page_title: Ferdiad
section_title: Legacy
hierarchical_section_title: Ferdiad / Legacy
caption_attribution_description: English: An Image of the Statue of Cuchulainn and Ferdia, Ardee
context_page_description: Ferdiad, son of Damán, son of Dáire, of the Fir Domnann, is a warrior of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. In the Táin Bó Cúailnge, Ferdiad finds himself on opposite sides of the war to his best friend and foster-brother Cú Chulainn, who has been interpreted as his lover, with whom he had trained in arms under the renowned warrior woman Scáthach. He and Cú Chulainn are equal in all martial feats, with two exceptions: the Gáe Bulg, a barbed spear which Scáthach has taught only Cú Chulainn to use; and Ferdiad's horny skin, which no weapon can pierce.
  When Ailill and Medb, king and queen of Connacht, invade Ulster to steal the bull Donn Cúailnge, their progress is held up by Cú Chulainn, who demands single combat. After Cú Chulainn has defeated a series of Connacht champions, Medb sends for Ferdiad, but he only agrees to fight Cú Chulainn after Findabair, Ailill and Medb's daughter, has seductively plied him with alcohol, and Medb has variously bribed, shamed and goaded him to do so.
context_section_description: The ford on which he died is named Áth Fhirdiad (Ferdiad's ford in Irish) Ardee, County Louth is named after him (Baile Átha Fhirdhia).
  A bronze statue stands in Bridge Street, Ardee depicting the battle and the death of Ferdiad.
caption: A Statue of Cuchulainn and Ferdia in Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland.
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