Concerning the Táin.

Ireland's most exciting saga is, undoubtedly, Táin Bo Cuailgne (The Cattle Raid of Cooley),
the centrepiece of the Ulster cycle of Heroic Tales. Normally referred to as "The Táin", it
deals with the conflict between the forces of Connacht and Ulster for the possession of a
prize bull.

The events of the Táin are estimated to have taken place in Ireland approximately 500 B.C.

The earliest written version of the Táin known to us is contained in the Book of the Dun
Cow, which dates from the 12th century. Before this the story was kept alive by storytellers.

Two other manuscript versions are also available; the 12th century Book of Leinster and
the 14th century Yellow Book of Lecan.

The Táin, as Ireland's equivalent of the Aeneid, has long intrigued historians, academics
and writers.

The Story
One night in bed, the promiscuous Connacht Queen, Maeve, quarrels with her husband
Ailill. They argue over who has the most wealth. Ailill doesn't like the suggestion that he's
a kept man.
"Her words were sharp they cut him deep, in a war between the sheets".

Ailill's magnificent White Bull is the deciding factor in which their subsequent measuring
of possessions. Maeve's a bad loser. MacRoth, her messenger, goes to Cooley to rent the
famed Brown Bull for a year, thus giving Maeve the decider.
"I once told her where she could find her dream."

The Bull's owner is agreeable until MacRoth and his party get very drunk and reveal that
had they not been allowed to borrow the bull they would have taken it by force. The deal
breaks down. They go home empty handed. Maeve decides on war.

Having marshalled all her warriors, and allies from Munster and Tara, and with Ailill's six
brothers and their armies standing by, Maeve receives favourable omens from her Druids.

The long march to Cooley begins.

"The Champions and the Seven Sons are come to take away the Donn".
However, a sorceress appears and warns Maeve of impending defeat at the hands of Dearg
Doom, Cu Chulainn.

"Saw the host stained red in war, saw the hero-light around the head of a dragon-boy."
The warning is ignored.

Meanwhile the men of Ulster are ill with labour pains, the legacy of a curse put on them for
their inhuman treatment of a pregnant woman. The one man exempt from this curse is Cu
Chulainn, whose very birth is shrouded in mystery. Single handedly he takes on the
defence of Ulster, harassing Maeve's soldiers,
"And like a hawk I’ll swoop and swoop again" beheading those who stray from the main
force. "You can hear me shout 'two heads are better than none, one hundred heads are so
much better than one!'"
Cu Chulainn is a hard man. Originally called Setanta, he became known as Cu Chulainn -
the Hound of Culann, because of his savagery.

As the Connacht losses grow greater, the deposed King of Ulster, Fergus Mac Roich, who
is having a secret affair with Maeve, meets Cu Chulainn and arranges a treaty.

Cu Chulainn agrees to single-handed combat with any Connacht champion provided

Maeve's army does not advance.

One by one, day after day, he defeats each warrior until eventually he faces his old foster-
brother and close friend, Ferdia. Cu Chulainn pleads with Ferdia to leave.
"But Ferdia just laughed and shook his golden head and then they fell to battle again."

For three days they fight at a ford and appear evenly matched until on the third day Cu
Chulainn flies into a rage and lets loose his super-natural javelin, the terrible Gae Bolga,
which destroys his friend.

As Ferdia falls, Cu Chulainn catches him and carries him to the riverbank lamenting.
"Life was a game, Now I miss your name; your golden hair."
Then overcome by despair Cu Chulainn abandons the fight. Maeve's army moves south
with the stolen bull.

The Ulstermen rally and with Cu Chulainn back in their ranks they give chase.
"But before you hit off, let me say this time you bit off more than you can chew!"

The Morrigan, Queen of Demons, who has been encouraging slaughter all along
prophesies the outcome. In the battle which follows, the Connacht army is routed.
"It seems our fortunes lied despite our gain. Our tears fall like our pride."

Maeve's life is spared by Cu Chulainn. As the Ulstermen are taking the Brown Bull home
they meet Ailill's Bull, the White-Horned One. The Donn immediately attacks the White.
"You can fool them alright but can you fool the beast?"

All day and night they are locked in combat. Morning sees the Donn victorious. The armies
consider destroying him, the cause of all their suffering, but leave him as, dying, he
staggers homewards.

Setanta
Cu Chulainn's birth-name acts as a theme for the first half
up to the time where, as Cu Chulainn he kills his friend Ferdia

Maeve's Court.
We've used Knockeen Free, which means in Irish, the heathery little hill
to paint a musical picture of Maeve's hill-fort in Connacht.

Charolais.
The Brown Bull of Cooley, the semi-mythical beast of the Tain
certainly wasn't the gentle Charolais, but the tongue-in-cheek lyrics
are in keeping with the Tains eccentric narrative style.
We've used a traditional melody Rosc Catha na Mumhan which means
the Battle Hymn of Munster. This also forms the basis for The March.

Her words were sharps they cut him deep,

In a war between the sheets.
But when he brought his bull to her
It meant a woman making war
Beyond the eiderdown.

The druids read the smoke and sand;

Told her that she would love again.
The rhythms from the wolfskin drums
Called men to war in hide and bronze.
This goddess wore a crown.

Charolais, charolais--
we are come for you today.
The champions and the Seven Sons are
come to take away the Donn
But the Fairy Child knew more;
Saw the host stained red in war,
Saw the hero-light around the head
Of a dragon-boy just ripe for bed Of wives and manly sons.

You Can't Fool the Beast.

There has always been great speculation as to the nature of the Brown Bull.
In the manuscripts the Bull is referred to as "an Donn Cuailgne".
While the word "Donn" means "brown" it is also the name of
the ancient Irish God of the Dead.

There is also a related story which tells how two malevolent magicians
take the shape of Bulls and resume a long standing feud.

You can fool the woman

-One of these days, you're gonna
fool the man
Cos you've got the insight
You can see a world of things
They can't understand.

You can say you're winning

You can count the score
And say you know that they've lost.
But you'll end up admitting, that the
price is more than simply counting the cost
Dearg Doom.
Our man Cu Chulainn!
Dearg Doom means the Red Destroyer. The tune is O'Neill's Cavalry.

My love is colder than black marble by the sea.

My heart is older than the cold oak tree.
I am the flash of silver in the sun.
When you see me coming you had better
run . . . run . . . run .
From Dearg Doom.

You speak in whispers of the devils I have slain

By the fire of my silver Devil’s Blade,
And still you dare to flaunt yourself at me.
I don't want you, I don't need you,
I don't love you, can't you see

I'm Dearg Doom.

And when the stars go out

You can hear me shout
"Two heads are better than none,
One hundred heads are so much better than one".

I'm a boy who was born blind to pain

And, like a hawk, I'll swoop and swoop again.
I am the flash of Hawkeye in the sun.
When you see me coming you had
better run . . . run . . . run . .
From Dearg Doom.

Ferdias Song
A reprise of the introduction as Cu Chulainn tries to frighten off his friend Ferdia from a
battle which he knows will end with his death.
Gae Bolga is the name of Cu Chulainn's supernatural spear.

"Everything I say" Cuchulainn cried,

"Is larger far than life itself".
But Ferdia just grinned and shook his golden hair.

"And everything I do is ringed about

With fantasy." But Ferdia just laughed
And shook his silver spear and fell to battle again.

"Every step I take" Cuchulainn cried,

"Is measured out in centuries".
But Ferdia just laughed and shook his golden mane.

"And now I must make my stand; for your death

Is my destiny." But Ferdia just laughed
And shook his silver spear and fell to battle again

Cu Chulainn's Lament.
You felt the chill of midnight ice
As I broke your heart in two.
And I felt the kiss of emptiness
As I watched your life turn blue

Life was a game.

Now I miss your name;
Your golden hair.
No more in your eyes is the blue of skies
Only shame.

A lonely soul, betrayed by love,

You walked into the stream.
With tears of love upon my cheeks
I heard your final scream.

Faster Than the Hound.

Mac Roth is Maeve's messenger.
In this song he reflects on the events of the Tain.

I once told her

Where she could find her dream.
And I still adore her,
No matter how it seems.
I saw our stars fall,
Crash without a sound.
Stars go crashing
Faster Than the Hound.

I saw him sleeping

Alone beneath the sky.
I caught him weeping,
And I, for one, knew why.
I saw the ravens,
Black without a sound.
Ravens swirling
Faster than the Hound
I travel Ireland in a day.
You just nod, I'm on my way.
I've golden wings upon my feet.
I seldom touch the ground.
The only thing I'm not
Is faster than the Hound.

Now I watch her leaving

With the light of people's dreams,
Ignorant of rainbows
In the trees where we have been.
Also there are ravens
High above the ground.
Ravens growing closer
Faster than the Hound.

The Silver Spear

The men of Ulster prepare their weapons. We've used a trio of reels... The Silver Spear, Tie
the Bonnet and and unnamed tune.

More Than You Can Chew.

Perhaps the best known Irish March, The March of the King of Laois,
forms the basic melodic structure of this song-a warning to Maeve from Cu Chulainn.

People say you're dressed to kill.

you're not a girl to come on slow.
Once you get the bit between your teeth
You don't feel like letting go.
But before you hit off
Let me say you've bit off
More than you can chew.

I recall just how you laughed,

An you tried to make a fool of me.
How you thought you could get away
Without me knowing is hard to see.
Though things may look doubtful,
You've got yourself a mouthful
More than you can chew.

You can give me back my pride

And I will trade you all that's due.
Cos like a spider I'm creeping back
Gonna spin my web all over you.
And if you take it in haste
You're gonna waste
Aah you can't taste
More than you can chew.

The Morrigan's Dream

About the forthcoming battle, this piece is a dance tune called Old Noll's Jig

Time To Kill!
The hop jig we've used here is in 9/8 time and is called The Humours of Whiskey.

I see the last black swan

Fly past the sun.
I wish I, too, were gone
Back home again.

It seems our fortunes lied

Despite our gain.
Our tears fall like our pride.
We cry in shame.

Now we've got time to kill!

Kill the shadows on our skin.
Kill the fear that grows within.
Killing time, my friend.

I stare into your eyes.

But can't see far.
You cut me down to size.
You bring the dark.

My body’s black and sore.

I need to sleep.
Now hear the heaven's roar.
I can't escape.

Now we've got time to kill!

Kill the shadows on our skin.
Kill the fear that grows within.
Killing time my friend.