Texts

Táin bó Cúailnge ‘The cattle-raid of Cooley’

Old Irish, Middle Irish, Early Modern Irish
prose
Ulster Cycle, Táin bó Cúailnge

Scope

multiple versions

Manuscripts

Táin bó Cúailnge I

Recension I:

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1318 cols 573–958 = section of the Yellow Book of Lecan [s. xiv^ex/xvⁱⁿ]

pp. 17a–53a (facsimile) cols 573–644

Beginning missing.

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS 23 E 25 (1229) = Lebor na hUidre [s. xi/xii]

ff. 55a–82b

Interpolated by H. End missing.

London, British Library, MS Egerton 1782 [1516-1518]

ff. 88r–105v

Interpolated. End missing.

Maynooth, Russell Library, MS C 1 [1587]

pp. 1–76

Interpolated. Beginning and end missing.

Táin bó Cúailnge II

Recension II:

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1339 (H 2. 18) = Book of Leinster [s. xii²]

ff. 53b–104b

Edited by Cecile O'Rahilly, Táin bó Cúalnge: from the Book of Leinster (1967), with readings supplied from the Stowe version where LL is lacunose.

Stowe version

Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, MS C vi 3 (740) [s. xvii]

ff. 28ra–65vb

Modernised, 15th-century text known as the Stowe version since this manuscript was at one time held in the library of the Duke of Chandos in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. Edited by Cecile O'Rahilly, The Stowe version of Táin Bó Cuailnge (1961).

Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Adv. MS 72.2.9 [s. xvii]

Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, MS 14873 [1690s]

Transcribed from Adv. 72.2.9.

Táin bó Cúailnge III

Recension III (Early Modern Irish version):

London, British Library, MS Egerton 93 [s. xv (?)]

ff. 26r–35v

Fragment.

Dublin, Trinity College, MS 1319 pp. 111-118, 334-351

pp. 336–347, 334–335, 111–114, 348–349, 115–118, 350–351

Fragment.

Language

Old Irish Middle Irish Early Modern Irish
Old Irish and Middle Irish; Early Modern Irish (Recension III)

Form

prose (primary)

verse (secondary)

Textual relationships

Related: Cles Con CulainnCles Con Culainn

A repertory of Cú Chulainn's feats, similar to that contained in Scéla Conchobuir meic Nessa.

Conailla Medb míchuruConailla Medb míchuruObscure 'accentual poem' by or at least attributed to Luccreth moccu Chíara. The first section deals with the Ulster hero Fergus mac Róich, his situation as an exile in the service of Medb and Ailill, and his participation in their wars over the cattle (bó) of the Ulstermen. The account is thought to refer to an early version of the Táin bó Cúailnge.De gabáil in t-shídaDe gabáil in t-shídaA story about the Dagda, sometimes regarded as one of the remscéla to the Táin.Do fhaillsigud Tána bó CúailngeDo fhaillsigud Tána bó Cúailnge

Classification

Ulster Cycle
Ulster Cycle

id. 1797

The term ‘Ulster Cycle’ is used in modern scholarship to refer to a body of Irish narrative literature set in the heroic age of the Ulaid around the time of Conchobar mac Nessa.

Táin bó Cúailnge
Táin bó Cúailnge

id. 624

Subjects

Aillil mac MátaAillil mac Máta

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

See more Amairgen mac Eccit

Amairgen mac Eccit (Salaig)

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

(chief) poet of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of tales; son of Eccet Salach

See more Cathbad

Cathbad

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

druid to Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, in the Ulster Cycle; husband of Ness and possible father of Conchobar mac Nessa.

See more Cethern mac Fintain

Cethern mac Fintain

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

an old chariot-warrior of the Ulstermen in an episode of the Táin bó Cúailnge (recensions I and II)

See more Conall Cernach

Conall Cernach

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

Warrior of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle; son of Amergin and Findchóem. In Irish genealogies, he is presented as an ancestor of the kings of the Dál nAraidi and the Uí Echach Coba.

See more Conchobar mac Nessa

Conchobar mac Nessa

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

king of the Ulaid in tales of the Ulster Cycle; son either of Cathbad or Fachtna Fáthach (father) and Ness (mother); husband of Mugain; father of Cormac Cond Longas, Cúscraid Mend Macha, Furbaide Fer Bend and Fedelm Noíchrothach; fosterfather of Cú Chulainn.

See more Cormac Cond Longas

Cormac Cond Longas

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

warrior in tales of the Ulster Cycle; son of the Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa; in exile in Connacht

See more Cú Chulainn

Cú Chulainn

Young Ulster hero and chief character of Táin bó Cuailnge and other tales of the Ulster Cycle; son of Súaltam or Lug and Deichtire (sister to Conchobor); husband of Emer (ingen Forgaill)

See more Cú Roí

Cú Roí (mac Dáiri)

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

Warrior and king of Munster in tales of the Ulster Cycle.

See more Dubthach Dáel UladDubthach Dáel Ulad

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

See more Eógan mac Durthacht

Eógan mac Durthacht

No short description available

See more Fer Diad

Fer Diad

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

warrior in tales of the Ulster Cycle

See more Fergus mac Róich

Fergus mac Róich

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

warrior in tales of the Ulster Cycle; former king of Ulster in exile in Connacht; Medb’s lover

See more Findabair [daughter of Medb and Ailill]

Findabair, Finnabair

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

daughter of Medb and Ailill in the Ulster Cycle

See more Fráech

Fráech

Fráech mac Fidaig or Fráech mac Idaith; eponymous hero of Táin bó Fraích

See more Lug

Lug

Prominent member of the Túatha Dé Danann in Irish literature, a king and warrior whose all-round mastery of many skills and disciplines earns him the epithet Samildánach. Through his mother, he is descended from the Fomoire and his maternal uncle Balor is the one-eyed leader of the Fomoire whom he kills in the battle of Mag Tuired.

See more The seven Maines

The seven Maines

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle, Conaire Mór, Conchobar mac Nessa)

In the Ulster Cycle, the seven Maines (na secht Maine) are a collective designation for the seven, or eight, sons of Medb and Ailill, all of whom are named Maine: Maine Máithremail and Maine Aithremail, Maine Míngor and Maine Mórgor, Maine Andóe, Maine Milscothach and/or Maine Mó Epert, and Maine Conda(s)gaib/Cotagaib Uile.

See more Medb CrúachnaMedb Crúachna

Entry reserved for but not yet available from the subject index.

See more The Morrígan

The Morrígan

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle, Túatha Dé Danann)

deity or supernatural figure in medieval Irish literature, frequently associated with war and destruction; she sometimes appears as part of a triad with Macha and the Badb; also associated with Nemain.

See more Munremar mac Gerrcind

Munremar mac Gerrcind

(time-frame ass. with Ulster Cycle)

warrior in tales of the Ulster Cycle; commonly identified as a son of Gerrcend

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	3937-3943 (Oisligi Amargin i Taltin) 3944-3980 (Imthúsa Chon Rui meic Dáire)
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

Sources

Notes

^1.

James P. Mallory, ‘Táin bó Cúailnge: an outline of the plot’ in Aspects of the Táin... (1992).

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

Recension I

OʼRahilly, Cecile [ed. and tr.], Táin bó Cúailnge: Recension I, Dublin: DIAS, 1976.

CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link>

Strachan, John, and J. G. OʼKeeffe [eds.], The Táin Bó Cúailnge from the Yellow Book of Lecan: with variant readings from the Lebor na Huidre, Dublin and London: Royal Irish Academy, 1912.

comments: Reprinted in 1967

Wikisource – Wikisource (not fully proofread): <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Windisch, Ernst [ed.], “Táin bó Cúailnge nach der Handschrift Egerton 1782”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 9 (1913): 121–158.

Internet Archive: <link>

Ó Fiannachta, Pádraig [ed.], Táin Bó Cuailnge: the Maynooth manuscript, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1966.

Edited from the O'Curry MS.

Carson, Ciarán [tr.], The Táin: translated from the old Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Penguin Classics, London: Penguin, 2007.

Translation based on O’Rahilly’s editions of Recension II, LL, and Recension I.

See below.

Recension II

OʼRahilly, Cecile [ed. and tr.], Táin bó Cúalnge: from the Book of Leinster, Irish Texts Society, 49, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1967.

CELT – edition: <link> CELT – translation: <link>

Windisch, Ernst, Die altirische Heldensage Táin Bó Cúalnge nach dem Buch von Leinster, Leipzig: Hirzel, 1905.

Internet Archive: <link> Steve Taylor, ''The Cattle-Raid of Cooley'' – HTML transcript together with the English translation of Dunn (1914): <link> : View in Mirador

OʼRahilly, Cecile [ed.], The Stowe version of Táin Bó Cuailnge, Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1961.

Dunn, Joseph [tr.], The ancient Irish epic tale Táin bó Cúalnge, London: Nutt, 1914.

An English translation of TBC based on the edition by Ernst Windisch (1905).

Internet Archive: <link> Steve Taylor, ''The Cattle-Raid of Cooley'' – HTML transcript paired with the 1905 edition by Windisch: <link>

Kinsella, Thomas [tr.], The Tain: translated from the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge, London: Oxford University Press, 1969.

Carson, Ciarán [tr.], The Táin: translated from the old Irish epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Penguin Classics, London: Penguin, 2007.

Translation based on O’Rahilly’s editions of Recension II, LL, and Recension I.

Translation based on O'Rahilly 1967 (Recension II, LL) and O'Rahilly 1976 (Recension I).

OʼGrady, Standish Hayes [tr.], “The Táin bó Cuailgne”, in: Eleanor Hull (ed.), The Cuchullin saga in Irish literature: being a collection of stories relating to the hero Cuchullin, 8, London, 1898. 109–227.

Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Extracts.

Recension III

Nettlau, Max [ed.], “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2) [part 1]”, Revue Celtique 14 (1893): 254–266.

comments: Edited from Egerton 93

Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Edited from Egerton 93.

Nettlau, Max [ed.], “The fragment of Tain Bó Cuailnge in MS. Egerton 93 (ff. 26a 1-35b 2) [part 2]”, Revue Celtique 15 (1894): 62–78, 198–208.

comments: Edited from BL MS Egerton 93.

Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive: <link>

Thurneysen, Rudolf [ed.], “Táin bó Cúailghni nach H.2.17”, Zeitschrift für celtische Philologie 8 (1912): 525–554.

TBC III edited from TCD 1319 (H 2. 17).

Internet Archive: <link>

Ó Béarra, Feargal [tr.], “Táin bó Cuailnge: Recension III”, Emania 15 (1996): 47–65.

Secondary sources (select)

Mallory, James P., “Táin bó Cúailnge: an outline of the plot”, in: James P. Mallory [ed.], Aspects of the Táin, Belfast: December, 1992. 9–28.

Ó Flaithearta, Mícheál, “Echtra Nerai, Táin bó Regamna und ihr Verhältnis zur Táin bó Cuailgne”, in: Hildegard L. C. Tristram (ed.), Deutsche, Kelten und Iren: 150 Jahre deutsche Keltologie: Gearóid Mac Eoin zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet, Hamburg: Buske, 1990. 155–176.