Name:  Aoife Aife

Occupation:  Warrior Queen and  Tutor in Martial Arts 

Father: Ardgeimm

Comrades: Scathach ( female warrior and tutor )

Warriors:  Cuar Cett &Cruife sons of Ilsuanach Cire Bire & Blaicne sons of Ess Enchenn (The Bird-Headed)

Enemy:  Cúchulainn (who defeated her)

Son:  Conlaoch (son of Cúchulainn)

Aoife was a warrior woman who trained with Scathach on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Scathach gave her the magical weapon the gae bulga as a gift but Aoife lost it in combat against Cúchulainn who also forced himself on her so that she conceived his son Conlaoch.

Because of this she hated Cúchulainn and although she did not overtly bring up her son to hate him, she did put a geis (an immutable taboo) on him never to reveal his name or his lineage if he was ever asked. As she planned revenge on Cúchulainn.

That revenge came about when Conlaoch was of an age to travel she sent him out to Emain Macha where he was to seek out Cúchulainn. When he arrived at Emain Macha he was asked his name and lineage and when he could not reveal it the guard of the gate grew suspicious and summoned Cúchulainn who also asked his name and lineage and though Conlaoch knew Cúchulainn was his father he could not reveal that to him and so Cúchulainn challenged him to a duel and of course he was the better warrior and he slew Conlaoch but with his dying breath Conlaoch revealed his true identity and this caused Cúchulainn great anguish. No doubt Aoife had hoped that Conlaoch would slay Cúchulainn as she had trained the boy from the earliest age in martial arts, but her plan backfired and it was her own son who was slain.

Stories, Myths and Legends associated with Aoife

Cúchulainn and Conlaoch his son 

Cúchulainn trains with Scathach the Warrior Woman 

The  Courting of Emer

Conlaoch Son of Cuchulain by Lady Gregory

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