
This is one of my favorite images of Ireland's greatest hero, Cu Chulainn. I've seen it many times but only recently found out it was part of an ad campaign when Guinness sponsored the All-Ireland Cup in 2005. It's an exciting take on the legend of Setanta defending himself against Chulainn's hound.
According to the legend, a boy named Setanta was in a hurling match with his mates. The king, on his way to a dinner, stopped to watch. He was impressed with the boy's skill and invited him to come along. But Setanta loved the game and didn't want to stop. He promised the king he would come after they were done playing.
The king went on his way and after arriving at the house of Chulainn, he enjoyed himself so much, he had forgotten all about the boy. When his host asked if anyone else was expected, the king told him no one else would be joining them. Chulainn locked the gates and released his hound into the yard. Not just any dog, this hound was vicious, and it took three knights to control it.
When it finally became too dark to play, the hurling match ended, and the boys went their separate ways. Setanta made his way to Chulainn's house and finding the gates closed, simply climbed over. Hearing the hound's howling, the dinner guests went to the window. The hound was running at the boy, but remarkably, he held his ground and showed no sign of fear. He waited until the hound was almost upon him, then tossed his sliotar (the ball) into the air and cracked it with his hurling stick.
As the mighty hound sprung with its teeth bared, the ball went down its mouth, ripped through its body, and came out the other end. The hound fell dead at Setanta's feet. The king was relieved, and everyone celebrated, for the boy was still alive. Everyone except Chulainn. He loved that hound very much, and he relied on its protection against enemies and thieves.
Setanta, being the fine, upstanding hero that he was, promised to train a new hound. But what was Chulainn to do in the meantime? The boy promised that until the hound was trained and ready, he himself would guard the house and grounds. From that day on, Setanta would be known as Cu Chulainn—the hound of Chulainn.
Most of the pictures that depict this event show the victorious boy standing over the dead body of the hound. Like Michelangelo's David, this one shows the attack just before Setanta defends himself. There is one other glaring difference. Setanta's remarkable victory was all the more amazing because, according to legend, he was only seven at the time. The Cu Chulainn above looks much older, but I suppose they couldn't use a seven-year-old model in an ad for beer.
—Cheers!
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