My Artistic Inspiration: Irish Mythology's Deirdre of the Sorrows

A journal of artistic progress.

Deirdre meets Naoise as storm brews over the fort of Emhain Mhacha

Ever since I heard of this old Irish tale in high school, I have been at least marginally obsessed with it. That I have taught myself Gaelic helped.

The legend is that of Deirdre, the daughter of the court poet of King Conchobhar (Conor) of Ulster, was just born when Catha, the court druid, had a terrible prophecy concerning the baby. Deirdre would grow to become by far the fairest in Ireland, but kings and lords would go to war over her, much blood would be spilled in her name, Ulster's three finest warriors would be forced into exile and die for her sake, and the kingdom of Ulster would collapse.

Conchobhar's army, the Red Branch Warriors, demanded that the baby be put to death, but Conchobhar, wanting to be merciful and fascinated by the description of her future beauty, declared that the baby would be raised in seclusion, away from the eyes of men, and as soon as she had come of age he would marry her. Crisis averted.

Suffice to say, things did not go according to plan. Deirdre indeed grew into a beautiful young woman of twisted reddish-golden tresses, mesmerising greyish-green eyes, cheeks like foxglove, and a tall, elegant figure. But, as a very young woman, Deirdre was deeply uncomfortable at the idea of marrying King Conchobhar.

As she approached marriageable age, Deirdre had visions of a handsome, fearless young warrior of raven hair, snow-white skin, and blood-red cheeks. Leabharcham (LAV-ar-kham), her nurse and teacher, told her that the description matched Naoise (NAY-sha) Mac Uisnigh, Conchobhar's best warrior and hunter and a talented harper and singer. Naoise was one of three brothers, who, together, were the very finest gems in all Ireland.

Deirdre and Naoise expecting new arrival in Glen Etive

With Leabharcham's collusion, Deirdre and Naoise met and fell in love. Knowing that Conchobhar would be furious, they fled for Scotland with Naoise's two brothers, Ardan and Ainnle, too loyal to Naoise to abandon him and their de facto sister-in-law. They lived a modest but happy life on the run in Scotland, and in a few variants of the story became parents to a son, Gaiar, and a daughter, Aebgreine, who were fostered by Manannan, the Sea God, for their safety and their education. The family was staying at Loch Etive when Conchobhar's spies found them.

Deirdre and Naoise delight over their newborn son, Gaiar

Deirdre and Naoise, a quiet moment with Gaiar and Aebgreine as storm grows

Despite that it was friends and comrades of Naoise and his brothers, Deirdre had a chilling vision of three approaching crows with honey dripping from their beaks... but the honey became blood.

Despite Deirdre's disturbed sense that Conchobhar's promise of clemency was a trick, Naoise and his brothers did not heed her warning, homesick and obliged to return. The messengers themselves had no idea that the promise of clemency was a trick.

Despite all of Conchobhar's efforts to avert the prophecy in his own self-serving way, everything that Catha foretold came to pass. Fergus Mac Róich, one of his messengers to retrieve Deirdre and the sons of Usnach, was furious to find that Conchobhar had lied to him and, after he and his army killed many of Conchobhar's men, they fled to Connacht and joined forces with Queen Meadhbh (MAVE) and her husband, king Ailill, against Ulster. Meadbh, as Conchobhar's estranged ex-wife, was delighted to help them. Conchobhar's Red Branch Warriors were divided over loyalties and fought each other. The druid Catha cursed Conchobhar for ignoring his warning, so that his lineage would never again rule Ulster. And Deirdre, icy toward him, rejected his attempts to court her and eventually killed herself to escape him.

Even in death, Conchobhar could never have his way with her. Even death could not part Deirdre from Naoise; two yew trees grew from their graves and wrapped around each other, forming an eternal arch over their resting spot.

Irish mythology's Deirdre of the Sorrows has been an artistic inspiration for me since high school. Deirdre herself appeals to me because she's a damsel in distress but she's not a damsel in distress. For all that she endures because of these males fighting over her, Deirdre remains determined to live her life, to live her life with the only man who appeals to her, Naoise. She is sheltered and sincere, but she is as intelligent as she is beautiful and she is not a shrinking violet.

While the narrative has often blamed Deirdre's beauty for the conflict, objectively speaking it's not really her fault. She happens to be mesmerisingly attractive but she is minding her own business while these powerful males actively choose to fight over her.

Deirdre and Naoise Smitten by Loch Etive

It brings to mind an old news story that "two women wearing short pants in public for the first time caused a car crash" when it really should read "irresponsible driver causes crash while ogling two women wearing short pants in public for the first time".

It's also a fascinating story because it illustrates the danger of ignoring prophecy (or, more appropriately in this story, common sense). And I just wonder what Deirdre herself thought of her lot; what did she know of the prophecy about her? She had the Second Sight, a type of Extrasensory Perception, thus she could have suspected at least. If she did, what did she think? What must have gone through her mind as she tried to avert disaster? And King Conchobhar himself... his own foolish lust created his own ruin.

I'm sure that women the world over could tell similar stories about males actively choosing to fight over them when said women are minding their own business.

Deirdre is effectively Helen of Sparta and Princess Cassandra of Troy combined, although Deirdre seems to be more like Cassandra in that she is trying to avert disaster and is more sympathetic than Helen.

How Deirdre finds and meets Naoise is that she's walking through the forest when she hears him singing with his harp. It's one of the few times that a woman has followed a man's beautiful voice.

Among the ancient Gaels, if you wanted to become a great warrior, you had to master poetry, the harp, and fidhcheall (a board game similar to chess) in addition to consistent victory in battle. All of which were conducive to political power. And Naoise clearly met all those requirements. That he's also a strikingly handsome young man and almost instantly devoted to Deirdre makes him all the more attractive to her.

Deirdre and Naoise seem to have the happiest marriage known in Irish mythology, despite its unorthodox beginning; when he repeatedly refuses her due to the prophecy despite his attraction to her, she pounces on him, takes him by the ears, and tells him that he'll have ears of mockery and shame if he refuses her. Whether she is serious or joking, he seems fine with it.

When I learned that some versions of the story make them parents, I was interested in how that would affect the story. They're a young couple, they're hopelessly smitten with each other, so I decided to try that dynamic.

Ultimately, I have tried to fill the gaps in the narrative between their meeting and their flight to Scotland and their discovery. So often, they are depicted in the tragic climax of the story when Naoise and his brothers are killed on Conchobhar's orders; I wanted to show them in their happier days. Few tragic characters go about their lives anticipating their terrible fate, therefore why not show them in their happier moments?

I even began writing my own narrative of their story during their time hiding in Scotland, where their life is modest but happy and they befriend a number of locals and build a life there. Only to end at the moment that Conchobhar's spies find them.

Deirdre and Naoise with Gaiar and Aegbreine in Glen Etive before their discovery.

I've tried to be as accurate as historically and culturally possible, with clothing, hairstyle, and jewelry. In Gaelic Ireland and Scotland, free men and women both wore their hair long and in an array of braids and coils. Men usually shaved their beards but kept a moustache.

Ancient Celts liked bright, flashy colors, often checkered or plaid, hence the plaid in their clothes in two of these paintings.

Men wore trousers and leather boots complete with a tunic, a belt, and a heavy mantle over the shoulders.

Women wore an ankle-length tunic similar to a Greek chiton, held together with brooches, a belt, and a heavy mantle.

A beauty ideal for women was apparently golden tresses "long enough to sweep the dew from the grass". Hence Deirdre's flowing tresses.

High-status people, like kings and accomplished warriors, wore a torc, a collar of precious metal to indicate their status.

According to Brehon Law in Gaelic Ireland, the legal minimum marriageable ages were 15 years for women and 18 years for men. Deirdre has supposedly just reached marriageable age when she meets Naoise and he's roughly 21 since he has two brothers and is already one of the most decorated warriors of Ulster. A bit uncomfortable to modern sensibilities, but more palatable than the age gap with Conchobhar.

In comparison, my guess is that King Conchobhar is in his late thirties or early forties, compared to Deirdre's 15 years and Naoise's 21. Middle-aged, but a woman of Deirdre's age would still see him as "old".

Whoever Deirdre was, Ireland's greatest beauty or whatever else, she was just a young woman who wanted to live her life. And, by some very unfortunate turn of events, by circumstances beyond her control, her fate included war and ruin. And, for all the hardship that she endured for something that she couldn't help, she persevered.

Her flight with Naoise and his brothers from their home in Ulster to hide in Scotland shows that this was a small price for her to pay if she could be with the very man she wanted. She is more than just her appearance and more interesting than simply that. It's her tenacity and grit that fascinate me as much as Naoise's beauty fascinated her.