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Norse Classical Celtic Arthurian
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Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Atlas Coeus Crius Cronus Demeter Dionysus Gaia Hades Hephaestus Hera Hermes Hestia Hyperion Iapetus Mnemosyne Oceanus Phobos Phoebe Poseidon Prometheus Rhea Tethys Themis Uranus Zeus
Bacchus Ceres Diana Juno Jupiter Mars Mercury Minerva Neptune Pluto Venus Vesta Vulcan
Amun Anubis Aten Atum Babi Bastet Bes Geb Hapi hathor heqet Horus Isis Khepri Khnum Khonsu Maat Nephthys Nut Osiris Ptah Ra Seshat Seth Shu Sobek Thoth
Alfheim Baldur Freya Freyr Frigg Heimdallr Helheim Idun Jotunheim Loki Nerthus Njord Odin Thor Tyr
Aengus Arawn Badb Brigid Cailleach Ceridwen Cernunnos Cu Chulainn Dagda Danu Gwydion Herne the Hunter Lugh Medb Morrigan Neit Nuada Taliesin Taranis
Chalchiuhtlicue Coatlicue Huitzilopochtli Mictlantecuhtli Mixcoatl Ometeotl Quetzalcoatl Tezcatlipoca Tlaloc Tonatiuh Xipe Totec Xochiquetzal Xolotl
Amaterasu Ame no Uzume Benzaiten Bishamonten Daikokuten Ebisu Fujin Fukurokuju Inari Izanagi Kagutsuchi Raijin Susanoo Tsukuyomi
Caishen Cangjie Dragon King Eight Immortals Erlang Shen Fuxi Guanyin Hou Yi Huxian Jade Emperor King Yama Leizi Lu-ban Mazu Nezha Nuwa Pangu Shennong Sun Wukong Xiwangmu Yue Lao Zhong Kui
Norse Classical Celtic Arthurian
Literature Stories Names
  1. Celtic Mythology
    Otherworld Warrior Society Celtic Cycles Facts & Figures Genealogy Bibliography About Celtic Myths
  2. Warrior Society
    Red Branch Fianna High Kings Druids Bards Minor Celtic Characters
  3. Red Branch
    Fergus Mac Roich Laegaire Buadach Conall Cernach Cú Chulainn Cormac Connloinges Dubthach Dóeltenga Cet Mac Maga Anluan Mac Maga Lugaid Mac Cú Roí Fer Díad Mac Damann Mac Cécht Scáthach Aífe
  4. Conall Cernach

Conall Cernach

Conall was the son of Amorigin and Findchaem (Finachoom), daughter of Cathbad and Maga. Conall was the husband of Niam. He was often called Conall Cernach - Conall the Victorious. Conall was also the cousin and foster-brother of the hero Cú Chulainn (Cu Chulainn) as well as the cousin of the sons of Uisnech (Usnech).

Next to Cú Chulainn, Conall was the best warrior of the Red Branch. Conall and Cu Chulainn had, as children, pledged to avenge the one who would die first. He was one of the supporters and champions of Conaire Mor the high king of Ireland. He was one of the warriors defending Conaire Mor, during the destruction of Da Derga's hostel. Conall was forced to withdraw from the fighting when he was severely wounded, leaving his dying king.

Conall attended the feast of Bricriu, where Bricriu held a beheading game with champions. Conall and his chief Cettmac refused to take part. Therefore, Cú Chulainn became the greatest champion of Ireland.

In another feast, both Ulster and Connacht claimed the right to possess the swiftest hound (Ailbe) that belonged to Mesroda Mac Datho, a king or chieftain of Leinster. Both Ulster and Connacht threatened Mesroda with war if he didn't give the hound to them. So Mesroda asked both Ulster and Connacht to claim the prizes. Mesroda served the boar in a feast. It was decided that the champion who done the greatest heroic deeds would have the champion's portion of the giant boar, as well as his hound. Cet Mac Maga claimed the rights, besting each Ulsterman with his tales of his adventure. It was only when Conall arrived that Cet conceded that Conall was a better warrior. But Cet claimed that had his brother come to the feast, then Anluan would be a better warrior than Conall. Conall told him that Cet's brother was already there, and produced Anluan's head. Fighting broke out between Connacht and Ulster. In the end Conall killed Cet. The hound was killed during the fighting, so in the end, neither side won the hound.

Conall was too late to save Cú Chulainn, when the hero again fought alone against Medb's host in the Slieve Fuad. When Conall found Cú Chulainn's headless body, Conall pursued his enemy and severed Lugaid's head. Conall brought Cú Chulainn's head back to Emain Macha for burial.

Conall avenged Fergus Mac Roich's death when Ailill, king of Connacht, murdered Fergus.

Later, the aged warrior retired to Cruachain, where three redheaded men from Munster ambushed Conall. His head was brought to Munster as revenge for the death of Lugaid and his father Cu Roi, who was killed by Cu Chulainn.

In the Welsh Culhwch and Olwen, Conall was equated with Corvil Bervach.

Related Information

Name

Conall Cernach ("Conall the Victorious").

Corvil Bervach (Welsh).

Related Articles

Cú Chulainn, Cet Mac Maga, Conchobar Mac Nessa, Medb, Ailill, Cathbad.

Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel.

Genealogy: House of the Red Branch.

Jimmy Joe Timeless Myths

By Jimmy Joe

Red Branch:

  • • Fergus Mac Roich
  • • Laegaire Buadach
  • • Conall Cernach
  • • Cú Chulainn
  • • Cormac Connloinges
  • • Dubthach Dóeltenga
  • • Cet Mac Maga
  • • Anluan Mac Maga
  • • Lugaid Mac Cú Roí
  • • Fer Díad Mac Damann
  • • Mac Cécht
  • • Scáthach
  • • Aífe
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Cu Chulainn

Cu Chulainn

Cú Chulainn: The Hound of Ulster Cú Chulainn was a famous Celtic war hero and one of Ireland’s most popular figures ; He was called Ireland’s child of light. He lived in and defended the town of Ulster, and most of his stories stem from there. He ...

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The greatest hero in Celtic myths was one of the principal characters in the Ulaid Cycle. Cú Chulainn (or Cu Chulainn) was the son of Deichtine and the sun god, Lugh Lamfada . Though Lugh was his father, he called himself Cu Chulainn Mac Sualtam a...

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Cormac Connloinges

Cormac Connloinges

Cormac was the son of Conchobar Mac Nessa , king of Ulaid (Ulster). Cormac was one of the champions of Conaire Mor , high king of Ireland (see the Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel for the full story). Cormac was also one of the exiles, when Concho...

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Captain of the Fianna ( rígfhéinnid ) and chieftain of Clan Baiscne. Cumhaill (Cumhall or Cool) was the son of Trenmor and descendant of Baíscne. Cumhaill was also the brother of Crimmal . Cumhaill married Muirenn , daughter of Tadg and granddaugh...

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Anluan Mac Maga

Anluan Mac Maga

A Connacht warrior. Anluan was the son of Maga and a brother of Cet . Conall Cernach killed Anluan before the Ulster champion attended the feast of Mac Datho. Fighting broke out when Conall produced Anluan's head for Cet to see. Anluan's brother w...

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Conn Cétchathach was high king of Ireland, before the birth and early childhood of Finn Mac Cumhaill . He was often called Conn Cétchathach – "Conn of the Hundred Battles". His grandfather was Tuathal Techtmar, who was high king of Ireland. There ...

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Conchobar Mac Nessa was the greatest king of Ulaid (Ulster). Conchobar was the son of Ness, daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. There is some confusion over who Conchobar's father was. One legend said that his father was Fachtna Fáthach, a giant and kin...

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Connla

Connla

Connla was the younger son of Conn Cétchathach and brother of Art . Connla was described as having fair hair, so he was called Connla of the Golden Hair. The only story I could find on Connla was in a tale called Echtrae Conli or "The Adventure of...

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Conaire Mór

Conaire Mór

Wooing of Etain Rise of Conaire Mór Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel Wooing of Etain Conaire Mór (Conaire Mor) was a descendant of Etain, the most beautiful woman in the world. Etain was a Danann and the second wife of Midir , son of Dagda . Midir...

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