Starting off from my 12 Irish love poems list, I picked one of the most enchanting Irish love poems called Fand Yields Cúchulainn To Emer. The central figure is none other than Cúchulainn, the renowned hero of countless Irish legends. It tells the tale of his profound affection for a captivating woman from the ethereal realm known as Fand.
Emer, his devoted wife, displayed unwavering determination to protect her cherished partner, while Fand, recognizing the depth of their bond, relinquished her claim on “her man” and retreated to the mystical otherworld. The poem revolves around the theme of love and loyalty, intertwining elements of Irish mythology and folklore.
It depicts the story of Cúchulainn, a heroic figure in Irish legends, who becomes infatuated with Fand, a woman from the otherworld. However, Cúchulainn’s wife, Emer, fiercely defends her relationship with him and is willing to fight for their love. Fand, recognizing the strength of their bond and the commitment between Cúchulainn and Emer, ultimately decides to release her hold on him and return to the otherworld. The poem explores the complexities of love, sacrifice, and the conflicts that arise when desire clashes with loyalty.
This short poem comes from Serglige Con Culainn, The Wasting Sickness of Cúchulainn, a medieval tale from the Ulster Cycle. The author is unknown. Fand, a woman of the otherworld and wife of the sea god Manannán mac Lir, falls for Cúchulainn, and his wife Emer comes to confront them.
In the poem Fand speaks to Emer and gives him up. She talks about her own faithfulness and about the pain of loving someone who does not love you back. It is a poem about dignity in heartbreak, and it is striking that the poem gives its voice to the rival rather than the wife.
In the tale, Manannán then comes for Fand and shakes his cloak between her and Cúchulainn so that the two will never meet again.
The English version I shared was by the Cork writer Seán Ó Faoláin, who died in 1991, so it is still in copyright. You will find it in his anthology The Silver Branch (Jonathan Cape, 1938), and it was reprinted in An Anthology of Irish Literature, edited by David H. Greene (Modern Library, 1954).
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