Caladbolg ("hard belly", or possibly "hard lightning"), sometimes written Caladcholg ("hard blade"), is the sword of Fergus mac Róich from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Fergus mac Róich (son of Ró-ech or "great horse" also mac Róig, mac Rossa) is a character of the Ulster Cycle of Irish Texts in translation Most of the important Ulster Cycle tales can be found in the following publications Thomas Kinsella, The Táin, Oxford University The Mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved shorn of its religious meanings Spelled Caladcholg, it is also associated with the more obscure Ulster hero Fergus mac Leda, suggesting a conflation of two legends. Fergus mac Léti (also mac Léte, mac Léide, mac Leda) was according to Irish legend and traditional history a king of Ulster. It was said to be a two-handed sword that made a circle like an arc of rainbow when swung, and to have the power to slice the tops off hills and take out several men.
During the Táin Bó Cuailnge, Ailill mac Máta takes Caladbolg away from Fergus mac Róich when he discovers Fergus' affair with his wife Medb. Ailill ( Aillell, Oilioll) mac Máta was king of Connacht and husband of Medb in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology Medb ( Old Irish spelling mɛðv Meḋḃ Meaḋḃ modern Meadhbh mɛɣv reformed modern Irish Meabh, Meːv sometimes Anglicised Maeve or Maev He gives it back when the Ulstermen rally against his armies. Fergus wreaks havoc against Ulster's forces with his blade, but Conall Cernach convinces him not to kill Conchobar mac Nessa. Conall Cernach is a heroic warrior of the Ulaid in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He redirects his blow above Conchobar's head, chopping off the tops of three hills in the process.
Caladbolg may be related linguistically to Cúchulainn's spear, the Gáe Bulg, and is thought to be a source or analogue of King Arthur's sword Excalibur, which in early Welsh is called Caledfwlch. Cúchulainn /kuːˈxʊlɪnʲ/ ( ( Irish for "Hound of Culann " also spelled Cú Chulainn, Cú Chulaind, Cúchulain, or The Gáe Bulg (also Gáe Bulga, Gáe Bolg, Gáe Bolga, meaning "notched spear" "belly spear" King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders Excalibur is the legendary Sword of King Arthur sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful Sovereignty of Great Welsh mythology, the remnants of the Mythology of the pre Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts
References
- MacKillop, James James MacKillop (1998). Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford. ISBN 0-19-860967-1.
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