Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era. In the History of Ireland (795–1169), early medieval era, myths were ...

the three Findemna or Finn Eamna (variously interpreted as "fair

triplets A multiple birth is the culmination of a multiple pregnancy, wherein the mother gives birth to two or more babies. A term most applicable to vertebrate species, multiple births occur in most kinds of mammals, with varying frequencies. Such births ...

" or "three fair ones of

Emain Macha Navan Fort ( ; ) is an ancient ceremonial monument near Armagh, Northern Ireland. According to tradition it was one of the great royal sites of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland and the capital of the Ulaidh. It is a large circular hilltop enclos ...

") were three sons of the

High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...

Eochaid Feidlech Eochu or Eochaid Feidlech ("the enduring"), was a High King of Ireland, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb of Connacht. Family Eochu was son of Finn, son of ...

. Their names were Bres, Nár and Lothar. They conspired to overthrow their father. The day before meeting him in battle they were visited by their sister,

Clothru Clothru was, according to medieval Irish legend, the daughter of Eochu Feidlech, a High King of Ireland, and the sister of queen Medb of Connacht and Ethniu. When her triplet brothers, the findemna, were fighting with their father Eochu Feidlech ...

, who tried in vain to dissuade them from this course of action. They were childless, so for fear that they might die without an heir, Clothru took all three of them to bed, conceiving

Lugaid Riab nDerg Lugaid Riab nDerg ("the red-striped") or Réoderg ("Red Sky"), son of the three '' findemna'', triplet sons of Eochu Feidlech, and their sister Clothru was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. Co ...

, son of the three Findemna. Lugaid later became

, so Clothru's incest preserved the line of succession to the high kingship.

References

Ulster Cycle Brother trios Irish princes Triplets Mythological princes {{Celt-myth-stub