Art Óenfher

High King of Ireland. Art Óenfher, or "Art the Lonely", was the son of Conn Cétchathach, the high king of Ireland in the Fenian Cycle. His mother was named Eithne Tháebfhota. He was therefore known as Art Mac Cuinn.

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Art was the hero in the tale titled Echtrae Airt meic Cuinn (The Adventure of Art Son of Conn), which can be found in a mid-15th century manuscript known as the Book of Fermoy.

The story began shortly after the death of Conn's wife, Eithne Tháebfhota, when he left Tara for Benn Étair.

The Danann woman named Bé Chuma was banished for committing adultery with Gaidiar the son of Manannán Mac Lir and she had to live among the mortals. So she sailed to Ireland in a coracle (boat) and came to Benn Étair.

Although Bé Chuma found herself attracted to Conn's son, Art, she persuaded Conn to ban him from Tara for a year. When Conn and Bé Chuma returned to Tara, they were married, but the marriage brought famine. The druids told the king that there would be no milk nor grain because of Bé Chuma's wickedness. The king could not remove the blight on the land until a sacrifice from a sinless couple was performed, and the blood would have to be mixed with the soil in Tara.

Conn sailed on his wife Bé Chuma's coracle for weeks until he came upon the island of Dáire. Upon the island lived Fergus Fialbrethach and his wife Rígru Rosclethan (of the large eyes), who was the daughter of Lodan from Tir Tairngire. They had a son named Ségda Sáerlabraid, the child he was seeking to sacrifice. Though the parents refused to allow their only son to be sacrificed, Ségda went with the king anyway.

Just as the boy would have been sacrificed, Rígru rescued her son, and warned Conn to set aside his second wife. The king however refused to do so. So the famine became worse than the previous year.

Art returned from his temporary banishment, and he defeated Bé Chuma in a game of fidchell (chess). Art imposed a geis upon Bé Chuma, in which she couldn't eat any food in Ireland until she fetched the wand of Cú Roí. Bé Chuma found the wand at Cahirconree (on Sliab Mis), and she brought it back to Tara.

Art lost the second game of fidchell. She imposed a geis that he had to eat food in Ireland until Art fetched Delbcháem, the daughter of Morgán. After a long journey, Art befriended Créide Fírálaind (Créide the Truly Beautiful). Créide gave Art direction to find Delbcháem, and also gave warnings about Delbcháem's mother Coinchenn (Dog-headed) and her brother Ailill Dubdétach.

First, Art slew Ailill Dubdétach and found Delbcháem waiting for him. She also warned the hero of how dangerous her mother and brother were. Coinchenn would stick the head of any suitor on a bronze fence. Art killed Coinchenn and later Delbcháem's father Morgán, and stuck their heads on the bronze fence.

Then Art returned to Ireland with Delbcháem. Delbcháem told Art that it was his stepmother who was the cause of the blight, so he had to have her removed. Bé Chuma left Ireland without resistance, so the fertility of the land was restored.

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Art was the brother of Connla, the hero of Echtrae Conli (The Adventures of Connla). Although Art didn't immediately succeed his father as the next high king (ard rí), Art did rule for twenty years after the death of Conaire Coem, son of Mog Lama. Art was the father of Cormac Mac Airt, who became the greatest high king of Ireland during the time of the Fenian Cycle.

In the Battle of Mag Mucrama (Cath Maige Mucrama), Art was an ally of Eógan, king of Munster, against Lugaid Mac Con, foster-brother of Eógan. On the night before the battle, Art seduced a smith's daughter named Étain, who was the mother of Cormac. Lugaid Lága, the champion of Lugaid Mac Con, slew Art in battle.