Furbaide Ferbend is a character from theUlster Cycle ofIrish mythology. Legend has it that Furbaide Ferbend was buried in apassage grave atopCarn Clonhugh, more commonly known as Corn Hill or Cairn Hill, northLongford, after the two passage graves that crown the summit.[1]
His father isConchobar mac Nessa, king of theUlaid. His mother is one of the daughters ofEochu Feidlech, theHigh King of Ireland: in the sagaCath Boinde ("the battle of theBoyne)[2] and theDindsenchas poem "Carn Furbaide"[3] she is Eithne, in the sagaAided Meidbe ("the death of Medb") she isClothru.[4] Eochu gave several of his daughters to Conchobar in marriage in compensation for Conchobar's supposed father, the former High KingFachtna Fáthach, whom Eochu had killed in the Battle of Leitir Ruad.[2] In the sagas Furbaide's mother is murdered by her sisterMedb, Conchobar's former wife and the future queen ofConnacht, in the poem by her nephewLugaid Riab nDerg, and her child is born by posthumousCaesarian section.
Cath Boinde explains the nameFurbaide as deriving fromOld Irishurbad, "cutting", and says his original name was Diarmaid.[2] According to theDindsenchas Furbaide is described as smooth-skinned and bright of hue with two horns growing on his head, hence his epithetferbend, "horned man".[3][5] The glossaryCóir Anmann ("fitness of names") says the horns – two of silver and one of gold – were on his helmet.[6]
At the age of seventeen he fights in Conchobar's army in the Battle of Gáirech and Ilgáirech at the end of theTáin Bó Cúailnge ("cattle raid ofCooley").[3][7][8] In the sagaMesca Ulad ("the intoxication of the Ulaid"), where he is said to beCúchulainn'sfoster-son, he fights against theErna, but he is so beautiful none of them can bring themselves to wound him.[9] After Conchobar's death his sonCúscraid Mend Macha succeeds him as king of the Ulaid, and gives his brother Furbaide the regions of northern and southernTethbae.[10]
In later life, according toAided Meidbe, he avenges his mother's death. Medb had taken to bathing in a pool on the Shannon island ofInchcleraun. Furbaide measures the distance from the pool to the shore with a rope, and practices with his sling until he can hit an apple on top of a stake from that distance. The next time he sees Medb bathing, he shoots the nearest missile to hand – a piece of cheese – at her, and kills her.[4] In theDindsenchas poem he kills the mother of Lugaid Riab nDerg, and Lugaid pursues and kills him in revenge.[3]