Deirdri: the Cymric and Irish heroine (Daughter-let, Tear-let)

Synonyms: Derdri, Deirdre
Cym, Irish: Daughter-let, Tear-let

Derdri can be counted as one amongst a number of heroes of the Irish Fenian and Ulster cycles mentioned by Gogynfeirdd such as Dafydd ap Gwilym and Lewis Glyn Cothi whereas the names of other Ulster heroes such as Ffin vab Koel (Fionn mac Cumhaill) have been icorporated into the lists of heroes given in the Mabinogion of Culhwch ac Owen. This strongly indicates that the Fenian and Ulster cycles were known to the early Cymric storytellers and that some of these legends lasted long into the mediaeval period. Knowledge of these tales probably came from the Old North, from the links between the peoples of Ystradclud (Strathclyde) and Ulster. This may explain why echoes of the northern character, Drystan is seen in the Ulster cycle and why CùChulain goes to the isle of Arran to learn the feats of weapons. Ideed, there would seem to have been a movement of people from southern Scotland to Northern Ireland and vice-veras for at least 5000 years.

Though the orthography of Cymric Derdri and Gaelic Deirdri the initial 'i' is prosthetic in Old Irish so the pronunciations are essentially identical. It is also hardly surprising tha the tales of Deirdri surviven in the consciousness of the early Cymric bards, for she is one of the truly great tragic heroines (explaining why her tale survived in the oral traditions of Ireland and Scotland to the modern age).

The Iris texts of her tale, the Longas mac nUislenn (The Exile of the Sons of Uisnech) and as a tale it can be considered as a prelude to the epic centrepiece of the Ulster Cycle, the Táin Bó Cuailnge and can be summarized as follows:

Deirdri, daughter of Fedlimid mac Daill, a chieftain of Ulster and chief story-teller to Conchobar mac Nessa was born when her father was hosting the men of Ulster in his fortress. At the time Cathbad the druid was casting a horoscope and he prophesied that the newborn girl-child would grow up to be a great beauty, but that she would also lead to great enmity and would be the cause of the destruction of Ulster. The assembled warriors all insisted that she be slain and that the curse would thus be avoided. But Conchobar insisted that she be spared fostered at a distant stronghold that was under the care of Laborcham a wise woman in Conchobar's confidence. Conchobar then addds that he intends that the newborn, Deirdre, will eventually be his wife.

During the time of her fostering, Deirdre's childhood is uneventful until one day she forsees her own future. She sees her foster father in the snow flaying a newly-slaughtered calf with a night-black raven feasting on its blood. Deirdre then turns to Leborcham and tells her: 'fair would be the man upon whom these colours were seen: his hair black like the raven, his cheeks red as blood, his skin white as the snow'. Leborcham responds that the colours remind her of a youth living nearby; Noise, Conchobar's nephew and a son of Uisnech. At Deirdre's insistence Leborcham arranges a meeting between them. Deirdre remarks that Noise is the young bull. But he responds that she has already been chosen by the bull of the province, the king of Ulster. Deirdre retorts that she would chose the young bull over the old and thus the two elope. They escape across Ireland with Concobar in pursuit and eventually Reach Scotland. Noise's borthers, Ardan and Ainnle and this is why the tale has its title: The Exile of the Sons of Uisnech. They live happily for many years under the protection of a local king in the north of Strathclyde (this link with the Old North of the Cymry may well be why the tale was preserved for many centuries in the oral tradition of the Cymry) and (depending on the version) are blessed with a daughter Aibgréne or a son Gaiar. However, when a steward informs the local king of Deirdre's true beauty she demands her for his own wife and they all have to flee to an island on the sea (probably Arran).

All the while Conchobar has been unsuccesfully attempting to retrieve the lovers, using whatever plots and trechery he could. Now he sends Gelbann to see whether or not Deirdre's beauty has faded but Noise puts his eye out with a Fidchell piece. Finally Conchobar feiigns resignation and invites Deirdre and Noise back to Ulster, sending Fergus mac Róich (one of the great heroes of the Irish tales) as surety. Though she fears deceit Deirdre accepts Conchobar's invitation as she sings the famous song 'Farewell to Alba' before joining the others on the ship.

When they arrive Concobar uses a ruse to separate Deirdre from the others, whom he has slain. As a results Deirdre contrives to commit suicide: how, precisely, she achieves this depends on the variant of the tale being told. In the simplest Deirdre is so moved at Noise's death that she falls on his grave and dies. A variant says that Deirder was taken back to Emain Macha but she never smiles nor raises her head from her knee; though she often rebukes Conchobar for killing those she loves the most. When asked what it is in the world that she hates the most, Deirdre responds with the names of Conchobar and his retainer, Eógan mac Durthacht. As a result Conchobar presents Deirdre to Eógan, but as he takes her in his chariot she contrives to leap out and crushes her head against a stone. A third variant of Deirdre's ending has her stabbingh herself with a knife which she then casts into the sea so that no-one can be blamed for her death.

In the oral tradition that subsequently grew around this tale Deirdre and Noise were buried next to one another and yew trees grew on their graves which eventually intertwined one with the other. As a final epilogue to this tale many of Conchobar's best warriors deserted him for Ailill and Medb of Connacht and thus the events that led inexorably to the actions of the Táin were put in place.

The etymology of Deirdre's name remains problematic. Though the usual gloss is 'troubler' this now seems unsupportable from both Old Irish and proto-Celtic etymologies. However, the ending seems to be a diminutive and the name as a whole may be derived from the Irish roots der (daughter [originating from *duxt-r]) or dér (tear [originating from *dakro-). Thus the name could be interpreted as 'daughter-let' or 'tear-let'.

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