Connla

Connla was the younger son of Conn Cétchathach and brother of Art. Connla was described as having fair hair, so he was called Connla of the Golden Hair.

The only story I could find on Connla was in a tale called Echtrae Conli or "The Adventure of Connla", which can be found in the 15th century manuscript known as the Book of Fermoy.

One day, while walking around the royal hill of Uisnech, they encountered a beautiful fairy or Danann woman who had come from the Land of Living (Tir na mBéo). She enticed and urged Connla to come with her and live in the land where there was always joy, no sorrow and no conflict, and where everyone didn't age.

Though Conn heard Connla speak to the woman, he could not see the woman. The Aes-shee, as she called herself (and her kind) replied to the king's enquiry that she would like to take his son to Mag Mell or the Pleasant Plain, where his son could rule her immortal people.

Conn did not want to lose his son to the witch woman; he ordered his druid to banish the banshee. The fairy was forced to flee when the druid cast his spell, and she lost her voice. But before she left, she gave a golden apple to the beautiful prince.

That night, Connla ate the magic apple, after he refused all other food and drink. In the morning the apple was miraculously whole again. So day after day, Connla continued to eat the apple. Day by day, Connla also longed for the beautiful woman he had seen, even though he didn't want to leave his family, friends and home.

A month later, the fairy woman returned and had recovered her voice. Once again, the beautiful woman asked Connla to leave his family and home and join her in Mag Mell.

This time Conn could see as well as hear the strangely beautiful woman. The king angrily summoned his druid again. But this time she was ready, because she had already cast a spell on the druid so that the druid could neither speak nor cast his own spell.

The woman then sung a long song of the beauty of her world, how nothing would ever grow old in the land, including her people. She invited Connla to rule this land with her as her husband.

Moved by her voice and beauty, Connla left Ireland on a crystal coracle, and he was never seen again by his people.