How Cuchulainn got his name Pauline O’Shea

Setanta When Cuchulainn was young he had a different name, Setanta. This is the story of how he became Cuchulainn. He was a great hurling player and one day he was playing when the king and others were going to a feast at Culainn’s. He said he would follow them when he had finished.

Arrival at the fort. Later that night he set off. It was a long trip. He got to the fort and found a wolfhound guarding it. The wolfhound leapt at Cuchulainn trying to attack and kill him. What could Setanta do?? All he had with him was his hurley stick and sliotar(ball).

The fight The dog advanced on Setanta and so he swung his hurley and hit his sliotar. He gave it a mighty whack and the sliotar flew into the hound’s mouth. This, of course, choked the dog and Setanta was standing over it, when all the guests came out to see what had happened.

Cuchulainn ‘What shall I do now?’ asked Culainn. ‘Who will guard my fort?’ ‘I will’ replied Setanta. He promised to stay and guard the fort for Culainn ‘til a new dog had been trained in. The Gaeilge for hound is ‘Cú’ and so Setanta became known as ‘Cuchulainn’ - the hound of Culainn.