Leabharcham
Encyclopedia
Leabharcham was a wise old woman of Emain Macha
in the Ulster Cycle
of Irish mythology
. She raised and educated Deirdre
. Before Deirdre was born, Cathbad
, the chief druid
of King Conchobar mac Nessa
's court, prophesied that she would become the most beautiful woman in the world, and that "she would mean the death of many of our men"; rather than have her killed, Conchobar sent her to be raised in seclusion by Leabharcham until she was old enough to marry him.
In the legend, Deirdre grows up, and tells Leabharcham that she will love a man with hair the color of the raven, skin as white as snow, and lips as red as blood. Leabharcham tells her she knows of such a man: Naoise
, a handsome young warrior, hunter and singer at Conchobar's court. Leabharcham is the one who brings Deirdre and her lover Naoise together. Deirdre, Naoise, and Naoise's two brothers escape to Alba
(Scotland). Later, when they have been tricked into returning to Ulster, the king sends Leabharcham to see if Deirdre is still beautiful. Leabharchan, trying to protect Deirdre, reports back to him that Deirdre has lost all her beauty. Only after the king sends a second spy does the battle break out, which ends tragically with the death of Naoise and his brothers and the king's seizure of Deirdre. Deirdre dies soon afterward.
Leabharcham (Lavarcham) is a character in Synge
's play "Deirdre of the Sorrows
." She has the last line of the play: "Deirdre is dead, and Naisi is dead; and if the oaks and stars could die for sorrow, it's a dark sky and a hard and naked earth we'd have this night in Emain."
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...
in the Ulster Cycle
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
of Irish mythology
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
. She raised and educated Deirdre
Deirdre
Deirdre or Derdriu is the foremost tragic heroine in Irish mythology and probably its best-known figure in modern times. She is often called "Deirdre of the Sorrows." Her story is part of the Ulster Cycle, the best-known stories of pre-Christian Ireland.-Legendary Biography:Deirdre was the...
. Before Deirdre was born, Cathbad
Cathbad
Cathbad or Cathbhadh is the chief druid in the court of Conchobar mac Nessa in the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology.In his younger days he was a warrior, leading a landless band of twenty-seven men. Once he led a raid on the house where the Ulster princess Ness was brought up, killing all twelve...
, the chief druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
of King 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:...
's court, prophesied that she would become the most beautiful woman in the world, and that "she would mean the death of many of our men"; rather than have her killed, Conchobar sent her to be raised in seclusion by Leabharcham until she was old enough to marry him.
In the legend, Deirdre grows up, and tells Leabharcham that she will love a man with hair the color of the raven, skin as white as snow, and lips as red as blood. Leabharcham tells her she knows of such a man: Naoise
Naoise
In Irish mythology, Noíse or Noisiu was the nephew of King Conchobar mac Nessa of Ulster, and a son of Usnech , in the Ulster Cycle....
, a handsome young warrior, hunter and singer at Conchobar's court. Leabharcham is the one who brings Deirdre and her lover Naoise together. Deirdre, Naoise, and Naoise's two brothers escape to Alba
Alba
Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is cognate to Alba in Irish and Nalbin in Manx, the two other Goidelic Insular Celtic languages, as well as similar words in the Brythonic Insular Celtic languages of Cornish and Welsh also meaning Scotland.- Etymology :The term first appears in...
(Scotland). Later, when they have been tricked into returning to Ulster, the king sends Leabharcham to see if Deirdre is still beautiful. Leabharchan, trying to protect Deirdre, reports back to him that Deirdre has lost all her beauty. Only after the king sends a second spy does the battle break out, which ends tragically with the death of Naoise and his brothers and the king's seizure of Deirdre. Deirdre dies soon afterward.
Leabharcham (Lavarcham) is a character in Synge
John Millington Synge
Edmund John Millington Synge was an Irish playwright, poet, prose writer, and collector of folklore. He was a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival and was one of the cofounders of the Abbey Theatre...
's play "Deirdre of the Sorrows
Deirdre of the Sorrows
Deirdre of the Sorrows is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge, first performed at the Abbey Theatre by the Irish National Theatre Society in 1910. The play is based on Irish Mythology, in particular the myths concerning Deirdre and Conchobar...
." She has the last line of the play: "Deirdre is dead, and Naisi is dead; and if the oaks and stars could die for sorrow, it's a dark sky and a hard and naked earth we'd have this night in Emain."
External links
- Deirdre of the Sorrows Play by J. M. Synge
- Consolatio Lavarcham's last words