Conchobar is the son of Ness and the druid Cathbad. The boy is reared by Cathbad until the age of seven, when a new king of Ulster, Fergus mac Roich, seeks Ness for his wife after having fallen in love with her.
Nessa agrees to become his wife on the condition that Fergus allows Conchobar to be king for a year. Fergus, being the good-hearted man that he was, happily made the trade.
Conchobar advised by his mother rules so well that by the end of the year decide he should be king permantly, and so w hen Fergus wanted his throne back .Ness makes it difficult for Fergus to retain his title and Conchobar musteres his warriors to drive his rival into exile.
Despite his unusual access to royal power, Conchobar becomes a popular king.
At times, Conchobar was a good king, incredibly generous, especially with his nephew Cuchulainn, celebrated for his prudence and wise judgement; and at times he was a bad one, it was his fault that the goddess Macha cursed all the men of Ulster, and that the “ Sorrows of Deirdre “ ever happened.
Conchobar married several of Eochu’s (High King) daughters. Medb, was the first. She bears him a son, but soon leaves him.
Conchobar married several of Eochu’s (High King) daughters. Medb, was the first. She bears him a son, but soon leaves him.
Medb’s sister, Eithne, conceives a son by him, but Medb murders her and the son is delivered by posthumous caesarean section.
Mugain bears him a son and remains his chief wife.
Conchobar’s eldest son, Cormac, is given to Fergus mac Roich to foster.
Famous stories in which Conchobar appears are The Cattle Raid of Cooley and The Battle of Ros na Rig.
Conchobar owned a famous shield named Ochain which let out a piteous wail whenever its master was in peril.
The Book of Leinster tells of his death at the hand of Conall of the Victories who hit him with a talisman, one of Ulster’s trophies of battle, (the petrified brain of a king of Leinster) from a slingshot so hard that the ball became deeply embedded in Conchobar’s brain.
His physicians were unable to remove it, so sewed up the wound and told the king he would survive so long as he did not get excited or over-exerted himself.
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