and Fidelma's closest female friend and confidente; they became acquainted when Fidelma successfully defended Della's sister, a religieuse of Cill Dara (Kildare), against a charge or murder and later represented Della herself when Della was raped. Her first appearance in the series is in The Monk Who Vanished. Segdae - Abbot and Bishop of Imleach, chief prelate in Muman and firm opponent of the Penitentials. First introduced in Valley of the Shadow; murdered in Penance of the Damned. Conri - Warlord of the Uí Fidgenti. First appeared in the short story "Cry Wolf"; became a more substantive character in the novel Badger's Moon. Donennach mac Oengus - Prince of the Ui Fidgenti; first appeared in The Monk Who Vanished. Signed a peace treaty with Colgu and has since remained on friendly relations with Cashel despite opposition from within his own people. Forbassach - Bishop and Brehon of Laigin and a hostile antagonist to Fidelma; first appeared in Suffer Little Children (when he was physically ejected from the court of Cashel for violation of the laws of hospitality); was stripped of his rank and his license to practice law by the Chief Brehon of the Five Kingdoms as a result of the events of Our Lady of Darkness. Fianamail - King of Laigin; succeeded Faelan, who had died of the Yellow Plague; first appeared in Suffer Little Children; hostile to Muman. Described as "a youth with foxy hair and an attitude to match it ... young and ambitious and determined to make a reputation for himself." (Our Lady of Darkness). Has been foiled twice by Fidelma: first, in the matter of the kingdom of Osraige (Suffer Little Children, for which he had to pay high fines to both the High King and King Colgu), then in the displacement in Laigin of the Law of the Fenechus by the Penitentials (Our Lady of Darkness, for which he was publicly admonished by the High King). Noe - Abbot of Fearna in Laigin; resigned as Abbot to become Fianamail's Spiritual Advisor; also hostile to Fidelma. First appeared in Suffer Little Children; related to the murdered Venerable Dacan. Left Fearna to go on a pilgrimage to Rome where he met Fainder, with whom he fell in love and brought back to Fearna to become its new Abbess. Became converted to the Penitentials; after the events of Our Lady of Darkness, left Fearna (and Ireland), possibly