Crógacht
Lyrical Concept
“Crógacht” (meaning “Bravery” in Irish Gaelic),
was inspired by one of the most dramatic tales in Irish mythology, known as
“Aided Óenfhir Aoífe”, or “The Death of Aoife’s
only son”.
It tells the story of the legendary hero Cuchulainn’s epic journey to
the Isle Of Skye where he seeks to learn the arts of war from the Scythian warrior
woman Scáthach. The decisions he then has to make set the events in motion
that will lead up to his son Conlaoch’s tragic fate…
Slán
“Slán”, meaning “farewell”, represents the departure
of Conlaoch's soul as he exits his mortal body and starts on his journey to
earn his place in the Celtic otherworld.
Conlaoch
In Celtic storytelling tradition, the essence of a fallen hero is sometimes
kept alive through various transformations into living beings, allowing him
to learn from history and gather wisdom. When Conlaoch finally learns what he
needs to know to be accepted among the people of the Sidhe, he reflects on how
it all came about…
Isle Of Skye
Conlaoch’s father, Cuchulainn, once fell in love with Emer, daughter of
Forgall Monach. Forgall was opposed to this and demanded that Cuchulainn should
prove himself worthy by training in arms with the warrior-woman Scáthach
who lived on the Isle of Skye in Alba (Scotland). Cuchulainn accepted, and with
the help of Lugh (a Celtic god who was said to be his father), he traversed
the plain of Ill-Luck and finally reached Scáthach’s abode. But
in order to enter he still had to cross an impossible bridge. The scholars of
Scáthach all mocked him when he didn’t succeed on his first three
attempts. Infuriated, he did not give up and on the fourth time he managed to
get to the other side with one giant leap. With this demonstration of courage
and vigour, he was able to convince Scáthach to train him.
Scáthach
Scáthach and her sister Aoife ruled over a vast number of Scythian tribes
near the Black Sea, when they were betrayed and defeated by the Roman Empire.
Relentlessly hunted, they were forced to move to Alba. On their journey they
joined forces with a Dacian prince whose people had been wiped out by the Romans.
Over time, Aoife and the prince became lovers. When the Dacian prince questioned
Scáthach’s leadership, it was decided that a chariot race should
settle the dispute. The prince fell under his chariot and died.This started
a feud between the two sisters and they each went their separate ways from that
day on. The Picts, who had been tracking the Scythian fugitives, were impressed
by Scáthach’s prowess and offered her a place to stay. In return
she offered to teach them her skills. Thus, she started building an army to
fight the hated Roman Empire.
Feats Of War
For a year and a day, Scathách promised to instruct Cuchulainn in her
warrior skills. He acquired each new feat with the greatest of ease. When she
had nothing else left to teach him, she deemed him worthy to be trained in the
use of the Gae Bolg, a terrible barbed spear that was hurled with the foot.
Its use always resulted in a deadly outcome because it could only be removed
by cutting away the flesh, leaving it’s victim disembowelled…
Shattering Swords
During Cuchulainn’s training, Scáthach faced a battle against her
sister Aoífe, who still sought revenge for her lover’s death and
who now commanded a number of rivaling Pictish tribes. She didn't want Cuchulainn
to participate in the fight because she suspected that the young man would let
Aoife’s beauty blind him. So she gave him a powerful sleeping potion,
but because of his great strength, it only put him to sleep for an hour and
he soon joined the battle. After slaying her three champions, he faced Aoife
in single combat. However, his sword shattered under the blows of Aoife’s
superior Dacian blade. When Aoife was about to deliver the final blow, Scáthach
distracted her by screaming out that her horses and chariot, which had belonged
to her Dacian prince, had fallen off a cliff. At that instant, Cuchulainn seized
Aoife and threw her to the ground. He spared her life on the conditions that
she would call off her enmity with her sister, and that she would stay with
him and bear him a son.
Ár Nasc Fola
“Ár nasc fola” means "our blood bond"
and refers to the child that was conceived during the blissful time that Aoife
and Cuchulainn were together on the Isle Of Skye .
Gilded Oars
When Cuchulainn’s training had ended, he had no other choice but to return
to Erin. He told Aoife that his son was to be named Conlaoch, and that he wanted
him to become a formidable warrior. He was to be trained by Scáthach,
and would have to obey three geasa : first that he was never to turn back on
his path, second that he should never refuse a challenge, and third that he
should never tell anyone his name. He gave Aoife a golden ring and told her
to send the boy to his father as soon as the ring fitted his thumb. No one knew
where Cuchulainn had gotten this ring… Some said that it had once belonged
to Elathan, a legendary king of the mythical Fomor, who had ruled over the land
in ancient times. So Aoife stayed behind and raised her son as his father had
instructed. And when he was old enough to wear the ring, his mother provided
him with the weapons of a champion and he departed for Erin in a small boat
of bronze with gilded oars…
Baile's Strand
As Conlaoch set foot on Baile’s strand, his arrival was detected by the
Red Branch Knights and he was approached by the warrior Cuinare, who asked him
his name and lineage. Because of the geasa, Conlaoch could not comply and was
immediately challenged to a duel. After a swift fight, Cuinare lay dead at Conlaoch's
feet. A few others challenged him, but all suffered the same fate. Therefore
the greatest hero of Ulster was called for. Conlaoch then was unaware that he
would come up against his father, Cuchulainn himself. Again he was asked for
his name and could not answer because of his code of honour that he had to obey.
After a long and terrible battle, Cuchulainn got in trouble and used the gae
bolg as a last resort. At that instant, he noticed the ring on the boy's finger
and suddenly realized what he had done. He was thrown into a fit of rage and
grief because he had killed his own son…
But what Cuchulainn could not know, was that Conlaoch's journey had not ended.
As he died, his soul was channelled through Elathan’s ring, and he started
on a mystical journey to find his place among the people of the Sidhe…
by Kris Verwimp
Crógacht lyrics [click]
