CONNACHTof Jesus and also Hercules in Greek myth) and is a
major element in the life of the hero. It would seem
that each episode in the heroic biography (e.g., Com-
pert,Aided[violent death], etc.) corresponds with the
different stages of the ritual life cycle, and so these
tales are of a symbolic rather than a factual nature. The
heroic biography emphasises the conception and birth
of the hero, which is consistently of an extraordinary
nature and is sometimes found incorporated into
another story, such as the larger story of the hero’s life.
For example, the story of the birth of Cormac mac Airt
has come down to us in two tales, which include not
only the conception and birth of Cormac, but also his
life story, containing many of the features of the heroic
biography. However, sometimes the conception and birth
of the hero appears as a tale in its own right. The most
prominent of these in Irish literature are Compert Con
Culainn,Compert Conchobuir, and Compert Mongáin.
Two versions of Compert Con Culainn have come
down to us from an original probably composed in the
eighth century. In what is likely the older version,
Dechtine, daughter of Conchobor, king of Ulster,
adopts a child who is the son of the god Lug. The child
dies and Lug appears to Dechtine in a dream, telling
her that she is pregnant by him and that she would
give birth to a boy whom she was to call Sétantae. She
subsequently marries and aborts the fetus. She again
becomes pregnant, this time by her husband, and gives
birth to a boy whom she calls Sétantae. It is this child
who is later renamed Cú Chulainn.
There are also two versions of Compert Conchobuir
(the same Conchobor, king of Ulster, who appears above
as uncle of Cú Chulainn). Again, there was a probable
eighth-century original of this tale. The earliest version
tells how one day the druid Cathbad comes upon Nessa,
princess of Ulster. In answer to her question regarding
what the hour was lucky for, Cathbad declares “Begetting
a king upon a queen.” Nessa becomes pregnant by Cathbad
at her own request and carries the child for three years
and three months. Although Conchobor’s father is
Cathbad, he is known as Conchobor mac Nessa.
Also a likely eighth-century composition, Compert
Mongáinopens with Fíachnae mac Báetáin, the king of
Ulster, leaving for Scotland to fight alongside his friend,
Aedán mac Gabráin, against the Saxons. While Fíach-
nae is away, a noble-looking man visits his wife. He
convinces her that Fíachnae is in mortal danger and that
he will help her husband if she will sleep with him and
bear him a famous son, Mongán. She sleeps with the
stranger and he keeps his promise. Fíachnae returns
safely and his wife bears a son, known as Mongán mac
Fíachnai, although he was the son of the god Manannán
mac Lir, who was, in fact, the stranger who came to her.
UndoubtedlyCompertawere written for many other
Irish heroes but have been lost. Under the heading of
Compertain List B mentioned above, five tales appear.
Of these only two have survived: Compert Con Culainn
andCompert Conchobuir. Another, Compert Cormaic
Uí Chuinn (Birth of Cormac grandson of Conn), does
not survive, but is found, as is stated above, incorporated
into two other tales. The other two, Compert Conaill
ChernaigandCompert Cheltchar maic Uithechair, do
not exist in the extant literature. Furthermore, the tale
Compert Mongáin does not appear at all, showing that
this is hardly an exhaustive list.
NORA WHITEReferences and Further Reading
Carney, James. Studies in Irish Literature and History. Dublin:
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1955.
Gantz, Jeffrey. Early Irish Myths and Sagas. Harmondsworth:
Penguin, 1981.
Mac Cana, Proinsias. The Learned Tales of Medieval Ireland.
Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1980.
Meyer, Kuno. The Voyage of Bran. London: Llanerch, 1895.
Ó Cathasaigh, Tomás. The Heroic Biography of Cormac mac
Airt.Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1977.
Rank, Otto. The Myth of the Birth of the Hero. New York:
Vintage Books, 1964.
See alsoÁes Dána;Aideda;Echtrai;Immrama;
Poets/Men of Learning; Ulster CycleCONNACHTEarly History
Connacht is provided with natural borders by the
river Shannon and Loch Ree in the east and the
Curliew Mountains on the northeast. The Ulster
Cycle has the legendary warrior-queen Medb and her
husband Ailill rule the province from their royal seat
at Cruachain (Rathcroghan), the capital of Connacht,
a complex of ringforts, mounds, and earthworks. It
is located in the traditional heartland of the later
kings of Connacht, the Uí Chonchobair, who
employed the nearby prehistoric burial cairn of Carnfree
as a royal inauguration site.
The name Connacht is derived from the Connachta
dynasty, which according to tradition takes its name
from Conn Cétchathach (“of the Hundred Battles”),
legendary king of Ireland. According to the genealo-
gies, from him were descended the brothers Niall
Noígiallach (“of the Nine Hostages”), Brión, Fiachra,
and Ailill, progenitors of the Uí Néill, Uí Briúin, Uí
Fiachrach, and Uí Aililla, respectively. The Uí Néill
allegedly originated in Connacht, but migrated into the
midlands and then the north of Ireland. The other three
dynasties remained in Connacht.