Balor
Balor is a Fomorian warrior who imprisons his only daughter Eithne in a tower on Tory Island to prevent a prophecy that he would be killed by his own grandson. He steals a magical cow from Mac Cinnfhaelaidh and attempts to drown Eithne's triplet sons. He is ultimately killed by the one grandson who survives, fulfilling the prophecy.
↻ synthesized from 8 sources
When
- First attested
- 0 CE
- Attested period
- 0 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Recorded in folktale by John O'Donovan in 1835.
Relationships
- co occurs with
- Cethlenn, Elatha, Ériu, Fódla, Tethra, Trow, Fangfeng, Kuafu, Pangu, Yeren, Druon Antigoon, Ellert and Brammert, Pier Gerlofs Donia, Biróg, Sauron, Count Dracula, Alberich, Morgoth, Emperor Palpatine, Lord Voldemort, Badb, Ernmas, Morrígu, Failinis, Gavidathe smith, Eithne, Dagda, Donn, Lugh, Lugus, Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Ethniu, Cúchulainn, Cian, Mac Cinnfhaelaidh, Tailtiu, Mac Samthainn, Manannán mac Lir, Fragarach, Crom Dubh, Crom Cruach, Nás, Bói, Gavida, Cu, Cethen, Bres, Nuada, Am Fear Liath Mòr, Bertram de Shotts, Fachan, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Fomorians
- enemy of
- Mac Cinnfhaelaidh, Glas Gaibhnenn, Macha, Nuada, Lugh
Mentioned by
Sources
Source passages
“Fomorians Balor Bres”
#4516 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“the Fomorian warrior Balor, to frustrate a prophecy that he would be killed by his own grandson, imprisons his only daughter Eithne in the tower of Tory Island...Balor gathers them up in a sheet and sends a messenger to drown them”
#5910 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“There is a wealth of literary, folkloric, and theological precedent for the idea of a dark lord, including the Celtic Balor”
#13276 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Macha is said to have been killed by Balor during the battle with the Fomorians.”
#15939 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“Nuada is killed in the battle by Balor. Lugh faces Balor, who opens his terrible, poisonous eye that kills all it looks upon, but Lugh shoots a sling -stone that drives his eye out the back of his head, killing Balor and wreaking havoc on the Fomorian army behind.”
#16865 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001