e Fomorian army.
When Lugh discovered the murder, Lugh sought revenge. Given a choice of being execution or being sent on performing half-dozen impossible tasks; the brothers chose the later. Among the items the sons of Turenne had to fetch was the magic pigskin that could heal any wound.
By the time they accomplished all their tasks, they were mortally wounded. Turenne pleaded with Lugh, to use the pigskin to heal his sons. Lugh refused. The brothers died shortly after.
All this preparation took seven years to rally the Tuatha Dé Danann. During that time, when Dagda travelled north, he met a beautiful woman, near his home at Glenn Etin. Dagda slept with the woman on Samhain (November 1), the eve before the battle. The woman was the Morrígan. The Morrígan represented the Sovereignty of Ireland. To ensure that the land of Ireland remained fertile, Dagda must sleep with the goddess, each year on Samhain's Night.
The Morrígan informed Dagda that the Fomorians were going to land at Mag Scetne. She told her husband (Dagda) that he must bring the fighting men of the Eire (Ireland) to at the Ford of Unius (Ford of Destruction).
Lugh had sent Dagda to spy and delay the Fomorians, while Lugh recruited and gathered the Tuatha Dé Danann for the coming battle. Dagda came to the Fomorian under the truce flag.
The Fomorian knew of Dagda of fondness for porridge. So they had a large hole, as deep as a man, filled with porridge. The Fomorian agreed to a truce, only if Dagda would eat all the porridge in the hole, otherwise they would kill him. The Fomorians laughed that Tuatha Dé Danann could not accuse them of inhospitality.
Dagda had no choice but to eat the porridge. Dagda took a spoon or ladle, which was large enough for a man and a woman to lie in the middle. Dagda ate the porridge reaching the bottom. He even ate some of the gravels at the bottom of the pit. Dagda ate so much, that his belly had reached a gigantic portion. The Fomorians laughed at Dagda's appearance, but they set him free.
As Dagda travelled to Traigh Eabha, the slow and encumbered hero met a beautiful young woman, whom he desired. However he was impotent due to his weight and unsightly appearance.
The girl mocked and attacked him. She was the daughter of Indech, son of De Domnann, one of three Fomorian kings. The young woman had hurled him so that his rump sank to the hollow of the ground. Mocking Dagda, the woman told him to carry her to her father's house, on his back.
She struck and mocked him each time Dagda refused to carry her on his back. Finally, the content of his belly emptied into the hole in the ground. With Dagda gaining his appearance, he seduced the Fomorian woman. Dagda became her lover.
The girl then told Dagda not to confront the Fomorians, but he refused to be discouraged each time. Finally, the young woman told her lover that she would use her own magic to hinder the Fomorians.
Though the Tuatha Dé Danann were oppressed by Bres' misrule and the Fomorian heavy tributes, they were still uncertain of Nuada Airgetlám's (Nuada of the Silver Hand) fitness to rule, since right arm was made of silver.
Miach, the son of Dian Cécht, proved to be an even greater healer than his father ever was. With his healing magic and his sister's assistance (Airmed), Miach was able to restore Nuada's real hand, after three days and three nights. Dian Cécht was upset and jealous of his son's skill in healing. Dian Cécht struck three times on his son's head; each time Miach was able to heal himself. The fourth time that Dian Cécht had struck his son, he had cut out his son's brain so that Miach died.
Dian Cécht buried his son and magical herbs grew from Miach's grave. Dian Cécht's daughter, Airmed attempted to categorise the herbs according to their properties, but his jealousy of his children's healing skills, caused Dian Cécht disrupted Airmed's analysis of the herbs.
With Nuada's hand restored, the Tuatha Dé Danann were now fully supporting Nuada.
Nuada and other Danann did not want to risk Lugh in battle. They feared for the young man safety, so Nuada sent for Lugh