Conall Cernach

Also known as: Conall the Victorious / Conall, the Victorious · Family: Ulstermen · Role: warrior · First appears: Mac Datho's Boar · Part 2

At the palace in Mac Datho’s Boar, Conall displays Anluan’s head, and Ket yields the Boar to him. Conall gives the men of Connaught only its two fore-legs, and the insult sparks a fight between the armies. In The Sick-bed of Cuchulain, Cuchulain delays the festival until Conall and Fergus mac Rog arrive; Conall is described as Cuchulain’s comrade.

In Táin Bó Fraích, Conall agrees to help Fraech recover his family and cattle. They raid the dun and rescue Fraech’s wife and sons; Conall releases the serpent from his girdle, and neither man harms the other. During the cattle drive, Conall’s gillie, Bicne son of Loegaire, is killed. In The Exile of the Sons of Usnach, Naisi, Ardan, and Ainnle are said to have learned their skill in Conall’s hall.

Relationship record

Life events

• Conall displays Anluan's head, and Ket yields the Boar to him.(Mac Datho's Boar · Part 2 · 📍 the palace)
  • With: Ket Anluan
  • “And he threw the head towards Ket, so that it smote him upon the chest, and a gulp of the blood was dashed over his lips. And Ket came away from the Boar, and Conall placed himself beside it.”
• Conall gives the men of Connaught only the Boar's two fore-legs, provoking a fight between the armies.(Mac Datho's Boar · Part 2 · 📍 the palace)
  • With: Ailill Maev
  • “Now to the men of Connaught Conall gave nothing except the two fore-legs of the Boar, and this share seemed to be but small to the men of Connaught, and thereon they sprang up, and the men of Ulster also sprang up, and they rushed at each other.”
• Mac Datho releases the hound, which joins the Ulster army and attacks the fleeing Connaughtmen.(Mac Datho's Boar · Part 2)
  • With: Ailbe Mesroda Mac Datho
  • “And the hound joined himself with the men of Ulster, and he rushed on the defeated Connaughtmen, for these were in flight.”
• Cuchulain delayed the festival until Fergus and Conall arrived.(The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 1 · 📍 Murthemne Plain)
  • With: Cuchulain Fergus mac Rog
  • “To that festival then came all the men of Ulster except two alone, and these two were Fergus the son of Rog, and Conall the Victorious. ‘Let the festival be held!’ cried the men of Ulster. ‘Nay,’ said Cuchulain, ‘it shall not be held until Conall and Fergus come,’”
• Conall Cernach agrees to help Fraech recover his stolen family and cows.(Táin Bó Fraích · Literal Translation · Part 4 · 📍 Benna Bairchi)
  • With: Fraech
  • “‘I shall go truly,’ says Conall Cernach.”
• Fraech and Conall raid the dun and rescue Fraech’s wife and sons.(Táin Bó Fraích · Literal Translation · Part 4 · 📍 the Liss)
  • With: Fraech Fraech's wife (Táin Bó Fraích)
  • “They save off then the woman and the three sons, and they carry away whatever was the best of the gems of the dun, and Conall lets the serpent out of his girdle, and neither of them did harm to the other.”
• Bicne son of Loegaire dies while driving the cows.(Táin Bó Fraích · Literal Translation · Part 4 · 📍 Ard Uan Echach)
  • With: Bicne son of Loegaire
  • “It is there the gillie of Conall met his death at the driving of the cows, that is Bicne son of Loegaire;”

Mac Datho's Boar · Part 2

• parent: Finnchoem “Thou scarred son of Finuchoem, thou truly canst claim”
• rivals with Ket (They contend for renown and the Boar.) “The proof shall be found when to combat we dart, The proof shall be found when from combat we part;”
• with Ket (Conall throws Anluan's head at Ket.) “And he threw the head towards Ket, so that it smote him upon the chest, and a gulp of the blood was dashed over his lips.”

The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 1

• friends with Cuchulain “and this he said because Fergus was the foster-father of Cuchulain, and Conall was his comrade.”

The Sick-bed of Cuchulain · Part 2

• friends with Cuchulain “had it been Conall the Victorious to whom wounds had been dealt”

The Exile of the Sons of Usnach · Glenn Masain Version · Part 1

• parent: Finnchoem “To Finnchoem, wizard Cathbad's child, was born a glorious son, And well she nursed him, Conall wild, who every field hath won;”
• pupil: Naisi “Who learned their skill in Conall Cernach's hall!”
• pupil: Ardan “Who learned their skill in Conall Cernach's hall!”
• pupil: Ainnle “Who learned their skill in Conall Cernach's hall!”

Táin Bó Fraích · Literal Translation · Part 4

• with Fraech (They undertake the rescue and journey together.) “They save off then the woman and the three sons, and they carry away whatever was the best of the gems of the dun, and Conall lets the serpent out of his girdle, and neither of them did harm to the other.”
• servant: Bicne son of Loegaire “It is there the gillie of Conall met his death at the driving of the cows, that is Bicne son of Loegaire; it is from this is (the name of) Inver Bicne (the Bicne estuary) at Benchor.”

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Extracted from the original text of Heroic Romances of Ireland. Made with Rho MD.