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cà

Cú is a Gaelic word meaning hound or dog and is commonly used as an epithet in Irish mythology and as an element in proper names. In Old Irish and modern Irish, cú appears both as a standalone noun and as a prefix in compound names, often rendered in English as “hound of” or “dog of.”

The most famous bearer of the epithet is Cú Chulainn, the central hero of the Ulster Cycle.

Cú Roí mac Dáire is another well-known figure associated with the epithet, yielding the title “the Hound

In broader usage, cú survives in modern Irish as a common noun and appears in place names,

See also: Cú Chulainn; Cú Roí; Ulster Cycle.

His
name
translates
as
“Hound
of
Culann,”
reflecting
a
legend
in
which
he
killed
Culann’s
guard
dog
as
a
child
and
vowed
to
defend
Culann’s
house
in
its
place
until
a
replacement
was
grown.
The
motif
of
the
hound
is
a
recurring
symbol
of
prowess,
courage,
and
martial
skill
in
Irish
literature.
of
the
King.”
He
appears
as
a
king-hero
in
several
medieval
Irish
narratives,
where
the
image
of
the
hound
underscores
themes
of
loyalty,
cunning,
and
leadership.
literary
works,
and
scholarly
discussions
of
the
mythological
corpus.
As
an
element
in
heroic
nomenclature,
it
conveys
attributes
linked
to
the
legendary
dogs
of
myth—speed,
ferocity,
and
fidelity—rather
than
a
literal
canine
name.