Cuchulainn is the hero in the epic "Tain Bo Cuailnge" or "The Cattle Raid of Cooley". It is the story of a war against Ulster by Queen Medb (Maeve) and her husband who want to steal the prize stud bull of Cooley. Cuchulainn is only 17 years of age in this epic and he is the defender of Ulster. In this war, he has to fight his best friend, Ferdia, who is fighting on the Queen's side. Cuchulainn and Ferdia were foster brothers when they were training to be warriors. When they grew up, Ferdia went to be in the Queen's army. Every night after they fight, Cuchulainn and Ferdia dress each other's wounds, and then the next day they get up and fight each other again. In the end, Fedia badly wounds Cuchulainn in the chest, but Cuchulainn manages to kill Ferdia. As Ferdia lays dying, they speak their last words to each other and then Ferdia dies. Cuchulainn kneels down beside his best friend and weeps bitterly.
If you look in this picture, next to the telephone pole, you will see something sticking out of the ground. This is a "standing stone". There are several standing stones, or megalithic monuments in Ireland. They are believed to be sites of religious ceremonies. In another battle, Cuchulainn is mortally wounded. Fighting to stay alive, he ties himself to this standing stone because he wants to face his enemies standing up. Even after he dies, his enemies would not approach the stone because they were afraid he was still alive. Supposedly Morrigan (the Celtic goddess of War and Death) appeared in the form of a raven and landed on his shoulder and they finally believed he was dead. One warrior, Lugaid, decides he is going to cut off Cuchulainn's head. But when he starts to do it, Cuchulainn's sword falls from his hand and sever's Lugaid's hand.
Cuchulainn's got a new friend in this picture:
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