Ireland's OWN: Myths & Magic The Story of Deirdre and Conchobar* The tale of 'Deirdre of the Sorrows' appears in a text dated to the ninth Century AD. It was later absorbed to the Ulster Cycle as a foretell to Táin.1 In the story, Cathbadh is described as having such power that could predict Deirdre's identity and her future while she was yet unborn.2 At a gathering at which Fedlimid — the chief storyteller at the royal court — Conchobar, Cathbadh and other noble Ulstermen were present. Fedlimid's pregnant wife was serving food and wine. As the men conversed, the unborn child suddenly gave a loud shriek. Confused and frightened, the woman turned to the Druid to explain the extraordinary phenomenon. Cathbadh placed his hand on the woman's stomach and prophesised that the child would be a girl named Deirdre, and that she would be exceedingly beautiful but would bring about the ruin of Ulster. Then the daughter was born and Cathbadh said, “Much damage Deirdriu, will follow your fame and fair visage: Ulster's daughter of Fedlimid.” The Druid was right. Despite the demands of Conchobar's noblemen that the baby be destroyed, the king allowed to her to be reared in secret, vowing to marry the lovely as soon as she came of age. But Deirdre had other ideas: she fell in love with a handsome youth named Naoise, and fled with him to Scotland. Conchobar sent them a pardon, but his forgiveness was treacherous and, once the lovers returned to Emhain Macha, he destroyed them. The dishonour of this deed led to the defection of the three great Ulster warriors — Cormac, Ferghus and Conall Cernach — to the enemy province of Connacht. In the long and bitter fighting which followed between the two provinces, with Ulster sorely weakened by the heroes' desertion, both Connacht and Ulster suffered such heavy losses that they were nearly obliterated.  Footnotes  1 'Táin' refers to the early medieval Ulster Cycle, the Táin bó Cuailnge (the Cattle Raid of Cooley). 2 Cathbadh was the Court Druid of King Conchobar mac Nessa of Ulster. He was also Conchobar's foster father.   Source *From Green, Miranda, J. The World of the Druids. Thames & Hudson: London. 1997. See also:  The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu and the Death of Deirdre Page last updated 28 Sep  2008 Website Design and Myths & Magic logo by Míchealín Daugherty Copyright © 2008 Ireland's OWN All Rights Reserved.