Táin Bó Cúailnge

aka Cattle Raid of Cooley

The Táin

Author

Unknown

Language

Middle Irish

Year

c. 630-670

Country

Ireland

Genre

Epic / Long-form / Standalone Poem

epicsheroesmythology

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Táin Bó Cúailnge, commonly known as The Táin or less commonly as The Cattle Raid of Cooley, is an epic from Irish mythology. It is often called "the Irish Iliad", although like most other early Irish literature, the Táin is written in prosimetrum, i.e. prose with periodic additions of verse composed by the characters. The Táin tells of a war against Ulster by Queen Medb of Connacht and her husband King Ailill, who intend to steal the stud bull Donn Cuailnge. Due to a curse upon the king and warriors of Ulster, the invaders are opposed only by the young demigod, Cú Chulainn.