Fionn McCumhaill, Cuchulainn, Quenn Maebh, Red Branch Knights...

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 05-12-2010 03:54AM #1

We have all heard these stories and fantastic stories they are. Lots of countries have mythology eg England with King Arthur etc but I think these ones are exceptional

Got to thinking on these tonight and had a chat about them. Learned about them in school which was always one of the more interesting stories, I presume and hope that they are still teaching them

But after having a whisket there with the aul boy we got on to them and talked (well I talked, he hadn't a clue what I was on about) about the Lord of the Rings and the huge boost that gave New Zealand. It was their biggest employer for a couple of years and has done wonders for their tourism industry. Mainly because it's a cool story that can show off a tremendous landscape.

And I think these are even better stories. Brilliant stories with a hell of a lot of depth that need not be a series but a whole untapped resource of stories that as far as I know have never been brought to the big screen. I would hate to see them be americanised though there is no real set story but al lot of interpretations.

Point is they are everything mythology should be, all have depth and morality at their core and amazing imagery and as such have an incredible potential. And I think they would be brilliant to share. And also, of course, that they could employ and boost tourism, moreso than the "I'm three eights Irish" florisa pastel wearing tourists.

Just a thought

Saila · 05-12-2010 03:56AM

cool story bro

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 05-12-2010 03:58AM

Saila wrote: »

cool story bro

die

Absurdum · 05-12-2010 04:02AM

the problem with this country is that we're afraid of glorifying our warriors

Saila · 05-12-2010 04:02AM

Ezekiel Shapely Electrician wrote: »

die

"no its not anything bad it means THE BART THE

"

KnifeWRENCH · 05-12-2010 04:03AM

I actually remember very little about those stories tbh.

Fionn MacCumhaill ate the salmon of knowledge.
Cúchulainn was some warrior guy who fought a giant.....possibly....
Queen Meabh stole a bull, or something.....

That's about as much as I can recall.

Absurdum wrote:

the problem with this country is that we're afraid of glorifying our warriors

Not if you're Bill Cullen.

Dravokivich · 05-12-2010 04:05AM

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

Queen Meabh stole a bull, or something.....

I thought she was that pirate woman?

KnifeWRENCH · 05-12-2010 04:08AM

Dravokivich wrote: »

I thought she was that pirate woman?

Maybe she was both. Pirates can steal bulls, I guess. (provided they plunder a ship that has a bull on it.)

ballsymchugh · 05-12-2010 04:10AM

setanta is a young lad from cork that's pretty handy with a hurley. mother from fiji.

was at the horslips tonight. some of their songs are based on these characters. gotta agree op, would be cool to see the stories in the cinema instead of 2nd and 3rd class teachers.

Mrmoe · 05-12-2010 04:10AM

Dravokivich wrote: »

I thought she was that pirate woman?

Grace O'Malley, I presume. I'm not sure it would work as a movie. Most of the best films such as Braveheart, LOTR and Gladiator had large pitched battles. I don't think we ever had them, we were more suited to guerrilla warfare or one on one combat of selected warriors.

ballsymchugh · 05-12-2010 04:14AM

Mrmoe wrote: »

Grace O'Malley, I presume. I'm not sure it would work as a movie. Most of the best films such as Braveheart, LOTR and Gladiator had large pitched battles. I don't think we ever had them, we were more suited to guerrilla warfare or one on one combat of selected warriors.

the fight over the brown bull of cooley was a fierce battle between connacht and ulster.

randylonghorn · 05-12-2010 04:25AM

Dravokivich wrote: »

I thought she was that pirate woman?

Granuaile / Grace O'Malley as MrMoe says. An actual historical figure from 16th century Ireland, though that ofc does not mean that all the stories told about her are true / verifiable.

Commonalities with Queen Maebh would be that she was a strong woman from Connaught with an ambiguous attitude to the rights of ownership (well, other peoples rights, anyway!).

Maebh is probably mainly a mythological figure, based on the Goddess Medb, though there may have been a real warrior queen at some stage and the stories became intermingled as they were wont to do, with the human Medb coming to be seen as an avatar of the goddess.

And they brought Beowulf to the screen ...

scientific1982 · 05-12-2010 04:36AM

I was talking to a mate about this in the pub a few months ago. We have a rich mythology. Tolkien actually used norse and celtic mythology as inspiration for some of his books.

PeggyvB · 05-12-2010 05:08AM

I adore Irish mythology! I'd absolutely love to see them made into (well made) movies! I wonder who nowadays could play the part of Fionn mac Cumhaill or Cúchulainn ?

-A half Irish American who tries really hard not to piss of locals when she travels owing to the fact that that she can't stand tourist either.

alwaysadub · 05-12-2010 05:16AM

I really must read up on them again. I only remember bits and pieces of them all.
Slasher, you have the most random thoughts at times

AskMyChocolate · 05-12-2010 05:37AM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

the fight over the brown bull of cooley was a fierce battle between connacht and ulster.

I thought it was settled by one on one combat between cuchulainn and Ferdia. I could be wrong now, just dredging my memory.

Btw OP, excellent idea.

Son Of A Vidic · 05-12-2010 11:14AM

Absurdum wrote: »

the problem with this country is that we're afraid of glorifying our warriors

Indeed and thanks to decades of revisionism, some people sadly even seem ashamed.

danh789 · 05-12-2010 11:19AM

Funny I was just read up on these stories yesterday. Recently bought a race horse and I'm trying to name him. Was looking for some old celtic word or name that showcased speed and power. So far I have been unsuccessful!

Tigger · 05-12-2010 11:28AM

Sliotar

BraziliaNZ · 05-12-2010 11:31AM

Personally I think the stories are a load of bollocks lol

Wibbs · 05-12-2010 12:12PM

IIRC there's a film script in development with one of the major studios as we speak.

There's plenty of material to chose from in the Ulster cycle stuff. There are picthed battles alright, one on one combat, magic stuff, love, betrayal, lots of ridin going on and very strong female characters. The latter very unusual in ancient sagas. In the classical world women are usually pawns to move the story along. Helen of Troy? yea we all know her name but she doesnt do much in the stories, except hang around looking lovely and causing wars.

We also forget that these are some of the earliest non classical European epics to be written down in their original form. EG King Arthur is much later and evolved a lot.

Logical Fallacy · 05-12-2010 12:33PM

Personally, i would rather see something like this done as a proper Anime than a live action thing. The Secret of Kells was really nicely done and there is no reason why Ireland couldn't produce more of such films.

WindSock · 05-12-2010 12:59PM

I've been thinking of this a bit, lately too. There is plenty of interesting fodder in our history and mythology there for the movie industry. I am surprised nothing has been made yet.
I remember hearing a rumour a while ago (probably here) that they were making Brian Ború with Leo DiCaprio as himself. Hopefully it was just a rumour about the casting, I would even rather Colin Farrell took the part.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 05-12-2010 01:13PM

I never liked the Cúchulainn story as a child because we were the bad guys.

AntiMatter · 05-12-2010 01:15PM

WindSock wrote: »

I've been thinking of this a bit, lately too. There is plenty of interesting fodder in our history and mythology there for the movie industry. I am surprised nothing has been made yet.
I remember hearing a rumour a while ago (probably here) that they were making Brian Ború with Leo DiCaprio as himself. Hopefully it was just a rumour about the casting, I would even rather Colin Farrell took the part.

It may not have the international appeal that the likes of LOTR or Harry Potter would have, and so isn't a big draw for major productions.

Rhyme · 05-12-2010 01:46PM

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

The Secret of Kells was really nicely done and there is no reason why Ireland couldn't produce more of such films.

This.

(though an amount of the animation was outsourced to France)

Nodin · 05-12-2010 02:09PM

WindSock wrote: »

I've been thinking of this a bit, lately too. There is plenty of interesting fodder in our history and mythology there for the movie industry. I am surprised nothing has been made yet.
I remember hearing a rumour a while ago (probably here) that they were making Brian Ború with Leo DiCaprio as himself. Hopefully it was just a rumour about the casting, I would even rather Colin Farrell took the part.

Though it was strongly touted, its not listed as one of his upcoming on IMDB. In fairness he's lost some of the annoying babyishness about his mush, but he'd still be wrong for it. Liam Neeson is your only man there really.

ballsymchugh · 05-12-2010 02:23PM

AskMyChocolate wrote: »

I thought it was settled by one on one combat between cuchulainn and Ferdia. I could be wrong now, just dredging my memory.

Btw OP, excellent idea.

it eventually was.

WindSock · 05-12-2010 02:31PM

AntiMatter wrote: »

It may not have the international appeal that the likes of LOTR or Harry Potter would have, and so isn't a big draw for major productions.

I don't see why our mythological stories couldn't, there is plenty to draw on. It's all about the production of it. Sure look at Braveheart for example. Who would have thought a story about a Scotsman would become so popular?

WindSock · 05-12-2010 02:32PM

Nodin wrote: »

Though it was strongly touted, its not listed as one of his upcoming on IMDB. In fairness he's lost some of the annoying babyishness about his mush, but he'd still be wrong for it. Liam Neeson is your only man there really.

I think Leeson would be too old for the role, I thought Ború was meant to be a young chap?

hidinginthebush · 05-12-2010 02:37PM

Saila wrote: »

"no its not anything bad it means THE BART THE "

Nobody who speaks German could possibly be bad

Fionn McCumhaill, Cuchulainn, Quenn Maebh, Red Branch Knights...

Comments