Ulster Cycle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Topics in the Ulster Cycle
Ulster characters

Amergin Athirne Blaí Briugu Briccriu Cairbre Cuanach Cathbad Celtchar Cethern mac Fintain Conall Cernach Conchobar mac Nessa Condere mac Echach Cruinniuc Cúchulainn Culann Cúscraid Dáire mac Fiachna Deichtine Deirdre Éogan mac Durthacht Fedlimid mac Daill Fergus mac Leti Folloman mac Conchobair Furbaide Ferbend Láeg Lóegaire Búadach Mugain Naoise Ness Sencha mac Ailella Sualtam Usnech
Connacht characters

Ailill mac Máta Bélchú Cet mac Mágach Ferdiad Findabair Fráech Maine Medb Nera
Ulster exiles

Cormac Cond Longas Dubthach Dóeltenga Fergus mac Róich Fiachu mac Fir Febhe
Other characters

Achall Aífe Cairbre Nia Fer Connla Cú Roí Emer Fand Fedelm Noíchrothach Flidais Friuch Garb mac Stairn Goll mac Carbada Lug Lugaid mac Con Roí Lugaid Riab nDerg Macha Mesgegra Mórrígan Nechtan Scéne Scáthach Uathach
Weapons

Caladbolg Gae Bulg
Places

Emain Macha Cruachan Newgrange Red Branch Tara
Animals

Donn Cuailnge Finnbhennach
Texts

Mesca Ulad Táin Bó Cuailnge

The Ulster Cycle, formerly the Red Branch Cycle, is a large body of prose and verse centering around the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster. This is one of the four major cycles of Irish Mythology, along with the Mythological Cycle, the Fenian Cycle and the Historical Cycle.

The cycle centres around the reign of Conchobar mac Nessa, who is said to have been king of Ulster around the time of Christ. He ruled from Emain Macha (now Navan Fort near Armagh), and had a fierce rivalry with queen Medb and king Ailill of Connacht and their ally, Fergus mac Róich, former king of Ulster. The foremost hero of the cycle is Conchobar's nephew Cúchulainn.

The society depicted in the tales of the Ulster Cycle is substantially that of the pre-Christian Iron Age, although filtered through the perspective of its medieval Christian redactors, and contains many parallels with the society of the Celts of Europe as described by classical writers. Warriors fight from chariots, take their opponents' heads as trophies, contend for precedence at feasts, are advised by druids, and fight in single combat at fords. Poets have great power and privilege and wealth is reckoned in cattle.

The cycle consists of about eighty stories, the centrepiece of the which is Táin Bó Cúailnge, or the Cattle Raid of Cooley, in which Medb invades Ulster at the head of a huge army to steal the Brown Bull of Cooley, and only Cúchulainn stands in her way.

Contents

Most of the important Ulster Cycle tales can be found in the following publications

  • Thomas Kinsella (1969), The Táin, Oxford University Press
  • Jeffrey Gantz (1981), Early Irish Myths and Sagas, Penguin
  • Tom Peete Cross & Clark Harris Slover (1936), Ancient Irish Tales, Barnes & Noble
  • John T Koch & John Carey (2000), The Celtic Heroic Age, Celtic Studies Publications
  • Kuno Meyer (1906), The Death-Tales of the Ulster Heroes, Dublin Institute for Advances Studies
  • A H Leahy, Heroic Romances of Ireland (1905-1906), [1]

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