Cú Chulainn Cú Chulainn ('Hound of Culann') is not so much a tribe, as it is the name of the greatest, most famed heroe of the heroic age, mentioned in the Ulster Cycle.

This great epic hero of Ireland was a youth who died when he was twenty-seven and had accomplished his greatest deeds before he was even eighteen. His fame lives on in Ireland today; hundreds of stories still exist about his life and wondrous deeds, as does his famed statue in the General Post Office in Dublin, Ireland. This sculpture is in commemoration of the Irish Easter Rising of 1916.

Before Cú Chulainn changed his name, he was known as Setanta (‘Knower of Ways’). His mother was Deichtine, sister of king Conchobar mac Nessa, but about his father there are several versions. In some stories it was the God Lugh the Long Armed, in other stories it is Conchobar or Deichtine’s husband, Sualtam.

Setanta joined the boy-troop at Emain Macha at the age of 5 and soon established himself as exceptional by saving Conchobor and his son after a vicious defeat from the attacks of demons. He took the name Cú Chulainn after slaying the monstrous hound that guards the property of the smith Culann, and then replaced this hound as guard until a new hound could be found and trained-hence Cú Chulainn, ‘Hound of Culann’. He was trained in the arts of war by the legenday Scáthach.

There are a lot of stories about Cú Chulainn such as “The Cattle Raid of Cooley”, where Cú Chulainn, at the age of 17, single-handedly defended Ulster from the army of Connacht. His fate was sealed by his breaking of the geasa (a vow or taboo) upon him. Cú Chulainn’s geasa was to accept any meal offered to him and a ban against eating dogmeat. His enemies offered him a meal of dogmeat and by doing so they weakened him spiritually before the battle. Mortally wounded by the spear of Lugaid (son of Cú Roí mac Dáire of Munster), Cú Chulainn tied himself to a pillar so he could remain standing. Only when a raven landed on his shoulder did his enemies believe he was dead. Lugaid cut off his head but when he did, Cú Chulainn’s sword fell and cut off Lugaid’s hand.

Connall Cernach, Cú Chulainn’s foster brother and his near-twin in bravery, skill, and renown, had sworn that if Cú Chulainn would die before him that he would avenge him before sunset and he kept his promise. He pursued Lugaid and fought him with one hand tucked into his belt, since Lugaid had lost his hand to Cú Chulainn’s sword. He only won after his horse took a bite out of Lugaid’s side.

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