Cúscraid ( ga, Cúscraid Mend Macha; var. Cumscraid) (pronunciation guides: /'ku:skrid m'eN 'maxa / () /cŏŏs'crĭ/ () /KOOS-kri''dh''/ (Paddy Brown)) known by the epithet ''Mend Macha'' (the "stammerer" or "inarticulate one" of

Macha Macha () was a sovereignty goddess of ancient Ireland associated with the province of Ulster, particularly the sites of Navan Fort (''Eamhain Mhacha'') and Armagh (''Ard Mhacha''), which are named after her.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A H ...

), is a son of

Conchobar mac Nessa Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King Fachtna Fáthach, although in some stories hi ...

in the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly coun ...

Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by Ch ...

. When he first took arms he led a foray against

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...

. He was met on the border by the Connacht hero

Cet mac Mágach Cet mac Mágach is a Connacht warrior in the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. He had a rivalry with the Ulster warrior Conall Cernach. In some myths, he is said to be the brother of Conall's mother, making him Conall's uncle. At a feast at the ...

, who wounded him in the throat (or tip of the tongue) with a spear, giving him his speech impediment. The three most popular heroes with the women of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

were Cúscraid, Cúchulainn and

Conall Cernach Conall Cernach (modern spelling: Conall Cearnach) is a hero of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He had a crooked neck and is said to have always slept with the head of a Connachtman under his knee. His epithet is normally transla ...

. The women imitated the peculiarity of the hero they loved the most: Cúscraid's fans stammered, Conall's crooked their necks, and Cúchulainn's squinted one eye in imitation of his

warp spasm Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...

. After Conchobar's death, the Ulstermen invited his eldest son

Cormac Cond Longas Cormac Cond Longas (Connlongas, Connloinges, "Exiled Prince") was the eldest son of Conchobar mac Nessa by his own mother, Ness, in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. His foster father was Fergus mac Róich. Cormac followed Fergus into exile in ...

to succeed him as king of Ulster, but Cormac was killed before he could take the throne. It was then offered to

, who refused, recommending his foster-son Cúscraid instead, and Cúscraid became king.The Battle of Airtech

Footnotes

References

* Scéla mucce meic Dá Thó — "The Story of Mac Dá Thó's Pig" ** (ed. & tr.) awl. B 512, f. 105v.-** (ed. & tr.) L version*

Serglige Con Culainn ''Serglige Con Culainn'' ( en, The Sick-Bed of Cú Chulainn or The Wasting Sickness of Cúchulainn), also known as ''Oenét Emire'' ( en, The Only Jealousy of Emer) is a narrative from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. It tells of a curse tha ...

** * Battle of Airtech **
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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cuscraid Ulster Cycle Legendary Irish kings Characters in Táin Bó Cúailnge