Note: Fox said: "Each year at our Lughnassadh Festival we have sung the good ol' pagan standard 'Lughnassadh Dance' by Gwydion. The only trouble with the song is that it is very mythologically incorrect. Everybody loves it though, so the SLG Liturgists sat down last night and did a little rewrite that is much closer to the tales."
Pronunciation: Eithne (ENNA), Kian (KEEN), Dechtire (JEH-chiray),
Lugh (LOO), Manannan (MON-uh-non), Lughnasadh (LOO-nah-sah)
Lugh the light of summer bright clothed all in gold
Eithne you his mother true let his tale be told
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
It was known that Balor's own grandchild would do him in
He vainly sought but all for naught, imprisoning his kin
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
Kian the brave and clever knave, disguised himself so well
It wasn't hard to fool the guards, and enter Eithne's cell
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
The two did swoon from morn till noon, she bore him babies three
Then Balor's rage flew in her cage and cast them in the sea
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
The first two babes went to their graves, beneath the stormy sea
But Manannan he took Lugh on, his foster son to be
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
Lugh grew tall from spring to fall and sought to take a wife
But Balor came and made his claim and vowed to take his life
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
The two did fight from morn 'till night and Lugh did strike him one
And Balor's eye flew in the sky and there became the sun
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
Dechtire flew away with Lugh upon her wedding morn
Together they lay for many a day and soon a child was born
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain
The child grew tall from spring to fall, Setanta was his name
And then at length by honor's strength CuChulainn he became
CHORUS:
At your festival sound the horn, calling the people again
Child of Barleycorn, newly summer-born
Ripening like the grain, oh, ripening like the grain