Editing Ulster Cycle (section)

{{Short description|Grouping of Irish myths}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
[[File:Cuchulain in Battle.jpg|thumb|"Cuchulain in Battle", illustration by [[J. C. Leyendecker]] in T. W. Rolleston's ''Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race'', 1911]]
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| title = Topics in the Ulster Cycle
| bodystyle = border-collapse:collapse;
| titlestyle = font-size:125%; background:#90db90;
| headingstyle = background:#c1e6c1;
| heading1 = Ulster characters
| content1 = {{hlist| [[Amergin mac Eccit]] | [[Athirne]] | [[Blaí Briugu]] | [[Briccriu]] | [[Cairbre Cuanach]] | [[Cathbad]] | [[Celtchar]] | [[Cethern mac Fintain]] | [[Conall Cernach]] | [[Conchobar mac Nessa]] | [[Condere mac Echach]] | [[Cruinniuc]] | [[Cú Chulainn]] | [[Culann]] | [[Cúscraid]] | [[Dáire mac Fiachna]] | [[Deichtine]] | [[Deirdre]] | [[Éogan mac Durthacht]] | [[Fedlimid mac Daill]] | [[Fergus mac Leti]] | [[Findchóem]] | [[Folloman mac Conchobair]] | [[Furbaide Ferbend]] | [[Láeg]] | [[Lóegaire Búadach]] | [[Mugain]] | [[Naoise]] | [[Ness (Irish mythology)|Ness]] | [[Sencha mac Ailella]] | [[Sualtam]] | [[Usnech]] }}
| heading2 = Connacht characters
| content2 = {{hlist| [[Ailill mac Máta]] | [[Bélchú]] | [[Cet mac Mágach]] | [[Mac Cécht (warrior)|Mac Cécht]] | [[Ferdiad]] | [[Findabair]] | [[Fráech]] [[Maine (Irish mythology)|Maine]] | [[Medb]] | [[Nera (mythology)|Nera]] }}
| heading3 = Ulster exiles
| content3 = {{hlist| [[Cormac Cond Longas]] | [[Dubthach Dóeltenga]] | [[Fergus mac Róich]] | [[Fiachu mac Fir Febhe]] }}
| heading4 = Other characters
| content4 = {{hlist| [[Achall]] | [[Áed Ruad]] | [[Aífe]] | [[Blathnát]] | [[Cairbre Nia Fer]] | [[Connla]] | [[Cú Roí]] | [[Emer]] | [[Erc mac Cairpri]] | [[Fand (fairy)|Fand]] | [[Fedelm Noíchrothach]] | [[Flidais]] | [[Friuch]] | [[Garb mac Stairn]] | [[Goll mac Carbada]] | [[Lugh]] | [[Lugaid mac Con Roí]] | [[Lugaid Riab nDerg]] | [[Macha]] | [[Mesgegra]] | [[Mórrígan]] | [[Nechtan Scéne]] | [[Scáthach]] | [[Uathach]] }}
| heading5 = Weapons
| content5 = {{hlist| [[Caladbolg]] | [[Gae Bulg]] }}
| heading6 = Places
| content6 = {{hlist| [[Emain Macha]] | [[Cruachan, Ireland|Cruachan]] | [[Newgrange]] | [[Red Branch]] | [[Tara, Ireland|Tara]] }}
| heading7 = Animals
| content7 = {{hlist| [[Donn Cuailnge]] | [[Finnbhennach]] }}
| heading8 = Texts
| content8 = {{hlist| ''[[Fled Bricrenn]]''| ''[[Mesca Ulad]]'' | ''[[The Sickbed of Cúchulainn|Serglige Con Culainn]]'' | ''[[Táin Bó Cuailnge]]'' }}
}}
The '''Ulster Cycle''' ({{langx|ga|an Rúraíocht}}),<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.focal.ie/ga/|title=focal.ie|website=www.focal.ie}}</ref> formerly known as the '''Red Branch Cycle''', is a body of [[early Irish literature|medieval Irish]] heroic legends and sagas of the [[Ulaid]]. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern [[Ulster]] and northern [[Leinster]], particularly counties [[County Armagh|Armagh]], [[County Down|Down]] and [[County Louth|Louth]].<ref name="Koch">{{cite book |last1=Koch |first1=John |author1-link=John T. Koch |title=Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia |date=2006 |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |location=Santa Barbara, California|page=995}}</ref> It focuses on the mythical Ulster king [[Conchobar mac Nessa]] and his court at [[Emain Macha]], the hero [[Cú Chulainn]], and their conflict with the [[Connachta]] and queen [[Medb]].<ref name="Koch"/> The longest and most important tale is the epic ''[[Táin Bó Cúailnge]]'' (Cattle Raid of Cooley). The Ulster Cycle is one of the four 'cycles' of [[Irish mythology]] and legend, along with the [[Mythological Cycle]], the [[Fianna Cycle]] and the [[Cycle of the Kings|Kings' Cycle]].