Gina Sigillito - The Daughters Of Maeve: 50 Irish Women Who Changed World

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Without the support of my family, friends, and esteemed academic institutions, this book would not have been possible. I would like to thank my editors, Bob Shuman and Danielle Chiotti, for their endless patience and wisdom; my dear friend and author, the late Jack Holland for his professional and personal support; and my family, especially Martin Sigillito, Sean Sigillito, Louis Colombo, and Beverly Colombo. Grateful acknowledgment also goes to the libraries of Fordham University, St. Louis University, the University of Missouri, and Trinity College, Dublin.

About the Author

Gina Sigillito has studied Celtic mythology, art, philosophy, and Christianity since 1990 at a variety of schools, including the Irish Arts Center, Ireland House at New York University, and Trinity College, Dublin. She attended Columbia University and Fordham University in New York City and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Journalism. She has lectured in New York City on women in Irish history at a number of venues including New Yorks City Hall, Fordham University, the Irish Arts Center, and Hunter College, and has traveled extensively throughout Ireland. She is the coeditor with Patricia King and Sile Deady of The Wisdom of the Celts . She currently works for a major publisher in New York City and is a member of the Authors Guild.

Bibliography

1. QUEEN MEDB

Maeve

F IRST C ENTURY B.C.

W ARRIOR Q UEEN

M ore than 2,000 years ago, women took the battlefield with superior strength and courage. They were the equals of any man, physically strong, morally courageous, and sexually liberated. In the world of the ancient Celts, women enjoyed more sexual and financial freedom in some ways than they do today. The Brehon Laws (ancient laws of Ireland) ensured that women receive equal pay for equal work (a dream that is still yet to be realized today in many countries) and that they retained an equal place in household affairs. In ancient Irish literature, women are the fiercest warriors and teach many of the men how to conquer in battle. In the great Irish epic The Tain , it is the women such as Scathach, Aife, and Nes, and most important, Queen Medb (Maeve) who wield the power and call the shots. Beautiful, fearless, and in control of her sexual destiny, Maeve proves to be a worthy adversary to the Irish hero Cuchulainn, and it is she who leads her forces into battle. Known as the Intoxicating One, Medb awakened desire in even her fiercest enemies. One of the great debates in Irish myth and legend begs the question: Did Queen Maeve really exist? Although no authority seems to have the answer, it is almost immaterial. The legacy that Queen Medb has given Irish women is more important than whether she ever took flesh-and-blood form. Her strength in the face of adversity, her superior intellect, and her sexual potency has given Irish women a role model that has enabled them to overcome the greatest obstacles. The warrior-like spirit of Maeve has given birth to great Irish women everywhere. And it is her legacy that gives inspiration even today. Only such a progressive time could have given birth to such a progressive heroine.