Before Deirdre, daughter of the bard Phelim, was born a druid foretold that the girl would grow to be so beautiful that could provoke wars over her and many would die because of her.
Conor MacNess, king of Ulster, said: “I will never sacrifice this innocent child. Deirdre will live alone in the forest, and when she is older I will marry her and make her my wife”. He put her under the care of Lavercham, his old nurse, and visited her from time to time, to see the first part of the prophecy, at least, fulfilled. Deirdre was indeed stunningly beautiful.