associated with a sacred hand.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Bres]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of High Kings of Ireland|High King of Ireland]]|years=[[Annals of the Four Masters|AFM]] 1890–1870 BC<br>[[Seathrún Céitinn|FFE]] 1470–1447 BC}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Lugh|Lug]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{Celtic mythology (Mythological)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nuada Airgetlam}}
[[Category:Irish gods]]
[[Category:Legendary High Kings of Ireland]]
[[Category:Tuatha Dé Danann]]