Cattle Raid of Cooley, The

Cattle Raid of Cooley, The

 Irish Táin Bó Cúailgne

Irish narrative, the longest of the Ulster cycle. It was composed in prose with verse passages in the 7th–8th century, probably by an author acquainted with such epics as the Aeneid. Its hero is Cú Chulainn, who singlehandedly held off the Connaught army that invaded Ulster to capture a famous and valuable brown bull. After three days of battle, Cú Chulainn gained victory, yet the Connaughts successfully captured the bull. Madb, the warrior-queen of Connaught, secured her superiority over her husband Ailill when the brown bull defeated Ailill's white-horned bull.