Cruachan features heavily in the Ulster Cycle as it was the home of one of its chief characters Queen Medb.

All assemblies and oenachs were part of religious and funerary traditions and just as an assembly was held at the cemetery of Tailtiu ( even into the 19th century ) there would surely have been one at Cruachan.

It is believed by many that queen Medb was actually the local earth goddess, much like Medb Lethderg at Tara, and that becoming king meant marrying the earth, becoming one with Cruachan with the inauguration more than likely taking place on Rathcroghan mound itself.

The new emerging writers didnt really record what actually happened at sites like this, developing stories which feature the síd of Cruachan being attacked by Ailill and Medb while referring to Owenagcat as the hells gate of Ireland.

While he was a guest at Cruachan he caused a lot of trouble for Fergus and another lover of his, Flidais, which culminated at the Táin Bó Flidhais.

Later, Bricriu recovered but died at Cruachan at the end of the Táin Bó Cuailnge ( Cattle Raid of Cooley ), trampled to death by the two bulls as they fought.

His father became High King after killing the previous incumbent, Rothechtaid mac Main, in single combat at Cruachan in defence of Fíachu.

Eilean Hoan is located at the northern, seaward end of the loch and there are various small islets in the vicinity including A ' Ghoil-sgeir, An Cruachan, An Dubh-sgeir, Eilean Clùimhrig, and Pocan Smoo.

Cruachan playing at Global East Rock Festival | Global East Rock Festival 2010

Cruachan playing at Global East Rock Festival | Global East Rock Festival 2010

Cruachan playing at Global East Rock Festival | Global East Rock Festival 2010

Primordial was the first black metal styled band to emerge from Ireland with the release of their Dark Romanticism demo in the early summer of 1993 ( Cruachan were also active at this time combining black metal with folk music ).

It relates that settlers from Greek Asia Minor sailed the seas and arrived at Cruachan Feli “ the mountain of Ireland ”, probably for Cruachan Éli ( Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo ), a well-known place in Hiberno-Latin hagiography since Tírechán ’ s Collectanea.

The results of Archaeological Surveys carried out by Prof. John Waddell, from National University of Ireland, Galway, are incorporated into the exhibition rooms at Cruachan Aí Heritage Centre.

Indeed, the area around Tulsk, within the complex of sites known as Cruachan / Rathcroghan, has long association with Hell, due to the Christian Monks fearful notations on a known entrance to the Celtic ' Otherworld ', through the Cave at Cruachan-Oweynagat (, the Cave of the Cats ).

She launched the Táin Bó Cuailnge ( Cattle Raid of Cooley ) and eventually brought Donn back to Cruachan.

In the sagas of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, the Connachta, ruled from Cruachan by their king Ailill mac Máta and their formidable queen Medb, are the enemies of the Ulaid, ruled from Emain Macha ( Navan Fort, County Armagh ) by Conchobar mac Nessa, and their wars, notably the Táin Bó Cúailnge ( cattle raid of Cooley ), are the setting for most of the stories.

Within 6 km of Elphin is Cruachan ( otherwise Rathcroghan ), the famous palace of Queen Meave ( she of the Táin Bó Cúailnge and a prominent figure in Irish mythology, notably the Ulster Cycle ) and the Connacht kings.

Cruachan was an Iron Age ( Gaelic ) royal palace, the home of the Irish warrior Queen Medb ( or Meave ), who was responsible for launching the Cattle raid of Cooley, as recounted in one of the best known works of early Irish literature, the Táin Bó Cuailnge.

He formed the Irish band Cruachan in 1992 with a demo recording released in 1993.

" Skyclad has since been credited as the originators and pioneers of the genre with Keith Fay of the band Cruachan recognising Skyclad as " the creators of folk metal.

The Irish band Cruachan was formed in 1992 by guitarist Keith Fay with their first demo recording distributed in 1993.

Celtic music can be found among such Irish groups as Cruachan and Waylander as well as bands outside Ireland like Eluveitie ( although Switzerland can be considered a country with a Celtic history ), and Tuatha de Danann ( from Brazil, a country that has no cultural ties with the Celts whatsoever, despite the similarity of the country's name to an island in Irish myth ).

It says Ailill was the grandson of Medb's sister Ele, and came to Cruachan as a young child to be raised by Medb, who was already reigning there with her then-husband Eochaid Dála.

This poem deals with two figures of this name, one being the Fráech of Medbs time and one who was a Connacht prince preceding Irelands division into Conns and Eoghans half, with this section of the poem describing Cruachan as a stone built fortress.

Cruachan seems to have heavy associations with the feast of Samhain, as it was during this time that the Irish believed that the prehistoric graves from before their time opened and their gods and spirits, who dwelt inside, walked the earth.

It is unclear whether this mound was the Sídh Ar Cruachan that appears in the legends or if that name refers to Oweynagcat with the mound instead being the royal seat of Connacht.

*" Ride On " and " Spancill Hill " ( with Cruachan )

In the same decade, Ireland also contributed a subgenre of folk metal known as Celtic metal with exponents of the genre including Cruachan, Primordial, Geasa, and Waylander.

The first recension begins with Ailill and Medb assembling their army in Cruachan, the purpose of this military build-up taken for granted.

To support the album, Thyrfing played two support gigs during the winter ( for Freedom Call and Dismember ) in Stockholm, and did a small headliner tour in Benelux with Cruachan and Shadowbreed.

Also, if a train collides with debris, it may derail, an example of which is the Falls of Cruachan derailment in the Western Scottish Highlands.

This inspired the Dublin based band Cruachan to mix traditional Irish music with black metal and to create the sub-genre of Celtic metal.

The Battle happened between a mountain gap, Now named Mebhs Gap, Eventually, after a pitched battle with the Ulster forces, Medb's armies were forced to retreat, but they managed to bring Donn Cuailnge back to Cruachan.

Patrick is said to have met Lóegaire's daughters near Cruachan, a complex of prehistoric sites associated with the kingship of Connacht in legend and in history.

Nera warned the people of Cruachan of the danger and then escaped with the woman of the sidhe before Medb and Aillil called on Fergus mac Roich to destroy the Hill of Cruachan.

In 1992, Keith Fay formed Cruachan with a demo recording distributed in 1993.

The same poem mentions Cruachan as a royal cemetery: " Listen, ye warriors about Cruachu!

Aughagower lies mid-way along Tóchar Phádraig, formerly a part of the royal processional route from Cruachan ( the ancient capital of Connaught ), and later an important pilgrimage route from Ballintubber Abbey to Croagh Patrick.

There is evidence of small house clusters or ' sean bhaile ' between the monuments that could have been lived in well past the middle ages however the next important development was surveying that began in the mid eighteenth century, highlighted by Gabriel Berangers colour drawing of Cruachan mound.

Additionally, the Irish metal bands Cruachan and Primordial both have songs entitled " The Coffin Ships ".