Táin Bó Cuailnge Introduction 1
Táin Bó Cuailnge / Táin / ‘Cattle Raid’
General tw: suicide, murder, drowning, death, questionable consent, multiple dogs & other pets are
killed.
Introduction
Much of Irish literature, transmitted through a long oral history, has been lost. What is preserved is
located in a few large manuscripts made in medieval times. These can grossly be divided into 4
groups of stories: (1) myths related to the Tuatha Dé Dannan; (2) the Ulster Cycle; (3) the Fenian
Cycle; (4) stories about various kings.
Date & Manuscript
The earliest known form of the Táin Bó Cuailnge is found in the Lebor na hUidre manuscript, another
version is found in the Yellow Book of Lecan and in the 12 th-century Book of Leinster. The Ulster
Cycle was traditionally believed to refer to the time of Christ, supported by the lack of Roman
influence and the story’s similarities to Classical writings on Gaulish society. Ireland being isolated,
however, could mean that the Táin’s described culture could have lasted till the introduction of
Christianity in the 5th century.
Translation Choices
The Táin itself lacks a lot of context1 given in various other tales, the remscéla.2 This translation has
chosen to include 8 of these. The translation of the Táin itself has attempted to extract a reasonably
coherent narrative, with little reorganisation and with an attempt to stay close to the original text.
However, the repetitions and inconsistencies have been mostly removed, and the obscurities have
been explained through various sources. Additions are noted. The main purpose of this translation is
to give a readable and living version of the story, so the structure of the Irish narrative has not been
preserved. It is not a literal translation, and greater freedom has been taken with the verse
compared to the prose.
Place, Women and Sequels
Early and medieval Irish literature contains a lot of topographical works, the Táin is no exception.
Many of these locations are fictional or untraceable, but some of them can be identified. 3
There are many strong female characters in this text.
The story continues past the Táin, but since these are told in a different mode they are not included
in this book.4
1
No context only content?
2
Pre-tales
3
See the pictures of the maps at the end of this summary.
4
The other stories are much more fantastical and supernatural.
,Táin Bó Cuailnge Introduction 2
Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1
Date & Manuscript.........................................................................................................................1
Translation Choices........................................................................................................................1
Place, Women and Sequels............................................................................................................1
Before the Táin – Remscéla...................................................................................................................3
How the Tain Bo Cuailnge Was Found Again.....................................................................................3
How Conchobor Was Begotten, And How He Took the Kingship of Ulster........................................3
The Pangs of Ulster............................................................................................................................3
Exile of the Sons of Uisliu...................................................................................................................3
How Cúchuainn Was Begotten..........................................................................................................4
Cúchulainn’s Courtship with Emer and His Training in Arms with Scáthach......................................5
The Death of Aife’s One Son..............................................................................................................6
The Quarrel of the Two Pig-keepers and how the Bulls Were Begotten............................................6
Táin Bó Cuailnge....................................................................................................................................7
The Pillow Talk...................................................................................................................................7
The Táin Bó Cuailnge Begins..............................................................................................................8
The Army Encounters Chúchulainn....................................................................................................9
Chúchulainn’s Boyhood Deeds........................................................................................................11
‘death, death!’.................................................................................................................................13
From Finnabair Chuailnge to Conaille..............................................................................................14
Single Combat..................................................................................................................................16
The Bull is Found. Further Single Combats. Chúchulainn and the Morrígan....................................17
The Pact is Broken. The Great Carnage............................................................................................18
Combat with Fergus and Others......................................................................................................20
Combat of Ferdia and Chúchulainn..................................................................................................21
Ulster Rises from its Pangs...............................................................................................................22
The Companies Advance..................................................................................................................23
The Last Battle.................................................................................................................................24
APPENDIX 1 – Maps.............................................................................................................................25
APPENDIX 2 – The Lament of the Old Woman of Beare ,......................................................................28
APPENDIX 3 – Líadan Tells of Her Love for Cuirithir / Líadan’s Lament for Cuirithir............................29
APPENDIX 4 – The Lament of Créide, Daughter of Gúare of Aidne, for Dínertach, Son of Gúaire of the
Ui Fidgente..........................................................................................................................................30
APPENDIX 5 – Findabair Remembers Fróech.......................................................................................31
,Táin Bó Cuailnge Introduction 3
APPENDIX 6 – Áed Mac Ainmirech.......................................................................................................32
Before the Táin – Remscéla
How the Tain Bo Cuailnge Was Found Again
The Poets of Ireland gather and realise they cannot recall the entire Táin Bó Cauilinge, so two guys
go out to the land of Letha to learn the version a sage carried with him when he travelled there. On
their way, they passed by the grave of Fergus mac Roich, where one of them sat down. Fergus
appeared to him and told him the entire Táin. Everyone is very happy about this. However, some say
that the story was told to the other guy after he had fasted.
How Conchobor Was Begotten, And How He Took the Kingship of Ulster
Nes, the daughter of Echoaid Sálbuide, is sitting with her royal women around her. A druid named
Cathbath passes and says that a son conceived at that hour would be heard of in Ireland forever, so
the two have sex and Nes becomes pregnant. Three years and three months later she gives birth to
Conchobor. Fergus mac Roich, King of Ulster, sees her and asks her to marry him. She agrees, but
only if her son can be king of Ulster for a year. This is done. After a year is over, the men of Ulster say
that what Fergus sold should stay sold, and what Conchobor bought should stay bought, so
Conchobor becomes high king of Ulster. 5
Everyone loves Conchobor, he gets to sleep with every girl before she marries and when he shelters
somewhere he gets to have sex with that person’s wife too. He is very wise and a great warrior,
although he isn’t allowed to fight since he doesn’t have a son yet. He has 3 huge houses and many
gold and silver shields, javelins, goblets etc.
The Pangs of Ulster
One day, rich landlord and widower named Crunniuc mac Agnomain finds a woman coming up to
him and just taking the position of his wife as if she has always lived there. She does great and he is
happy. Later, Crunniuc attends a fair. The woman warns him not to brag about her, but he does
anyway when he says that his wife would be quicker than one of the horses. So she is dragged to the
fair even though she is highly pregnant, and forced to race a horse. She reveals her name is Macha,
daughter of Sainrith mac Imbaith, and during the race she gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl. She
curses the men of Ulster that they should suffer the same pains she did for five days and four nights
in their times of greatest difficulty. This indeed happens to all men present, and the nine generations
after them. The women, the young boys and Cúchulainn are not infected by this curse.
Exile of the Sons of Uisliu
After a feast the men are ready to go to bed. The wife of their host is pregnant, and suddenly the
baby cries out from within her womb. 6 Her husband has her fetched and asks what on earth that
was, and she turns to the seer Cathbad and asks him, for she doesn’t know. Cathbad says that a
beautiful woman is in her womb, who will cause wars because of her beauty. She shall be named
Derdriu and will bring evil. When the baby is born, Cathbad once again prophecies that much
damage will follow her in her life, that Fergus will be exiled because of her, and others will be killed
as well. The warriors want to kill the baby, but Conchobor takes it away and secretly raises it into a
lovely woman.7
5
His mum made sure they made Smart Financial Decisions during his one-year reign, and the men of the land
are angry that their king just sold them in exchange for sex, so they decide that this lovely generous woman’s
son should rule instead.
6
This sounds like straight out of a horror movie. Wth. That is terrifying.
7
He want to have sex with her.
, Táin Bó Cuailnge Introduction 4
One day, the girl says she desires a man with raven-black hair, blood-red cheeks and snow-white
skin. Her foster-father says that that man is Noisiu, Uisliu’s son, and Derdriu says she will be ill until
she sees him.
Noisiu is travelling and singing to himself, and his song blesses and gives peace to each who hear it.
Derdriu approaches him, but he refuses her because of Cathbad’s prophecy, so she binds him and he
screams. His brothers come to him and they travel through Ireland with 150 warriors and 150
women, amongst them Deidriu.8
They are often attacked by Conchobor, 9 but they eventually cross the sea and settle in Alba. The king
of Alba accepts them, and they hide away Deidriu. One day, however, a servant of the king of Alba
sees her and tells the king he should kill Noisiu so he can get this girl, the perfect bride for the king.
The king doesn’t want to kill Noisiu, but does tell the servant to ask Derdriu every day to marry the
king. The King now wants to kill Noisiu, but Conchobor gives them a guarantee of safety if they
return. They say they only will if Fergus comes as a pledge, but Fergus is stopped because he, on his
way to Alba, is invited to various ale feasts and he already had vowed never to refuse one.
When the group arrives in Ireland, Conchobor’s hired soldiers kill them. Derdriu is brought to
Conchobor. This causes a war between Fergus and Conchobor which causes the death of a lot of
people as well. For 16 years there is weeping in Ulster because of all the deaths.
Derdriu is kept by Conchobor, but she is never happy and doesn’t drink, eat, or sleep. She just recalls
her time with Noisiu and the rest of the group. She loved Noisiu, and now he is dead. She hates
Conchobor and Eogan mac Durthacht, who also helped in the killing. After a year, Conchobor sends
her to Eogan, and on their way to the fair of Macha she commits suicide by letting her head smash
into a stone.
How Cúchuainn Was Begotten
Conchobor and his warriors chase away birds who are eating the plants and grasses. Conchobor’s
sister, Deichtine, is driving the chariot for her brother. The group chases the birds until they are
overcome by the night and it starts to snow. They look for shelter, which they find in the newly built
house of a couple. Deichtine helps the wife who lives there give birth. At the same time, a mare near
the house gives birth to two foals. Deichtine nursed the boy. When they wake up the next morning,
there is no house and no birds, just them, the two foals, and the baby. They go home where
Deichtine raises the boy until he falls ill and dies. They lament for the child.
Deichtine drinks from a cup and she swallows a tiny creature. She dreams that a man comes to her
who tells her that he brought her to that shelter to have sex with her, and that the boy who she
raised would now be reborn through her, she should name him Sétanta. Deichtine indeed becomes
pregnant, and people rumour that Conchobar in his drunkenness had sex with her and that is why
she is pregnant now. Conchobor marries her off, and when Deichtine gets sick on her wedding night
she vomits out the child and becomes virgin and whole again. She becomes pregnant again and gives
birth to a son she named Sétanta.
When the boy is born, a row breaks out over who should raise the boy. Conchobor says that his
other sister, Finnchaem, should raise him, but Sencha says he should because he is wise and strong,
but Blai Briuga says he should raise the boy in safety. Fergus also says he should raise the boy, as
does Amargin. Conchobar says that Finnchaem should have the boy until they reach judge Morann,
8
She essentially says Noisu is a coward, so now he has to accept her to keep his honour.
9
Who now fears the prophecy.
