Queen Maeve of Connacht became jealous when her husband boasted about his prized white bull, Finnbhennach. She asked her druid how to obtain a bull greater than Finnbhennach and was told of a brown bull owned by Daire in Cooley. Maeve's messengers promised Daire payment to borrow the bull, but one messenger's taunt caused Daire to refuse. Maeve gathered her army to take the bull by force, but they were opposed by Cú Chulainn and the boys of the Red Branch. After many battles, Maeve seized an opportunity to take the brown bull while Cú Chulainn slept. However, both Finnbhennach and

2. Fadó, fadó, Connacht was ruled by Queen Maeve and her husband, Ailill.
They always boasted to each other about all of the fine things that they
had. Ailill then boasted about his white bull, Finnbhennach, and Queen
Maeve realised that she had no bull as great as Finnbhennach in her
herds. She was very jealous.

3. Queen Maeve asked her druid for help:
“How can I get a bull like Finnbhennach?”

4. The druid told Queen Maeve that the bull she needed was in Ulster. It
was a great brown bull and was owned by a man called Daire Mac
Fiacha, who lived in Cooley. Maeve sent her messengers to Cooley to
speak to Daire. In return for loaning her his bull, Daire was promised fifty
heifers. Daire was thrilled and arranged a feast for the messengers
before they left Cooley.

5. At the feast, one of the messengers teased Daire. He said that if Daire
had not agreed to give the bull to Queen Maeve, they would have taken it
anyway. Daire was furious! He banished Queen Maeve’s messengers
from Cooley and kept the bull.

6. Maeve was certain that she would have the
bull. She gathered her army and sent them
to Ulster. When the army reached Ulster,
they met with Cú Chulainn and the boys of
the Red Branch, who defended Ulster.
Cú Chulainn met Queen Maeve and agreed
that everyday he would fight one member of
her army. Each day that passed, Cú
Chullainn won.

7. After some time, Cú Chulainn asked the boys of
the Red Branch to fight against Queen Maeve’s
army and defend Ulster. Cú Chulainn then laid
down and fell into a deep sleep. Queen Maeve
seized her opportunity. During the battle, she sent
some of her men to take the bull.
When Cú Chulainn woke up, he found that most
of the Red Branch had been killed by Queen
Maeve’s army. She went to her castle and
ordered that the bull would be put in a big pen for
safekeeping.

8. When Ailill’s bull, Finnbhennach, heard the brown bull of Cooley, it
became very angry. It rushed to fight the brown bull. Finnbhennach
charged at the brown bull of Cooley but the brown bull killed
Finnbhennach immediately. The brown bull then charged home but when
he arrived, his heart burst and he died.

9. In the end, a war had been fought. Despite all of their boasting, neither
Queen Maeve nor Ailill had a bull. They were even at last.

10. In the end, a war had been fought. Despite all of their boasting, neither
Queen Maeve nor Ailill had a bull. They were even at last.