Aífe

Aífe (Modern Irish Aoife /iːfʲə/) is the name of several characters from Irish mythology:

1. Aífe, daughter of Ardgeimm, was a female warrior from Alba. She was a rival of Scathach the Amazon for the leadership of the female warriors. While he was a student of Scathach, Cúchulainn defeated Aífe and forced her to submit and make peace with Scathach. Aífe and Cuchulainn became lovers, and had one son. He was given the name Connla or Conlaoch by his father.

Aífe gave Cuchulainn his spear, Gae Bulg. Cuchulainn eventually used this great spear to kill both his greatest friend, Ferdiad, and his son, Connla.

2. Aífe was the stepmother of the Children of Lir, whom, out of jealousy of their father's love for them, she turned into swans.

The LÉ Aoife (P22), a ship in the Irish Naval Service, is named after her.

Reference

Squire, Charles. "Celtic Myth and Legend." Newcastle Publishing Co., USA, 1975. Reprinted from the first edition in 1905, Great Britain. ISBN 0-87877-029-1. James MacKillop (1998), Dictionary of Celtic Mythology

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