The High King's Daughter

MORGAN BROTHERS presents “The High-King’s Daughter” by Kurt Rosenberg, featuring animation by ARMADA. This animated short film is a co-production between Ireland and USA.

Ireland, 995-1014. A story of forbidden love between a young stable groom, Ruairí Ua Néill, and the youngest of High King Brian Boru’s daughters. The two grow up together: one in the High King’s court, one in the High King’s stables. The Princess loves to ride her horse, and Ruairi loves to provide her with the most well kept horse in the Kingdom. Their friendship grows over the years, and as they come of age, it turns into love. The King takes notice and warns her to not grow too fond of Ruairí as she is to do her duty to the Kingdom and marry nobility to strengthen political ties. The High King must go to war, and decides to bring Ruairí to the front-line. Ruairí fights valiantly on the battle field but is overtaken and is run through. Back at the Rock of Cashel, the distraught Princess races through fields and forests to sooth the pain, but has a tragic horse accident resulting in her death. The High King’s Daughter spirit walks across the battle field with her horse, and retrieves Ruairí and the two mount their horse together for the first time.