Charolais

Her words were sharp; they cut him deep,

In a war between the sheets.

But when he brought his bull to her

It meant a woman making war

Beyond the eiderdown.

The druids read the smoke and sand;

Told her that she would love again.

The rhythms from the wolfskin drums

Called men to war in hide and bronze.

This goddess wore a crown.

Charolais, charolais -

we are come for you today.

The champions and the Seven Sons are

come to take away the Donn

But the Fairy Child knew more;

Saw the host stained red in war,

Saw the hero-light around the head

Of a dragon-boy just ripe for bed

Of wives and manly sons

Ireland's most exciting saga is, undoubtedly, Tain Bo Cuailgne ( The

Cattle Raid of Cooley ), the centrepiece of the Ulster cycle of Heroic

Tales.

Normally referred to as "The Tain", it deals with the conflict between

the forces of Connacht and Ulster for possession of a prize bull.

The events of the Tain are estimated to have taken place in Ireland

approximately 500 B.C. The earliest written version of the Tain known

to us is contained in the Book of the Dun Cow, which dates from the 12th

century. Before this the story was kept alive by storytellers.

Two other manuscript versions are also available; the 12th century Book

of Leinster and the 14th century Yellow Book of Lecan. The Tain, as

Ireland's equivalent of the Aeneid, has long intrigued historians, academics

and writers