Editing Scáthach

{{short description|Figure in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

[[File:Heroes of the dawn - illustration to face page 066.png|thumb|Scáthach, illustrated by [[Beatrice Elvery]], from ''Heroes of the Dawn'', 1914<ref>{{Cite book |last=Russell |first=Violet |url=http://archive.org/details/heroesofdawn00russ |title=Heroes of the dawn |last2=Elvery |first2=Beatrice |date=1914 |publisher=New York : The Macmillan Co.; London [etc.] Maunsel & Co., Ltd. |others=New York Public Library}}</ref>]]
'''Scáthach''' ({{IPA|ga|ˈsˠkaːhəx|lang}}) or '''Sgàthach''' ({{langx|gd|Sgàthach an Eilean Sgitheanach}}) is a figure in the [[Ulster Cycle]] of [[Irish mythology]]. She is a legendary [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[Women warriors in literature and culture|warrior woman]] and [[martial arts]] teacher who trains the legendary [[Ulster]] hero [[Cú Chulainn]] in the arts of combat. Texts describe her homeland as Scotland (''Alpeach''); she is especially associated with the [[Isle of Skye]], where her residence ''[[Dunscaith Castle|Dún Scáith]]'' ("Fortress of Shadows") stands.<ref>{{cite journal|translator=Whitley Stokes|url=http://sejh.pagesperso-orange.fr/keltia/version-en/cu-training.html|title=The Training of Cúchulainn|journal=Revue Celtique|publisher=Kraus Reprint|location=New York City|issue=29|date=1908|pages=109–52}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=P.L.|last=Henry|title=Verba Scathaige|journal=[[Celtica (journal)|Celtica]]|publisher=School of Celtic Studies|location=Dublin, Ireland|issue=21|date=1990|pages=191–207}}</ref> 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.<ref name="AOA">{{cite journal|editor-first=Kuno|editor-last=Meyer|title=The Death of Conla|journal=[[Ériu (journal)|Ériu]]|publisher=School of Irish Learning in Dublin|location=Dublin, Ireland|issue=1|date=1904|pages=113–121}}</ref><ref name="britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Scáthach |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Scathach |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.]]|location=Chicago, Illinois| access-date=September 12, 2018}}</ref>

==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]]''. 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]] 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]] (otherwise ''Albu'' in Irish).<ref>DIL, s.v. "Alpae" and "Albu".</ref> Cú Chulainn is sent there with [[Lóegaire Búadach|Lóegaire]] and [[Conchobar mac Nessa|Conchobor]], 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.<ref>{{cite book|editor-first=Robert|editor-last=Welch|title=The Concise Oxford Companion to Irish Literature|chapter=Tochmarc Emire (Recension I), lines 16–36|publisher=[[Clarendon Press]]|location=Oxford, England|date=2000|ISBN=978-0198661580|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont00welc}}</ref>

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.<ref name="britannica"/> 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]].  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.<ref>{{cite book|first=T.W.|last=Rolleston|title=Celtic Myths and Legends|publisher=Gresham|location=London, England|date=1986|isbn=0-946495-84-X|page=192}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Cuillin]] on the Isle of Skye
* [[Irish mythology in popular culture#Scáthach|Irish mythology in popular culture]]

== Citations==
{{reflist}}

== General sources ==
* MacKillop, James (1998). ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. London: Oxford. {{ISBN|0-19-860967-1}}.
* {{Cite Tochmarc Emire I}} [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G301021A CELT]
* {{Cite DIL |title=Alpae |pages=Letter A, Column 291 }}
* ''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==
*''[http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/s/scathach.html Dun Sgathaich]'' on Skye, said to stand on the site of ''Dún Scáith''

{{Celtic mythology (Ulster)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scathach}}
[[Category:Isle of Skye]]
[[Category:Scottish mythology]]
[[Category:Ulster Cycle]]
[[Category:Women in mythology]]
[[Category:Women warriors]]