Conchobar Mac Nessa

Conchobar Mac Nessa was the greatest king of Ulaid (Ulster).

Conchobar was the son of Ness, daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. There is some confusion over who Conchobar's father was. One legend said that his father was Fachtna Fáthach, a giant and king of Ulster. Fachtna was either the brother or half-brother of Fergus Mac Roich.

In the Welsh legend of Culhwch and Olwen, Conchobar was equated with Cnychwr son of Nes.

But the more popular version said that Conchobar's father was the great druid Cathbad. According to one version, Cathbad was passing through Emain Macha when he met the girl Ness. Ness asked the druid what that hour was lucky for, and Cathbad said the hour was good for begetting a king upon the queen. Since her husband wasn't there and there were no other male about, the queen took Cathbad as her lover; thus was the conception of Conchobar.

When his father (Fachtna) died, Fergus, Conchobar's uncle, was supposed to have succeeded the king. Fergus, who was in love with his half-brother's widow Nessa, was persuaded by her to allow her son to rule for at least one year, so she could claim that her son was king. But Conchobar ruled Ulaid so well that the people refused to let him step down from the throne after he ruled for a year. Fergus, who did not want the throne anyway, accepted his nephew as king.

During his reign, he ruled Ulster with wisdom and justice. Ulster prospered. Conchobar established a military order of elite warriors called the Red Branch. His uncle Fergus served as captain of the Red Branch, and with his teaching, he produced one of the finest fighting machines. Some of Fergus' finest pupils included Conall Cernach and Cu Chulainn, cousins to the king by marriage.

No special names were given to Conchobar's weapons and horses. His charioteer was named Ibor.

At different times, Conchobar married the four different daughters of Eochaid Feidlech. Conchobar married Medb (Maeve) first, then her sister Eithne Aittencháithrech, Mugain and Clothra. Medb left Conchobar and became his mortal enemy, fleeing to Connacht.

When his aunt Deichtine, daughter of Cathbad and Maga, disappeared, it was Conchobar who found her son Cu Chulainn in a magical house (Cu Chulainn originally was named Setanta at birth). Conchobar found out through prophecy that his cousin would become the greatest hero in Ireland. Conchobar was at the mansion of Culann, when Setanta earned the name Cu Chulainn, "Hound of Culann".

When Cu Chulainn first received his weapons and war-chariot, none of the spears and chariots were strong enough to hold the young hero except the king's own weapons and chariot, which Conchobar freely gave to Cu Chulainn.

Conchobar was responsible for the defection of Fergus and 3000 other warriors, including his own son, Cormac, when he had the sons of Uisnech put to death. Conchobar wanted to marry Deirdre, but she had run off and eloped with Noísi (Noisi), son of Uisnech. Fergus and the other warriors took services with Ulster's traditional enemy – Connacht. Connacht was a south-west neighbouring province ruled by Ailill and Medb (Maeve).

Medb was responsible for the cattle raid in Cuailnge. Conchobar and his Red Branch warriors suffered from the curse of Macha, when Medb's army invaded Ulster. For five days and five nights, Conchobar and his warriors laid helpless and weakened from the pain. Only Cu Chulainn wasn't affected from the curse, and managed to delay Medb's army from completely overrunning Conchobar's kingdom. Conchobar and his men recovered from the curse, and they pursued and defeated Medb's army.

After the battle, a Connacht warrior named Cet Mac Maga used a sling-stone called "brain-ball" on him. The brain-ball was hurled from Cet's sling and became lodged in Conchobar's head. Although Conchobar survived this attack, Druids and physicians couldn't remove the brain-balls without killing the king. Conchobar was told that he should avoid great excitement, otherwise the brain-ball would rupture and kill him.

Conall Cernach had created the brain-ball when he killed the king of Leinster. He used the Leinster king's brain, which he mixed with lime. Cet stole the brain-ball from the king's armoury before using it on Conchobar.

Seven years after the attack on him, the sky darkened suddenly. Conchobar asked his druids what had caused this strange phenomenon. The druids performed some magic and the chief druid, Barach, told the king that he found out that Jesus Christ had been crucified that very day, for claiming to be the "Son of God". Conchobar was suddenly overcome with fury and began hacking at one of the trees in his garden. Suddenly, the brain-ball exploded in his head, killing Conchobar instantly.