Cú Chulainn and His Myths

The next chapter in Celtic mythology is of Irish origin once again, from the Ulster cycle. The most well known hero from the stories of Ulster is Setanta or more commonly known Cú Chulainn. We may also refer to Cú Chulainn as the “Irish Achilles” as his fate was also sealed by heroic deeds and a short life in exchange. Being the son of a mortal woman (Deichtire) and a god (Lugh, the Sun god) his abilities are exquisite. Being raised as a warrior he became the best, even in childhood, amongst the champions of Emain Macha (the traditional capital of Ulster). His original name was Setanta that was changed when during a feast in the king’s hall the dog of the smith Chulainn was unleashed to be a watch, later killed by Setanta. In exchange for the loss of the guard he volunteered to be one, thus replacing the dog of Chulainn, becoming Cú Chulainn (“the smith’s dog”). The prophecy of his short but heroic life was chosen by himself, as overhead a druidic dialogue over the coming morning’s event, when the first man who would wield arms would become a great hero but will meet untimely death. Thus Cú Chulainn became a great hero of the Irish (mainly Ulster), fighting and winning many battles even by himself, without help of the Ulster army.⁵⁰⁶ He was also involved in a love story with the fair Emer also required by her father for a hero to take his daughter managing greater deeds than any other before. Death came to him by a plot. As it was forbidden for him to eat the flesh of his name giver (dog meat) once being a guest he was forced to eat what was proposed to him in accordance not to harm the hospitality of his host, then half paralyzed captured by his enemies he was bound to a stone pillar where he was speared to death.⁵⁰⁷

The first example to present on the reception of Cú Chulainn’s myth is coming from 1995, from yet known band Cruachan. Their debut album contains the song simply titled

505 Gienna MATSON & Jeremy ROBERTS, ibid. 2010, 91.

506 Charles SQUIRE, ibid. 1999, 132-140.

507 Patricia MONAGHAN,ibid.2008,107-109.

145 Cúchulainn.⁵⁰⁸ This song is the perfect example of contemporary bard-revival, as the song presents the whole story of Cú Chulainn detailed above in the introduction. Thus it would be quite easy just to let lyrics speak for themselves without any analysis, but we do not choose to act like this. In the citation of note 508 we did not wrote the whole lyrics as it consists of 18 verses, we only highlight some parts of it: the first verse, two from the middle and the last one to illustrate the song’s mechanisms. The first verse gives the details of the origin of the hero, with his dual lineage of mortal and immortal parents, with the first line identifying the hero with his newly gathered name. The second citation, also loyal to the original stories tells the prophecy of the hero’s short but famous life, in the third one referring to his greatest deed of defending Ulster all alone against the invading army of Queen Medb. The last verse details the final moments of the hero who was not called dead for three days after the humiliating spearing of his bond body but only that moment when a crow started to pick his eye, ultimately proving that the hero is dead. In this song we meet all the important acts of his life and death, all his attributes and heroic deeds thus we can say that as it was with the case of Celtachor the early song of Cruachan takes the position of a bard to recite an ancient story accompanied with music for a gathering of listeners.

A Hero’s Lament⁵⁰⁹ comes from another debut album, this time from also known Waylander of Armagh. In this song we see the hero Cú Chulainn just before his inevitable death. The motif of ravens coming to carve his eye is the first thing that is referred to from the myth, with pictures that illustrate the process of dying. The second verse cited is a self-comforting attempt, that the death what may seem fearful is only the death of the body and not of the fame. As Cú Chulainn is a son of a god thus the god would never let humanity to forget his son’s great deeds. It is a last wish and a last request of a dying man who is afraid of death, searching for a handrail that may save him or any piece of him from the coming end.

The last verse changes the viewpoint as the hero is dead and all who are mourning over his dead body are singing the closing part of the lament that was started by Cú Chulainn. The

508 "The Hound of Culann, the Hound of Ulster, / He is of the otherworld, / His father is God Lugh Lamheada, / His mother Dectire is mortal. [...] He took up arms on that day, / Which Cathbad declared auspicious, / He who took up arms on that day, / Would become famous but short lived. [...] Cuchulainn solely defended Ulster, / During the mighty war and tain. / When Medb of Connaught invaded, / He stood his ground despite the pain. / He is called a tragic hero / With Caladin his Sword, / He killed his best friend Frediad / at the battle of the Ford.

[...] For three days the foe were scared, / Until a crow perched on his arm, / An otter began to drink his blood, /

"Cuchulainn is dead", is what they said." Cruachan, Tuatha na Gael, Nazgul’s Eyrie Productions, 1995.

509 "As the dark clouds they do gather / I sing my last lament / For the ravens they do gather / My strength is almost spent / My life force it disperses / My blood lies in the sand / The Darkness now Descends / My Death is Close at Hand / My Death is Close at Hand [...] Through sacred Lugh, my father / My name will never die / The deeds I have achieved / Insures my name amongst my brothers / Throughout the sacred green of Éireann / My name will echo in the valleys [...] A farewell to a hero / Your mortal days are gone / Your soul now doth fly / As free as the sun" Waylander, Reawakening Pride Once Lost, Century Media Records, 1998.

146 song attempts to give two insights: 1) to the mind of the dying hero and 2) to the feelings of the ones who are to mourn the dead. This concept’s romantic connotations are able to channel a mythical hero’s deepest feelings and fears making it reality, also resonates the very deep feelings of all towards death thus once again building a bridge between two worlds: the ancient and the current.

Suidakra’s album of 2009, entitled Crógacht is a concept recording based on some stories and deeds of Cú Chulainn.⁵¹⁰ The core topic of the album is episode of Cú Chulainn’s adventures on the Isle of Skye, in the middle of his war training that should lead to his wedding with yet referred Emer. During his training the enemy of his mistress, Scáthach, called Aífe attacks. After a series of events Aífe is left pregnant with Cú Chulainn’s child, later named Connla, who after becoming a warrior encounters his father who kills him.⁵¹¹ The story is unfolded in the songs of the album from which we have chosen the third in line titled

“Isle of Skye”. In the song we witness Cú Chulainn to arrive to the Isle of Skye to being his training. As the original story is drowned in tragedy, as Cú Chulainn does not know that he killed his own son until the moment Connla is dead, thus his entrance to the Isle of Skye to learn the art of war from Scáthach is the beginning of their tragedy. Love ignited his way to the court of the warrior woman but his deeds during the fight against Aífe (Cú Chulainn decides not to kill his mistress’ enemy in the last moment in exchange for a son to give him) marked him with ill-luck, making the whole island and all its events to be damned. The title does not give any hint for us on the coming described events, and without any previous knowledge on the storyline it remains a mystery for the listener of what unfortunate things are to come. The last thing to refer is to that the goddess Morrigan had to perform four attempts in accordance to lead the hero to his death, what is to be detailed in the next chapter that focuses on the “Phantom Queen” and omen of death.

510 "[...] To win the heart of fair Emer / The Plain Of Ill-luck he crossed / To search for knowledge of war [...]

All by yourself you must stride / Not challenge fate with false pride / Beware of the bridge to reach the far side //

All by yourself be your own guide / To make the Salmon leap up high / Scáthach you’ll find on the Isle of Skye”

[...] Three times over Cuchulainn tried and failed / And at the fourth attempt he finally prevailed [...] But little did the hero know / What tragedy upon him / Fate would one day bestow… [...]" Suidakra, Crógacht, Wacken Records, 2009.

511 Charles SQUIRE, ibid. 1999, 357.

147 Therion’s interpretation on the story of our hero does not differ much from the above mentioned. Their song simply entitled Cú Chulainn⁵¹² grasps again the tragedy of the hero.

The first two lines cited contain opposites mentioning death and birth, the details of his death and his sacred fury. He is shown like a saint with a halo but he is more like the angel of death considering that most of his important deeds are connected to bloodshed. His love, Emer is mentioned as well not forgetting that even the greatest heroes are also touched by love.

Besides detailing the origin of his name and triumph over the monstrous dog of the smith, his fame is also stressed. As we have seen it in the case of Waylander’s current song here the main point of Therion’s piece is the same: death may come to a hero in the end, but his legacy and name will survive in the stories that were read by the authors’ of the texts, proving their point. The unbeaten might of the hero is another topic of the song underlining the importance of his standing position during the execution-like death scene. Even after dying the dead body is still standing showing the mentioned might and power, as the ravens are approaching to pick his eyes. The enemies of the hero could then only accept the death of their adversary, as no other sign could prove the fact. If the song of Waylander could be understood as most part an inner confession and lament of the hero than the work of Therion projects the situation only to the outside, singing the lamentation of the hero sung by the remaining ones mourning him. In the above mentioned songs we have seen that the most important and catchy part of the myth is the death and tragedy of Cú Chulainn that may remind us all that although someone is heroic and powerful in the end death will come to him. Only the fact that his fame and stories lasted hundreds of years may comfort the left behind, retold by modern bards not only of Ireland but from German and Sweden as well.