Lyrics The Brown Bull Of Cooley - Cruachan

The Brown Bull Of Cooley

Maeve was a queen with a passion for war
She had riches and wealth, but still wanted more
She wanted the bull that dwelled in Cooley —
A magnificent beast that she longed to see
Maeve was a queen with a passion for war
She had riches and wealth, but still wanted more
She longed for the bull that dwelled in Cooley —
A magnificent beast that she longed to see
The men of Ulster would not concur
«No one shall threaten us, certainly not her!»
She gathers her armies she looks to the north
On the eve of the solstice, the armies march forth
The men of Ulster would not concur
«No one shall threaten us, certainly not her!»
She gathers her armies she looks to the north
On the eve of the solstice, the armies march forth
Maeve is warned by a faerie prophet:
She had a vision of evil, malice and death
«This cannot be, as anyone will tell
The men of Ulster are held by an ancient spell.»
But true this news was and here I will tell why —
Ulster’s defender was merely a boy
Cuchulainn was his name;
he was free from the curse
Single combat was arranged and he would fight first
He slays many soldiers through the day and night
No matter whom he faces, Cuchulainn wins the fight
He is watched by The Morrigan, the Goddess of war
Love grows in her heart as she views from afar
The combat continues, Cuchulainn kills with spite
Until his old friend Ferdiad enters the fight
Cuchulainn kills Ferdiad, with a slash of his sword
He feels sad and angry and will fight no more
The combat continues, Cuchulainn kills with spite
Until his old friend Ferdiad enters the fight
Cuchulainn kills Ferdiad, with a slash of his sword
He feels sad and angry and will fight no more
Cuchulainn’s father then rode to the North
To Eamhain Macha, King Conchobar’s fort
«Men are being killed, women carried away!»
He called to the warriors who were in disarray
Cuchulainn’s father then rode to the North
To Eamhain Macha, King Conchobar’s fort
«Men are being killed, women carried away!»
Their lines are broken, in disarray
An accident happened and his head was cut off
But continued to speak and choke and cough
This spectacle brings Ulster out of its spell;
They go to Cuchulainn and Ulster fights well
Maeve has been defeated and to Connaught he returns
But there is a twist to this tale, a very strange turn
She captured the bull and brought it to Cruachan
It killed her own bull and in the morning was gone