Lúnasa Festival Celebrates Land of Legends

This year’s Ring of Gullion Lúnasa Festival will host a variety of excellent arts and cultural events, appealing to both young and old from Friday 3 August to Sunday 26 August 2018.

As part of the Lúnasa Festival, local author, Réamonn Ó Ciaráin will tell the story of the great warrior, Cúchulainn and other mythological stories from his book, ‘CúChulainn: Ulster’s Greatest Hero’, on Wednesday 8 August at 6.45pm in Crossmaglen Community Centre. Cúchulainn is one of the most famous Irish mythological heroes. He appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle and Scottish and Manx folklore, but how much of the story of his life do you know or remember? Come and learn what essential wisdom can be gleaned from our shared mythology.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Mark Murnin said, “The Ring of Gullion is a border area which has been soaking up human dramas for a long time. Every peak and valley carries a song and story.  Even though the story of Cúchulainn dates back to 7th Century AD, it still dominates the mythological and imaginative landscape of Ireland.  There are so many stories associated with this character and I urge you all to come along to this fascinating talk and find out more.”

Speaking about ‘Cúchulainn: Ulster’s Greatest Hero’, Professor Séamus Mac Mathúna said, “It is a tremendous achievement on the part of Réamonn Ó Ciaráin and Dara Vallely. The book is beautifully produced. It captures the spirit of the original Irish. It is terse and pithy on the one hand and expansive enough elsewhere to portray the full grandeur of these epics.” 

Reamonn Ó Ciaráin’s first told the stories of Cúchulainn in Irish in his book, ‘Laoch na Laochra’. The book was artworked by Dara Vallely and published by national organisation, Gale Linn in 2015 with support from the Ultach Trust. The stories are now retold in English in ‘Cúchulainn: Ulster’s Greatest Hero’, recently published by Gael Linn.

Réamonn will have signed copies of the book for sale on the night. Booking is essential and can be booked online at www.ringofgullion.org or at Crossmaglen Community Centre, O'Fiaich Square, 028 3082 8590.

The Ring of Gullion Lúnasa Festival will be run throughout the month of August.  Events will range from small drop-in craft workshops to major weekend-long celebrations. Visitors will be able to take part in hiking, geology, history and art. To find out more, visit www.ringofgullion.org/events.