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Conor
Mac Nessa & Deirdre of the Sorrows
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Conor
was born the son of an
Ulster chieftain, Fachtna and his
wife Nessa. When Fachtna died his half brother Fergus took the throne
of Ulster and asked Nessa to be his wife and queen. Nessa had one
condition to ask of Fergus, she asked for her son Conor to take the
throne for one year. Fergus agreed to this and enjoyed the following
year as a man of leisure while Conor ruled Ulster.
Conors
year in charge of the province saw him become
a most popular king so much so that at the
end of his year the people of Ulster insisted he keep the throne and
continue his fine role as king of Ulster. As for Fergus he had no
problem with the peoples wishes for he liked his new lifestyle of
hunting and feasting. Conor now continued to rule Ulster from the
royal fort of
Emain Macha
with his elite warriors “The Red Branch”.
One
of Ulster’s chieftains Felim, held a feast inviting Conor and his
druid Cathbad, Fergus and various knights of the red branch. While
feasting that night Felim received news that his wife had just given
birth to a baby girl. Cathbad, Conor’s druid was asked to tell the
baby’s horoscope, after studying the stars Cathbad relayed his findings
to the gathering… `This child will grow up to be the most beautiful
woman ever to be seen in the land, she will marry a king, great
disagreements feuds
will follow, she will bring death and destruction, champions and chieftains
on seeing her will fight deadly battles and rivers of blood will flow
through Ulster`. . . |
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On
hearing this Conor’s knights insisted on killing the child there and
then and save Ulster from this terrible future, but Conor would not
hear agree instead he offered to take the child into his care and when
she came of age he would marry and protect her. The child was named Deirdre
and was taken to a secluded dun in a remote forest somewhere in Ulster.
Conor had charged his head nurse Lavarcam to look after Deirdre’s
upbringing and she grew up as the druids prophecy had stated, “a beautiful maiden”.
One
winters night as Lavarcam and Deirdre stood gazing out at the moonlit grounds
at a place where previously one of the servants had killed a calf,
there they spied a black raven drinking the blood stained snow.
Deirdre confessed that the raven reminded her of her true love that
she had seen in her dreams. Lavarcam knowing
that Deirdre was soon to marry Conor arranged for Deirdre to spy
a young warrior at Conors court.
Lavarcam
secretly invited Naoise who was the eldest son of Usna to the secluded dun where Deirdre instantly
recognised him as the figure in her dreams and in turn Naoise when
he looked at Deirdre he instantly fell in love with her beauty. Deirdre
and Naoise along with his two brothers Ardan and Ainle fled to Scotland
fearing Conors anger.
While
in Scotland the three
sons
of Usna enlisted with the army of
the king there. Their skills in fighting and charioteering earned
them great respect and recognition until the king saw Deirdre and
fell in love with her instantly and desired her for himself. Again
the sons of Usna and Deirdre had to flee and made their way to a remote
island on the west coast of Scotland.
All
this time Conor never forgot his stolen bride to be and had to endure
shame and embarrassment. But behind it all he hatched a plan of revenge
against the sons of Usna. He sent Fergus who had a strong bond with
Naoise, Ardan and Ainle to Scotland with a message for the exiles
ensuring them safe return to Ulster.
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