Deirdre


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Deir·dre

 (dîr′drə, -drē)
n.
A legendary princess of Ulster who eloped with her lover, Naoise, to escape marriage to King Conchobar. After the king murdered Naoise, she killed herself.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Deirdre

(ˈdɪədrɪ)
n
(European Myth & Legend) Irish myth a beautiful girl who was raised by Conchobar to be his wife but eloped with Naoise. When Conchobar treacherously killed Naoise she took her own life: often used to symbolize Ireland. See also Naoise
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Deir•dre

(ˈdɪər drə, -dri)

n.
Irish Legend. the wife of Naoise, who killed herself after her husband was murdered by his uncle, King Conchobar.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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These three stories are called: The Tragedy of the Children of Lir; The Tragedy of the Children of Tuireann; and Deirdre and the Sons of Usnach.
He foretold that great sorrow and evil should come upon the land because of this child, and so he called her Deirdre, which means trouble or alarm.
Deirdre was placed in a safe and lonely castle, where she was seen of none save her tutor and her nurse, Lavarcam.
Now when fourteen years had passed, it happened one snowy day that Deirdre's tutor killed a calf to provide food for their little company.
After that here was no rest for Deirdre until she had seen Naisi.
There, in Scotland, Deirdre and Naisi lived for many years happily.
But Conor never forgot his anger at the escape of Deirdre. He longed still to have her as his Queen, and at last he sent a messenger to lure the fair lady and the three brave brothers back to Ireland.
"Naisi and Deirdre were seated together one day, and between them Conor's chess board, they playing upon it.
"'That was not the call of a man of Erin,' says Deirdre, 'but the call of a man of Alba.'
"Deirdre knew the first cry of Fergus, but she concealed it.
"'It is not indeed,' says Deirdre, 'and let us play on.'
Then Deirdre declared she knew the first call sent forth by Fergus.
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