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Ulster cycle (Read 8063 times)
slingbadger
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Ulster cycle
Dec 13th, 2006 at 1:16pm
 
Found this in the Ulster Cycle, one of the national Epics of Ireland.

  " Cet fitted the tathlum  ( a tathlum, or brainball, is supposedly made from a human brain that had been soaked in lime. It shrank and hardened it to the consistency of stone ) made from Meis-Geghra's brain into the sling, and slung it so that it hit Conchobhar at the top of the skull, so that two-thirds of it were in his head, and he fell headlong on the ground."

    However, it did not kill Conchobhar. They could not remove the tathlum without killing him. Eventually, in a fit of rage, the tathlum flies out of his head, then he died.
   Ah, those wacky Irish.
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bigkahuna
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #1 - Dec 13th, 2006 at 10:22pm
 
I guess he really got "Brained"!! Grin
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Ęthelbera
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #2 - Dec 15th, 2006 at 12:20pm
 
That was bad Bigkahuna.
Anyone notice there are two threads with this name?
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slingbadger
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #3 - Dec 16th, 2006 at 10:36am
 
Well, sorry. I've taken one too many hits to the brain Shocked
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #4 - Dec 16th, 2006 at 4:28pm
 
As far as I know, he get mad and lumbered trees with his sword until he died of exhaustion.
However, in Czech translation of Ulster cycle, there is no mention of this. Sad.
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slingbadger
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Ulster cycle
Reply #5 - Sep 14th, 2006 at 2:21pm
 
Not really sure if this is history, but it is mythology. Sometimes history is a myth.
  Anyway, the Ulster cycle is the national  epic of Ireland, full of magic, giants, battles and slingers.
  In one, Lugh, faces the giant Fomorian Balor of the Baleful Eye. When Balor opens his eye, all that he sees dies.
  In battle, Lugh puts a stone in his sling, and hits Balors eye so hard, it flies out the back of his head, and into the Fomor army. Troops die before the eye closes forever.
  After that, Lugh cuts off Balor's head to show the army.
  Yes, I know this sounds similar to David and Goliath, but this story is pre Christian.
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The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th cent. science has been the discovery of human ignorance  The main difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits.-Einstein   I'm getting psychic as I get older. Or is that psychotic?
 
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siguy
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #6 - Sep 14th, 2006 at 3:15pm
 
if you are of the (anti)faith that christianity is a load of dirt, then you could say it was maybe based on that story.
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #7 - Sep 14th, 2006 at 3:24pm
 
I wouldnt say it was "based" on it.
Lots of cultures had similar beliefs, its something of human nature.

What wiki says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Cycle

I also have a book where they explain Maeb as a huge, burly warrior woman and Cśchulainn takes out his sling and pegs her on the head when she comes up over the hill. Haha.
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nice story
Reply #8 - Sep 15th, 2006 at 8:18am
 
Quote:
Not really sure if this is history, but it is mythology. Sometimes history is a myth.



but i'd sooner say that sometimes myths are history.  Wink
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slingbadger
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #9 - Sep 15th, 2006 at 12:03pm
 
Bjarn, that's in the Ulster cycle too. Maeve was one baaaad lady. Kind of the Roseanne of her day.
  It seems that the sling was common in Ireland. ( that explains why I like it) All the ancient warriors were trained in it.
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The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th cent. science has been the discovery of human ignorance  The main difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits.-Einstein   I'm getting psychic as I get older. Or is that psychotic?
 
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #10 - Sep 15th, 2006 at 2:09pm
 
It was Tįin Bó Cuilgne, I know!

Yes, they were good at ballistics and guerilla warfare.
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siguy
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #11 - Sep 15th, 2006 at 3:12pm
 
guerrila warfare is my favorite kind.  it is just so much more logical, and it is far more cool back then.

funny how it is credited to have started in spain during the peninsular war, when it has really been in use for thousands of years before then
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #12 - Sep 15th, 2006 at 8:18pm
 
I didn't know it was credited to anywhere.
I learned about it from my barbarian heroes....Finn MacComhail and the Hound of Culann!
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slingbadger
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #13 - Sep 17th, 2006 at 11:20am
 
Another good one is The Lion of Ireland, by Morgan Llewellyn. It is a historical novel about Brian Boruma, the Ard Ri of Ireland. In it are Vikings vs. slingers. Vikings lose!
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The greatest of all the accomplishments of 20th cent. science has been the discovery of human ignorance  The main difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits.-Einstein   I'm getting psychic as I get older. Or is that psychotic?
 
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Re: Ulster cycle
Reply #14 - Sep 17th, 2006 at 2:42pm
 
Brian Boru! Our last Ard Ri, lead the gaels to victory!
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...&&Each all must his end abide. august 13th, rip Sad&&Varje man är sin egen konung.
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