Before she was born, her father took her to the druid Cathbad and asked him to foretell Deirdre’s future.
He said that she would grow to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland
Hearing this, many of the Red Branch Knights wanted the baby immediately killed and urged King of Ulster, Conchobair mac Nessa to take action.
He came up with a solution, intrigued by the description of her future beauty and wanting to keep the child for himself as his wife when she became of age.
Deirdre was taken from his family to a secluded place and an old, wise woman called Leabharcham raised her and. She tried very hard to influence Conchobar not to marry her, and every time the King was more determined to do so.
As it had been foretold, Deirdre grew to be a beautiful, but lonely woman.
While she was in the old woman’s care, Deirdre started to have prophetic dreams, particularly of a young man with black hair, white skin and red lips, and she knew that she would love this fearless warrior.
Deirdre told Leabharcham of her dremas, and she automatically recognised this man as Naoise, a handsome young warrior, hunter and singer at Conchobar’s court.
Deirdre begged the old woman to send for Naoise. Leabharcham refused at first, but when she saw how unhappy the girl was, she helped her.
And so,Deirdre met Naoisse. In the beginning he did not want to have anything to do with her, because it was well known that Deirdre was destined to be the King’s wife. But none of them could help falling in love with each other.
They could not get married in Ulster Scotland
They settled on an island off the coast of Scotland
He sent Fergus mac Roich with a message of King’s forgiveness and an invitation to return, plus Fergus’s own promise to take them back home safely.
Deirdre did not trust the king and wanted to stay in the island, but Naoise believed him, so they set off for the journey back.
As instructed by the King, Fergus was detained on the return journey and was not able to keep protecting the group,but he asked his son to continue the journey.
After they had arrived, Conchobar sent Leabharcham to check if Deirdre had lost her beauty in the years she had been away.
To protect Deirdre, the old woman lied, telling the King that the girl had lost all her beauty. Conchobar did not quite believed her, and he sent another spy, Gelbann, who managed to get a glimpse of Deirdre and went back to tell Conchobar that Deirdre was as beautiful as ever.
With these news, Conchobar called his warriors to attack the house where Deirdre and the three brothers were staying.
Naoise and his brothers fought valiantly, but they were killed, and Deirdre was taken away and forced to marry Conchobar.
After a year, angry with Deirdre for her continuing coldness, Conchobar asked her whom in the world (after him), she hated the most. She replied “Eogan mac Durthacht”, the man who had killed Naoise.
Conchobar, as a punishment, decided to take Deirdre to Eogan, to do with her as he wished.
To prevent her escape, the King tied her hands and placed her in his chariot. During the long journey, Deirdre managed to throw herself from the chariot, hitting her head against a rock and was killed.
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In some versions of the story, Deirdre died of grief.
ReplyDeleteAfter Naoise was killed, so great was Deirdre's sorrow that her heart broke and she fell upon Naoise's body joining him in death.
It is also told that from Deirdre's grave a pine tree grew, and the same happened from Naoise's grave. Both trees met and became so intertwined that nothing could ever separate them again.
There are also different versions of the death of Naoise.
ReplyDeleteIn one version, Eogan mac Durthacht threw a spear killing Naoise, and his brothers were killed after.
In another version, the three brothers were captured and taken to the King. Conchobar asked who would like to kill the traitors.
But none of the knights from the Red Branch would kill one of their own. Suddenly an unknown warrior from another kingdom stepped forwards and with one single blow of his sword cut the heads of Naoise and his brothers.
What happened to Fergus?
ReplyDeleteFergus was an honourable warrior, so after he had given his word to the group, and guaranteed them a safe passage;he was so angered by Conchobar's deceit that he exiled himself to Connacht, where he fought against Ulster in the famous Cattle Raid of Cooley.