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Dedication: For Mary and Colm, my mother and father, who have supported me ever since I started my very first drawing.
acknowledgements: I would like to acknowledge the creative rebirth of the Irish comic book artist over the last few years. As a nation we have come alive in this area like never before and we are already making an impact around the world. I would like to commend The O’Brien press in supporting Irish illustrators in this area, helping to spread the great work. hopefully, it is the start of a long and beautiful relationship.
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IRELAND, CENTURIES AGO.
‘You must know something.’
Celtic Warrior ‘You may have MADE it this far’
the legend of
Cu Chulainn ‘But i will defeat you,’
chapter one ‘Though little of my life remains to me.’
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‘My land shall not be conquered today.’
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40 days beforehand, at the southernmost tip of ireland.
C Chulainn HA!, He Is But one man.
A Lone Warrior at the summit of ireland. yet he chooses to stand against the entire army of maeve.
I’ll Gladly Bet All of MY Land that I could take him out by myself.
Those would be brave words, Fiacha if you were the owner of more than a simple pig farm.
Clearly, my old friend, you have never heard the stories about the young hound of ulster.
haha, maybe so, but I will lay claim to a lot more than that once i slit the boy’s throat.
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and besides, i hear pigs are exactly the kind of company you like to keep at night!
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And he never will!
i will have none of this on the eve of our journey. For we are Warriors of Ireland, Eighteen thousand strong.
We are the finest men the isle has seen, from all corners of our fair land. our queen has cast a spell so that only one man awaits us. one man!
We will level his mountains, burn his forests and plunder his women. and in doing so we will bury any memories and tales of the one who dares stand up against our queen.
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so take your drink in your hand. Enjoy your night.
Tomorrow we cross the plains of Ireland, To Claim Donn Cuailnge, the brown bull of ulster, and its lands for maeve.
For MaEve
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FOOLs, They know not what they fight for, yet they cheer with all their hearts.
Even you, My steed, as a lowly mare, possess more of an ability to Resist my sorcery than any male.
rest easy tonight, my friend, and know in your heart,
That all of this Island will be mine
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and NO MAN shall be spared untiL I take it.
fROM 300 miles away
across the whole of ireland.
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what was that?
FIACHA, MY friend, Wake UP!
mmm
old man, what makes you wake me from my sleep?
i heard something outside.
you what?
im telling you, I heard the howl of an Evil Beast!
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get your rest. we set off at dawn.
Fine, i’ll go look by myself.
ho there! guards.
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On your patrols, did you perhaps hear anything out of the ordinary? I could swear I heard a roar coming from outside the settlement.
Drinking too much, are we, soldier? There is nothing to be heard here other than the snoring of thousands of drunken men.
Perhaps the little man had a nightmare?
Haha! the Hound of Ulster is coming to get him in his sleep!
You’re absolutely sure?
Look, get back into your dwelling before I...
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Warriors of Ireland awaken! we are under attack!
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