The Pangs of Ulster!?!?

Now Crunniuc’s wife was the one to curse anyone within ear shot, with the pangs for four nights and five days, or five nights and four days. I understand that people had to with stand this event and afterwards were perfectly alright. The question I have is that, was this a once a year event, once in a lifetime, or perhaps more often?

Cuchulainn said that he had not slept for almost six months, while defending Ulster from the four provinces of Ireland. The entire time Cuchulainn was defending, Ulster did not produce any sort of army. Except, the boy troop that charged in while Cuchulainn was sleeping for three days. Why did Ulster not send forth the men they could, to help Cuchulainn fight? The pangs only lasted for four days and five nights? So how could Ulster not have not one man, to help Cuchulainn?

Was Ulster taking advantage of the honorable Cuchulainn? Letting him fight their entire battle for them, without bringing anyone, except all of the younger generation of boys. I think that Ulster was being a little greedy, letting their “hound” do all of the work in order to keep them safe.