Editing Conchobar mac Nessa (section)

===Birth===
There are several versions of how Conchobar was conceived. In the earliest, Ness, daughter of [[Eochaid Sálbuide]], the then king of Ulster, asks the [[druid]] [[Cathbad]] what it is an auspicious time for. Cathbad replies, "for begetting a king on a queen". There are no other men around, so Ness takes Cathbad to bed and she conceives a son.<ref>[[Thomas Kinsella]] (translator), ''The Táin'', Oxford University Press, 1969, p. 3</ref> In a later version, Ness is brought up by twelve foster-fathers, and while all twelve are at a feast, Cathbad, leading a ''[[fianna|fian]]'' or landless war-band, attacks the house and kills them all. Eochaid is unable to avenge them as the culprit cannot be identified, so Ness forms her own ''fian'' to hunt Cathbad down. But while she is bathing alone in a pool, Cathbad appears, stands between her and her weapons, and bares his sword. He spares her life on the condition that she becomes his wife. They settle near a river called Conchobar, and Ness soon conceives a son, but in this version, the father is the [[High King of Ireland|High King]] [[Fachtna Fáthach]], who is Ness's lover. As she and Cathbad set out to visit Fachtna, Ness goes into labour. Cathbad tells her if she can manage not to give birth until the following day, her son will be a great king and have everlasting fame, for he will be born on the same day as [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]]. Ness sits on a flagstone by the river Conchobar, and the following morning gives birth. The baby falls into the river, but Cathbad lifts him out, names him Conchobar after the river, and brings him up as his own son.<ref>[[Whitley Stokes (scholar)|Whitley Stokes]], "Tidings of Conchobar mac Nessa", ''[[Ériu (journal)|Ériu]]'' 4, 1910, pp. 18-38; [[Kuno Meyer]], "Anecdota from the Stowe MS. No 992", ''[[Revue Celtique]]'' 6, 1884, pp. 178-182</ref>