Cormac Cond Longas (Connlongas, Connloinges, "Exiled Prince") was the eldest son of

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, ...

by his own mother, Ness, in the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), 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 ...

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 ...

. His foster father was

Fergus mac Róich Fergus mac Róich (literally "manliness, son of great stallion") is a character in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Formerly the king of Ulster, he is tricked out of the kingship and betrayed by Conchobar mac Nessa, becomes the ally and lover ...

. Cormac followed Fergus into exile in

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...

after the

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 ...

affair, and fought for

Ailill Ailill (Ailell, Oilioll) is a male name in Old Irish. It is a prominent name in Irish mythology, as for Ailill mac Máta, King of Connacht and husband of Queen Medb, on whom Shakespeare based the Fairy Queen Mab. Ailill was a popular given name in ...

and

Medb Medb (), later spelled Meadhbh (), Méibh () and Méabh (), and often anglicised as Maeve ( ), is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had seve ...

against his father in the '' Táin Bó Cuailnge'' (Cattle Raid of Cooley). During the battle he prevented Fergus from killing Conchobar. When Conchobar died the Ulstermen asked Cormac to return to Ulster as their king. However, on his journey home he was forced to break his ''

geasa A ' or ' (pl. ') is an idiosyncratic taboo, whether of obligation or prohibition, similar to being under a vow or curse, yet the observance of which can also bring power and blessings. It is also used to mean specifically a spell prohibiting s ...

'' (taboos) and was killed when the hostel he and his men were staying in was raided."''Togail bruidne Dá Choca'': Da Choca's hostel" (1900). By Whitley Stokes. In
Revue celtique
'' XXI (1900), pp. 149–165, 312–327, 388–402. Loth, J. (Joseph)., Arbois de Jubainville, H. d' (Henry)., Gaidoz, H
Revue celtique
Paris: F. Vieweg.

References

{{Reflist Ulster Cycle Characters in Táin Bó Cúailnge