Background:
Deichtre was the mother of Cuchulainn and the sister of the King of Ulster Concobhar Mac Nessa.

Stories of Deichtre:
One day Deichtre collected fifty maidens and left Ulster without telling the King. The men of Ulster looked for them for three years but could not find them. It was said that the women often took the form of a flock of birds who stripped the land of all vegetation. Deichtre and her companions found a new home for themselves in the land of the fairies. Story has it that Deichtre was sitting outside her house one day, drinking from a great goblet when a tiny fly settled on the rim. She swallowed the fly with her drink. That night she dreamt that a tall and beautiful man came to her and said that she would bear a son who was to be called Setanta. This vision was of the god Lugh and it is said that he was the divine father of Cuchulainn.

Meanwhile the men of Ulster had drawn near to the first stronghold where the women were staying. A fairy man, with Deichtre by his side, welcomed them and asked them why they came. They answered that they were missing fifty maidens for whom they had been searching for three years. The fairy lord invited them in, saying that they would find the women inside and Deichtre offered them hospitality. Concobhar claimed his right as king of Ulster to sleep with his host’s woman and so asked that Deichtre be sent to him in the night, without realising she was his own sister. The woman asked for a night’s respite, since she was in labour and Concobhar went to sleep. In the morning the infant was found in the folds of his cloak. Deichtre left the fairy land and returned to Ulster with her brother and he gave her the charge of bringing up the boy who was named Setanta. He was well trained and educated and later became known as Cuchulainn, a name he acquired from his boyhood deeds.

Conclusion:
Deichtre was an independent and fearless woman as shown by the way she left Ulster of her own accord and without the permission or knowledge of the king. It is said she used to drive his chariot for him when he went into battle. There was a strongly magical element to her in that she dwelt in the land of the fairies and attracted the god Luch. Once she gave birth to her son she was a devoted mother and loved him dearly.

Overview:
Tradition implies that Conchobhar was the son of the High King of Ireland Fachtna Fathach and that the Druid Cathbhadh was his guardian.
Fearghus mac Rioch; King of Ulster fell in love with his mother Neasa who consented to be his wife if he allowed her son to reign instead of him for a year. Ulster prospered for that year and Conchobhar proved to be so popular that he retained his Kingship banishing Fearghus. Civil War ensued until it was agreed that he would retain the Kingship while Fearghus would become seneschal of the Province.

King in a Heroic Society:
Conchobhar Mac Neasa was a great success as King. While he reigned the crops grew plentiful, the cattle were fat and the rivers and lakes were full of fish. He began each day by tending to the administrative problems of Ulster. Afterwards he divided his day into three parts. The first part consisted of watching the boys of the Kingdom performing their athletics, the second playing chess and the third feasting and being entertained. He slept with the bride of each of his subjects on her wedding night and the wife of any household he cared to visit. He was also known as a brave and resourceful warrior.

Stories of Conbhobhar:
When the beautiful Deirdre fell in love with Naoise of Usnach King Conchobhar was furious because he had waited to have her for himself while she was growing from child to woman. Deirdre, Naoise and his brothers Ardan and Ainnle fled Ulster and eventually Ireland to be safe from the relentless pursuit of King Conchobhar and his men. Eventually the King sent words of pardon to Scotland where they lived in exile. But this was a cruel trick, which led to the tragic deaths of the Sons of Usnach. King Conchobhar then took the grieving Deirdre as his wife until she threw herself from a chariot to her death.

This story is also the reason for Fearghus Mac Rioch’s departure from Ulster to Connacht to join Queen Meadbh’s army. The king asked Fearghus to bring Deirdre and the sons back to Ulster knowing they would trust him. But Conchobhar arranged that Fearghus be asked to feast with a chief called Borrach on his way home. There was a bond (geis) on Fearghus that he could never refuse a feast prepared in his honour so he had to let the party go ahead protected by his son Fiacha. Conchobhar killed Fiacha and the sons of Usnach. Fearghus is said to have attacked Emain Macha each night for sixteen years and brought bloodshed and suffering to Conchobhar’s Kingdom. Fearghus took sanctuary with a large band of soldiers in Connacht with Queen Meadbh.

Conclusion:
Conchobhar was a prosperous King who was popular with his people. However, it was the one thing that he could not have that was to be his greatest failing.

Overview:
Connla was the only son of Cuchulainn. His mother, Aife, a famed warrior queen was the arch enemy of Scathach who had trained Cuchulainn as a champion. When Cuchulainn stood against Aife on behalf of Scathach she made a promise to bear him a son. She was pregnant when he left her and swore to send the child to Cuchulainn in Ireland after seven years. Cuchulainn left a gold ring with Aife, telling her to give it to the child when he was big enough.

The Feats and Death of Connla: Connla grew up well trained in the arts of war and was strong and brave for his age as his father was before him. When he was seven years old Aife took him aside and gave him the gold ring Cuchulainn had left for him and issued his father’s instructions. These were that he should journey to Ulster, but that he should not identify himself to any one man, that he should not turn aside from his path and that he should never refuse to go into battle with anyone. Connla set out in a boat for Ireland. When he drew close to the Irish coast the men of Concobhar Mac Nessa, king of Ulster saw him coming, practicing great and daring feats. He was shooting down birds with his sling, reviving them and throwing them back in to the air. In awe of this, Concobhar sent his trusted warrior down to the shore to find out who the boy was and establish that his intentions were friendly. But Connla refused to identify himself, in obedience to his father’s instructions, as only one man had asked him who he was. He fought against and defeated Concobhar’s warrior. Then Concobhar himself asked him who he was but the boy refused to answer. One by one the men of Ulster went against him but in each case Connla kept his identity a secret and willingly fought with the men and humiliated them utterly. Cuchulainn then heard that a mere boy was putting the armies of Ulster to shame and he went forward to meet the youth. His wife, Emer, begged him not to go, since she could feel in her heart that his boy was a son of Cuchulainn’s. But Cuchulainn said that his honour was at stake and that for the sake of Ulster he would stand against even his only son. He then went down to Connla and asked him for his name but again he had come alone and so Connla would not answer. Cuchulainn challenged him to combat for his impudence and the boy cut the top of Cuchulainn’s hair with his sword. Enraged, Cuchulainn began wrestling with him and the boy threw him. They battled in the ford and the boy held Cuchulainn’s head beneath the water twice. Cuchulainn was now furious and he used the Gae Bolga on his own son, the wound of which was always fatal. Cuchulainn took the boy up in his arms and said to the men of Ulster that he was his son. Connla then embraced his father and died, at which point all of Ulster lamented.

Conclusion:
Connla is a perfect imitation of what Cuchulainn was like as a boy. His strength and bravery were amazing, and he had knowledge of many daring feats. His tragedy is that he followed his unknown father’s instructions to the letter and so aroused the anger of Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn was put in a position of having to kill his own son for the honour and preservation of Ulster but his irritation with the impudent boy could stem from the fact that he saw too much of himself in the seven year old. Connla died content that he had fought against the great champions of Ireland and won fame for himself in doing so.

Overview:
The term druid means ‘very knowledgeable’ and druids were seen as members of an exclusive occupational class. It is generally accepted that the druid was a sort of intermediary and had direct connections with the otherworld. A druid’s opinion was always sought on matters of law and tradition. They could identify thieves, interpret dreams, cure illnesses and give shrewd military advice. The druid was believed to possess mystical powers and in Irish tradition the term ‘bard’ is more often used for leading figures such as a poet whose verse was believed to have magical connotations. The teachings of the druid were based on the five elements: earth, sea, sky, sun and moon.

Ritual:
The centre of a druidic ritual was in a sacred place located close to trees, the word for druid still held by some scholars is ‘oak scientist’. The favourite tree of the druids was the Rowan tree and it was on wattles of this tree that a druid would sleep to gain prophetic visions from their dreams.

Conclusion:
The relationship held between the King and Druid was of extreme importance, for it determined the fortune of the king and that of his people. If there was a good king there was seen to be good corn and mast and therefore prosperity for the people. The direct relationship between the king and druid is perceived as thus: the druid represents the child of wisdom, born of the male sun representing the cult of the king and mother earth symbolised by the female goddess. Despite possessing great knowledge, a druid also held great power. Not only did druids serve a high king, but they also curtailed the power of the ruler. According to the myth of Deirdre and the Sons of Usna, Chief druid Cathbad held the highest office at the Court of King Conor MacNeasa. No one was permitted to speak before the king, but the king himself had to wait for Cathbad. He prophesised the fate of the tragic Deirdre and the Sons of Usna.

Background:
Bricriu of the Poison Tongue, aptly named for his abuse of his masterful arts. His satires broke peoples reputations, and likely as not, livelihoods, and his dry, cruel sense of humor much feared across the land of Erin.

His saving was his sparkling wit and the fact that he was tremendously, fabulously wealthy. He entertained lavish get-togethers and he announced the biggest feast of the year to be held at a special stronghold built just for the occasion. It was fit for a High King when completed, and the gathering was expected to be the talk of the region for some time to come. Absolutely everyone was invited and they determined to go, Poison Tongue or no.
The Ulster champions in particular were warned by Fergus MacRiogh, who had a good head on his shoulders, that to attend would end in some mischief, and like as not would be fatal to those boisterous lads. He wasn’t listened to.

Cuchulainn attended with his equally impressive wife, Emer, she of the Six Womanly Gifts: music, physical beauty, the gift of song, embroidery, the gift of wisdom, and of modesty. Conal Cearnath’s wife was with him, Lendabair the Fair, whose golden hair shone like spun silk in the sun. Fedelm the Ever-blooming travelled there as well with her champion husband Laoghaire Buadach, and her voice was like that of birds on a warm summer day.

All were impressed as they entered Bricriu’s house with it’s open, airy spaces and massive pillars. Bricriu, playing the indulgent host, saw an opportunity to express his twisted humor. He struck up a conversation with Fedelm, who came of an old, royal family, and made a point to tell her so. He complimented her and said “It has been given unto me in a vision,” he went on, the first lady to enter the banqueting hall shalt be queen over all the other women, indeed over all the people of Ulster.”
That evening the ladies with their maids strolled to take the air in the garden. After a time it was apparent that the evening was wearing on and they should return.
Over the first rise the women and their servants walked, neither walking faster than the others. They walked with dignity and grace, Then they reached the second ridge and their pace quickened, each one glancing at the other to see their progress. After the third rise one after another broke into a run, startling the attendants who clambered to keep up. Catching up their skirts they tucked them into their girdles for easier running, and they dashed full-out Cascades of hair streamed behind them, blonde and red and brown hair flowing in the breeze, screaming war-cries and nostrils flaring.

The Champions rushed out to see the huge pile of women in front of the door, still fighting amongst each other over who gets to be High Queen. And laughing so hard tears streaming down his cheeks was the well-dressed starter of troubles, Bricriu of the Poison Tongue.

Background:
Ailill was just a boy when he was brought to Meadhbh’s court. He grew to be a fine champion and Meadhbh deserted her third husband to make him her fourth. All stories of Ailill seem to be in connection with Queen Meadhbh.

Stories of Ailill:
Meadhbh would only take a husband on three conditions: ‘That he be without stinginess, without fear and without jealousy’. And Ailill did seem to be without jealousy as he put up with her affair with Fearghus mac Rioch. Until, one day while out walking he noticed a hazel bush shaking. He investigated and found Fearghus and Meadhbh making love. Ailill took the sword from Fearghus’ scabbard and replaced it with a timber one. He vowed not to replace it until the final great battle of the cattle raid.

And it was Ailill who was responsible for Feargus Mac Rioch’s death. Fearghus had returned to Connacht and went swimming in a lake called Loch Finn. He was such a great swimmer that all the gravel and stones came up to the surface. Meadhbh joined him in the water and wrapped herself around him and they swam this way around the lake. Meadhbh’s husband Ailill grew jealous and said to his brother Lughaidh standing by “The stag and the doe are acting splendidly in the lake”. Lughaidh cast his javelin and killed Fearghus.

It was Meadhbh’s need to be Ailill’s equal in relation to her wealth that started the whole epic of the Tain. It was through their pillow talk; while they were comparing their wealth that Meadhbh discovered Ailill was wealthier by one bull.

Death: Ailill’s own death was as a result of Meadhbh’s jealousy. He was having a little soiree with one of his wife’s ladies in waiting. Meadhbh ordered Conall to slay him, which Conell did with ‘a quiet javelin cast’. She then announced that Conell was the culprit of Ailill’s death, which was of course the end of poor Conell.

Conclusion:
To be married to Meadhbh had to be without jealousy but it was his jealousy that was his demise.

Background

White Horned was connected with brightness, illumination and wisdom.  The personification has a story attached to it of a boy emerging from mystical waters already physically mature in striking ways.  Like having grown hair bright in colour and speaking in verse.  His babyish way of sucking his thumb was a sign of his wisdom.

Donn Chailnge

The Brown Bull of Cooley was seen to be coming from the dark and shadowy realm of the dead.  Medieval literature connects his name to each and every other worldly place.  He is associated with an island called Bull Rock and Knockfierna – a very conspicuous hill in the middle of Limerick and the great sand dunes at Dunbeg on the west coast of Clare.

Story of how the Bulls were begotten

Their story begins with two pig keepers; Friuch from Connacht and Rucht from Munster.  The pig keepers were on very good terms and each year they visited each other depending on where a mast of oak and beechnuts fell first.  If they fell in the north they would travel northward.  If they fell in the south they traveled southward.

Friuch and Rucht both had the power to change themselves into any form and the people of the provinces started competitions between them as they argued about which had the greatest power.  When Rucht visited Friuch, Friuch cast a spell on his pigs which meant that even though they would eat they would remain lean.  The following year Rucht cast the same spell on Friuch’s pigs.  While this proved them equal, they were both fired as pig keepers by their respective Kings Ochall Ochne and Bodb.   After this they spent two years as birds and they made a terrible babble.  Then two years as sea creatures.  Then two years in rivers where they were seen devouring each other in the Siuir.  Two years as stags making a shambles of each other’s dwelling places.  Two warriors gashing each other.  Two phantoms terrifying each other.  Two dragons pouring snow on each other’s land.  Two worms, one who got into the spring at the river Cronn in Cuailnge where a cow belonging to Daire mac Fiachna drank it up.  The other got into the well spring Garad in Connacht where a cow belonging to Meadbh and Ailill drank it up.  They sprang into two bulls, Finnbhennach and Donn Cuailnge.

Conclusion

It would seem that the Bulls were destined to live their lives in opposition.

Background:

Scathach was a warrior queen whose name meant “The Shadowy One”.  She lived in Western Scotland and ran a training academy for young warriors.

Scathach: educator of warriors

The great Ulster warrior Cuchulainn was Scathach’s most famous student.  He sought her out because the father of the woman he wished to marry, Emer, had said they could not wed until Cuchulainn had been trained as a champion by Scathach.  In this he was hoping to avoid giving his daughter to the hero, since it was notoriously difficult to find Scathach’s island and survive her training course.  Through his bravery and strength Cuchulainn found his way there and used his famous “salmon leap” to gain access to her stronghold.  He threatened her at sword point in order to persuade her to teach him everything she knew.  She granted the young warrior three wishes, to instruct him properly, to grant him her daughter without bride price and to foretell his future.  She told him she foresaw a great and glorious career for him but did not see him living any longer than thirty years of age.  Scathach did grant her daughter, Uathach, to Cuchulainn but it is said that she also lay with him.  She taught him his art carefully and at the same time she taught the young warrior Ferdia, who became Cuchulainn’s brother in arms.  Both were educated to an equal level, but Scathach gave Cuchulainn one gift in secret.  This was the legendary Gae Bolga, a spear which separated in to barbs on entering human flesh.  Its first strike was always fatal.  It was this weapon, which caused the death of Ferdia when the two men were forced to fight against each other in the saga of the Tain.

In return for this instruction, Cuchulainn stood against the enemies of Scathach led by the warrior queen, Aife.  He saved the lives of Scathach’s two sons and went into battle as her champion against Aife.  He held a sword at Aife s throat and made her promise to give hostages to Scathach, to keep peace forever more, and to bear him a son.  This Aife did and Cuchulainn returned to Scathach to rest after his great deeds.  He left her island after seven years fully trained in the arts of war and was famed as the greatest warrior Ireland has ever known as a result of her teaching.

Conclusion

Like her name suggests, Scathach  is a largely shadowy figure.  We have an impression of a strong and fiercly independent woman who was respected and revered by the warrior society.  She is an otherworldy character and her granting of the Gae Bolga to Cuchulainn is strongly reminiscent of the Lady of the Lake granting Excalibur to Arthur.  Through her instruction he became the champion for all Ireland while she herself remained famed for her own skills and magic.