In Irish mythology Ailill was the husband of Medb and the owner of the white-horned bull of Connacht, called Finnbhenach. Although the bull was born into Medb's herd, the legend says that the animal thought that belonging to a woman was lower in dignity than belonging to a man, and transferred itself into Ailill's ownership. As Medb was extremely jealous of his husband's ownership of the bull, she started the War for the Brown Bull.