The Tale of Cú Chulainn

In the sodden snow of the Irish hills

Was born a Tuatha's child

With a fighting heart and immortal skill

And a spirit fiery and wild

Through a prophecy he was bound and doomed

To a short and a glorious life

And he bore the name Setanta till

A famous fateful night

With his hurley in his hands

His name would cross the land

Well his Uncle Connor who wore the crown

Of Ulster on his head

In the home of Culainn the smith sat down

For mead and mutton and bread

At the door lay the Cú, the faithful hound

A huge and and terrible beast

When a thief or enemy trod his ground

Their bones became his feast

Well Setanta joined them late at night

And the hound it leapt to shred

But he raised his hurley, pucked the ball

Right through the poor beast's head

He spoke remorse as the smith he cried

For his lost and murdered hound

'I will be your Cú now from this night

Till another you have found'

So he lay outside the door

One eye watching on the moors

And the name Cú Chulainn

Was sung out loud that night

In a tale of rage and ruin and of might

And the name Cú Chulainn

So furious and wild

To remain in myth and memory

A legend of the isle

Cosantóir tragóideach

(Tragic guardian)

Fuil dhiaga Lú

(Divine blood of Lugh)

Finscéal an Chú

(Legend of the hound)

Cosantóir tragóideach

(Tragic guardian)

Fuil dhiaga Lú

(Divine blood of Lugh)

Currach lán le fiúnach

(Boat filled with fury)

Finscéal an Chú

(Legend of the hound)

Cosantóir tragóideach

(Tragic guardian)

Fuil dhiaga Lú

(Divine blood of Lugh)

Finscéal an Chú

(Legend of the hound)

Cosantóir tragóideach

(Tragic guardian)

Fuil dhiaga Lú

(Divine blood of Lugh)

Curadh lán le fiúnach

(Warrior filled with fury)

Finscéal an Chú

(Legend of the hound)

He trained on the Isle of Sky and Shadow

Bore an abandoned son

And met his battle brother Ferdiad

Many a tale they spun

Well he fought with the strength of many men

A beast who bloodied the fields

In a bloodlust battle frenzy

His skin would shift and peel

His son would find him as man

But would not tell his name

So he took a spear to his own child

And doomed himself to shame

When the canny Queen Méabh attacked his land

To steal the bull of brown

She sent out Ferdiad to fight

Cú Chualainn struck him down

Blood of son and brother fell

He wailed and cried farewell

And the name Cú Chulainn

Was sung out loud that night

In a tale of rage and ruin and of might

And the name Cú Chulainn

So furious and wild

To remain in myth and memory

A legend of the isle

Cosantóir tragóideach

Fuil dhiaga Lú

Finscéal an Chú

Cosantóir tragóideach

Fuil dhiaga Lú

Curadh lán le fiúnach

Finscéal an Chú

When the father of fair Emer

Refused to give her to wed

Cú Chulainn tore his castle down

And left the whole place dead

They loved eachother, man and wife

Despite his many affairs

Then he met the Morrigan, turned her down

And earned her vengeful glare

She weakened him and broke his strength

With trickery and lies

By feeding him the flesh of dogs

Three crones were her disguise

The Queen and Lugaid saw their chance

To fight the Cú and win

When he battled next 3 spears were thrown

And one tore through his skin

So he tied himself to a mighty stone

By his guts and belt he hung

And so he still stood on his feet

Till the last breath it left his lungs

And a light shone out so grand

Till the raven came to land

And the name Cú Chulainn

Was sung out loud that night

In a tale of rage and ruin and of might

And the name Cú Chulainn

So furious and wild

To remain in myth and memory

A legend of the isle

Scaoil amach on ceol!

(Let loose the music!)