Mar Rinneadh Rí ar Uladh de Chonchobhar mac Neasa

Draoi arbh ainm dó Cathbhadh, ba ea athair Chonchobhair. Iníon do Eochaidh Sáil Bhuí, Rí Uladh, ba ea Neasa, a mháthair. Tar éis bháis do Eochaidh rinneadh Rí ar Ulaidh d’Fhearghas Mac Róigh; ach níor thug Neasa isteach riamh nár léi féin an Ríocht ó cheart, agus bhí rún aici an Ríocht a thabhairt mar oidhreacht dá mac féin. Is mar seo a thug sí chun críche an rún sin:

A druid by the name of Cathbhadh, that was Conchobhar’s father. The Daughter of Eochaidh Sáil Bhuí, the King of Ulster, that was Neasa, his mother. After the death of Eochaidh, Fearghas Mac Róigh was made King of Ulster; but Neasa never brought up that the Kingdom was hers by right, and it was her intent to give the Kingdom as inheritance to her own son. It is like this that she brought to completion that intention.

Fuair a fear, Cathbhadh, bás, agus de bhrí go raibh sí óg agus dathúil d’iarr Rí Fearghas uirthi é féin a phósadh. Gheall sí dó go bpósfadh sí é, ach ar aon chuntas amháin – sé sin, go ligfeadh Fearghas do Chonchobhar, a mac féin, a bheith ina rí ar feadh bliana, i riocht is go mbeadh sé le rá ag a chlainn ina dhiaidh, go mba clann rí a bhí iontu. Thug Fearghas isteach di sa chuntar sin. Mheas sé dá mbeadh Conchobhar, an buachaill beag, ina rí ar feadh bliana féin, nach mbeadh ann ach ainm Rí, agus go mbeadh sé féin mar chomhairleoir aige, agus go mb’ionann sin is a bheith ina rí dháiríre.

Her husband, Cathbhadh, died and on account that she was young and beautiful, King Fearghas asked her to marry him. She promised to him that she would marry him, but on one condition - that is, that Fearghas would allow Conchobhar, her own son, to be king for a year, so that his descendants after him could say, that they were descended from a king. Fearghas gave in to her on that condition. He thought that if Conchobhar, the little boy, would be a king for only one year, it would be king in name only, and that he himself would be a counsellor to him, and the would be the same as being the king in reality.

Phós Fearghas, Neasa, agus rinneadh Rí ar Ulaidh de Chonchobhar de réir an mhargadh a bhí déanta. Ach dá óige dá raibh Conchobhar thaispeáin sé go raibh sé ciallmhar, tuisceanach, géarchúiseach; thaispeáin sé freisin go mba rí cóir a bhí ann; go raibh sé misniúil, curata i gcath, agus go raibh sé fial, fairsing ag bronnadh seod is eile ar a mhuintir. Nuair a bhí an bhliain i ndáil le bheith thuas, ní raibh na hUltaigh sásta ar é a ligean as an Ríochas agus Fearghas a ghlacadh ar ais. Is mar seo a mhíníodar an scéal:

Fearghus married Neasa, and Conchobhar was made King of Ulster according to the deal that was made. But if it was young that Conchobhar was, he showed that he was sensible, wise, and keen-witted; he also showed that it was a true king that was in him, that he was courageous, heroic in battle, and that he was generous and plentiful gifting jewels and other things to his people. When the year was close to being up, the people of Ulster were not happy to let him out of the Kingship and to allow Fearghas back. And it is like this that they explained the decision:

“Ní meas mór mar sin a bhí ag Fearghas ar an Ríocht nuair a rinne sé í a mhalartú ar son céile. Coinníodh sé an bhean anois agus coinníodh Conchobhar an Ríocht.”

“It was not much regard that Fearghas had for the Kingdom when he exchanged it for his wife’s sake. Let him keep the wife now and let Conchobhar keep the Kingdom.”

Agus is mar sin a rinneadh Rí ar Ulaidh de Chonchobhar Mac Neasa. Bhí cúirt Ríoga Conchobhar ag Eamhain Mhacha agus chuir sé dún breá mór á dhéanamh ann. Taobh istigh den dún bhí trí theach móra – an Rí-theaghlach, an Teach Breac, agus Teach na Craoibhe Rua. Bhí an tír ag dul chun cinn agus chun treise ar gach uile chaoi agus ar gach uile chuma faoi ríochas Chonchobhair. Bhí síocháin sa tír, agus neart fáltais ag gach duine inti. Cuireadh dlíthe nua, ciallmhara i bhfeidhm; tagadh cóir agus ceart do gach n-aon, agus maille leis sin, rinne Ridirí na Craoibhe Rua gníomhartha mórghaisce agus mór-éachtaigh lena ré.

And that is how Conchobhar Mac Neasa was made king of Ulster. Conchobhar had a royal court at Eamhain Mhacha and he had a large, fine ringfort made there. Inside of the ringfort were three great houses - the King’s Household, the Speckled House, and the House of the Red Branch. The land was prospering and strengthening in every way and every appearance under the rule of Conchobhar. There was peace in the land, and plenty for everyone in it. New, sensible laws were enacted; equity and justice came to everything, and along with that, the Knights of the Red Branch did heroic and adventurous deeds during its time.

Adapted from: Ua Concheanainn, Tomás agus a chéile. ND. Eamhain Macha. Brún agus Ó Nóláin: Corcaigh.