How Cuchulainn got his name

A long time ago in ancient Ireland, a king called Conor MacNessa ruled in ancient Ireland. His warriors called the Red Branch Knights, defended this land, known then as Ulster.  The king trained them to be strong and brave men.  They had to be, as this was a time of war, magic and the supernatural.  In Dundalk (known then as the Plains of Muirthemne), there was a boy called Setanta, he had magic strength and loved the game of hurling and always wanted to be a Red Branch Knight. From a very early age he showed superhuman qualities of wisdom, warfare, magic and poetry.  And, he was to become a legend. Setanta was a happy child who loved to play the game of hurling with his friends. His team always won. When Setanta was only ten he asked his parents to let him join the Red Branch Knights. But, they told him, he was too young.   But, Setanta knew that it was his destiny to become a mighty warrior, so one night, while everyone was asleep, he got his hurling stick and ball and left for King Conor MacNessa’s castle at Emain Macha. Before becoming a Red Branch Knight, he had to get into the boys army called the Macra first.

It was a long trip but when he got there, a hurling match was on.  Setanta joined in and the other boys did not like it because he was such a good hurler, and was so strong.  But the King said he could stay.  He liked this special boy.  One day, the king invited Setanta to a feast at the fort of Culann the blacksmith.  “I am going to a party at Culann’s, do you want to come?” Setanta replied, “I will come later as I am playing a hurling match.” Later that night he set off. It was a long trip. He gets to the fort and finds that not only has the feast already started, but that the gates are locked and an enormous wolfhound is guarding the fort.  The hound attacks him. He hits the sliotar (hurling ball) down the throat of this huge animal and kills Culann’s hound.  Culann cannot believe that his hound has been defeated.  Setanta promises to guard the fort “I’ll be your guard dog until you can replace the one I killed.  I’ll be the “Hound of Culann” ["CúChulainn"],” said Setanta. So that’s how Cúchulainn got his name. Soon he became the best guard of all and joined the knights. He was the best Red Branch Knight ever, and in his most famous battle he defends the lands of Ulster by himself,

The Boy Setanta