Conganchnes mac Dedad
Encyclopedia
Conganchnes mac Dedad is a hero mentioned in the legend of the death of Celtchar mac Uthechair
; he does not, however, kill him, but is killed himself. Conganchnes is a son of Dedu mac Sin.
He went to Ulster
to avenge the death of his nephew Cú Roí mac Dáire mac Dedad
and wrought much destruction upon the land on his way, being invincible due to his tough skin "as of horn" deflecting spears and swords. Conchobar
asked Celtchar to get rid of the mighty Conganchnes, and Celtchar agreed.
He sent his own daughter to him, Níab, to gain his trust, and offered him "feasts for a hundred men every afternoon."
Níab asked her new husband how he could be killed; Conganchnes replied that red-hot spits must be stuck into his soles and thrust up into his shins. Níab relayed this information to her father, and told him to prepare a sleeping spell and a large army as well.
The instructions were followed to the letter, the men sneaking up on Conganchnes while he was under the sleeping spell. The spits were rammed into his soles and right into the marrow of the shins, and Conganchnes died. Celtchar then decapitated him; over his head rose a cairn
, every man who passed it adding a stone.
Celtchar
Celtchar , son of Uthechar or Uthidir, is a character from the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. In Scéla Mucce Maic Dathó he is described as "a grey, tall, very terrible hero of Ulster". When he challenges Cet mac Mágach for the champion's portion, Cet counters that he once emasculated Celtchar...
; he does not, however, kill him, but is killed himself. Conganchnes is a son of Dedu mac Sin.
He went to Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
to avenge the death of his nephew Cú Roí mac Dáire mac Dedad
Cú Roí
Cú Roí mac Dáire is a king of Munster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He is usually portrayed as a warrior with superhuman abilities and a master of disguise possessed of magical powers. His name probably means "hound of the plain/field", or more specifically, "hound of the battlefield"...
and wrought much destruction upon the land on his way, being invincible due to his tough skin "as of horn" deflecting spears and swords. Conchobar
Conchobar mac Nessa
Conchobar mac Nessa was the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He ruled from Emain Macha .-Birth:...
asked Celtchar to get rid of the mighty Conganchnes, and Celtchar agreed.
He sent his own daughter to him, Níab, to gain his trust, and offered him "feasts for a hundred men every afternoon."
Níab asked her new husband how he could be killed; Conganchnes replied that red-hot spits must be stuck into his soles and thrust up into his shins. Níab relayed this information to her father, and told him to prepare a sleeping spell and a large army as well.
The instructions were followed to the letter, the men sneaking up on Conganchnes while he was under the sleeping spell. The spits were rammed into his soles and right into the marrow of the shins, and Conganchnes died. Celtchar then decapitated him; over his head rose a cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
, every man who passed it adding a stone.