Finding Conaire. Ireland’s Arthurian Legend.

Over the centuries, the legend of Conaire has occupied a lowly place in the pantheon of Irish heroes for the simple reason that like Arthur his reign turned from fair-weather to catastrophic. It therefore comes as no surprise that there is very little mention of his name in Irish literary tradition, particularly if we consider that Conaire as a cautionary tale stirred up little feeling in a country where to be forewarned and forearmed was hardly ever enough to stave off impending disaster. But Conaire’s fall also contextualizes the bitter end to Arthur’s reign, wherein we may come to understand that even the best of leaders may find themselves victims to circumstances which lie outside of their control.