That's Just a Myth!: Cu Chulainn

 

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That's Just a Myth!

Chapter 3: Cu Chulainn

    Top O' The Mornin' too ya, Young and Young-at-Heart Explorers!  And a warm welcome to That's Just a Myth!  Here in this segment of the Something Niche pantheon, we dive into one of the most classic forms of storytelling; the ever-expansive world of Mythology!  These are tales that have existed for thousands of years, and in several cases, have gone on to influence several of modern pop culture's most enduring legends and characters.

    Every part of the world has had their own myths and legends that tell of stories of how the Earth came to be, the divine beings who watch over it, legendary heroes who accomplished impossible odds, and the legendary beasts who struck fear into the hearts of humanity.  And while many of these tales may or may not be mere fantasy (depending on who you ask), that doesn't make them any less fascinating, which is why oral traditions and other major forms of storytelling have kept them alive throughout the centuries.  

    From the Gods of Greece to the Dragons of the East, no legend will be off the radar of That's Just a Myth!

    Since this is the month of St. Patrick's Day (though this article is likely to get posted after St. Patrick's Day due to other projects on my end), in this episode, we will be taking a virtual trip down to the Emerald Isle of Ireland, to take a peek at one of its most notable legendary heroes.  A legendary figure who has gone on to become as much of a mascot to the nation as the not-so-humble leprechaun.  A demigod known as Cu Chulainn (pronounced "cu Hull in").

    Indeed, of all of the legends from the Emerald Isle, Cu Chulainn's might be one of the most well-known.  Basically acting as the country's answer for the likes of Hercules, Cu Chulainn's tale has been passed down over the millennia by the storytellers of Ireland.  But unlike a lot of folk heroes, Cu Chulainn's tale is not a traditional one of heroism. 

    No, rather, the tale of Cu Chulainn is one that weaves multiple different emotions, but mostly bittersweetness.  While he was regarded as one of the greatest warriors who ever lived, his life was one that had plenty of twists and turns that led to a short lifespan.  However, during this life, Cu Chulainn managed to win many battles and triumph over multiple impossible odds, eventually getting nearly everything he wanted.

    And in the millennia since, Cu Chulainn has become a true symbol of Irish nationalism, appearing as a figure of protest against the multiple injustices that have befallen Ireland over the years.  But what exactly is this strange man all about?

    Well, make sure you've got your green on, and prepare to dance an Irish jig, as we look into the legend of Cu Chulainn!

An Otherworldly Matrimony

        Continuing our comparisons to the Greco-Roman legend of Hercules, Cu Chulainn was born the child of Deichtine (deck-TIN-ah), who was the sister of Conchobar (Kon-KO-bar) mac Nessa, the king of the Ulster region of Northern Ireland.   He was born with the name of Setanta, and his father was Lugh, The Celtic God of the Sun.  The exact details of his birth vary from telling to telling.  Some say Deichtine was abducted and taken to the mystical Otherworld, where she accidentally swallowed a tiny version of Lugh and became pregnant.  Others even say that he was born through multiple bodies, the first of which died young, and the second being aborted, before finally being born to Deichtine,

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    From his birth, much of those around him knew that he would be destined for greatness.  And his first major battle-albeit an unwanted and unplanned one-came about at the age of 6.  One evening, Setanta and his family visited the home of the blacksmith Culann for a feast, only for Setanta to be separated from the group.  He accidentally bumped into the vicious guard dog of the blacksmith.  However, despite his young age, Setanta managed to battle and slay the beast.  However, he was stricken with remorse, and vowed to act as Culann's new guard in recompense, earning him the new identity of Cu Chulainn-which literally means "Cullan's Hound".

    The next year, Cu Chulainn paid a visit to his maternal grandfather, a druid named Cathbad.  Cathbad spoke to him a prophecy that would change the course of Cu Chulainn's life forever; "Anybody who took up arms that day would have eternal fame, but live a short life."  Cu Chulainn's fate would ultimately be sealed, as he requested warrior training from the king later that same day.

    From there, Cu Chulainn was sent to train in Scotland, under the supervision of the renowned fighter Scathach (SCAH-hach), who presented him with his trademark weapon.  That weapon was the spear Gae Bulg (GAY bul-ga).  It could travel at the speed of lightning, and had the ability to shoot barbs from its tip. 

    It was also here where he learned not only the ways of war, but also of love.  He sired a son, but he tragically killed the boy on accident.  This was only the first of several tragedies that the legendary warrior would encounter during his journey.

A Young, Fresh Face

    But before we can look at any of that, perhaps we should pause in order to put a face to the name of Cu Chulainn.  Compared to a lot of demigods of legend, Cu Chulainn was a little different in terms of the looks department.  Rather than the stereotypical buff, macho beefcake, Cu Chulainn was described as being a little bit on the short side, and beardless.

    However, just as Bruce Wayne once said, "It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."  The women of Ireland still lusted over him, in spite of him already being taken.  He would notably even earn the attention of one of the Celtic pantheon's most prominent Goddesses.  That being The Morrigan, the Goddess of War and Fate.  She appeared to him once following a major battle, and attempted to seduce him, but Cu Chulainn rejected her advances.

    Cu Chulainn also had several notable special abilities, as any legendary God or Demigod would.  Perhaps most notable for his ability to go into complete beast mode.  Much like another certain comic book hero named Bruce, Cu Chulainn had the ability to transform into a hulking beast when brought to the point of rage.  This form-brought on by a power known as the Riastrad-notably came with plenty of risks for his allies, as while in this form, he was so blinded by rage, he couldn't tell friend or foe apart.  As a result, his allies would often have to intervene in order to bring him back to sanity.

    In one notable incident, Cu Chulainn came home from a violent mission while still in this form, demanding to be given an opponent to fight.  His allies instead sent a group of naked women his way, which visibly embarrassed the demigod.  His allies then soaked him in a nearby moat until he calmed down.

    But these were only two of the strange stories that came about during Cu Chulainn's time as a fierce warrior.  Many other notable legends would also come about involving the demigod. One of the most peculiar came in the form of The Feast of Bricriu.  Here, Cu Chulainn was coaxed by a troublemaker named Bricriu into a competition with two other folk heroes; Conall Cernach and Loegaire Buadach,  It was a game of chance, where the bravest warrior would be given the finest cut of meat to eat.  Cu Chulainn would end up winning, but his opponents did not accept defeat gracefully.

    As a compromise, the King of Ulster suggested a strange compromise where the three heroes would first behead him, only for him to somehow survive and return to behead the three in return.  Of the three, only Cu Chulainn accepted his beheading in return, with Conall Cernach and Loegaire Buadach both running in fear.

    However, perhaps his most famous endeavor came in the form of one particular major battle.

Until the Cows Come Home

          

    That particular story involving Cu Chulainn was an event known as the Tain Bo Cúailnge, otherwise known as the Cattle Raid of Cooley.  This was a conflict that arose between the armies of Queen Medb of West Ireland and the King of Ulster.  Maeve had plans to amass an empire of everlasting wealth and set her eyes on acquiring a prized brown bull owned by the King of Ulster.  After the king turned down her offer, the enraged queen sent her army to slaughter.

    During the battle, Maeve also reportedly cast a spell that crippled the soldiers of Ulster with an unusual curse.  The predominantly male soldiers suddenly found themselves overcome with pains comparable to the menstrual cycles of women, which, while par for the course for women, proved to be much too painful for the men to fight through.

    However, Cu Chulainn proved to be the lone exception, and he was able to hold off against Queen Maeve's army for several days.  Eventually, the rest of the Ulster army recovered, and were able to provide much-needed backup that would ultimately cause Maeve's army to retreat.  

    However, Medb's army hadn't quite lost the war just yet, and they would eventually return in an event that would eventually cause Cu Chulainn's tragic prophecy to come true.  It is said that Cu Chulainn was a victim of extreme hubris, as was the case for many notable demigods across multiple legends.  He was also bound by two fatal flaws that were dubbed Geasa-a form of a taboo or curse.  Those so-called Geasa?  Cu Chulainn absolutely had to accept any food offered to him by a woman, and he could not eat dog meat.  Breaking either of those commandments meant that great misfortune would come his way.

    Unfortunately, Medb and her army would end up using these two fatal flaws against the young demigod.  About 10 years after their first battle with Ulster, Maeve would send a group of women to trick Cu Chulainn into eating hound meat that was offered by them.  One geis was broken to uphold another, and Cu Chulainn's powers were sapped.  

    In the ensuing battle, Cu Chulainn was mortally wounded, now being vulnerable to any mortal weapons.  However, the demigod still had plenty of fight left in him.  He tied himself to a standing stone and faced down his opponents with dignity.  Even after his death, his reputation kept the Queen's army at bay for a few days.  This illusion was ultimately broken, however, when a raven perched on his dead body.  Some say that this crow may have actually been The Morrigan in a different form-coming to take revenge for her rejection all those years ago.

A Legend Remembered

       Even if his story had the very real possibility of being mere fiction, Cu Chulainn's tale has continued to live on throughout the ages; especially within his home nation of Ireland!  There, he has not only gone on to be immortalized through multiple retellings and murals, but he has even become a symbol of nationalism for the country, especially during times of great social unrest.  Most notably, images of Cu Chulainn were used as symbols of protest during the 1916 Easter Rising, during which Irish nationalists rebelled for independence from British Rule.  A statue memorializing the event was even sculpted in 1935 and can be found at the General Post Office in Dublin.

    One of Ireland's most notable of traditional sports has even been traced back to Cu Chulainn's legend.  The sport of hurling, which is similar to lacrosse, was mentioned to be a favorite pastime of the demigod.  It was also said that he fought Cullan's guard dog with a hurling stick.  There are many hurling clubs bearing Cu Chulainn's name in Ireland today, plus a few bearing his birth name of Sentanta.  One sports channel in the country even bears the name of Setanta Sports.

    Cu Chulainn has even broken out of his home country of Ireland in order to make appearances in worldwide popular culture.  He particularly appears to have become a huge otaku in recent years, as he's become a recurring fixture in works of Japanese entertainment.  These include manga and anime such as the fate franchise and Record of Ragnarök, and JRPG franchises such as Final Fantasy and Shin Megami Tensei.

    As for the U.S.  Cu Chulainn has appeared in the popular MOBA Smite alongside multiple other legendary figures from across the world.  He was also name-dropped in the titular theme song for the cult action movie The Boondock Saints, and has even made his way into the Marvel Universe!  U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt even became a fan, writing about him and other Irish folklore figures in a 1907 essay for the magazine The Century!

    And of course, like many major mythological figures across the ages, many folklorists have returned to the tale of Cu Chulainn in order to analyze its themes.  As we've discussed, several individuals have re-contextualized the tale of Cu Chulainn as a somewhat tragic one, having had his fate sealed at a very early age thanks to an unfortunate happenstance.  A few have also written off his true status as a hero on account of hubris and ferocity, with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett famously describing him as the "Patron saint of pure ignorance and crass violence."  Despite this, Cu Chulainn continues to be a true fixture of Irish culture to this day, with PBS asking, "Is it really tragic to get everything you ever wanted?"

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Irish Gold

        

        "The story of Cu Chulainn is one of the stories we grow up listening to as children in Ireland." Irish actor Peter Coonan reflects. "They're part of our psyche, ingrained in us."

          And with what we've seen, we shouldn't argue with that.  Like all great demigods of legend, the story of Cu Chulainn, while not 100% likely to be true, is a story that has managed to transcend the generations.  It's a story filled with pure might, boundless tragedy, and plenty of triumphs over seemingly impossible odds.  It's a story that has created a truly legendary figure, and it has even been deconstructed and analyzed in recent years as much as it has been retold.

    Plus, giving the many connections and similarities he has had to several popular culture figures, Cu Chulainn has also become a figure that has bridged the ancient world with the modern one.  And this has only been proven even further with connections to the sports culture of Ireland.  He's even become a symbol of resilience during times of crisis for the nation of Ireland, and continues to grace many nationalistic displays across the nation.  

    Although Cu Chulainn may not be as well-known of a hero as the likes of Hercules, he is still a true legend through and through.  And a truly fascinating one at that.

    Of course, that's just our own humble opinion!  What a about yours?  What are your thoughts on the legend of Cu Chulainn?  Are you a native of the Emerald Isle who grew up around the tale?  Do you find his tale to be a tragic tale and deconstruction of the myth of a hero, or do you find it to be just another example of said myth of a hero?  Let us know in the comments below!

    Happy Belated St. Paddy's Day from Something Niche, and as for Cu Chulainn...

        That's Just a Myth!

        

Sources:

Admin, S. “CÚ Chulainn – the Superhuman of Irish Myth.” We Love Ireland, 26 Mar. 2022, weloveireland.ie/cu-chulainn/.

Digital, PBS. “Fate & Fabled.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 30 Mar. 2023, www.pbs.org/video/the-unbelievably-tragic-story-of-cu-chulainn-dbuc67/.

McKennett, H. “Half Man, Half God, All Rage: Meet the Incredible Hulk of Irish Mythology.” All That’s Interesting, All That’s Interesting, 20 Sept. 2024, allthatsinteresting.com/cu-chulainn.

Myths, I. “The Top 10 Books about Ireland’s Greatest Hero: CÚ Chulainn.” Irish Myths, 31 Jan. 2026, irishmyths.com/2022/02/21/best-cu-chulainn-books/.

O’Hara, K. “CU Chulainn: An Irishman’s Guide (Includes 8 Stories).” The Irish Road Trip, 4 Jan. 2023, www.theirishroadtrip.com/cu-chulainn/.

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Quinn, E. “Irish Folklore: Cuchulain Hound of Ulster.” Wilderness Ireland, 18 July 2024, www.wildernessireland.com/blog/irish-folklore-cuchulain-hound-ulster/.

Romance, E. “CÚ Chulainn–Ultimate Irish Hero?” Celtic Fire, 30 May 2018, erinsromance.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/cu-chulainn-ultimate-irish-hero/.

Williams, A. “CU Chulainn.” Mythopedia, 8 Mar. 2023, mythopedia.com/topics/cu-chulainn/.