ABOUT ENYA » Eithne's story
Eithne was a Celtic princess, the only daughter of Balor of the Evil Eye,
who was a king of the Fomorians, a race of giants. According to legend, they lived on Tory Island.
Because there was a prophesy that Balor was to be killed by his grandson,
he locked his daughter in a tower made of crystal to keep her from becoming pregnant.
There she grew up, guarded by women, for no male was permitted on the island. The story of the beautiful
princess spread around the country and many warriors tried to capture her
but none survived the sea and the guards.
However, Cian, with the help of the druidess Birog, eventually did get in, disguised
as a serving woman and seduced her. Eithne gave
birth to triplets, but Balor threw them into the ocean. Two either drowned or
turned into seals, but Birog saved one, Lugh. He grew up to be strong and high minded and when
as a young man, he heard of the injustices perpetrated by Balor, he set out to
rid the land of the tyrant. Needless to say he succeeded and slew Balor, duly
fulfilling the prophesy.
The story has more variations, there are even suggestions that it might have been a forerunner of the Sleeping Beauty.