Cú Chulainn & The Red Branch                             Page 1       Page 2

The next day Cu Chulainn thought about nothing else but the beauty of Emer and how he could win her for his wife. He decided then to leave Ireland and travel to the island of Skye which is off the western coast of Scotland to learn the arts of war from Scathach, the most famous female warrior at the time who ran a military academy teaching many of Irelands heroes the art of war and martial combat on her island.
On his journey to meet Scathach he passed through `the plains of ill-luck` and escaped the beasts of the perilous glen, he then came to the bridge of leaps with Scathach’s land beyond. At the bridge of leaps, a game of hurling was being played by many of Irelands chieftains sons including Ferdia who became a good friend to Cu Chulainn. He asked then how to get across to meet Scathach but they stated that `the warriors salmon leap` was the last feat that Scathach was to teach them but they were still to learn this. Cu Chulainn stepped back and made a lunge at the bridge but it buckled and threw him back. Three times he tried this and three times the bridge threw him back. The fourth time he landed perfectly in the middle and gave a second leap to land on the far side, he made his way to the fortress of Scathach where she was intrigued and amazed at his skill and admitted him into the school.
For a year and a day he trained under Scathach and learned her teachings easily. She taught him finally the use of the Gae-Bolg, this was a dreadful spear used to thrust into an opponents belly and once inside the small barbs on the spearhead made a terrible wound. Scathach gave Cu Chulainn the Gae-Bolg admitting he was the only warrior skilled enough to use it.

While under Scathachs influence a war broke out between her and her sister Aoife who was a stronger warrior than Scathach. Before leaving for the battlefield Scathach drugged Cu Chulainn fearing he would be killed and thinking he would not be ready for battle but the concoction was not strong enough and after an hour Cu Chulanin awoke and joined the battle. When the two armies met Cu Chulainn killed six of Aoife’s strongest warriors. Aoife sent a message to Scathach to meet in single combat but Cu Chulainn insisted he take Scathachs place. Cu Chulainn had been told previously that Aoife prized possession was her chariot, charioteers and her two horses.
When the two met they engaged in fierce battle one matching the others skill until a blow from Aoife shattered Cu Chulainn’s sword, he then shouted at her that her chariot, charioteers and horses had fallen over the nearby cliff, she wheeled around fearing this might be true and was overwhelmed by Cu Chulainn who flung her to the ground and placed his knife to her throat, she begged for her life but Cu Chulainn made a condition that she make a lasting peace with her sister, to this she agreed.
Later Aoife and Cu Chulainn became lovers and she bore him a son. Cu Chulainn knew it was time to travel back to Ireland but he gave Aoife a gold ring to put on his son’s finger when he came of age and to come and find his father,  he told Aoife to teach his son never to make himself known to anybody and never to give ground to any man. He finally asked Aoife to call their son `Conla`.
Cu Chulainn returned to Ireland and eager to test his skills in battle he drove with his charioteer Leag to the plains of Brega where the sons of Nechtan lived. They were reputed to have killed more of Ulster’s warriors than were living there at that time. Cu Chulainn arriving at the fort killed the sons of Nechtan and burned the fort to the ground. Soon after that he travelled to dun Forgall to meet with Emer and take her for his wife.
When he arrived at the fort he sailed over the walls using the `salmon leap` and killed twenty-four of Forgalls men who attacked him. He took Emer and her sister to his chariot where a large force of men loyal to Forgall had assembled but they were killed by Cu Chulanin in his battle fury. He travelled back at Emhain Macha where he married Emer.
Some years later Conor mac Nessa and a large number of chieftains and lords with their various servants attended a festival on one of Ulsters strands. They witnessed a lone boat approach with a tall youth on board. A messenger named Condery was sent to meet with the youth to ask him to leave but the youth stated he would not turn back. Conor sent one of his warriors "Connal of the victories" against the youth and was knocked to the ground by a stone cast from the sling of the youth. Various other warriors were sent against this youth but could not contain him. Conor then sent for Cu Chulainn at his fort at dun Dealgan.

When he arrived at the strand Cu Chulainn asked the youth his name but got no reply, which resulted in a fierce battle between Cu Chulainn and the youth who were evenly matched. They started wrestling where no ground was made by either of the two. The battle entered the sea where Cu Chulainn was near being drowned by the strong youth until he thrust the Gae-Bolg at the youth’s stomach mortally wounding him. Carrying the youth ashore Cu Chulainn noticed the boys gold ring and recognised it as the ring he entrusted Aoife with some years earlier. Conla was brought to shore by his father and laid down before Conor and everyone present.      “Here is my son for you, men of Ulster”       cried Cu Chulainn.