Framing Dunscaith Castle Isle of Skye Scotland 4 3 to 16 9 this is 1 of 2

Earlier structures on the site of the castle are featured in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology as the stronghold and school of Scáthach the Shadow. This legendary Scottish warrior woman, sometimes referred to in recent times as a Druid and Priestess was renowned for her fighting skills and as a martial arts teacher. Scáthach trained the hero Cú Chulainn in the arts of combat giving him skills beyond all others including specialist moves and the secret of the Gáe Bulg, Gáe Bulga, Gáe Bolg, or Gáe Bolga. This is stated to be titled such meaning spear of mortal pain, or death, and also gapped, or notched spear, and further belly spear. The use of this weapon thrown from between the toes was a was believed to kill any opponent. Scáthach had the skill herself and could only pass on the technique to those of amazing skill and Cú Chulainn being the son and to some the incarnation of the God Lugh and Princess Deichtine.

The spear, or barb that Scáthach taught use of to Cú Chulainn is said to be a bone of a sea monster the Curruid. It is said that the Curruid died while fighting another sea monster the Coinchenn leading some to wonder if the spear could be made from parts of a Stingray, or be based on the Ray’s poisoned barbs. The Gáe Bulg spear is noted as being invariably fatal in use and maybe the spear was more than just a barbed weapon cast from between the toes and so launched off the feet from below to deliver a fatal injury from an unguarded angle. Scáthach prophesies about the fame and glory that await Cú Chulainn on his return to Ireland, but along with his charmed and enchanted life there will be many dangers in store from his demigod existence and his mortal life though famed is fated to be be short lived. From this moment on the bright life of Lugh that is evident in Cú Chulainn is seen as curse and charm that cannot be avoided and his triumph is set to be full of torment. The fort, or dun features as the place that the Irish Prince seeks out to improve his battle skills in the longest and most important tale in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology the epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, Cattle Raid of Cooley. The place name in Irish Dun Scathiag, is derived from Scáthach’s name.

The castle was the principal seat of the Clan MacDonald of Sleat, a branch of the Clan Donald, or MacDonald in the 15th century. Eventually after losing and regaining the castle the MacDonalds abandoned Dunscaith Castle in the early 17th century leaving the fortress to decline and fall into the ruins we now have today. The site is starkly beautiful with long stretched horizons around it that leave the ruin isolated bringing a sense of how vital this beacon once was in this landscape.

I cannot separate the physical place of Dun Scathiag from the site of legend spun stories that I have heard of Scáthach, her daughters and of Cú Chulainn the son and incarnation of Lugh. Somehow Dun Scathiag stands and Scáthach stays ready, yet Dunscaith Castle is also stood there and this one place is full of history and mystery all woven upon the proud rock that stands free of the cliffs and offers itself up as a place to defend and also a site to dwell on and so the tattered pages of legend lie upon the rocks and are cast off to the beach to be taken by tides, even as others are wonderfully wind embraced to carry on and on the red headed rubric into poem and in song, whilst others still are rooted in foundations and also created into walls and arches that show prosperity and hardship in the style of the stones still here and of the scope of the long gone wall tops and briefly built bold tall now much shortened fallen towers that held brilliant bright banners high into this balefully beautifully brooding stretched open sky.

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