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| A Brief History of Ardee, Baile Átha Fhirdhia |
| Originally called Atherdee, its name is derived Áth Fhirdia |
| Ardee is a principally a business town for the surrounding districts, it has some small industries and these help to establish it as an important centre. It is situated on the fringe of a large fertile plain which extends up beyond Dundalk and southwards to the Collon hills. The countryside around here is well wooded and watered and is mostly divided into fairly big farms. The history of Ardee goes back to pre-Christian times when it was a strategic crossing on the main route north. The old ford, probably a little beyond the existing bridge over the Dee, was the scene of one of the best known of all Irish legends, the four day battle of Cuchulainn and Ferdia. |
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| Around the beginning of the first century a boy was born in the ancient fort of Dun Dealgan, a mile outside Dundalk. He was called Setanta, but when, at a nearly age, he killed the Hound of Culainn his name was changed to Cuchulainn. The boy corps of King Conor’s army attracted him and after he joined it he began to show his almost unbelievable physical powers in various ways. As he grew he also did the number stories of his deeds. Among the friends he made at the corps was another young soldier of almost equal ability. This was Ferdia, later to become champion of Queen Maeve of Connacht. Cuchulainn was Conor’s best warrior and the legends telling of his various fights and acts of valor make some of the most popular reading in early Irish history. One of these stories, bringing Cuchulainn and Ferdia together at Ardee, tells of the Cattle Raid of Cooley or, in the Irish, the Táin Bó Cuailgne. |
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It seems that when Queen Maeve began checking her stock she found that Allil, her husband, had a magnificent bull which she envied very much. In all Ireland there was not its equal except in Cooley, the ancient name of the Carlingford Peninsula. Here, in King Conor’s territory was a bull which, should she secure it, would not only match Allil’s, but better it.After an abortive attempt at trickery, Maeve had to attack Ulster openly. Cuchulainn was given the job of defending the various fords the invaders must cross and as Ferdia was the Connacht Queen’s most fearless fighter, she ordered him to do combat with his childhood companion. Both warriors, though friends, were duty and honour bound to fight and fight to the death. They fought their battle near the old ford over the river Dee. It lasted four days and throughout the whole contest both men were most courteous and honourable. |
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| In the end, Cuchulainn won and as a last act of friendship, he carried the body of his friend to the Ulster side of the ford. Thiss was to imply that Ferdia had actually crossed over into enemy territory before being killed. The town of Ardee and the River Dee were both called after Ferdia's Ford. Maeve, though she was humiliated because of not being able to cross the ford, succeeded in capturing the Brow Bull and bringing it back to Connacht. Here it fought and killed its western counterpart and eventually found its way home. Cuchulainn, after marrying Emer, daughter of Fergal at Lusk, Co. Dublin, continued with his colorful career. Among his many other single combats was the famous one with his son, Conlaoch, whom he did not recognize until after he had killed him. At the age of 30, he was killed at Rathiddy, defending his lands and the story describing his death. |
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