Celtic Mythology

SCATHACH

Let's take a look at a goddess who is little known outside Irish/Alban mythology, the Queen of Shadows - Scathach. This formidable goddess had her abode among the dark brooding mountains of the Isle of Skye which is a corruption of her name, and she was widely worshipped among the Celtic peoples of the Western Isles of Scotland and of Ireland.

Although she only survives in modern literature in the Celtic Iliad, the "Tain Bo Cuailnge" (Tain Bo Cooley) there is a wealth of folklore surrounding this dark Lady that still survives among the Western Isles of Alba, also many places still bear her name which signifies her importance as a deity among the Celtic pantheons.

Firstly, if we take a look at what her name means it should give some idea as to her principle nature. Remember, as we have often pointed out, most Celtic deities have titles rather than names. Scathach means "Shadowy One", also from her name comes "Sgiath" which means Shield.

As the Shadow Goddess, Queen of the Otherworld, she is the Cat- faced Goddess, the ancient Huntress whose active principle is reflected within the natural world in the survival of the fittest. This is often viewed in these modern times as the cruel side of Nature, but in reality it is essential for the well-being of all living species, which only allows the strong to procreate. As we shall see later, this once applied to Human kind also.

Next, if we take her aspect as the Shield which is important as one of the four weapons of the warrior, and was and still is a sacred tool in ritual, it represents the North (Earth) in our system. The Shield is the barrier between the worlds which protects the realms of the living from the chaotic elemental realms of the Dead. It is also expressed in Nature as the barrier which protects the mind from chaos and allows rational thought.

If we now return to the Tain we will find the third principle of her trinity. In the tale we find Cuchulain the great Sun God hero of Ireland standing on the shore of the narrow strip of sea which separates the Isle of Skye from the mainland, having three times failed to cross a magical bridge. Enraged by this, Cuchulain goes into his Battle Fury and performs the "Salmon Leap" by which he gains access to Scathach's island. Details of many of his other exploits can be read in the Tain, which is an excellent translation of the legend. For our purposes it will suffice to know that Cuchulain was at the Isle of Skye to be trained in the arts of the warrior by which means he could claim the right to be joined with his childhood sweetheart. In Celtic Society, Manhood was not a right of years. Before a man could have the privileges of warrior status within his tribe he had to prove himself worthy of such. As in all early warrior clans this had to be achieved by undergoing the trials of initiation. In Celtic terms a warrior could only be given his right to bear arms by a priestess of his tribe. Of course, in the case of Cuchulain, being no ordinary warrior, his initiator could be no mortal woman. This shows the goddess Scathach in her third principle, as an initiator.

In the social terms of these early peoples failure to achieve warrior status meant that the unfortunate person would have little better status than a slave among his tribe. This also debarred him from all the privileges of Manhood including handfasting. Viewed in this light it is little wonder that the warrior clans revered and feared the dark Lady of the Yew tree.

[Author: S. McSkimming 1992]

[(c) Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust, Isle of Arran]

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