Cast of Characters
Deirdre: It has been prophesied that she’ll bring disaster and bloodshed to Ulster, so she’s been locked away in a secluded fortress, with her nurse and tutor Leabhercham as her only human company, though she has befriended the fierce and enormous wolfhounds that guard her. She doesn’t feel that isolated from the world, however, since in her dreams she’s often visited by the Celtic sea-god Mananan, who tells her secret things and promises he’ll release her from Conchubarr’s clutches. Even though her entire existence is founded on Conchubarr’s will to keep her alive and safe, she hates him completely.
Naoise: The youngest brother of Clann Uisnigh, he’s the most outgoing, the bravest, the loudest, the rebel. Incredibly loyal to Conchubarr, but mostly through his brothers, especially Ardan; he’s devoted to them, and they to the king. He’s a little more distant from Ainle, who temperamentally is very different.
Ardan: The eldest Uisnigh brother, he’s been almost-father to his brothers for a long time; especially Naoise, the youngest. Ferociously devoted to Ulster and Conchubarr, the only thing that could challenge that is his loyalty to his brothers. He’s the one who takes their betrayal of Conchubarr and exile from Ulster hardest.
Ainle: The middle brother. Though he’s loyal to them, and a good soldier of Conchubarr’s, he’s the most religious, most mystical. He’s half druid, almost, seeing signs and omens. He’s a little distant from the people around him, not connected to anyone around him as completely as he might be. He’s fascinated by Deirdre’s visions and dream experiences, and believes her more completely and literally than even Naoise. He’s maybe a little in love with her himself. He’s certainly fascinated by her. By the end of the story he should be getting a little bit resentful, whether of Naoise’s relationship with Deirdre or Deirdre’s with Mananan, it’s difficult to pin down. A little of both, probably.
Conchubarr: King of Ulster. He has been since he was a boy, when his mother essentially tricked Fergus MacRoidh into handing the kingship over to him. He’s now fast approaching middle age (if he hasn’t already arrived), he’s unmarried, and his closest adviser is his mother, which is making the other chieftains nervous. He has, on the whole, been a reasonably good king, fair-minded and willing to get his hands dirty, and he himself is well enough liked, but Nessa (his mother) is feared widely. He himself feels the growing unease, but is conflicted. He loves and is loyal to his mother, but he realises her position in his kingdom is dangerous to him. Part of him wants to marry and cut her out, but it would require standing up to her and openly opposing her in a way that he has never done, and is deeply afraid of doing. He’s the villain of the piece, I suppose, but he’s not a bad guy, just caught in the grips of an indecision that is slowly consuming him and Ulster.
Nessa: Mother of the king. She gained the kingship for her son while he was still a boy, through trickery and intimidation. She’s one of the great warriors of Ulster, and a legend in her own lifetime. In her fighting days she was one of the most feared and cruel chieftains of Ulster, and even now that most of her fighting days are behind her, she’s ruthless, brilliant and won’t suffer opposition to her son’s regime. In her youth she ransacked and pillaged the province, but it’s in large part due to her and the work she put in later in life that Ulster, at the start of the story, is one of the most stable and affluent provinces of Ireland.
Fergus: One time king of Ulster, but it was a political position that he came to by accident more than design, and not one he ever enjoyed. He’s one of Ulster’s greatest warriors, and renowned as the man who stabilised the province from the war and pillage that characterised the place before he took the throne. It was he who Nessa (his lover at the time) tricked into renouncing the kingship. He possibly holds the act against Nessa, but not Conchubarr himself. In fact, he’s maybe the most loyal of Conchubarr’s soldiers, and a hugely trusted adviser. He wanted the stability and peace that a strong ruler brings, but never really wanted the hassle that goes with being responsible for that. He’s quite content to let Conchubarr rule, as long as he can be heard and the safety and prosperity of Ulster is not jeopardised. He’s very likable, a man who considers himself primarily a good soldier and a poet, not one who lusts after power or glory. They just seem to find him, is all.
Deirdre: It has been prophesied that she’ll bring disaster and bloodshed to Ulster, so she’s been locked away in a secluded fortress, with her nurse and tutor Leabhercham as her only human company, though she has befriended the fierce and enormous wolfhounds that guard her. She doesn’t feel that isolated from the world, however, since in her dreams she’s often visited by the Celtic sea-god Mananan, who tells her secret things and promises he’ll release her from Conchubarr’s clutches. Even though her entire existence is founded on Conchubarr’s will to keep her alive and safe, she hates him completely.
Naoise: The youngest brother of Clann Uisnigh, he’s the most outgoing, the bravest, the loudest, the rebel. Incredibly loyal to Conchubarr, but mostly through his brothers, especially Ardan; he’s devoted to them, and they to the king. He’s a little more distant from Ainle, who temperamentally is very different.
Ardan: The eldest Uisnigh brother, he’s been almost-father to his brothers for a long time; especially Naoise, the youngest. Ferociously devoted to Ulster and Conchubarr, the only thing that could challenge that is his loyalty to his brothers. He’s the one who takes their betrayal of Conchubarr and exile from Ulster hardest.
Ainle: The middle brother. Though he’s loyal to them, and a good soldier of Conchubarr’s, he’s the most religious, most mystical. He’s half druid, almost, seeing signs and omens. He’s a little distant from the people around him, not connected to anyone around him as completely as he might be. He’s fascinated by Deirdre’s visions and dream experiences, and believes her more completely and literally than even Naoise. He’s maybe a little in love with her himself. He’s certainly fascinated by her. By the end of the story he should be getting a little bit resentful, whether of Naoise’s relationship with Deirdre or Deirdre’s with Mananan, it’s difficult to pin down. A little of both, probably.
Conchubarr: King of Ulster. He has been since he was a boy, when his mother essentially tricked Fergus MacRoidh into handing the kingship over to him. He’s now fast approaching middle age (if he hasn’t already arrived), he’s unmarried, and his closest adviser is his mother, which is making the other chieftains nervous. He has, on the whole, been a reasonably good king, fair-minded and willing to get his hands dirty, and he himself is well enough liked, but Nessa (his mother) is feared widely. He himself feels the growing unease, but is conflicted. He loves and is loyal to his mother, but he realises her position in his kingdom is dangerous to him. Part of him wants to marry and cut her out, but it would require standing up to her and openly opposing her in a way that he has never done, and is deeply afraid of doing. He’s the villain of the piece, I suppose, but he’s not a bad guy, just caught in the grips of an indecision that is slowly consuming him and Ulster.
Nessa: Mother of the king. She gained the kingship for her son while he was still a boy, through trickery and intimidation. She’s one of the great warriors of Ulster, and a legend in her own lifetime. In her fighting days she was one of the most feared and cruel chieftains of Ulster, and even now that most of her fighting days are behind her, she’s ruthless, brilliant and won’t suffer opposition to her son’s regime. In her youth she ransacked and pillaged the province, but it’s in large part due to her and the work she put in later in life that Ulster, at the start of the story, is one of the most stable and affluent provinces of Ireland.
Fergus: One time king of Ulster, but it was a political position that he came to by accident more than design, and not one he ever enjoyed. He’s one of Ulster’s greatest warriors, and renowned as the man who stabilised the province from the war and pillage that characterised the place before he took the throne. It was he who Nessa (his lover at the time) tricked into renouncing the kingship. He possibly holds the act against Nessa, but not Conchubarr himself. In fact, he’s maybe the most loyal of Conchubarr’s soldiers, and a hugely trusted adviser. He wanted the stability and peace that a strong ruler brings, but never really wanted the hassle that goes with being responsible for that. He’s quite content to let Conchubarr rule, as long as he can be heard and the safety and prosperity of Ulster is not jeopardised. He’s very likable, a man who considers himself primarily a good soldier and a poet, not one who lusts after power or glory. They just seem to find him, is all.
Leabhercham: Charged with raising Deirdre alone and in captivity, she had misgivings about her mission from the start. She’s devoted to Deirdre, and that devotion is all she has had in her life for so long that it supersedes everything else to her; her loyalty to Conchubarr, her loyalty to Ulster, everything.
