The characters and stories of the Ulster cycle often called “The red branch cycle” are intertwined so for this section there are three sections, Conor mac Nessa & Deirdre of the sorrows, Cú Chulainn & the Red Branch and third the story of the Tain Bo Cuailgne (Cattle raid of Cooley).

Conor Mac Nessa & Deirdre of the Sorrows

Conor was born the son of an Ulster cheftain, Fachtna and his wife Nessa. When Fachtna died his half brother Fergus took the throne of Ulster and asked Nessa to be his wife and queen.

Nessa had one condition to ask of Fergus, she asked for her son Conor to take the throne for one year. Fergus agreed to this and enjoyed the following year as a man of leisure while Conor ruled Ulster. Conors year in charge of the province saw him become a most popular king so much so that at the end of his year the people of Ulster insisted he keep the throne and continue his fine role as king of Ulster. As for Fergus he had no problem with the peoples wishes for he liked his new lifestyle of hunting and feasting. Conor now continued to rule Ulster from the royal fort of Emain Macha with his elite warriors “The Red Branch”.

One of Ulster’s chieftains Felim, held a feast inviting Conor and his druid Cathbad, Fergus and various knights of the red branch. While feasting that night Felim received news that his wife had just given birth to a baby girl. Cathbad, Conor’s druid was asked to tell the baby’s horoscope, after viewing the stars Cathbad relayed his findings to the gathering… `This child will grow up to be the most beautiful woman ever to be seen in the land, she will marry a king, great feuds will follow, she will bring death and destruction, champions and chieftains on seeing her will fight deadly battles and rivers of blood will flow through Ulster`.

On hearing this Conor’s knights insisted on killing the child there and then and save Ulster from this terrible future but Conor would not hear tell of it. He offered to take the child into his care and when she came of age marry and protect her.

The child was named Deirdre and was taken to a secluded dun in a remote forest somewhere in Ulster. She grew up as the druids prophecy had stated, “a beautiful maiden”. Conor had charged his head nurse Lavarcam to look after Deirdre’s upbringing. One night as Lavarcam and Deirdre stood gazing out at the moonlit grounds at a place where previously one of the servants had killed a calf, there they spied a black raven drinking the blood stained snow.

Deirdre confessed that the raven reminded her of her true love that she had seen in her dreams. Lavarcam knowing that Deirdre was soon to marry Conor arranged for Deirdre to view a young warrior at Conors court. Lavarcam secretly invited Naoise to the secluded dun where Deirdre instantly recognised him as the figure in her dreams and in turn Naoise when he looked at Deirdre he instantly fell in love with her beauty.

Deirdre and Naoise along with his two brothers Ardan and Ainle fled to Scotland fearing Conors anger. While there the three sons of Usna enlisted with the army of the king there. Their skills in fighting and charioteering earned them great respect and recognition until the king saw Deirdre and fell in love with her instantly and desired her for himself.

Again the sons of Usna and Deirdre had to flee and made their way to a remote island on the west coast of Scotland.
All this time Conor never forgot his stolen bride to be and had to endure shame and embarrassment. But behind it all he hatched a plan of revenge against the sons of Usna. He sent Fergus who had a strong bond with Naoise, Ardan and Ainle to Scotland with a message for the exiles ensuring them safe return to Ulster.

When Fergus had departed Conor Planned for Fergus to be seperated from the others on their arrival back in Ulster, he did this knowing well that Fergus by an old law could not refuse the hospitality offered by anybody.

When Fergus reached Scotland and met with the sons of Usna and Deirdre they were all so emotional to see each other and were happy with the news that Fergus brought. When they arrived back on Ulsters shore and travelled toward Emain Macha they passed through the lands of one of Connors chieftains.

He met Fergus and asked him to stay there saying that night he had planned to hold a great banquet and would like Fergus to attend. Fergus declined and stated he was to escort his friends to meet king Conor. The chieftain insisted Fergus stay and let the four continue to Emain Macha but reminded Fergus of the geis which was placed on him. After hesitating Fergus agreed to stay but insisted that Naoise, his brothers and Deirdre travel on without him and there they parted company.

When the four exiles entered the fort of Emain Macha they were shown to the sleeping quarters of the red branch knights they asked to meet with the king but were told the king would not receive them that evening.

Now the sons of Usna became suspicious. When Conor mac Nessa heard that his plan had worked out well he asked the now old Lavarcam to meet with Deirdre and bring back news of her. Lavarcam entered the house where Deirdre and the sons of Usna were housed, she told them of Conors plans for revenge. The old nurse returned to Conor and still loyal to Deirdre told him that Deirdre had lost all her beauty to her time in exile but that the sons of Usna were still strong as ever.

Conor was on the verge of changing his plan when a man from the north lands offered to bring his findings to Conor. Trendhorn had a grudge against the sons of Usna for killing his father in a battle some years earlier. Trendhorn climbed to the roof of the house of the red branch and through a crack he could see below the four figures playing a game of chess, he saw that Deirdre was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen but Naoise noticing this face peering down took a chess piece and threw it at Trendhorn and hit him in the eye. With one good eye Trendhorn returned to Conor telling him of his findings. Conor infuriated now summoned an army of men and went to the house of the red branch but could not enter. The sons of Usna had barricaded the door and fled through a window.

Cathbad, conors druid was summoned to put a stop to the escape of Naoise, Ardan, Ainle and Deirdre. With the first spell the ground beneath their feet turned to a thick green slime but the four rose above it and escaped further, but soon a dense dark forest appeared before them, so dense no animal could have passed through it but again the four overcame the spell. A third spell was cast against them, a high roaring sea slashed against them and threw waves of water in their path but they managed to dodge their way through. Cathbad summoned all his powers of magic and cast a fourth and final spell against the four. He conjured up a wild dark spiralling storm and with its speeding winds bound the four fugitives together. Conor’s men were close by to take advantage and captured their foes. Deirdre was taken back to Emain Macha but the Son’s of Usna were executed.

Deirdre lived for a year and a day in mourning for her true love Naoise, until the final day she couldn’t take the suffering any longer and threw herself from a speeding chariot, she cracked her head off a sharp rock and was killed.

When she was buried it is said a great yew tree grew from her grave and intertwined its branches with a yew tree that grew from Naoise’s grave.

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Cú Chulainn & The Red Branch

Cu Chulainn was born during the reign of Conor mac Nessa and became the greatest hero of the celtic race. He was the son of Lugh of the Tuatha de Dannan and Dectra who was the daughter of Cathbad the druid on the banks of the river boyne near the great mound of Newgrange and he was named `Setanta`. Setanta was playing a game of hurling on a day when king Conor was asked to attend a banquet by one of his loyal subjects. Conor, his druid and some of his chieftains travelled to dun Culann who was a wealthy smith for a night of feasting. Setanta was invited too but missed the cavalcades departure because of his game of hurling. When they reached the dun of Culann his ferocious hound was released and the gates closed behind. They all retired for their night of feasting and drinking. Late that night the merry atmosphere inside was silenced by the sound of mad barking from the hound outside guarding his master’s house viciously. The entire party of people left the banqueting hall to check the commotion outside, when they reached and unbolted the gates they saw the dead body of Culann’s loyal hound with Setanta standing over it. Culann became deeply shocked and angered at the loss of his hound, the best hound in all of Ulster. Setanta offered to guard Culanns dun and take the place of his hound until he found one of equal loyalty again. The party present there cheered at Setanta’s pledge and so was given the name Cu Chulainn (hound of Culann). When Cu Chulainn grew to be a very fair and handsome youth he came under pressure to take a wife but even though every maiden who saw him became bewitched by his handsome looks he cared for none of them until One day he spied the daughter of Forgall who was the lord of Lusca now called lusk in north county Dublin. Cu Chulainn planned on visiting her and wooing her for his bride so he travelled to the dun of Forgall with his friend Leag. Emer sat teaching her companions embroidery when they heard the sound of horses hoof’s approaching. When they drew up to the girls sitting on the grass Cu Chulainn conveyed his love for Emer and asked if she would be his wife. Emer told him that firstly she would not marry before her older sister Fial and secondly she didn’t believe Cu Chulainn had carried out any heroic deeds or killed hundreds of men in battle, so she would not marry against her fathers will.

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 travel to the island of Skye 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 Cchulanin 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 held dear 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 and there they were slain by Cu Chulanin in his battle fury. He arrived 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 attented 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.

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The Tain - Cattle raid of Cooley

The Tain is a story of two powerful provinces, Ulster and Connacht with Queen Meave (Medb) of Connacht attempting to capture the prized brown bull of Cooley (Donn Bo Cuailnge) and Cu Chulainn for a time the lone defender of Ulster protecting her borders and the bull from queen Meaves army. Meave drives the two Provinces into war over her determination to outdo her new husband Aillil and his possetion of another prised bull Finnbennach (The white horned). The brown bull was owned by Daire, a Farmer in Cooley county Louth, which at the time was in the ancient province of Ulster. The bull was renouned to be the strongest and most powerfull bull in all of Ireland. Queen Meave after hearing of this bull sent her chief advisor to meet with Daire and buy the bull..The Connachtmen returned to Meaves fort at Cruachan in county Roscommon and relayed what had happened in Cooley. On hearing the news that the bull was still in Cooley and not in her possetion Meave instantly set about making plans for war against Ulster. The following days saw hundreds of warriors gathered around the royal site of Cruachan, Meave had secured help from all of the chieftains of Connacht as well as warriors from parts of Munster Leinster and even Ulster. After the sons of Usna had been killed by king Conor Mac Nessa their old loyal friend Fergus along with Ferdia and many more warriors fled Ulster and joined the ever increasing army in Connacht.

When the army was battle ready queen Meave asked Fergus to lead her army to the Cooley peninsula. After crossing the river Shannon they broke for food and this is where one of the druids present had a prophesy. He stated that he had seen a wild savage of a man protecting Ulster single-handed and that his strength was that of a whole army. Later that day Fergus couldn’t shake from his head what the druid had earlier said, he knew who the lone guardian was and out of old loyalties to Ulster sent messengers to warn the Ulstermen of the approaching army from the west…no reply came back. All the men of Ulster were now under an ancient curse, which saw them suffer with the pangs of childbirth.
The curse had been cast a long time before by a woman of the Otherworld (The magical land of the ancient gods). Crunnchu a farmer from Ulster had married this woman named Macha but was arrested one day at a gathering at Emhain Macha when he stated that his dear wife could outrun the kings two great horses. Macha who was pregnant and close to her time to give birth was sent for and made race against king Conors two horses, she won the race but at the end she gave birth to twins. After a traumatic labour she cursed all the men of Ulster, their sons and their sons that at their greatest need they would suffer the terrible pains that was to kill herself that day. So while the army from Connacht marched on Cooley all the Men of Ulster save Cu Chulainn who was still a youth lay in terrible pain in their beds.

The army marched on to the Cooley peninsula but Fergus still with loyalties to Ulster led the army southwards into Meath and up along the east coast. The forward scouts of the western army came across a standing stone and on it was placed a ring of wood with carvings of Ogham in it. When the rest of the party arrived Fergus read the message stating that a Geis had been cast against them by Cu Chulainn. The Geis forbade them from passing unless somebody in their company could carve a similar piece of wood using one eye and one hand while standing on one leg! No one in the massive army could carry out this feat but they camped in a nearby forest.

The following morning they marched past the standing stone and on to Cooley. Later that day Cu Chulainn met a group of scouts surveying the ford of a river. He killed the scouts, then cut a giant forked pole and placed the heads of the dead scouts on it and left it protruding from the riverbed. When the following army reached the “Ford of the forked pole” the sight of the impaled heads put a great fear into them. Fergus read this again as another Geis, it stated again they were not to pass until the pole was removed from the water by one man using one hand, just as it had been placed there. Fergus himself waded into the water and after much struggling removed the pole from the river.

These games Cu Chulainn played were designed to give the army of Ulstermen time to recover from their terrible curse, but the games failed to spare enough time and the army of invaders from Connacht split into two groups and succeeded in devastating the territories of Muirthemne and Bregia. Cu Chulainn fought many skirmishes killing the advancing warriors in twos and threes and sometimes by the tens and it was then they witnessed the fierce battle frenzy of the Hound of Ulster…Cu Chulainn in his normal state was believed to be quite a slight figure but his battle frenzy transformed him and stunned his foes.

“It sends him into a state of violent shaking, his muscles stand out and appear to tremble, his whole body dilates and his head swells,
with one eye sinking into his skull and the other stands out staring everything that moves, his mouth widens and foam streams from it and his giant heart beats loudly while a magical light shines from above his head”. . .

An agreement is reached between Meave and Cu Chulainn after she fails to lure him away from his loyalties to Ulster. The two parties agree to meet each other in single combst at a ford on the river Dee a place today called Ardee in county Louth. It is at this time that the Morrigan appears to Cu Chulainn. She takes the form of a beautiful girl and offers to help Cu Chulainn in his battles. She tells him that she has heard of his great feats in battle and that she is in love with him. Cu Chulainn takes no notice of her talk and tells her that he has no interest in women at this time. After his rejection the Morrigan threatens to take sides with the army of Connacht she then retreats from sight. Cu Chulainn looks back in the direction she goes and sees a raven perched on the branch of a tree and then realises that he had been talking with the Morrigan.
Cu Chulainn does battle with a warrior names Loch and it is then the Morrigan takes the form of a white cow but Cu Chulainn wounds one of her eyes she then returnes in the form of a giant eel, swims up river and wraps herself around Cu Chulainns legs, Loch takes advantage and wounds Cu Chulainn, they battle on but soon the Morrigan returnes in the guise of a fierce grey wolf and again Loch wounds the Ulster warrior, this sends Cu Chulainn into his Battle frenzy and he drives the Gae Bolg towards Loch splitting his heart killing him.

After sending his charioteer Leag to rouse the men of Ulster Cu Chulainn badly wounded wearily rests and watches the camp fires of queen Meaves army and notices a lone figure tall and handsome carrying a shield and spears walking among them unnoticed towards him. When Lugh reaches the spot where his son is resting he relieves Cu Chulainn for three days and takes his place at the ford. While Lugh defendes the ford and tended to Cu Chulainns wounds the men of Ulster still lay under the geis. The hound of Ulster conquers all who is sent to fight him in single combat so Meave seeks help from one of the Ulstermen in he camp she sends for Cu Chulainns, friend Ferdia seeking him to fight at the ford.

Meave offers Ferdia her beautiful daughter Findabair of the fair eyebrows but he refuses to meet his friend in battle. Meave then threatens him with the powers of the poets and bards that they would write verses in his name shaming him in every corner of Ireland, to this Ferdia could not decline and with much sorrow he prepared himself for battle with his dear friend the following day.

Day broke and Ferdia with his charioteer rode out to the ford to do battle. The two facing each other across the river greeted one another. While Cu Chulainn couldn’t believe his friend now faced him to do battle Ferdia stated even though they had grown up and studied together he was prepared to fight. They chose light spears to start with and spent the day casting them at each other to no avail towards the end of the day they agreed to use heavier spears again they threw them at each other but this time both Ferdia and Cu Chulainn wounded each other they retired for the night and rested for the next days fighting.

On the second day the choice of both warriors this time was the heavy broad bladed spears used for closer fighting but with both fighters suffering terrible wounds stalemate was reached at the end of that day too. On the third day swords were taken up by both men and fierce battling for the whole day followed but again they retired to their separate camps nursing ghastly wounds at the days end. All this time Cu Chulainn and Ferdia were evenly matched they had grown up together, played hurling, and studied warefare at scathachs academy in Scotland.

Before and after each days fighting they had shown each other a degree of courtship but by the fourth day this all changed. They decided that they would use weapons of their choice and the fight was on again. The battle was fierce the noise of which could be heard for some distance around. They were fighting close when Ferdia flung Cu Chulainn into the water his charioteer Leag jeered at his master as requested and this brought on Cu Chulainns battle frenzy. Still fighting at close quarters the two grabbed, rolled, kicked, punched and trampled each other when Ferdia struck out with his sword wounding his foe Cu Chulainn knowing Ferdia had a slight advantage seized the Gae bolg from Leag and thrust it deep into ferdias heart. Catching him as he fell Cu Chulainn carried his friend to the Ulster side of the river and lay his dead body down. The ford is known today as Ferdias Ford or Ardee in county louth.

Cu Chulainn abandons the fight and queen Meaves army retreat towards Connacht having raided much of Ulster and the brown bull of Cooley in their possesion. The curse now had left the men of Ulster and they prepared to defend Ulster against the invaders. They marsh forward to meet the army of Meave. An account of Meaves advisor tells us what the army of Connacht witness as the men of Ulster approach... Wild animals of the forests fled into the plains before the marching mass of men from Ulster, a mist lay about with the flashes and claps of thunder and lightening. The lightening was the flashes of their eyes and the thunder the din of their armour as they marched forth.

The two armies meet in Meath at the plain of Garech. In the battle Cu Chulainn met Fergus weilding his deadly two handed sword but they do not fight they instead abide by a pledge made to each other at an earlier meeting in the sagas of the Tain. Fergus leaves the battle followed by both the men of Munster and Leinster leaving Meave and her Connacht warriors who retreated into Connacht.When the brown bull of Cooley is brought to meet Aillils white horned bull. With their eyes blazing red they stared each other and After much pawing and digging of the ground which was tossed up over their backs and shoulders they ferociously start to fight until the brown bull kills Finnbennach the white horned. The brown bull of Cooley makes his way back to Cooley scattering the remains of the white horned along the way, when he reaches cooley his heart breaks and kills him there.

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