The Táin: From the Irish epic Táin Bó Cuailnge: From the Irish Epic "Tain Bo Cuailnge" Book

The Táin Bó Cuailnge, centre-piece of the eighth-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales, is Ireland's greatest epic. It tells the story of a great cattle-raid, the invasion of Ulster by the armies of Medb and Ailill, queen and king of Connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great Brown Bull of Cuailnge. The hero of the tale is Cuchulainn, the Hound of Ulster, who resists the invaders single-handed while Ulster's warriors lie sick. Thomas Kinsella presents a complete and living version of the story. His translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with elements from other versions, and adds a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the Táin. Illustrated with brush drawings by Louis le Brocquy, this edition provides a combination of medieval epic and modern art.

The T 'ain B 'o Cuailnge centre-piece of the 8th century Ulster cycle of heroic tales is Ireland's greatest epic. This translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts with elements from other versions and adds a group of related stories which prepare for the T 'ain.

The Tain Bo Cuailnge is the centre-piece of the eight-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales. In this great epic tale Cuchulainn, the Hound of Ulster single-handedly resists the invading armies of the king and queen of Connacht, Ailill and Medb...