The Cattle Raid of Cooley

Ulster

The Queen of Connacht, MAEVE, was very jealous. She had as much jewellery and fighting warriors as her husband, King Ailill, but he owned the one possession that she envied beyond belief ~ the White Bull of Connacht.

It had come to the Queen's knowledge that a man called Daire, owned a great brown bull in Cooley. Maeve ordered her army to capture this bull, thus she thought this acquisition would make her rich in possessions as her husband. The army set off for Ulster, and their march was known as the T‡in - the "Cattle Raid".

The warriors of Ulster had become sick and feverish, the curse of Macha had surfaced, with weakness in abundance when strength was most required. Cœ Chulainn stood at the "Gap of the North", protecting the borders of Ulster against the impending onslaught by Maeve's armies.

Maeve's armies had heard of Cœ Chulainn and were scared, because he was the only warrior in the province of Ulster to have been spared of Macha's curse (not being born in Ulster). When engaged in battle, young Cœ Chulainn was said to be divine.

In the battle, the Connacht warriors were no match against Cœ Chulainn. Cœ Chulainn fought with the strength of 20 men. Maeve's warriors were slayed left, right and centre.

Maeve was cunning. She managed to bribe Ferdia, Cœ Chulainn's great friend, to engage in battle against him. Friend or no friend, Cœ Chulainn had no choice, he had to fight against his friend.

Ferdia was also a champion, and the ensuing battle lasted for four days. On day four, Ferdia allowed Cœ Chulainn to choose his weapon first. Cœ Chulainn opted to fight with his own weapon, the gae bolga, which was a spear with five sharp points.

Ferdia was slain at last, at the death Cœ Chulainn was sad to lose a great friend but praised his courage in battle.

The curse of Macha was lifted, as suddenly as it had come, it had gone! The warriors of Macha together with Cœ Chulainn, drove Maeve's army back. However, the beaten Connacht men had already managed to capture the Brown Bull, and they paraded it before them as they quickly fled from the opposition.

Back at Connacht, the White Bull was no match for the Brown Bull. The Brown Bull gored the White Bull to shreds, then condescended on a wild rampage back towards Cooley! The Brown Bull reached Druim Tarb ~ "the Ridge of the Bull", where his heart burst and he died.

All the Queen had succeeded in achieving was losing her bull, i.e. matching her husband's loss!