Ulster Cycle - Texts

Texts

Earliest strata

• Conailla Medb míchuru "Medb has entered evil contracts" (seventh-century poem attributed to Luccreth moccu Chiara)
• The lost manuscript Cín Dromma Snechtai, associated with Bangor, is thought to have included versions of these five texts:
  • Compert Con Culainn "The Birth of Cú Chulainn"
  • Compert Conchobuir "The Birth of Conchobor"
  • Fíl and grían Glinne Aí
  • Forfess fer Falchae "Night-watch against the men of Falgae"
  • Verba Scathaige "The words of Scáthach"
• Material related to Cú Roí, such as Amra Con Roí and Aided Con Roi
• References in Old Irish law, e.g. Cethairslicht Athgabálae.

Here follows a list of tales which are assigned to the Ulster Cycle, although it does not claim to be exhaustive. The classification according to 'genre' followed here is merely a convenient tool to bring clarity to a large body of texts, but it is not the only possible one nor does it necessarily reflect contemporary approaches of classifying texts.

Compert Birth

• Compert Con Culainn "The Birth of Cú Chulainn"
• Compert Conchobuir "The Birth of Conchobor"

Wooings and elopements

• Aided Conrói maic Dáiri
• Aithed Emere (le Tuir nGlesta) "The Elopement of Emer (with Tuir Glesta)"
• Aislinge Óenguso "The Dream of Óengus"
• Longes mac n-Uislenn "The Exile of the sons of Uisliu"
• Oided mac n-Uisneg
• Tochmarc Emire
• Tochmarc Étaíne
• Tochmarc Ferbe (or Fís Conchobair)
• Tochmarc Luaine 7 aided Arthirne (second half 12th C)
• Tochmarc Treblainne

Feasts

• Da Gábail int sída "On the Taking of the (síd-)Mound"
• Echtra Neraí
• Scéla mucce maic Dathó "The Tale of Mac Da Thó's Pig"
• Mesca Ulad "The Intoxication of the Ulstermen"
• Fled Bricrenn "The Feast of Bricriu"
• Fled Bricrenn 7 Longes mac n-Duil Dermait
• Bruiden da Chocae "The Hostel of Da Choca"
• Togal Bruidne Da Derga "The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel"
  • De Shíl Chonairi Móir "On the Descendants of Conaire Mór"
  • De Maccaib Conaire "On the sons of Conaire (Mór)"

Cath 'Battle'

• Cath Airtig "The Battle of Airtech"
• Cath Aenaig Macha "The Battle of the Assembly of Macha"
• Cath Cumair "The Battle of Cumar" or Cath Atha Comair
• Cath Findchorad "The Battle of Findchorad"
• Cath Leitrich Ruide "The Battle of Leititr Ruide"
• Cath Ruis na Ríg "The Battle of Rosnaree"
• Cogadh Fheargusa agus Chonchobhair "The Battle of Fergus and Conchobor"
• Forfess fer Falchae "Night-watch against the men of Falgae"
• Comracc Con Chulainn re Senbecc "The Combat of Cú Chulainn with Senbecc"
• Cathcharpat Serda "The Scythed Battle-Chariot"

Táin Bó 'Cattle-raid'

• Táin Bó Cúailnge I
• Táin Bó Cúailnge II
• Táin Bó Cúailnge III
• De Faillsigud Tána Bó Cuailnge "On the finding of the Táin Bó Cúailnge"
• Táin Bó Dartada "The Cattle Raid of Dartaid"
• Táin Bó Flidhais I "The Cattle Raid of Flidais" I
• Táin Bó Flidhais II "The Cattle Raid of Flidais" II
• Tain Bó Fraích "The Raid of Fróech's Cattle"
• Tain Bó Regamain "The Cattle Raid of Regamon"
• Tain Bó Regamna "The Cattle Raid of Regamain"

Remscéla (Fore-tales) to the Táin Bó Cúailnge

• Ces Noínden, In Ceas Naigen
• De Chophur in Dá Mucado
• Echtra Nerai
• see further: Táin Bó Cúailnge

Aided "Violent death"

• Aided Chonchobuir "The Death of Conchobor"
• Aided Áenfir Aífe "The Death of Aífe's Only Son"
• Cuchulinn 7 Conlaech "Cú Chulainn and Conla"
• Aided Con Culainn or Brislech Mór Maige Muirthemne
• Aided Ceit maic Mágach "The Death of Cét mac Mágach"
• Aided Cheltchair mac Uthechair "The Death of Celtchar mac Uthechair"
• Aided Derbforgaill "The Death of Derbforgaill"
• Aided Fergusa maic Roig "The Death of Fergus mac Róig"
• Imthechta Tuaithe Luachra 7 Aided Fergusa "The Proceedings of the People of Luchra and the Death of Fergus (mac Léti)"
• Aided Guill meic Garbada ocus Aided Gairb Glinne Ríge
• Aided Laegairi Buadaig "The Death of Loegaire Buadach"
• Goire Conaill Chernaig 7 Aided Aillela 7 Conall Chernaig "The Cherishing of Conall Cernach and the Deaths of Ailill and Conall Cernach"
• Aided Meidbe "The Death of Medb"
• Ferchuitred Medba, Cath Boinne

Miscellaneous

• Verba Scathaige "The words of Scáthach"
• Scéla Conchobair maic Nessa "The Story of Conchobor mac Nessa"
• Siaburcharpat Con Culaind "Cú Chulainn's Phantom Chariot"
• Foglaim Con Culainn "Cú Chulainn's Training"
• Serglige Con Culainn "The Wasting Sickness of Cú Chulainn"
• Immacaldam in dá thuarad "The Colloquy of the Two Sages"
• Talland Étair "The Siege of Howth"
• Cath Étair "The Battle of Howth"
• Tromdámh Guaire (or Imthecht na Tromdáime)
• Lánellach Tigi Rích 7 Ruirech "The Full Complement of the House of a King and an Overlord"
• Fochonn Loingse Fergusa meic Róig "The cause of the exile of Fergus mac Róig"
• Nede 7 Caier "Néde and Caier"
• Echtra Fergusa maic Léti"The Adventures of Fergus mac Léti"