How Cuchulainn got his name

Pauline O’Shea

Setanta • When Cuchulainn was

young he had a different name, Setanta. This is the story of how he became Cuchulainn.

• He was a great hurling player and one day he was playing when the king and others were going to a feast at Culainn’s. He said he would follow them when he had finished.

Arrival at the fort.

• Later that night he set off. It was a long trip. He got to the fort and found a wolfhound guarding it.

• The wolfhound leapt at Cuchulainn trying to attack and kill him.

• What could Setanta do?? All he had with him was his hurley stick and sliotar(ball).

The fight

• The dog advanced on Setanta and so he swung his hurley and hit his sliotar. He gave it a mighty whack and the sliotar flew into the hound’s mouth.

• This, of course, choked the dog and Setanta was standing over it, when all the guests came out to see what had happened.

Cuchulainn• ‘What shall I do now?’

asked Culainn. ‘Who will guard my fort?’ ‘I will’ replied Setanta.

• He promised to stay and guard the fort for Culainn ‘til a new dog had been trained in. The Gaeilge for hound is ‘Cú’ and so Setanta became known as ‘Cuchulainn’ - the hound of Culainn.