In the
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle (), 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 counties Armagh, Do ...
of
Irish mythology
Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era. In the History of Ireland (795–1169), early medieval era, myths were ...
, Lóegaire Búadach
(Lóegaire the Victorious) is a hapless
Ulster
Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
warrior who mainly functions as
comic relief
Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...
. When he,
Cúchulainn and
Conall Cernach contend for the
champion's portion at
Briccriu's feast, Lóegaire is always a distant third. He lived at Inber Seimne (
Larne
Larne (, , the name of a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic territory)[Larne/Latharna]
Placenames Database of Ireland. is a to ...
,
county Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...
).
His death-tale sums him up. When the poet Aed was to be drowned in a lake near Lóegaire's house for adultery with
Conchobar
() is an old and famous Irish name, Irish male name meaning "lover of canines". It is the source of the Irish names Conor, Connor (disambiguation), Connor, Connors (disambiguation), Connors, Conner (disambiguation), Conner, O'Connor (surname), O'C ...
's wife
Mugain
Mugain, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, () (sugg. pron. /Moógen Ait-en-hai-rech/ (Leahy)Leahy, Courtship of Ferb, pronunciation guide, p.xxvi; mod. pron. /MOO-in/{{Citation needed, date=January 2012), is a legendary queen in the Ulster Cycle of Ir ...
, he cried for help and Lóegaire rushed to the rescue. As he leaped out the door, he knocked the top of his own head off on the
lintel. Still, he managed to kill thirty soldiers and save Aed's life before he died.
Texts
Bricriu's Feast
References
Ulster Cycle
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