Pictish Mystic · Lore · Ulster Cycle
The Raid for the Cattle of Regamon
Before the Cattle Raid of Cooley could begin, Connacht needed cows to feed an army. So Queen Medb sent her seven sons, all named Maine, to “court” a herd.
Regamon held land in Connacht, with fine herds and seven daughters. Ailill and Medb's seven sons, each one named Maine, loved those daughters, so Medb chose them to go. “Too tenderly have we been brought up,” said Maine Mingar. “None hath let us learn of wars!”
At the water-springs, Maine Mingar drew his sword on three of the maidens. “Only let it not be cows,” a maiden said. “For these indeed is all that now we do,” said Maine: cattle, and maidens. “'Tis right,” she said, “to take these together.”
So the seven daughters secretly drove off their father's cows, swine and sheep. Regamon gave chase, and overtook Maine Morgor. At Áth Briuin the sons of Ailill blocked the ford with hurdles of white-thorn and black-thorn, while the daughters drove the herd to Cruachan for help.
Ailill, Medb, Fergus and the Ulster exiles came, and a treaty was made. Regamon got his herd back, and the daughters stayed with the Maines. Seven times twenty milch-cows went as their dowry, and to feed the men of Ireland for the Táin.
Sources
- The Raid for the Cattle of Regamon (Táin Bó Regamain), translated by A. H. Leahy, Heroic Romances of Ireland, Vol. II (1906), on Mary Jones's Celtic Literature Collective: https://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/regamon.html
Story told by John.
These are legends from medieval manuscripts, not recorded history.
First shared on X @dalriada36963 and TikTok @johnshaw333.
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