Page "Sister Fidelma" Paragraph 3

Fidelma was born into the royal family of Munster in the late 630s.

Her father, King Failbe Fland, died c. 637 / 9, during Fidelma's infancy.

Fidelma was raised as an Eoghanachta princess.

She studied civil and criminal law, especially the brehon laws, under the supervision of Brehon Morann of Tara.

During her student years, Fidelma had an unhappy love affair with Cian, a warrior of the High King's bodyguard, who eventually abandoned her to marry the daughter of the High King's steward ( who, ironically, later divorced him on the grounds that he was sterile ).

Her pre-occupation with Cian interfered with her concentration and devotion to her studies and nearly caused her to be expelled from the Brehon Morann's classes.

Emerging from the affair battered but unbowed, she applied herself wholeheartedly to her studies and eventually qualified as an anruth, the second highest rank in the Irish legal system.

In the novels, she pursues a career as a dalaigh to the Brehon Court of Ireland.