InIrish mythology,Nuada orNuadu (modern spelling:Nuadha), known by the epithetAirgetlám (Airgeadlámh, meaning "silver hand/arm"), was the first king of theTuatha Dé Danann. He is also calledNechtan andNuadu Necht, and is sometimes believed to beElcmar, husband ofBoann.[1] 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 byDian Cécht. Nuada is thought to have been a god and is related to theBritish andGaulish godNodens, who is associated with hunting and fishing.[1] HisWelsh equivalent is Nudd orLludd Llaw Eraint.
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Middle IrishNúada/Núadu meanshero orchampion, which is "probably a euhemerized name for the deity."[2] The name Nuada may derive from aCelticstem *noudont- or*noudent-, whichJ. R. R. Tolkien suggested was related to aGermanic 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 ofNodens the Catcher".[3] Similarly,Julius Pokorny derives the name from aProto-Indo-European root*neu-d- meaning "acquire, utilise, go fishing".[4] Matasovic says that the formation from Proto-Celtic*nawito- meaning "need, compel" is quite difficult.[2]
Nuada was king of theTuatha Dé Danann for seven years before they came to Ireland. They made contact with theFir 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[5] in combat with the Fir Bolg championSreng. Nuada's ally, Aengaba of Norway, then fought Sreng, sustaining a mortal wound, whilethe 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 choseConnacht.[6]
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 byBres, 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 GreekTitans to theOlympians, 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 physicianDian Cecht and the wrightCreidhne (and later with a new arm of flesh and blood by Dian Cecht's sonMiach). Bres was removed from the kingship, having ruled for seven years, and Nuada was restored. He ruled for twenty more years.[7]
Bres, aided by the FomorianBalor of the Evil Eye, attempted to retake the kingship by force, and war and continued oppression followed. When the youthful and vigorousLugh 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.[8]
Nuada's great sword was one of theFour Treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann, brought from one of their four great cities.[9] InThe Fate of the Children of Tuireann Nuada is described as having a one-eyed door-keeper, whose eye is replaced by the brother healersMiach and Oirmiach with that of a cat.[10]
Nuada may be the same figure asNechtan andElcmar, who are described as the husbands ofBoann.[1][11] His father is named in the genealogies as Echtach son of Etarlam.[12] In the medieval texts, Nuada is described as having two brothers,Dian Cécht andGoibniu.[13] 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.[14] InThe Book of Invasions, Nuada is given a son named Caicher and a grandson Uillend.[15]
Characters who share the name Nuada include the later High KingsNuadu Finn Fáil andNuadu Necht, and Nuada, the maternal grandfather ofFionn mac Cumhaill. A rival toConn of the Hundred Battles wasMug Nuadat ("Nuada's Slave"). TheDelbhna, a people of early Ireland, had a branch called theDelbhna Nuadat who lived inCounty Roscommon. The present day town ofMaynooth in County Kildare is named after Nuada (its Irish name is Maigh Nuad, meaning The plain of Nuada). The Pre-Patrician section of theAnnals of Inisfallen have an incomplete entry on Nuada. There, in an entry on the division of Ireland between the sons ofÉrimón 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."[16]
Nuada's name is cognate with that ofNodens, aBritish deity associated with the sea and healing who was equated with the RomanMars, and with Nudd, a Welsh mythological figure. It is likely that another Welsh figure,Lludd Llaw Eraint (Lludd of the Silver Hand), derives fromNudd Llaw Eraint by alliterativeassimilation.[17] TheNorse godTýr is another deity equated with Mars who lost a hand.[18]Sabazios is another Indo-European deity associated with a sacred hand.[citation needed]
| Preceded by | High King of Ireland AFM 1890–1870 BC FFE 1470–1447 BC | Succeeded by |