Ulster Cycle
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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.
Characters
Main characters
- Conchobar mac Nessa (also Conor mac Nessa), king of Ulster
- Cúchulainn, Ulster hero
- Deirdre, tragic heroine
- Medb, queen of Connacht and Conchobar's enemy
- Ailill mac Máta, king of Connacht
- Fergus mac Róich, former king of Ulster who goes into exile in Connacht
- The Mórrígan, goddess of war and death
- Lugh, solar god
Important Characters
- Amairgin mac Echit, poet and warrior
- Athirne, poet and troublemaker
- Blaí Briugu, hostel keeper and murder victim
- Briccriu, troublemaker
- Cathbad, chief druid in Conchobar's court
- Celtchar, Ulster warrior
- Cet mac Mágach, Connacht warrior
- Cethern mac Fintain, Ulster warrior and all-round tough guy
- Conall Cernach, Ulster hero
- Connla, Cúchulainn's son
- Cormac Cond Longas, Ulster prince in exile with Fergus
- Cú Roí, Munster king with supernatural powers
- Culann, smith
- Dáire mac Fiachna, cattle-lord
- Deichtine, Conchobar's sister and mother of Cúchulainn
- Donn Cuailnge, stud bull
- Dubthach Dóeltenga, cynical Ulster exile
- Emer, Cúchulainn's wife
- Finnbhennach, stud bull
- Fráech, Connacht hero
- Lóegaire Búadach, hapless Ulster would-be hero
- Lugaid mac Con Roí, Cú Roí's son out for revenge
- Macha, slighted goddess
- Naoise, Ulster warrior, hunter, singer and lover of Deirdre
- Nera, Connacht nobleman
- Ness, Ulster princess, mother of Conchobar
- Scáthach, warrior-woman who trains Cúchulainn in Scotland
Minor characters
- Achall
- Áed Ruad
- Bélchú
- Cairbre Cuanach
- Cairbre Nia Fer
- Condere mac Echach
- Cruinniuc
- Cúscraid
- Fedelm Noíchrothach
- Fedlimid mac Daill
- Fergus mac Leti
- Fiachu mac Fir Febhe
- Follomain mac Concobair
- Friuch
- Furbaide Ferbend
- Garb mac Stairn
- Goll mac Carbada
- Lugaid Riab nDerg
- Maine
- Mugain
- Sencha mac Ailella
- Uathach
Narratives
- Compert Conchobuir: [The Birth of Conchobar]
- Scéla Conchobuir mac Nessa: [Tidings of Conchobar son of Ness]
- Ferchuitred Medba aka Cath Bóinde: [Medb's Men, or the Battle of the Boyne]
- Compert Con Culainn: [The Birth of Cú Chulainn]
- Tochmarc Emire: [The Wooing of Emer]
- Aided Óenfir Aífe [The Death of Aífe's Only Son]
- Aided Derbforgaill: The Death of Derbforgaill
- Aided Guill maic Carbada ocus Aided Gairb Glinne Rige: The Deaths of Goll mac Carbada and Garb of Glenn Rige
- Scéla Muicce Maic Dathó: [The Story of Mac Dathó's Pig]
- Fled Bricrenn: [Bricriu's Feast]
- Longes mac nDuíl Dermait: The Exile of the Sons of Dóel Dermait
- Longes Mac nUisnech: [The Exile of the Sons of Usnech]
- Aislinge Óenguso: [The Dream of Óengus]
- Táin Bó Fráich: [The Cattle Raid of Fráech]
- Tochmarc Treblainne: The Wooing of Treblann
- Táin Bó Regamain: [The Cattle Raid of Regamon]
- Táin Bó Dartada: [The Raid for Dartaid's Cattle]
- Táin Bó Flidaise: [The Driving of Flidais's Cattle]
- Tochmarc Ferbe: The Wooing of Ferb [Book of Leinster version]; [Egerton version]
- Echtra Nerae: [The Adventures of Nera]
- Táin Bó Regamna: [The Cattle Raid of Regamna]
- Noínden Ulad: [The Debility of the Ulstermen]
- De Chophur in Dá Muccida: The Quarrel of the Two Pig-Keepers
- Táin Bó Cuailnge: The Cattle Raid of Cooley [Recension 1]; [Recension 2]
- Aided Con Roí: [The Death of Cú Roí]
- Mesca Ulad: [The Intoxication of the Ulaid]
- Tochmarc Luaine ocus Aided Athirni: The Wooing of Luaine and the death of Athirne
- Togail Bruidne Da Derga: [The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel]
- Aided Cheltchair maic Uthechair: [The Death of Celtchar mac Uthechair]
- Serglige Con Culainn ocus Óenét Emire: [The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn and the Only Jealosy of Emer]
- Cath Étair: The Battle of Howth
- Cath Ruis na Ríg: The Battle of Ros na Rig
- Aided Con Culainn: [The Death of Cú Chulainn]
- Aided Ceit maic Mágach: [The Death of Cet mac Mágach]
- Aided Lóegairi Búadaig: [The Death of Lóegaire Búadach]
- Aided Conchobuir: [The Death of Conchobar]
- Bruiden Da Chocae: Da Choca's Hostel
- Cath Airtig: The Battle of Airtech
- Aided Fergusa maic Róig: [The Death of Fergus mac Róich]
- Goire Conaill Chernaig ocus Aided Ailella ocus Conaill Chernaig: The Cherishing of Conall Cernach, and the Deaths of Ailill and Conall Cernach
- Aided Meidbe: [The Violent Death of Medb]
- Siaburcharpat Con Culainn: [The Phantom Chariot of Cú Chulainn]
- De Faillsigud Tána Bó Cuailnge: The Rediscovery of the Cattle Raid of Cooley
Sources
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), [link]
See also
External links
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