Medb

The central figure of the Ulster Cycle is the hero Cú Chulainn, and the Táin tells the story of his greatest triumph.

Connacht, under the rule of Queen Medb, invades Ulster to steal a magical bull, and whatever else they can get as well.

The men of Ulster are under a curse that makes them too weak to fight, so Cú Chulainn has to defend the province alone.

Feilime makes her appearance at the start of the epic when Queen Medb and her army are setting off from Connacht.

The prophet rides in a chariot, bearing weapons and holding a loom.

There's a link there, perhaps, to the goddesses of fate who wove the future into being.

It was at Tara that King Lughaidh Mac Néill reportedly challenged Saint Patrick, defending his ancient pagan sovereignty.

At Rathcroghan, the formidable Queen Medb launched her legendary cattle raid, while at Navan, King Conchobar mac Nessa ruled Ulster through warrior codes and divine decree.

Yet, while surviving mythology paints a vivid picture of these rulers and their kingdoms, it reflects medieval tradition as much as Iron Age reality.

And behind the legends lie a fundamental debate, a question of how or even if Ireland became Celtic.

[laughs]

Well, indeed.

It's a great story of a great cattle raid and a, a great conflict between Queen Medb, uh, in Rathcroghan, and, um, her Ulster counterparts, and, uh, the great warrior Cú Chulainn figures prominently in the story.

It is a, an epic tale, but, um, there's also very extraordinary mythological elements in it as well because at the, the core of the tale is a great mythic battle between two bulls.