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Cu
Chulainn was born during the reign
of
Conor mac Nessa and became the greatest
hero of the Celtic race. He was the son of Lugh of the Tuatha de Dannan
and Dectra who was the daughter of Cathbad the druid on the banks
of the river boyne near the great mound of
Newgrange and he was named `Setanta`.
Setanta
was playing a game of hurling on a day when king Conor was asked to
attend a banquet by one of his loyal subjects called Cullan. Conor, his druid and
some of his chieftains travelled to dun Culann who was a wealthy smith
for a night of feasting. Setanta was invited too but missed the cavalcades
departure because of his game of hurling that he wanted to finish.
When
they reached the dun of Culann his ferocious hound was released and
the gates closed to guard the people inside behind. They all retired for their night of feasting
and drinking. Late that night the merry atmosphere inside was silenced
by the sound of mad barking from the hound outside guarding
his master’s house viciously. The entire party of people left the
banqueting hall to check the commotion outside,
when they reached and unbolted the gates they saw the dead body of
Culann’s loyal hound with Setanta standing over it. Culann became
deeply shocked and angered at the loss of his hound, the best hound
in all of Ulster. Setanta offered to guard Culanns dun and take the
place of his hound until he found one of equal loyalty again. The
party present there cheered at Setanta’s pledge and so was given the
name Cu Chulainn
(hound of Culann).
When
Cu Chulainn grew
to be a very fair and handsome youth he came under pressure to take
a wife but even though every maiden who saw him became bewitched by
his handsome looks he cared for none of them until
One day he spied the daughter of Forgall who was the lord of Lusca
now called lusk in north county Dublin. Cu Chulainn
planned on visiting her and wooing her for his bride so he travelled
to the dun of Forgall with his friend Leag.
Emer
sat teaching her companions embroidery when they heard the sound of
horses hoof’s approaching. When they drew
up to the girls sitting on the grass Cu Chulainn
conveyed his love for Emer and asked if she would be his wife. Emer
told him that firstly she would not marry before her older sister
Fial was married and secondly she didn’t believe Cu Chulainn
had carried out any heroic deeds,
so she would not marry against her fathers will. |
