Neasa

Neasa is an Old Irish feminine name of uncertain etymology, though it may derive from a root connected to the word for a weasel or a related animal, reflecting the naming conventions of early Irish tradition. In Irish mythology, Neasa is the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa, the legendary king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle, and her cunning in securing the kingship for her son made her one of the most strategically formidable women in early Irish literature. The name has been anglicized as Nessa, which is also used as an independent given name in Ireland and Scotland.