Emer (female name)
Emer is a female given name derived from Emer, who in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology was the wife of the hero Cú Chulainn. As a given name it became popular during the Irish literary revival, with the Old Irish spelling Emer of the mythical character retained in English with anglicised pronunciation. The modern Irish spelling is Eimhear or Éimhear, with variations Eimer, Eimear and Éimear. The Scottish Gaelic spelling is Eimhir.
The Irish male name Éibhear was sometimes also spelled Emer; it is usually anglicised Heber. For example, some sources refer to 17th-century bishop Heber MacMahon as "Emer MacMahon". Similarly, the Irish writer Eimar O'Duffy was male.
Women named Emer or modern Irish equivalents include the following :
- Eimear Brannigan, Dublin camogie player
- Eimear Burke, psychologist, musician, and Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
- Emer Colleran, microbiologist
- Eimear Considine, rugby player
- Emer Cooke, pharmacist and executive director of the European Medicines Agency
- Emer Costello Labour Party former Dublin Lord Mayor and MEP
- Emer Currie, Fine Gael Dublin West TD
- Emer Dillon, Cork camogie player
- Emer Haverty, Galway camogie player
- Emer Higgins, Fine Gael Dublin Mid-West TD
- Emer Jones, Young Scientist of the Year 2008
- Eimear Kenny, researcher in population genetics and translation genomics
- Emer Kenny, British actress and screenwriter
- Eimear Lambe, rower
- Emer Lucey, hockey player
- Eimear McBride, novelist
- Eimear McDonnell, Tipperary camogie player
- Eimear McGeown, flautist
- Emer McLysaght, journalist and co-author of the Aisling novels
- Eimear Maher, middle-distance runner
- Emer Martin, novelist, painter and film-maker
- Eimear Moran, cyclist and rower
- Eimear Mullan, triathlete
- Eimear Ní Chonaola, journalist and television presenter
- Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh, costume designer
- Eímear Noone, conductor and composer
- Emer O'Brien, artist and photographer
- Eimear O'Grady, stuntwoman
- Eimear O'Kane, film producer
- Emer O'Toole, feminist scholar and writer
- Emer Patten, live music film producer
- Eimear Quinn, singer and composer, Eurovision Song Contest 1996 winner
- Emer Reynolds, film editor and director
- Eimear Richardson, cricketer
- Eimear Ryan, writer, editor, and publisher
- Eimear Walshe, contemporary artist and writer