The Musical
Experience the legend of Sgiath, the fearless Warrior Queen of Skye, through a unique musical journey blending classic rock with Scottish folk, classical, and pop influences. Dive into the ancient Gaelic folklore brought to life with powerful melodies and epic storytelling. Join us and be part of this captivating saga!
Music and lyrics by Doug and Arlene Levick.
The Legend
Sgiath, Warrior Queen of Skye is a character from ancient Gaelic folklore. The legend of Sgiath may be more than 2,000 years old and was passed down through oral story telling in Scotland and Ireland. Sgiath is also known in Irish Gaelic as Scathach and the first known written versions of the legend are in the Ulster Cycle stories from around the 12th Century AD, where her adventures with the Irish hero Cuchullin are told.
The plot and characters of Sgiath's story are perhaps best described in the version of the legend written by Scottish storyteller George W Macpherson in his book “Sgiath Amazon Queen of Skye”. George tells of Sgiath's journey from a humble birth on a stormy night, to becoming Queen Of Skye and opening a college of science, art and war, which is known throughout the world. Sgiath is guided through her childhood by the Old Grey Wizard who teaches her warrior ways, leadership and magic. As her journey progresses she gathers followers, including her best friend Enya. She also encounters many enemies including chieftains and kings, and is even challenged by her own sister Aoife. She wins through and becomes Queen Of Skye, and when the Irish hero Cuchullin comes to train at her college, they fall in love. We have added our own ideas and philosophies to the back stories of characters and Sgiath’s various adventures. The themes of spirituality, peace and harmony, and the quest for equality, freedom, and justice are just as pertinent today as they were thousands of years ago. Sadly, George passed away in December 2024, but we hope he might approve of our musical version of this "true legend".
There are different stories around what became of Sgiath. One idea is that she sleeps on Skye as one of the three Celtic heroes, along with Fionn and Ossian, who will return when their countries’ need is greatest. Another is that she is a goddess who guides souls to the Celtic resting place of Tir nan Og, the “land of the ever young”. In the end, we can only wonder: perhaps Sgiath became the Isle Of Skye, or was she the spirit of the island all along: An t-Eilean Sgitheanach.