Cuchulainn

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Cuchulainn

• The Hound of Ulster

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Cuchulainn

• The oldest story in our local history is that of
  Cuchulainn.
• A man called The Hound of Ulster.
• CuCuhulain, pronounced Koo hoo lin.

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Ulster
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Setanta

• Legend has it that the young Cruithin warrior,
  Setanta killed the hound of the Ulaid lord
  Chulainn.

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Setanta

• King Conor was invited to a feast at the house of
  Culainn, who was a blacksmith.
• King Conor asked Setanta to come with him.
• Setanta was playing a game of hurling.
• Setanta said he would follow his uncle shortly.

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Setanta

• The blacksmith, Culainn, asked the King if all
  the expected guests had arrived.
• King Conor , forgetting about Setanta, said yes.
• Culainn unchained his huge hound to guard the
  house.

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Setanta

• The young boy Setanta eventually came to visit
  at Culainns house.
• The vicious dog leapt at Setanta.
• Setanta had only his hurling stick and ball with
  him.

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Setanta

• The boy flung the ball down the fierce animals
  throat.
• The hound was forced back by the blow.
• Setanta was able to grab the hound by its legs
  and smash its head on the stone courtyard.

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Setanta

• When Conor heard the hound howling he remembered
  Setanta.
• Conor ran outside expecting to find Setanta torn
  to pieces.
• He was amazed to see him unharmed, standing above
  the dead hound.

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CuCuhulainn

• Culainn the blacksmith, was very sorry to see his
  dead dog.
• The boy Setanta then vowed to take the place of
  the guard dog.
• He protected the pass into Ulster, and became
  The Hound of Culainn.

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Knights of the Red Branch

• Cuchulainn became the famous leader.
• He led the Knights of the Red Branch.
• The Knights lived near Navan Fort in Armagh.
• He was successful in defeating attacks on Ulster
  by the Gaels of Queen Maeve.

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Navan Fort Armagh
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Navan Fort Armagh
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The Red Hand of Ulster

• The ancient symbol of Ulster is the Red Hand.
• There are several versions as to the true origins
  of this symbol.

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One Story of the Red Hand

• This version involves a race between two ships
  carrying one of the many peoples who invaded
  Ireland.
• The captains of two ships had a bet that the
  first to set his hand on the land would own it.
• One of the captains, seeing he was going to lose
  cut off his right hand and threw it to the shore
  winning the bet.

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Armagh- Emain Macha

• The great Queen Mhacha was said to have marked
  out the site of her throne at Navan with her
  brooch
• The name Emain Macha means 'twins of Macha.'
• The Red Branch Knights, including Cuchulainn, the
  Hound of Ulster, were based at Emain Macha.