Eochaid Feidlech
Encyclopedia
Eochu or Eochaid Feidlech ("the enduring"), son of Finn
, was, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, a High King of Ireland
. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb
of Connacht
.
According to the 12th century Lebor Gabála Érenn
, he took power when he defeated the previous High King, Fachtna Fáthach
, in the Battle of Leitir Rúaid. The Middle Irish
saga Cath Leitrech Ruibhe tells the story of this battle. While Fachtna Fáthach was away from Tara
on a visit to Ulster
, Eochu, then king of Connacht
, raised an army, had the provincial kings killed and took hostage
s from Tara. When news reached Fachtna at Emain Macha
, he raised an army of Ulstermen and gave battle at Leitir Rúaid in the Corann
(modern County Sligo), but was defeated and beheaded by Eochu. Eochaid Sálbuide
, the king of Ulster, was also killed. Fergus mac Róich
covered the Ulster army's retreat, and Eochu marched to Tara.
Various Middle Irish tales give him a large family. His wife was Cloithfinn, and they had six daughters, Derbriu, Eile, Mugain
, Eithne, Clothru and Medb
, and four sons, a set of triplets known as the three findemna
, and Conall Anglondach. Derbriu was the lover of Aengus
of the Tuatha Dé Danann
. Her mother-in-law, Garbdalb, turned six men into pigs for the crime of eating nuts from her grove, and Derbriu protected them for a year until they were killed by Medb. When Conchobar mac Nessa
became king of Ulster, Eochu gave four of his daughters, Mugain, Eithne, Clothru and Medb, to him in marriage in compensation for the death of his supposed father, Fachtna Fáthach. Eithne bore him a son, Furbaide, who was born by posthumous caesarian section after Medb drowned her. Clothru, according to one tradition, bore him his eldest son Cormac Cond Longas
, although other traditions make him the son of Conchobar by his own mother, Ness
. Medb bore Conchobar a son called Amalgad, but later left him, and Eochu set her up as queen of Connacht. Some time after that, Eochu held an assembly at Tara, which both Conchobar and Medb attended. The morning after the assembly, Conchobar followed Medb down to the river Boyne
where she had gone to bathe, and raped her. Eochu made war against Conchobar on the Boyne, but was defeated.
The three findemna tried to overthrow their father in the Battle of Druimm Criaich. The night before the battle, their sister Clothru, afraid that they would die without an heir, seduced all three of them, and the future High King Lugaid Riab nDerg
, was conceived. The next day they were killed, and their father, seeing their severed heads, swore that no son should directly succeed his father to the High Kingship of Ireland.
He ruled for twelve years, and died of natural causes at Tara, succeeded by his brother Eochu Airem. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with the dictatorship of Julius Caesar
(48-44 BC). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating
's Foras Feasa ar Éireann dates his reign to 94-82 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters
to 143-131 BC.
Finn
Finn is commonly used to refer to a member of the Finn ethnic group or a citizen of Finland.a name* Finn , a Frisian King, who appears in Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg...
, was, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, a High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
.
According to the 12th century Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
, he took power when he defeated the previous High King, Fachtna Fáthach
Fachtna Fáthach
Fachtna Fáthach , son of Cas , son of Rudraige, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power when he defeated the previous High King, Dui Dallta Dedad, in the battle of Árd Brestine...
, in the Battle of Leitir Rúaid. The Middle Irish
Middle Irish language
Middle Irish is the name given by historical philologists to the Goidelic language spoken in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man from the 10th to 12th centuries; it is therefore a contemporary of late Old English and early Middle English...
saga Cath Leitrech Ruibhe tells the story of this battle. While Fachtna Fáthach was away from Tara
Hill of Tara
The Hill of Tara , located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland...
on a visit to Ulster
Ulaid
The Ulaid or Ulaidh were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
, Eochu, then king of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, raised an army, had the provincial kings killed and took hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
s from Tara. When news reached Fachtna at Emain Macha
Emain Macha
]Navan Fort – known in Old Irish as Eṁaın Ṁacha and in Modern Irish as Eamhain Mhacha – is an ancient monument in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. According to Irish legend, it was one of the major power centers of pre-Christian Ireland...
, he raised an army of Ulstermen and gave battle at Leitir Rúaid in the Corann
Corann
The Corann was a barony in County Sligo in the province of Connacht, Ireland....
(modern County Sligo), but was defeated and beheaded by Eochu. Eochaid Sálbuide
Eochaid Sálbuide
Eochaid Sálbuide was king of Ulster prior to the events of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. His daughter was Ness. He died at the Battle of Leitir Ruadh, fighting on the side of the High King of Ireland, Fachtna Fáthach, against Eochaid Feidlech, who defeated and deposed him as High King. He...
, the king of Ulster, was also killed. Fergus mac Róich
Fergus mac Róich
Fergus mac Róich is a character of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
covered the Ulster army's retreat, and Eochu marched to Tara.
Various Middle Irish tales give him a large family. His wife was Cloithfinn, and they had six daughters, Derbriu, Eile, Mugain
Mugain
Mugain, daughter of Eochaid Feidlech, is the wife of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her epithet, Aitinchairchech, means "having gorse-like body hair"....
, Eithne, Clothru and Medb
Medb
Medb – Middle Irish: Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ; early modern Irish: Meadhbh ; reformed modern Irish Méabh, Medbh; sometimes Anglicised Maeve, Maev or Maive – is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
, and four sons, a set of triplets known as the three findemna
Findemna
In Irish mythology the three Findemna of Finn Eamna were three sons of the High King of Ireland, Eochaid Feidlech. Their names were Bres, Nár and Lothar....
, and Conall Anglondach. Derbriu was the lover of Aengus
Aengus
In Irish mythology, Óengus , Áengus , or Aengus or Aonghus , is a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and probably a god of love, youth and poetic inspiration...
of the Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
. Her mother-in-law, Garbdalb, turned six men into pigs for the crime of eating nuts from her grove, and Derbriu protected them for a year until they were killed by Medb. When Conchobar mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa was the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He ruled from Emain Macha .-Birth:...
became king of Ulster, Eochu gave four of his daughters, Mugain, Eithne, Clothru and Medb, to him in marriage in compensation for the death of his supposed father, Fachtna Fáthach. Eithne bore him a son, Furbaide, who was born by posthumous caesarian section after Medb drowned her. Clothru, according to one tradition, bore him his eldest son Cormac Cond Longas
Cormac Cond Longas
Cormac Cond Longas was the eldest son of Conchobar mac Nessa by his own mother, Ness, in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
, although other traditions make him the son of Conchobar by his own mother, Ness
Ness (Irish mythology)
Ness , also called Nessa, is a princess of the Ulaid and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her father is Eochaid Sálbuide, king of the Ulaid....
. Medb bore Conchobar a son called Amalgad, but later left him, and Eochu set her up as queen of Connacht. Some time after that, Eochu held an assembly at Tara, which both Conchobar and Medb attended. The morning after the assembly, Conchobar followed Medb down to the river Boyne
River Boyne
The River Boyne is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newbury Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through County Meath to reach the Irish Sea between Mornington, County Meath and Baltray, County Louth. Salmon...
where she had gone to bathe, and raped her. Eochu made war against Conchobar on the Boyne, but was defeated.
The three findemna tried to overthrow their father in the Battle of Druimm Criaich. The night before the battle, their sister Clothru, afraid that they would die without an heir, seduced all three of them, and the future High King Lugaid Riab nDerg
Lugaid Riab nDerg
Lugaid Riab nDerg or Réoderg , son of the three findemna, triplet sons of Eochu Feidlech, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland.-Conception:...
, was conceived. The next day they were killed, and their father, seeing their severed heads, swore that no son should directly succeed his father to the High Kingship of Ireland.
He ruled for twelve years, and died of natural causes at Tara, succeeded by his brother Eochu Airem. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with the dictatorship of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
(48-44 BC). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
's Foras Feasa ar Éireann dates his reign to 94-82 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
to 143-131 BC.