Cuchulain.

Cuchulainn, also spelled Cuchulainn, is a great hero of Irish mythology and folklore. He is the main character in The Tain , the oldest epic of western Europe in a native language detailing a cattle raid between Connacht and Ulster over a Brown bull from the Cooly Mountains that Queen Maeve wanted. It is the central story of the Ulster cycle of ancient Irish tales. Said to have taken place about the beginning of the christion era, the story has a slim base in fact, but the details are mythological. Cuchulainn's reputation as a warrior grew in Irish folk tales until he came to be treated as a defender of all Ireland. Cuchulainn became a favorite character among writers of the Irish Literary Renaissance, a period of artistic attention to sources within the Irish tradition that began in the late 1800's.

Cuchulainn had extraordinary powers because his father was Lugh (loo), the Celtic Sun God. He won the name Cuchulainn (Hound of Culan) by offering to take the place of a ferocious watchdog he had killed at the house of Culan. There are many stories of his life and exploits.

Cuchulainn's alleged birthplace is near Dundalk County Louth.

The Hero Tales of Cuchulainn's defense of Ulster against the armies of Connaught is told in the Tain. The champion of Ulster defends its southern border as the men of the Red Branch are struck down with the curse of Macha, To suffer the pains of childbirth at a time of need, as a punishment for the mocking and cruelty that the men of Ulster showed the goddess in making her run a race for a wager when she was in labour with twins.

Unfortunately some of the Red branch knights were fighting with Maeve and Ailell, after the betrayal by Conner Mac Nessi of Deirdre and the sons of Usna, they took shelter in the west.

Cuchulainn and his boy hood friend and kindred spirit Ferdia, met in battle at the ford were death was the only winner.

Cuchulainn died bound upright to a pillar, with the Morrigan, the War Goddess of the Ancient Celts perched on his shoulder.

In recent years Cuchulainn has been adopted by strands of Ulster loyalism, perceived as the defender of Ulster his image is to be seen in several wall murals in loyalist areas of Belfast.