In Irish mythology, Balor (Balar, Bolar) of the Evil Eye was a king of the Fomorians, a race of giants. His father was Buarainech and his wife was Cethlenn. According to legend, he lived on Tory Island. The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology. ... In Irish mythology, the Fomorians, Fomors, or Fomori (Irish Fomóiri, Fomóraig) were a semi-divine race who inhabited Ireland in ancient times. ... In Irish mythology, Buarainech was the father of Balor, the King of the Fomorians. ... In Irish mythology, Cethlenn was the wife of Balor and, by him, the mother of Ethlinn. ... Tory Island (Oileán Toraigh in Irish; translation: tors are hills), is an island 12 km off the north-west coast of County Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland. ...

Balor was notable for his one eye, which could kill anyone it looked upon. He gained this power as a child when watching his father's druids preparing poisonous spells, the fumes of which rose into his eye. His eye was normally kept closed, only to be opened on the battlefield by four men using a handle fitted to his eyelid, or, in some versions, a system of ropes and pulleys. Two druids, from an 1845 publication, based on a bas-relief found at Autun, France. ...

According to prophecy, Balor was to be killed by his grandson. To avoid his fate, he locked his daughter, Ethlinn, in a tower made of crystal to keep her from becoming pregnant. However, Cian, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann, with the help of the druidess Birog, managed to enter the tower. She gave birth to triplets by him, but Balor threw them into the ocean. Birog saved one, Lugh, and gave him to Manannan mac Lir, who became his foster father. He was called Lugh Lamhfada and became a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In Irish mythology, Ethniu (Eithne, Ethliu, Ethlinn, and a variety of other spellings - see below) was the daughter of Balor, king of the Fomorians. ... Quartz crystal Synthetic bismuth hopper crystal Insulin crystals Gallium, a metal that easily forms large single crystals A huge monocrystal of potassium dihydrogen phosphate grown from solution by Saint-Gobain for the megajoule laser of CEA. In chemistry and mineralogy, a crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms... In Irish mythology, Cian ( ancient, distant), son of Dian Cecht of the Tuatha Dé Danann, is best known as the father of Lug by the Fomorian princess Ethniu. ... “Áes dána” redirects here. ... In the Celtic religion, the modern words Druidry or Druidism denote the practices of the ancient druids, the priestly class in ancient Celtic societies through much of Western Europe north of the Alps and in the British Isles. ... In Irish mythology, Birog was a druidess who aided Cian in climbing Balors crystal tower where had imprisoned his daughter, Ethlinn. ... In Irish mythology, Manannan mac Lir was a sea and weather god. ... Lugh (earlier Lug, modern Irish Lú, pronounced //) is an Irish deity represented in mythological texts as a hero and High King of the distant past. ...

Lugh led the Tuatha in the second Battle of Magh Tuiredh against the Fomorians. Ogma disarmed Balor during this battle, but Balor killed Nuada with his eye. Lugh shot a sling-stone which drove Balor's eye out the back of his head, where it continued to wreak its deadly power on the Fomorian army. In other versions Lugh blinded Balor with a spear made by Goibniu, or decapitated him and used his eye against the Fomorians. In Irish mythology, Magh Tuiredh (Mag Tuired, Magh Tuireadh, anglicised as Moytura) is the name of the locations of two battles said to have been waged by the Tuatha Dé Danann. ... OGMA-Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal, S.A., founded in 1918, is a major representative of the Portuguese Aviation Industry, dedicated to aircraft and aircraft component maintenance, repair and manufacturing. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Home-made sling. ... In Irish mythology Goibniu or Goibhniu (pronounced Goive-nu) was a son of Brigid and Tuireann and the smith of the Tuatha Dé Danann. ...

One legend tells that, when Balor was slain by Lugh, Balor's eye was still open when he fell face first into the ground. Thus his deadly eye beam burned a hole into the earth. Long after, the hole filled with water and became a lake which is now known as Loch na Suil, or "Lake of the Eye", which is to be found in County Sligo.

Balor in other media

Books & Comics

• In Pat Mills' Slaine comic-book series in 2000 AD, Balor is depicted as a giant general of the Formorian sea-demons, with a red energy beam emanating from his eye.

• Balor is the nickname of a cross-eyed bursar in Breandán O hEithir's novel Lig Sinn i gCathú.

• Balor is an incarnation of the Lone Power, the creator of all evil, in A Wizard Abroad, the fourth book in the Young Wizard series.

• In the book The Chronicles of Corum a member of the Fhoi Myore is known as Balahr, who has one large eye, similar to Balor's, that is opened by wires and then freezes its foes.

• In the manga called Arms, Balor appears as the final form of Keith Violet, a woman that work for the Egregori organization. In the story, which is full of references to Alice in Wonderland, Violet is the incarnation of March Hare.

• In the books The Once and Future King" and "The Godstone and the Blackymor" by T H White, one of the hawks is named Balor.

Pat Mills, nicknamed the godfather of British comics, is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since. ... Sláine graphic novel cover by Mike McMahon 1986 Sláine (pronounced slawin-uh) is a comic book hero from the pages of 2000 AD - one of Britains most popular comic books. ... Cover of the first issue of 2000 AD, 26 February 1977. ... For the protein Strabismus, see Strabismus (protein) Strabismus, also known as heterotropia, squint, crossed eye, cockeyed, wandering eye,weak eye or wall eyed, is a condition in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. ... A Bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a UK school or university. ... A Wizard Abroad is the fourth book in the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane. ... Alice in Wonderland is the widely known and used title for Alices Adventures in Wonderland, a book written by Lewis Carroll -- as well as several movie adaptations of the book -- and is also the setting for several short stories. ... The March Hare, often called the Mad March Hare, is a character from the tea party scene in Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland. ...

Games

• In the fantasy role playing game Dungeons & Dragons, Balor is the name of one of the most powerful types of demon, considered the equivalent of J. R. R. Tolkien's 'balrog'.

• Balor is the name Connacht the Wolf adopts when he becomes the new Leveler in the Myth computer game series. During the seventeenth year of the Great War, he interrogated the hero Alric, who was previously captured by one of Balor's six Fallen Lords (The Deceiver). During the interrogatory Alric learned by chance that the Fallen Lords were bound to Balor. Near the end of the war, Alric and the Legion went to Rhi'anon, Balor's fortress, and to enrage Balor planted the Myrkridian standard they had found inside the Tain. During the Last Battle, Alric immobilized Balor with the aid of the Eblis Stone, thus allowing the barbarians of the Legion to behead the warlord. In the end, Balor's head was thrown into the Great Devoid, ending his life and his sway over the surviving Fallen.

• Balor is also the name of Zasalamel's second unlockable weapon in Soul Calibur III.

• Balor appears also in the MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot as the final boss in the dungeon of Tur Suil.

• Balor also appears as a boss in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, and Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin. His attacks consist of smashing fists and punches, as well as a beam that is shot from his one visible eye, which can be avoided by crouching. His name is spelled "Balore", but he is recognizable by the energy beam fired from one of his eyes. In Aria of Sorrow, he makes a big entrance, crushing the classic Giant Bat boss that appears in most Castlevania games. This is meant to show how strong the boss is. In Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin he looks noticeably different than he did in Aria of Sorrow and is much easier to defeat in those games.

• Balor also appears as boss in "Celtic Tales:Balor of the Evil Eye", strategy-rpg by KOEI.

• In InXile Entertainment's The Bard's Tale (2004), the final flail weapon the player finds is called Balor's Eye. It is found on the third floor of Mannanan's Tower. In addition to its ability to stun an opponent, which all flail weapons in the game do, the weapon has a chance of delivering a 'Sonic Slam' attack. The attack resembles a massive current of wind striking opponents, which enemies are powerless to defend.
  Balor is also a weapon for Teo in Grandia II.

• In Vanillaware's "Odin Sphere," Balor is the name of Odin's giant mace.

• In the RPG Changeling: The Dreaming from White Wolf Studio one of the Unseelie (evil) Houses of the fae is named after Balor, and his coat of arms depict a lone eye

This article is about traditional role-playing games. ... Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) currently published by Wizards of the Coast. ... In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, a balor is one of the most powerful types of demons (tanarri). ... In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, demons are the most widespread race of fiends. ... John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) was an English philologist, writer and university professor, best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. ... A Balrog fighting Gandalf, as depicted by Ted Nasmith. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into articles entitled Myth: The Fallen Lords, Myth II: Soulblighter, Myth III: The Wolf Age and Myth series. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... barbarians is a mini-series on the history channel which tells the story of four of the most barbariac tribes of the early and late middle ages. ... Zasalamel ) is a fictional character designed for the Soul Series of fighting games, debuting in Soul Calibur III as the lead antagonist. ... Soul Calibur III ) is the sequel to Soul Calibur II and is the fourth overall installment in the Soul series of fighting games. ... An image from World of Warcraft, one of the largest commercial MMORPGs as of 2004, based on active subscriptions. ... Dark Age of Camelot is a 3D medieval fantasy MMORPG that revolves around the war between three realms at the end of King Arthurs rule: Arthurian-inspired Albion, Norse mythology inspired Midgard and Celtic Hibernia. ... Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is a game that is a part of the Castlevania video game series. ... The Bards Tale is a computer action-adventure game created by InXile Entertainment, and released in 2004. ... Grandia II is a video game in the Grandia series made by Game Arts. ... Changeling: The Dreaming was part of White Wolf Game Studios original World of Darkness role playing game line. ...

Other

• Balor is also the name of a Theatre and Theatre Company [1] 'www.balortheatre.com' in the Twin-Towns of Ballybofey & Stranorlar, in County Donegal. 'Balor' includes elements of Ballbofey and Stranorlar.

• Balor is also an evil, physically powerful immortal from the planet Progron in the science-fiction series Space:1999, who wears a black suit with large, flared sleeves and trousers. Deranged, deceitful, and quite mad, he is the threat encountered by Moon-base Alpha in the episode: "End of Eternity".