Three pregnancies in Iron-Age Ireland: crying in the womb, hydramnios and caesarean section.

This episode occurred during the attempted invasion of Ulster by Maeve, Queen of Connacht. Her promiscuity was well known and was no secret from her husband Conor. She told him "I never had one manwithout anotherwaiting in his shadow".5 Fergus, the Commander-in Chief of the army was equally famous, and was commemorated by the erection in Tara of a standing stone. "He had the reputation of the most virile man. The stone atTara was called the phallus of Fergus.6 Not surprisingly they cohabited and Maeve became pregnant.