Éogan mac Durthacht is king of Fernmag (Farney,
County Monaghan
County Monaghan ( ; ga, Contae Mhuineacháin) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of Border strategic planning area of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Cou ...
) in the
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an RúraÃocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly coun ...
of
Irish mythology
Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by C ...
. At the feast given by
Mac Da Thó,
Cet mac Magach relates how he blinded Eogan's eye by casting back the spear that struck his shield.
Eogan was an enemy of
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...
and its king,
Conchobar mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa (son of Ness) is the king of Ulaid, Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh). He is usually said to be the son of the High King of Ireland, High King Fachtna Fáthach, ...
, but later made his peace with them. He murdered
Deirdre
Deirdre ( , Irish: ; sga, Derdriu ) is the foremost tragic heroine in Irish legend and probably its best-known figure in modern times. She is known by the epithet "Deirdre of the Sorrows" (). Her story is part of the Ulster Cycle, the best-know ...
's husband,
Naoise
In Irish mythology, Naisi,"Deirdre and Naisi". In: Thomas, Edward. ''Celtic stories''. Oxford: The Clarendon Press. 1911. pp. 48-60. NoÃse or Noisiu (modern spelling: Naoise ) was the nephew of King Conchobar mac Nessa of Ulster, and a son of Ui ...
, on Conchobar's orders. Later the bereaved Deirdre is asked by Conchobar whom she detests the most, and she replies Conchobar himself and Eogan mac Durthacht, whereby Conchobar decided she should go live with Eogan for a year. But the heroine chooses death over this fate.
[, p.19-20]
Footnotes
References
* (ed. & tr.)
awl. B 512, f. 105v.-* , from text of V. Hull, Longes mac n-Uislenn (1949)
Ulster Cycle