The following table gives a parallel overview of the narrative sections found in all three recensions of the text. It is primarily based on J. P. Mallory's plot overview in Aspects of the Táin (1992),(1)n. 1 James P. Mallory, ‘Táin bó Cúailnge: an outline of the plot’ in Aspects of the Táin... (1992). with some additions and minor alterations. Like there, the section titles are for the most part taken from the subheadings in Cecile O'Rahilly's edition of Recension I (OʼRahilly, Cecile, Táin bó Cúailnge (1976)), with significant variants from Recension II, edited in OʼRahilly, Cecile, Táin bó Cúalnge (1967), being provided in the appropriate column. A title following an arrow (→) refers to a particular subsection which is contained in the last named section.
Line numbers follow those assigned to the texts in OʼRahilly, Cecile, Táin bó Cúailnge (1976) (Recension I), OʼRahilly, Cecile, Táin bó Cúalnge (1967) (Recension II) and in Nettlau, Max, “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2)”, Revue Celtique 14 (1893), Nettlau, Max, “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2)”, Revue Celtique 15 (1894) and Thurneysen, Rudolf, “Táin bó Cúailghni nach H.2.17”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 8 (1912) (Recension III). The symbol ‘x’ is used to indicate that there is no corresponding section in recension II or I; no equivalent sign has been used in the column for the third recension, as this text has been preserved only in fragmentary form.
| Section | TBC I | TBC II | TBC III | ||
| Section title | English translation | Lines (OʼRahilly, Cecile, Táin bó Cúailnge (1976)) | Lines (OʼRahilly, Cecile, Táin bó Cúalnge (1967)) | N = Nettlau, Max, “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2)”, Revue Celtique 14 (1893) and 1894 T = Thurneysen, Rudolf, “Táin bó Cúailghni nach H.2.17”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 8 (1912) | |
| Incipit Táin Bó Cúailnge [also known as ‘The pillow talk’] | Here begins the Táin Bó Cúailnge | x | 1-146 | ||
| Táin Bó Cúailnge inso sís | ‘The cattle-raid of Cúailnge here’ | 1-134 | 147-296 | ||
| In scél iar n-urd | ‘The story in due order’ | 135-372 | 297-716 | ||
| Inna formolta | ‘The eulogy [of Cú Chulainn]’ | 373-397 | 717-737 | ||
| Na Macgnímrada | ‘The boyhood deeds’ | 398-469 | 738-819 | ||
| Aided na Maccraide | ‘The death of the boys’ | 470-480 | x | ||
| Cath Eógain meic Derthacht fri Chonchobar | ‘The fight between Eógan mac Durthacht and Conchobar’ | 481-523 | x | ||
| Aided na trí nónbor | ‘The death of the twenty-seven men’ | 524-539 | x | ||
| Aided con na cerda | ‘The killing of the smith's hound’ | 540-607 | 820-920 | ||
| Aided trí mac Nechta Scéni | ‘The death of Nechta Scéne's three sons’ | 608-824 | 921-1217 | T 1347-1388 / 538-539 | |
| Slicht sain so co aidid nÓrlaim | ‘A different version up to the death of Órlám’ | 825-832 | x | ||
| Aided Fraích | ‘The death of Fráech’ | 833-857 | x | ||
| Lingid Fergus darsin n-omnai ina charput | ‘Fergus leapt across the oak-tree in his own chariot’ | 858-867 | x | ||
| Aided Orláim | ‘The violent death of Orlám’ | 868-906 | 1218-1246 | T 1393-1420 / 539-540 | |
| Aided Trí Mac nGárach | ‘The death of the three sons of Gárach’ | 907-919 | 1247-1257 | T 1424-1435 / 540 | |
| Aided in Togmaili ⁊ in Pheta Eóin | ‘The death of the marten and of the pet bird’ | 920-945 | 1267-1279 | T 1456-1460 / 541-542 | |
| Aided Lethain | ‘The death of Lethan’ | 946-972 | 1258-1266 | T 1439-1444 / 540 | |
| Aided Lócha | ‘The death of Lócha’ | 973-1001 | x | ||
| Aided Úaland | ‘The death of Úalu’ | 1002-1029 | x | ||
| Orgain Chúalngi | ‘The harrying of Cúailnge’ | 1030-1286 | x | ||
| Aided Etarcomail (⁊ imarchor n-athisc fer n-Érend) | ‘The death of Etarcomol (and the terms offered by the men of Ireland)’ | 1287-1387 | 1565-1695 | T 1798-1939 / 549-553 | |
| Aided Nath Crantail | ‘The death of Nad Crantail’ | 1388-1486 | 1696-1755 | T 1941-1947 / 553-554; N 1-3 | |
| Fagbáil in Tairb | ‘The finding of the bull’ | 1487-1509 | 1756-1794 | N 4-9 | |
| Aided Redg Cáinte | ‘The death of Redg the satirist’ | 1510-1568 | x | N 216-219 | |
| Comrac Con Culaind fri Findabair | ‘The meeting of Cú Chulainn and Finnabair’ | 1569-1608 | x | ||
| Comlond Munremair ⁊ Con Roi | ‘The combat of Munremar and Cú Roí’ | 1609-1630 | x | ||
| Aided na Macraidi | ‘The death of the youths’ | 1631-1657 | x | ||
| Bánchath Rochada | ‘The bloodless fight of Rochad’ | 1658-1684 | x | ||
| Aided na Rígamus | ‘The death of the royal mercenaries’ | 1685-1693 | x | ||
| Aided Cáur | ‘The death of Cúr’ | 1694-1736 | 1816-1857 | N 20-32 | |
| → Turim na cless | → ‘A list of the feats’ | ||||
| Aided Fir Baíth | ‘The death of Fer Baeth’ | 1737-1806 | 1858-1905 | N 33-39 | |
| Comrac Lárine meic Nóis | ‘The combat of Láiríne mac Nóis’ | 1807-1844 | 1906-1961 | N 40-59 | |
| Imacallaim na Mórigna fri Coin Culaind | ‘The conversation of the Morrígan with Cú Chulainn’ | 1845-1873 | x | ||
| Aided Lóich meic Mo Femis | ‘The death of Lóch Mac Mo Femis’ | 1874-2037 | 1962-2102 | N 60-98 | |
| Slánugud na Mórrigna | ‘The healing of the Morrígan’ | 2038-2071 | 2103-2111 | N 99-111 | |
| In Carpat Serda ⁊ in Breslech Mór Maige Murthemne | ‘The scythed chariot and Breslech Mór Maige Muirthemne’ | 2072-2334 | 2121-2337 (Breslech Maige Muirthemne) | N 113-171 | |
| → Éli Loga | → ‘The incantation of Lug’ | ||||
| Túarascbáil Delba Con Culaind | ‘The description of Cú Chulainn’ | 2335-2454 | 2338-2438 | N 172-201 | |
| Imroll Belaig Eóin | ‘The mis-throw at Belach Eóin’ | 2455-2482 | 2447-2459 (Imrol[l] Belaig Eóin) | ||
| Aided Tamuin Drúith | ‘The death of Taman the Jester’ | 2483-2487 | 2460-2472 (Tuige im Thamon) | ||
| Aided Óengussa meic Óenláma | ‘The death of Óengus mac Óenláime’ | 2488-2494 | 2439-2446 | ||
| Comrac Fergusa fri Coin Culaind | ‘The meeting of Fergus and Cú Chulainn’ | 2495-2522 | 2473-2509 | N 203-215 | |
| Comrac Maind | ‘The fight with Mand’ | 2523-2566 | x | ||
| Comrac Fir Diad ⁊ Con Culaind | ‘The fight of Fer Diad and Cú Chulainn’ | 2567-3153 | 2606-3608 | ||
| → Túarascbáil charpait Con Culaind | → ‘A description of Cú Chulainn's chariot’ | ||||
| Dinda na Tána | ‘The chief episodes of the Táin’ | 3154-3160 | x | ||
| Caladgleó Cethirn | ‘The hard fight of Cethern’ | 3161-3327 | 3609-3811 | ||
| Fiacalgleó Findtain | ‘The tooth-fight of Fintan’ | 3328-3335 | 3812-3835 (Fiacalgleó Fintain) | ||
| Rúadrucca Mind | ‘The red shame of Mend’ | 3336-3345 | 3836-3855 (Ruadrucce Mind) | ||
| Bángleó Rochada | ‘The bloodless fight of Rochad’ | 3346-3365 | 3862-3893 (Bángleó Rochada) | ||
| Meillgleó nIliach | ‘The humorous fight of Iliach’ | 3366-3386 | 3894-3936 (Mellgleó nIliach) | ||
| Airecor nArad | ‘The missile-throwing of the charioteers’ | 3387-3392 | 3856-3861 (Airecus nArad) | ||
| Aislinge nAimirgin | ‘The trance of Aimirgin’ | 3393-3409 |
|
||
| Sirrabad Súaldaim | ‘The repeated warning of Súaltaim’ | 3410-3453 | 3981-4052 (Sirrobud Sualtaim) | ||
| Tochestol Ulad | ‘The muster of the Ulstermen’ | 3454-3543 | 4053-4147 | ||
| → Aislingi Dubthaich | → ‘The vision of Dubthach’ | ||||
| → Búadris Aililla | → ‘The trance of Ailill’ | ||||
| Toichim na mBuiden | ‘The march of the companies’ | 3544-3944 | 4148-4687 | ||
| Tochos[t]ul Fear nÉrend | ‘The muster of the men of Ireland’ | 3945-4160 | 4688-4918 | ||
