Cú Chulainn: The Irish Berserker

Cú Chulainn is one of the most famous of all Celtic Irish mythological heroes. He rose to fame from his exceptional skills at the Irish sport of Hurling. He then solidified his legend by killing the monstrous hound of Culann. Cú Chulainn is most famous for his great berserker rage in battle; turning himself into a giant rage monster that would slaughter men by the hundreds!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP FOR PRODUCTS WITH THIS DESIGN!

Black and White Version

Color Version

My vision for my Cú Chulainn portrait was to try to sum up all the different components to his mythology in a single image. So Cú Chulainn himself is at the center carrying a hurley which he used to slay Culann's hound, and, thereby, earning the name Cú Chulainn which is Irish for Culann's hound (Cú Chulainn agreed to replace Culann's guard hound after killing it.) He is also carrying the magical barbed spear named Gáe Bulg.

BERSERKER!

 "Odin's men went without their mailcoats and were mad as hounds or wolves, bit their shields...they slew men, but neither fire nor iron had effect upon them..."

Final "Berserker" Image

One of the most famous and popular icons from the heathen Viking age is that of the berserker. The beserkers, referred to as "Odin's men" were Viking shock troops that were renown for their ferocity in battle. They are also associated with shamanism and would use various hallucinogenic plants, alcohol, and ritual practices to work themselves into a battle frenzy where they were reported by several historians to display feats of super human strength, and, reportedly, felt no pain. They would also not be able to distinguish friend from foe, killing indiscriminately. 

"BERSERKER TRAINING!" Gear

Go BERSERK in the gym with some Celtic Hammer Club "Berserker Training" gym apparel.

Viking "Berserkers" were an elite group of Viking warriors. Known as "Odin's special warrirors", they fought with such insane ferocity that they didn't even distinguish between friend or foe! Basically, anything that came near a Berserker while in a trance-like fury was about to become hamburger meat!

Celtic Hammer Club has used the legendary intensity of the Berserker warriors to create this line of gym apparel for those of you who like to go berserk in the gym! There are tanks, muscle shirts, and t-shirts featuring a very intense, over-the-top Berserker getting his swole on.

CHC "BERSERKER Training" Gear

"His (Odin's) men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them."