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| Myths and Legends - Meadbh, Cuchulainn, Children of Lir, Fionn MacCumhaill, Deirdre, Tir na nOg |
Meadbh and the Bull of Cooley
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Queen Meadbh and her husband Ailill were teasing each other about which of them was richer. After a while the joke became serious as they both strove to prove who had the most possessions. Eventually it was seen that the only difference between them was Ailills prize bull, Finnbennach. Meadbh would not admit defeat however and having learned that the Bull of Cooley could equal Ailills bull, her servants were dispatched to buy this bull from its owner, Daire.
But, when no deal was accepted she decided to steal him and a great army was amassed to fight for her honour.
Meadbhs army had to fight Cuchulainn, who destroyed all who came before him, but she eventually succeeded in capturing the bull.
Having being brought back to Ailills camp the Bull of Cooley challenged Ailills bull, Finnnennach, into combat. For three days and nights the bulls fought, travelling over the whole country with terrifying intensity, bringing destruction to all that was in their path. Eventually the Bull of Cooley emerged as the winner, with the bloody remains of Finnbennach impaled on his horns. He triumphantly marched back to his home in Cooley but rarely recognised the place because the land had been laid to waste by the mighty battles of the opposing armies and then by the combat of the two bulls - all of which showed the futility of the argument that led to this senseless destruction.
Children of Lir
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King Lir had four beautiful children whom he loved dearly. His wife died when the children were still young and he married his wifes sister Aoife, so that they could have a new mother.
But Aoife became jealous of the Kings love for his children and one day, while taking the children swimming, she used a druids majic wand to cast a spell that turned them into swans. Aoife told them they would be set free after 900 years, when St Patrick came to Ireland and they heard the sound of Christian bells. She did however leave them with their human voices and their distant sound of their beautiful singing brought wonder to all who heard them.
And so they spent 300 years on Lake Derravaragh, 300 years on the Sea of Moyle and another 300 hundred years on the Lake isle of Gora in Mayo, where they came to be lovingly cared for at the house of Mochaomhog. After 900 years, after hearing the distant sound of Christian bells, the time had come for the swans to become human again, but they were 900 years old and quickly died of old age.
As requested by the children, Mochaomhog buried them in a single grave with their arms around each other - supporting their siblings in death as they had in life.
Cuchulainn
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Cuchulainn, originally known as Setanta, os often described as a small beardless man, full of gaiety, who grew to the size of a giant when in battle attacking anyone in the vicinity - friend and foe alike. Training as a warrior at the headquarters of the Red Branch Warriors, famous defenders of Ulster, Cuchulainn became the most famous sportsman and warrior of his age.
As a boy, while visiting the house of Culann, he arrived after nightfall and was attacked by the most vicious guard dog in all the land. A gang of twenty men would not get past this dog without being savaged but Cuchulainn killed him with a single stroke. When Culainn asked "who will protect me and my family now" Cuchulainn said "I will be your new hound and protect your family". From that day he became known as Cuchulainn - the hound of Culainn.
Cuchulainn was friendly with a warrior from Connaught named Ferdia, but when Queen Maeve fropm the province attacked Cuchulainn, she sent Ferdia to fight him. By days they fought but as night fell they shared a feast. By the fourth day Cuchulainn used his ultimate weapon the Gae Bolga, a vicious spring loaded javelin that released thirty barbs of steel into the opponents body. When Ferdia saw it coming he tried desperately to try and protect himself, but it was too late. Barbs went into every part of his body, and Cuchulainn, barely aliove himself, cried for the needless death of his dear friend.
Fionn MacCumhaill
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Fionn MacCumhaill was a great warrior, celebrated hero and seer of the future. At seven years of age he met Finnegas, a seer, on the banks of the Boyne. This man had dedicated his life to catching the Salmon of Knowledge, which would impart the wisdom of the world to the first person who tasted it.
When Fionn was there, Finnegas caught the salmon of knowledge and, with much joy, put it on the spit to cook. He entrusted the cooking to Fionn but warned him not to taste it. After a time when Fionn went to see if the fish was cooked , he touched it with his thumb and burnt himself, leaving a blister. To ease the pain he put his thumb in his mouth and thus became the first person to taste the salmon. When Finnegas looked at the boys face, he saw the wisdom shining in it, and knew that the majic of the salmon had passed to Fionn. From then on, if Fionn required knowledge, he only had to put his thumb into his mouth and great wisdom was his.
Tir na Nog
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One day, while out hunting with the Fianna, Oisin noticed a beautiful maiden on a great white horse riding swiftly towards them. This maiden told them she was Niamh, daughter of the King of Tir na Nog - the land of never ending youth. She said that she came to Ireland to win his love and bring him back to her country.
Oisin fell instantly in love and they set off on their journey. On the way they visited many starnge and beautiful places, with Osin even rescueing a Tuaithe de Danann lady from a monster along the way.
On arriving in Tir na Nog Oisin saw that it was the most beautiful place under the sun. He was forever young, gifted with unfading beauty and strenght, while Niamh of the Golden Hair became his wife. He lived there for more than 300 years, but increasingly longed to see his father Fionn and all his old friends. Niamhs father gave him permission to visit Ireland but he told him never dismount from his horse. Niamh also warned him that Ireland was no longer as it was when he left but still he went.
When he arrived he scarcely knew the land of his birth. The people were smaller and the houses of his former friends lay in ruin. While travelling the country he saw a group of men trying to lift a large stone in vain. Stooping forward he seized it with one hand, applying all of his strenght as he flung it several metres to the side. But as he stooped, his saddle broke and Oisin fell to the ground. Instantly a great change came over him, as the many years in Tir na Nog were left behind and he became an old man. He lived on for a few more years but never again saw his beloved Tir na Nog.
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