A FRIENDSHIP TORN APART
When Queen Medb of Connacht led her invasion of Ulster to steal the Brown Bull of Cooley, the warriors of the Red Branch were unable to fight. They lay writhing in birth pangs, struck down by the Curse of Macha.
Only Cú Chulainn remained to defend Ulster, and for weeks, he fought tirelessly—ambushing Medb’s forces by night and attacking their supply lines. His resistance was devastating, and too many lives were being lost.
Seeking a way to end the bloodshed, Medb made a bargain with Cú Chulainn:
“Fight a single champion from my army each day, and we will halt our advance until the duel is done.”
Cú Chulainn agreed, knowing he only needed to hold them off long enough for the curse on the Red Branch to lift.
Day after day, Medb sent her greatest warriors against him, and day after day, he defeated them with ease.
Medb knew there was only one warrior in her army strong enough to face Cú Chulainn—his own closest friend, Ferdia mac Dámán, his sworn brother-in-arms, who had trained alongside him on Scáthach’s Isle.
MEDB’S DECEPTION
Medb knew that Ferdia would never agree to fight Cú Chulainn of his own free will.
So she invited Ferdia to a feast, seating him next to her daughter, Findabair of the Fair Eyebrows.
Findabair filled his cup with fine wine, speaking softly and sweetly, and when Ferdia was drunk and happy, Medb made her move.
“Do you know why you were invited tonight?” she asked.
Ferdia laughed.
“Because I am the greatest warrior in Ireland!”
Medb smiled.
“That is true,” she said. “But more than that, I have an offer for you. I will give you the best lands in Connacht, great herds of cattle, freedom from all taxes and tithes. I will place this golden ring on your finger, and my daughter’s hand in marriage, if you will fight for me.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Ferdia understood what was coming next.
She was asking him to take up arms against his best friend and blood-brother.
Even though they stood on opposite sides, he could not betray their bond. He refused her offer outright.
But Medb was prepared.
She merely turned away and muttered to herself,
“Ah, so he spoke the truth.”
Ferdia snapped to attention.
“Who spoke what truth?” he demanded.
Medb sighed and looked at him sadly.
“Cú Chulainn said you would never fight him,” she said. “He bragged that you were too much of a coward to ever challenge him, because deep down, you knew he was the better warrior.”
Ferdia went still.
He could not stand to have his courage insulted, especially in front of Findabair.
Burning with rage and wounded pride, he swore an oath.
“I will fight him,” he declared.
The next morning, he rode to the ford to meet his friend in battle.
A BATTLE OF BROTHERS
When Cú Chulainn saw Ferdia standing on the far bank of the ford, his heart shattered.
He was so overcome with grief, his feet froze to the ground.
“I cannot fight you,” he said.
Cú Chulainn spoke of their youth—of the days they spent training together, learning the same arts of war, moving in perfect synchrony.
“Do not make me fight you,” he begged.
For a moment, Ferdia hesitated.
But he was bound by his vow, and still stung by Medb’s words.
Though his heart was heavy, he threw Cú Chulainn’s words back in his face.
“We both knew this day would come,” he said.
His insult ignited Cú Chulainn’s anger, and at last, he was able to move.
They fought in the waters of the ford for four days, each knowing the other’s every move, every trick, every feint.
By day, they clashed swords and traded blows—by night, they tended each other’s wounds, shared food, and slept back to back.
But Cú Chulainn held back.
He refused to use his deadliest weapon—the Gáe Bulg, a spear made from the bones of a sea monster.
It was impossible to block. Once thrown, it would find the body’s weakest point, pierce it, and split into fifty deadly shards inside the flesh.
He could never use it on his friend.
THE FINAL DAY
On the fourth morning, everything changed.
Ferdia refused to eat with Cú Chulainn.
He did not bind his wounds, and he did not share a fire.
There was a grimness in his stance as they met at the ford, and Cú Chulainn felt the shift.
Ferdia knew that today, one of them would die.
Fearing the Gáe Bulg, he tied a stone between his legs to protect his weakest point.
When the battle began, Cú Chulainn could no longer hold back.
He leapt onto the edge of Ferdia’s shield, ready to launch his Salmon Leap and bring his sword crashing down onto his friend’s skull.
But Ferdia was ready.
He threw his shield aside, dropping Cú Chulainn into the water to cool his battle fury.
But each time, the rage returned stronger.
The third time Cú Chulainn rose from the river, his fury did not fade.
His skin turned black and mottled. His body swelled to twice its size.
His eyes burned red, and his vision clouded with blood.
He towered over Ferdia, the rage of the warp-spasm consuming him.
They grappled in the water, straining against each other, but Cú Chulainn’s monstrous strength was too much.
He reached for his sword, ready to strike the killing blow.
Then, for one brief moment, their eyes met.
Cú Chulainn hesitated.
But Ferdia did not.
He drove his blade into Cú Chulainn’s chest—again and again, until it was red with blood.
Cú Chulainn shrieked in pain, and his charioteer, Láeg, knew there was only one way to end it.
He threw the Gáe Bulg into the river, so it floated down to Cú Chulainn.
Ferdia saw the spear coming and instinctively dropped his shield to protect his lower body.
In that moment, Cú Chulainn hurled his javelin into Ferdia’s chest.
As Ferdia raised his shield again, Cú Chulainn caught the Gáe Bulg with his foot and kicked it upwards, driving it through Ferdia’s groin, shattering the stone shield he had placed there.
The spear splintered inside his body, and Ferdia collapsed.
A WARRIOR’S GRIEF
Cú Chulainn caught him as he fell.
Tears mingled with blood as they held each other one last time.
Ferdia cursed Medb’s treachery—and his own betrayal.
With his last breath, he whispered his farewell.
Cú Chulainn carried his body across the ford, so his friend would die on Ulster’s soil.
Then, overcome with grief and exhaustion, he collapsed beside him.
