arts from her. Her most famous pupil was Cúchulainn, to whom she taught his famous battle leap and also gave the Gae-Bolg, the terrible spear. Cúchulainn trained with her for a year and a day, during which time her daughter, Uathach, was his mistress. Later he joined Scáthach in her battle against her sister Aoife, reputed to be the strongest of female warriors. Cúchulainn defeated Aoife in combat and she became his lover and bore him a son, Connlaí.

Sceanb

[I] Wife of the harpist Craiftine. She became lover of Cormac Cond Longes, who her husband then had killed in a jealous fury.

Scena

[I] Wife of Amairgen, son of Milesius. She died on the voyage to Ireland and was buried at Inbhirscena, said to be an ancient name for the mouth of the Kenmare River in Co. Kerry.

Scenmed

[I] Sister of Forgall Manach. Following his death, when Cúchulainn eloped with Forgall’s daughter, Emer, Scenmed raised an army and followed the Ulster champion to exact vengeance. Cúchulainn defeated and slew her.

Sceolan

[I] A hound of Fionn Mac Cumhail but also his nephew. With its brother Bran it was born to Fionn’s sister (sometimes referred to as sister-in-law and even aunt), Tuireann, while she was transformed into a bitch-dog by magic practised by the jealous mistress of her husband, Ullan. See Tuireann.

Sciathbhreag

[I] “Speckled shield.” A member of the Fianna.

Scoriath

[I] King of the Fir Morca in Gaul and father of the beautiful Moriath. He welcomed Móen to his court, allowed him to marry his daughter, and supplied him with an army of Gauls to help him establish himself as king of Leinster and exact vengeance on his evil great-uncle Cobhthach.

Scota

[I] Daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh Cingris. She became wife of Niul and mother of Goidel, the progenitor of the Gaels. There is a second Scota who was daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh Nectanebus and wife of Milesius. She was killed fighting the Dé Danaan and was buried in Scotia’s Glen, three miles from Tralee in Co. Kerry.

Scotland

See Alba. Scotland was never part of the Roman province of Britain, although the Romans, having conquered the Celts of the south, tried several times to exert their military domination in the north. During the spring or summer of a.d. 79, the Roman governor Agricola turned north. His campaigns lasted six years, during