Legendary Irish Heroes: Fergus mac Roich
/Over the course of Irish mythology, there have been many different legendary heroes and kings. And Ireland is no stranger to these kinds of myths. One of these such heroes is a man named Fergus mac Roich. A king of legend that spread across the Irish Celt landscape. His story is still remembered today, for both his achievements and downfall.
Fergus Mac ROICH: ILLUSTRATED BY gEORGE dANHAM
Fergus mac Roich was the warrior king of a legendary kingdom called Ulster. His sword that was called Caladbolg, was a sword of great power. But his early mentions in the myths are characterized by his powerful sexual desire. It is referred that he had huge genitalia. It was written that it required a total of seven women to satisfy the man. His lust was seen as a major flaw with the man, and his only one.
His lust soon got the better of this man, as it was bound to do. He falls in love with a woman named Ness and takes her as a sexual partner.
Unbeknownst to the king, this woman that he desired, would be his downfall. Ness already had a son named Conchobar. She convinced the powerful and lustful man to make her son a king for a year. But the woman had a plan, she conspired with the nobles to prevent Fergus from entering the city. He had been driven out of his own kingdom by his wife and her treacherous son.
He had now lost his kingdom. He encourages the sons of Usinech, Noise, Adran, and Ainnle to return with Deirdre from Scotland. He did this because Conchobar desired her. In response to this action, Conchobar murdered her sons and took Deirdre for himself. Fergus goes to his old residence of Emain Macha and burns it to the ground. Now, he is in full rebellion mood. He departs for Cruachain and allies himself with Mebd and her husband Ailill of Connacht. Fergus and his new allies are reluctant to fight, however, and leave enough time for the Ulstermen to prepare for battle.
Caladbolg: Courtesy of the sword library
Now in a desire situation, the two armies meet in battle. Fergus shows off his skills against his enemies. He uses his sword Caladbolg to slay hundreds of soldiers, all while looking for his wife’s son. Nothing could have stopped this vengeful king from achieving his goals. But unfortunately for this bloodlust ridden man, he would have no such chance. He was prevented from killing his stepson, not by his own choice, but by the choice of the son of Conchobar. Cormac Connloinges stopped his grandfather from killing his father.
And as a result, the former king, was defeated. Furious, he was said to have used Caladbolg to cut down the tops of three mountains.
The man was broken by his son, and there was nowhere left to turn. He was now set to live his life as a poor man with nothing to show for his achievements. But something would change for the former king, he would once again find love.
And that was in the form of Mebd. Fergus would one day go down to a lake where Mebd went with him, unable to control herself, she joined this man in the lake. She put her head on his breast and entwined her legs around him. This, of course, made her husband, Ailill jealous. A household comrade of Ailill’s named Lugaid Dalléces, who Ailill considered a brother, rode down to the lake on a chariot with a lance. It was said that he never missed. He threw the lance at the once king, and it went through his back.
Fergus climbed out of the lake onto the hill and straightened himself. His soul soon passed out of him, and thus ended the life of a king, who once had it all.
Sources:
Oxford Reference, “Fergus mac Roich.”
Joshua Young is a professional writing student at Algonquin College. He looks to one day be a published fantasy author. He is inspired by both the Science Fiction and Fantasy genre. The books in this genre include A Song of Ice and Fire, Berserk, Dune, and the Dark Tower Series. He is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, although he sometimes hates to admit. This is because he is afraid of getting beat up. Like any Leafs fan, he waits for them to get passed the first round of the Playoffs and win a Stanley Cup.
