Myths & Legends
Many of the famous Irish Legends and epics were based in the wonderful magical landscape of County Louth. The Cooley Mountains, the River Dee and the mighty River Boyne have formed the backdrop to ancient Irish Epics, battles and the trials and tribulations of life that befell Louths ancient heros!
The Táin
This saga is the story of Queen Meave of Connaughts's jealousy on hearing that a chieftain in Cooley had a more superior bull than one owned by her husband. Planning to steal this brown bull of Cooley, Queen Meave sets off from Connaught and the story of the Táin follows the path of the events of this raid and the various battles she fought with CuChulainn and his Ulster Warriors who were defending the Brown Bull of Cooley and the Kingdom Of Ulster.
The Battle of CuChulainn and Ferdia
As young men Cúchulainn and Ferdai had been great friends, almost like brothers, having trained and fought together in the great army of Ulster. however Ferdai was put under a geásor a spell by the eveil Quenn Meave. Meave then ordered Ferdia to go into battle on her behalf to avenge any previous wrongs done against the Kingdoms of Connaught. Queen Meave ordered Ferdia to go into battle agaibst his great friend CuChulainn. After several days of battle at the town of Ardee, Cuchulainn finally slew his great friend at the edge of the River Dee. it is said that the waters of the River ran red with the blood and tears of the great friends.
The story of the Long Woman’s Grave
The Long Woman’s Grave or “The Cairn of Cauthleen” is the grave of a Spanish noble woman who married Lorcan O’Hanlon, the youngest son of the “Cean” or Chieftain of Omeath. On the death of the Cean he ordered that his lands be divided between his two sons, Conn óg and Lorcan. However Conn óg tricked his brother Lorcan by bringing him up to the Lug or hollow in the mountains at Aenagh, telling him that he would give him the land” as far as he could see”. The mist and the bleakness of the hollow was Loracan’s only legacy. However Lorcan owned a ship and begun trading in the East, making his fortune and becoming prosperous. On one of his voyages to Cadiz, Spain he bravely saved the lives of a Spanish nobleman and his daughter. Lorcan was enchanted by Cauthleen, a descendent of the great O’ Donnells’ of Ulster and fell in love with her. The pair made a handsome couple; she was 7ft tall, only three inches smaller than Lorcan. Cauthleen was already engaged to be married but was wooed by Lorcan’s professions of love and the promises of the good life that they would have back in Omeath. The pair eloped when the couple arrived in Carlingford Lough the locals were enchanted by this tall beauty adorned with jewels. The couple set along the mountain path until they came to the Lug or Hollow in the rocks. Lorcan bade his bride to stand in the centre and look around as far as she could see as he “Was Lord of all she could survey”. Cauthleen looked around, so great was her disappointment and the realisation of what she had left behind in Spain, she fell to the ground and died. Lorcan was horrified that his duplicity had caused his bride to die and flung himself into the murky waters of the marsh at the crossroads. His body was never recovered. The locals found the long womans’ body, and dug a grave for Cauthleen in the “Lug Bhan Fada” (Long woman’s hollow) where she lay. Each person laid a stone on the grave to raise her burial cairn and here she sleeps today in the hollow of her disappointment and unfilled promises.