Heroes of the dawn - illustration to face page 066

Scáthach () or Sgàthach () is a figure in the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle (), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Do ...

Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era. In the History of Ireland (795–1169), early medieval era, myths were ...

. She is a legendary Scottish warrior woman and

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...

teacher who trains the legendary

Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...

hero

Cú Chulainn Cú Chulainn ( ), is an Irish warrior hero and demigod in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, who is also his father. His mother is the ...

in the arts of combat. Texts describe her homeland as Scotland (''Alpeach''); she is especially associated with the

Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of ...

, where her residence '' Dún Scáith'' ("Fortress of Shadows") stands. She is called "the Shadow" and "Warrior Maid" and is the rival and sister of Aífe, both of whom are daughters of Árd-Greimne of Lethra.

Appearances

Scáthach's instruction of the young hero Cú Chulainn notably appears in '' Tochmarc Emire'' (''The Wooing of Emer''), an early Irish foretale to the great epic ''

Táin Bó Cúailnge (Modern ; "the driving-off of the cows of Cooley"), commonly known as ''The Táin'' or less commonly as ''The Cattle Raid of Cooley'', is an epic from Irish mythology. It is often called "the Irish ''Iliad''", although like most other earl ...

''. Here, Cú Chulainn is honour-bound to perform a number of tasks before he is found worthy to marry his beloved Emer, daughter of the chieftain Forgall Monach. The tale survives in two recensions: a short version written mainly in

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...

and a later, expanded version of the Middle Irish period. In both recensions, Cú Chulainn is sent to ''Alpae'', a term literally meaning "the Alps", but apparently used here to refer to

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

(otherwise ''Albu'' in Irish). Cú Chulainn is sent there with Lóegaire and

Conchobor () is an old and famous Irish male name meaning "lover of canines". It is the source of the Irish names Conor, Connor, Connors, Conner, O'Connor, etc. It is a name borne by several figures from Irish history and legend, including: * Concho ...

, and in the later version also with Conall Cernach, to receive training from the warrior Domnall (whose hideous daughter falls in love with the hero and, after being spurned by him, later exacts her revenge by separating him from his companions by means of a magical illusion). After some time, Domnall assigns them to the care of Scáthach for further training. Cú Chulainn and his companion Ferdiad travel to Dún Scáith, where Scáthach teaches them feats of arms, and gives Cú Chulainn a deadly spear, the Gáe Bulg. Cú Chulainn begins an affair with Scáthach's daughter Uathach, but accidentally breaks her fingers. She screams, calling her lover Cochar Croibhe to the room. Despite Uathach's protests, he challenges Cú Chulainn to a duel, and Cú Chulainn dispatches him easily. To make it up to Uathach and Scáthach, Cú Chulainn assumes Cochar's duties, and becomes Uathach's lover. Scáthach eventually promises her daughter to him, without requiring the traditional

bride price Bride price, bride-dowry, bride-wealth, bride service or bride token, is money, property, or other form of wealth paid by a groom or his family to the woman or the family of the woman he will be married to or is just about to marry. Bride dowry ...

. When her rival, the warrior woman Aífe, threatens her territory, Cú Chulainn battles Aífe, and manages to defeat her through distracting her with lies. With his sword at her throat, he bargains with her that he will spare her life under the conditions that she will cease her conflicts with Scáthach, and that she will allow him to impregnate her so that she will bear him a son. This leaves Aífe pregnant with his son Connla, whom Cú Chulainn kills years later — only realizing who Connla is after he has slain him.

Citations

General sources

* MacKillop, James (1998). ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. London: Oxford. . *
CELT
* * ''Tochmarc Emire'' (Recension II), ed. A. G. van Hamel, ''Compert Con Culainn and Other Stories''. Mediaeval and Modern Irish Series 3. Dublin, 1933.

External links

*

' on Skye, said to stand on the site of ''Dún Scáith'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Scathach Isle of Skye Scottish mythology Ulster Cycle Women in mythology Women warriors

Appearances

See also

Citations

General sources

External links