The Hound of Ulster
What can a story from ancient Ireland tell us about the Gauls before Caesar?
Maybe a lot. The Hound of Ulster is synonymous with Irish history. But it also draws back the curtain on a world we see echoed in the archaeology of ancient Gaul: a world of epic feasts, the hero’s portion, severed heads, cattle raiding, magical weapons, and chariot warfare.
Think of this episode as a sort of Cauldron of Rebirth. We’re going to go out on a limb and operate under the assumption that a tall tale from Celtic Ireland can help us make the Gauls live and breathe again.
Get the show notes here.
Those hurling balls are definitely more cricket than tennis! Many Irish dentists are kept in business with stray sticks at hurling games. And no, pretty much nobody else in Europe knows about the sport. 🙁 Love the Irish pronunciation ladies!
Not history exactly but a lot of these legends are really well referenced by the 1980s comic strip Sláine in 2000AD.