The Wooing of Emer
Also known as: Tochmarc Emire, Wooing of Emer, Courtship of Emer
An Ulster Cycle tale recounting Cú Chulainn’s courtship of Emer against her father Forgall’s opposition, his training under Scáthach in Alba and feats against Aífe, culminating in the abduction and marriage of Emer.
Description
The Wooing of Emer (Old Irish Tochmarc Emire) is a prose tale of the Ulster Cycle. Cú Chulainn seeks Emer, renowned for beauty and wisdom, but her father Forgall devises perilous tasks to deter him. Guided toward martial training in Alba, Cú Chulainn studies with the warrior-woman Scáthach, gains singular feats and weapons, and defeats her rival Aífe. Tokens and oaths there foreshadow later tragedies. Returning to Ulster, Cú Chulainn raids Forgall’s stronghold, carries off Emer, and secures Conchobar’s assent. The tale interweaves courtship, geasa (taboos), fosterage, and sovereignty motifs, situating Cú Chulainn’s maturation within a network of kinship, honor, and heroic obligation.
Historiography
The tale survives in multiple Old/Middle Irish recensions, notably in 12th-century compilations associated with Lebor na hUidre and the Book of Leinster, with later copies expanding or abridging episodes. Modern editions collate variant readings, reflecting a fluid narrative shaped by oral and scribal transmission. Scholarly attention focuses on Ulster Cycle synchronisms, geis motifs, and the relationship to connected narratives such as the Boyhood Deeds and the tragic death of Aífe’s son Connla.
Date Notes
Survives in Old/Middle Irish recensions; earliest witnesses in 12th-century manuscripts with earlier oral/formulaic strata.
Archetypes
Major Characters
- Cú Chulainn
- Emer
- Forgall Monach
- Conchobar mac Nessa
- Lóeg
Myths
- Cú Chulainn’s Courtship Trials for Emer
- Training with Scáthach
- The Duel with Aífe and the Oath over the Child
Facts
- Also known by its Old Irish title "Tochmarc Emire" within the Ulster Cycle.
- Earliest textual witnesses date to the 12th century, preserving older oral material.
- Centers on Cú Chulainn’s maturation through martial training and courtship.
- Scáthach’s training and the conflict with Aífe are core episodes of the tale.
- Forgall Monach opposes the match, imposing perilous tasks to deter Cú Chulainn.
- The tale explains tokens and oaths that later lead to the tragedy of Connla.
- Variants differ in length and detail, reflecting a fluid manuscript tradition.
- Conchobar’s political authority mediates the final settlement of the marriage.
- Belongs to the same narrative world as the Táin Bó Cúailnge.
- Geasa (taboos) and bride-price customs frame the ethics of courtship and honor.