Medb

Medb, also rendered Meadhbh or Medbh and anglicized Maeve, is a figure of Irish mythology best known as the queen of Connacht and wife of Ailill mac Máta. She features prominently in the Ulster Cycle, especially in the tale known as The Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley). In most versions, Medb is portrayed as a powerful and charismatic ruler who uses diplomacy, alliance-building, and force to advance her realm’s wealth and prestige.

The central plot of The Táin revolves around a dispute over wealth and sovereignty between Medb and Ulster’s rulers. Medb and Ailill attempt to equalize their power by seizing Donn Cúailnge, the great brown bull of Cooley, a prize owned by Ulster. The campaign to capture the bull triggers a wider war, drawing in many kings and warriors and pitting Medb’s forces against the Ulstermen, led by Cú Chulainn. Medb’s role in the narrative emphasizes her political acumen and willingness to deploy strategic alliances and coercion; she is often depicted as formidable, ambitious, and morally ambiguous.

Medb’s character appears in various medieval Irish manuscripts, including the Lebor na hUidre and the Book of Leinster, and has influenced later Irish literature and folklore. Etymological explanations of her name are uncertain, with interpretations ranging from links to words for “mead” or “intoxicating” to associations with sovereignty motifs. Across sources, Medb remains a central symbol of a sovereign queen who wields power in a male-dominated world.