Aífe

A woman warrior. Aífe (Aife) possibly came from Britain. Aife was the chief enemy of Scathach, who was also a woman warrior. So great was her prowess and skills in battle that even if Scathach did not fear Aife, she was still wary, since Aife was stronger of the two.

Aife was more than a match for Cú Chulainn (Cu Chulainn), and successfully repelled all attacks from the young hero. Aife was known to love her horses beyond all things. Cú Chulainn used that knowledge to defeat her in combat. During the combat, Cú Chulainn used a ruse to catch Aife off guard, by saying that one of her horses was wounded. When Aife momentarily took her eyes off Cú Chulainn, the youth jumped and quickly subdued her, threatening her. Aife agreed to surrender and end her long feud with Scathach.

Aife and Cú Chulainn became lovers, and she bore him a son named Connla. Cú Chulainn placed a geis on his son. The hero told Aife that she must send her son to him when Connla could wear the hero's ring Cú Chulainn gave her. Their son must never reveal his identity, fight all who would block his way, and never refuse a fight.

Years later, when Connla was still a boy, but was a man in size, he sought his father when he could wear Cú Chulainn's ring. When each of King Conchobar's warriors went to confront the boy and ask for his identity, Connla would either kill or subdue the warrior. Among the warriors Connla bound was Conall. When Cú Chulainn encountered the boy, the boy refused to give his name and fought with his father. Cú Chulainn realised that the boy was his son, but could not prevent a tragedy, since he had placed the geis upon the boy. The boy was more than a match for Cú Chulainn, until the hero used his most devastating weapon, the gae bolg. Cú Chulainn killed his own son with his deadly spear. Cú Chulainn returned to Emain Macha with Connla's body, and revealed to the king that he had killed his son. Conchobar gave Connla a hero's funeral.