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Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: KEVIN FRANCIS GRAY, Bust of Aoife's Son, 2022 Photo by Nicola Gnesi

KEVIN FRANCIS GRAY

Bust of Aoife's Son, 2022
Carrara mermeri / Carrara marble
38 x 30 x 27.5 cm, 26 kg
Courtesy of the Artist, PACE and PİLEVNELİ
The legend of Aoife's son, Connla, is one of the most poignant tales in Irish mythology. Connla was the offspring of a brief yet fateful union between the great hero...
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The legend of Aoife's son, Connla, is one of the most poignant tales in Irish mythology. Connla was the offspring of a brief yet fateful union between the great hero Cuchulainn and Aoife, a formidable warrior queen and the sworn enemy of Scathach, who had mentored Cuchulainn. This saga unfolds against a backdrop of loyalty, destiny, and tragic misunderstanding.Cuchulainn's encounter with Aoife came when he stood against her in battle, representing his teacher Scathach. Despite the enmity, a moment of truce led to an intimate union, and Aoife promised to bear Cuchulainn a son. Cuchulainn left a golden ring with Aoife, instructing her to give it to their child when he was of age and to send the boy to him in Ireland after seven years.Connla grew up embodying the fierce and noble qualities of his parents. Trained rigorously in the arts of war by his mother, he became a paragon of strength and courage. At the age of seven, as instructed, Aoife sent Connla to Ulster, giving him the golden ring and his father’s directives: to not reveal his identity, to stay on his path, and to accept all challenges to battle.Upon reaching the shores of Ulster, Connla's exceptional abilities immediately drew attention. His feats, such as shooting down birds with his sling and reviving them, amazed King Concobhar Mac Nessa’s men. When they approached him, Connla's adherence to his father's instructions led him to refuse revealing his identity, resulting in a series of confrontations where he defeated each warrior sent to challenge him.News of a young warrior besting Ulster’s champions reached Cuchulainn, who felt compelled to defend the honour of his land. Despite his wife Emer’s premonitions, Cuchulainn confronted the boy. Bound by his promise and unable to recognise his son, Cuchulainn demanded Connla’s name. Connla, staying true to his father's commands, remained silent, which incited a fierce battle between father and son. Tragically, Cuchulainn, using his deadly spear, the Gae Bolga, mortally wounded Connla.In his dying moments, Connla's identity was revealed, plunging Cuchulainn and the people of Ulster into profound grief. The legend of Connla, Aoife's son, thus stands as a powerful tale of heroism shaped by fate and the profound impact of honour and obedience. It underscores the enduring themes of identity, familial bonds, and the remarkable ways in which destiny weaves together the threads of life and legacy.
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