Lugodoc's Guide To Celtic Mythology: The Fenian Cycle

The first stories in this bloated cycle were composed probably not much later than those in the Ulster Cycle, but then they just seemed to breed; the last story was composed and written in 1750. There are hundreds of them, many contradictory, and heavily contaminated by Christianity.

The Coming of Finn

Cormac mac Art, the High King of all Ireland at Tara, was served by The Fianna, a military order composed of squabbling clans who rallied together when necessary to protect the land from invasion. The two main competing clans were the Clan Bascna and the Clan Morna. Clan Bascna was led by Cumhal (son of Trenmor), and his pregnant wife was Murna of the White Neck (grand-daughter of Nuada of the Silver Hand from two cycles back).

Cumhal was slain at the battle of Knock by the Clan Morna who took the leadership of the Fianna, and the crane's skin treasure bag of the Fianna was given to the treasurer of the Fianna (and of Clan Morna), Lia, lord of Luachar in Connacht. Murna fled to the forest of Slieve Bloom and bore a boy she named Demna, dumped him with two old druidesses and ran back to marry the King of Kerry.

Golden-haired white skinned Demna became known as Finn (Fair One), and promptly set off for revenge, killing Lia at Rath Luachar first and taking the bag. Then he found his uncle Crimmal and the Knock survivors in the forests of Connacht, left with them the bag and some lads that had been following him around, and went forth in search of wisdom.

Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge

The druid Finegas dwelled by the Boyne where a hazel tree dropped the Nuts of Knowledge into a pool confining Fintan the Salmon of Knowledge. For years he had failed to capture the fish, until Finn became his pupil and he got lucky, and he gave him the fish to cook but not to eat. Finn burnt his finger on some hot fish-juices, and on thoughtlessly sucking it became imbued with knowledge, so Finegas told him to finish off the rest and then piss off.

Captain Finn

Goll son of Morna was captain of the Fianna of Erin, but Finn wanted the job and so went to Tara and promised the king to rid him of a nocturnal goblin in return. An old pal of his Dad's had a spear that with a touch on the head could imbue an invincible berzerk rage, and thus he overcame the goblin's soporific harp music, chased it to Slieve Fuad fairy mound and chopped off its head.

He became captain of the Fianna, and Goll mac Morna was the first to swear service.

That is the most narrative sense any of it makes. The rest is mostly odd stories about his offspring and motley crew.

Conan mac Lia

...was the son of the lord of Luachar and a marauder for seven years. Finn and his Fianna pursued him to Carn Lewy (Munster) where he stole on Finn by the fire and grabbed him. Finn forgave him and he swore fealty and served faithfully for thirty years.

Conan mac Morna

...was big, bald, bitter-tongued, cowardly and clumsy. One day whilst hunting with some of the Fianna they came upon an un-occupied stately dun in the forest. During supper they realised it was a fairy trap, and all escaped unscathed except greedy Conan who stuck in his chair and lost the skin of his back and bum. So they grafted on a black sheep skin, and he had the hairiest arse in all Erin.

On a better day he slew Pirate Liagan on The Hill of Slaughter in Kerry in single combat using the oldest trick in the book, to Finn's annoyance.

Keelta mac Ronan

...was one of Finn's house-stewards and a bard.

Auntie Tyren

A Fairy woman fell in love with Finn's mum Murna's sister Tyren's husband Ullan, and turned Tyren into a hound that bore two whelps. These became Finn's hunting hounds, Bran and Skolawn.

Finn and Saba

When Finn wasn't roving Erin with his band he lived in his dun on the Hill of Allen. He was pursuing a fawn one day near there when it enchanted his dogs, so he let it follow them home where that night it turned back into Saba, a mortal woman enchanted three years previously by a thwarted lustful druid called The Dark. She was safe from enchantments in Finn's Dun, so they married.

The Birth of Oisin

One day when Finn was off bashing vikings in Dublin the Dark Druid returned in his form, tricked Saba into leaving the dun and turned her into a deer again whereupon she vanished. For seven years Finn searched everywhere for her with his hound cousins, then gave up.

Then, hunting one day on Ben Bulban, Sligo, he caught a naked wild lad, took him home and taught him speech. He remembered living in a secret valley with a hind, and repeated visits from a sinister dark man who eventually smote her with a hazel wand and took her away under a spell, leaving him senseless. He awoke on Ben Bulban.

Finn named his son Oisin (Little Fawn) and he became a famous warrior and a poet of legend. This (Ossianic) cycle is sometimes named after him.

Oscar

...was the son of Oisin and the fiercest Fenian fighter, with a heart like twisted horn sheathed in steel. In his first battle he slew three kings (and his pal Linne by accident). His wife was Aideen.

Geena mac Luga

...was Finn's warrior-daughter's son nurtured by the Fianna nanny Fair Mane. Finn made him captain of a band, but he was such a lazy selfish git that his men finally went to Finn at Loch Lena (Killarney) and complained. So Finn reformed him by teaching him...

The Maxims of the Fianna

Be quiet in a posh house
Don't beat your dog or your wife unless you have to
Don't waste time in battle with fools
Avoid pub-fights, madmen and the wicked
Be kind to women, children, poets and proles
Don't shoot your mouth off
Stick by your chief (me)
Don't slag-off another chief's people
Don't shit stir
Don't be a bar-fly, carp at the old or mess with peasants
Hand out meat freely
Don't pester your chief
Hang onto your arms until the fight is done
Be gentle and generous

Tests of the Fianna

In order to join you had to...

Be versed in the Twelve Books of Poetry
Be able to compose Gaelic poetry
Be half-buried and fend off spears thrown by nine warriors with only a shield and a hazel stick without injury
Evade Fenian pursuit through a forest without breaking a twig or disturbing one hair braid
Jump higher than your head and duck lower than your knee and pull a thorn from your foot whilst running
Take no dowry with a wife

Dermot of the Love Spot

There are many stories about gorgeous, pouting Dermot O'Dyna. His dad Donn fostered him out to Angus Og (The Celtic God of Love), while his steward Roc shagged his missus, begetting a bastard half-brother. One day Donn crushed this child to death between his knees and threw the body to the hounds, and in revenge Roc reincarnated him as a monstrous boar and sent him to Ben Bulben Forest saying "Bring Dermot O'Dyna to his death".

How Dermot Got the Love Spot

Dermot, Goll, Conan and Oscar went hunting and sought shelter in a hut with an old man, a young girl, a wether sheep, and a cat.

They sat at the table to eat when the sheep jumped upon it, and defied all the 4 warriors' efforts to get it off. Finally Goll wrestled it away, but it knocked them all down. Then the old man bade the moggy take it away and tether it, which it did. The warriors would have left in embarassment, but the old man explained that the wether was The World, and the cat was Death.

That night the four comrades slept in the same room as the maiden, and as each approached her in turn she turned them away saying "I belonged to you once, but I never can again". When it was Dermot's turn she explained that she was Youth, and put a mark on his forehead making him even more irresistable to all women.

The Chase of the Hard Gilly

The Fianna were out hunting when Finn was approached by an ugly prole dragging a mangy mare. He introduced himself as Gilla Dacar ("The Hard Gilly") and an awkward sod, but as was his custom Finn took him on anyway. One day Conan the Bald and 12 other fianna were teasing THG by all mounting his nag at once when Dacar took umbrage and ran like the wind into the sea off Kerry, followed by his horse and the 13, who were all carried off to fairyland.

Dermot at the Well

Finn led the Fianna on a voyage West to retrieve their kidnapped colleagues, and found an island guarded by cliffs. Dermot scaled these and found a splendid land, and in it a forest, and in that a well. As he drank from it a knight appeared and fought him 'till dusk, when he jumped down the well and escaped. The same thing happened the next day, but on the third Dermot clung to him and followed.

Finn & Co went searching for him and entered the same place through a cave. There a faery king explained that he was The Hard Gilly, and had lured 30-odd fianna to his realm to help him defeat the King of Greece (?!?), which they do.

Finn ended up with the faery king's daughter Tasha of the White Arms, and just as Conan was getting litigous over the wild mare abduction they were all suddenly transported back to Kerry, where the wedding took place.

The Enchanted Cave

Finn & Co were hunting in Corann in Northern Connacht, to the annoyance of the local Danaan lord Conaran who sent his 3 sorcerer daughters to take vengeance. Finn and Conan the Bald were watching the hunt from the Hill of Keshcorran when they came upon 3 hideous hags twisting yarn left-handwise on holly sticks in a cave, and upon investigating became entangled, unconcious and captured. The rest of the Fianna followed and were captured likewise, except Goll mac Morna who hacked 2 of them in twain and subdued the third, Irnan, who promised to release the Fianna in return for her own life.

As they were recuperating the hag attacked again in hideous aspect, and Goll killed her and was rewarded with Finn's daughter Keva of the White Skin. They returned home to the Hill of Allen, sacking the dun of Conaran on the way.

The Chase of Slievegallion

Cullan the Smith (here a Danaan) lived on the mountains of Slievegallion in Co Armagh with his 2 daughters Aine and Milucra, both of whom fancied Finn. Aine once mentioned that she was turned off by grey hair, so Milucra and her pals hatched a plot and enchanted a small lake.

Shortly after Finn and his hounds were chasing a fawn and arrived at this very lake, where a lovely lady was whingeing over a ring she had dropped in. Finn dived in for it, found and returned it, but the lady vanished into the lake and Finn grew old, so that even his hounds could not recognise him.

The Fianna eventually found him, Keelta recognised his boss, Finn figured Cullan was involved, and they dug up the Fairy Mound of Slievegallion for 3 days until Milucra turned up and gave him a potion that restored his youth, but he refused the Grecian 2000 draught and remained grey the rest of his days.

The Brugh of Slievenamon

Finn, Keelta and 5 champions were hunting at Torach in the North when they followed yet another fawn to Slievenamon, and when night fell they sought shelter in a great brugh (mansion). Within are Donn, son of Midir the Proud, his brother, and 28 warriors and maidens, all that remains of Donn's forces after several years of thrice yearly battle with the rest of fairyland on the green before the brugh.

Finn & Co immediately enter the fray as the fairy folk attack at night, and by the morn have slain over a thousand of Midir's enemies. After a year the Fianna win the day for Donn and return to Earth.

The Three Young Warriors

3 Young warriors and their huge hound take service with Finn, on condition that they camp apart from the rest of the host and that no-one approaches them at night, because each night one of them dies watched by the other 2 and they need privacy.

The Fair Giantess

One lunchtime the Fianna were approached by a gorgeous giantess maiden called Vivionn, daughter of Treon, from the Land of Maidens, who had been betrothed against her will to Prince Aeda, and she had come to Finn for protection.

Then a young giant suddenly appeared and stabbed her with his spear, before escaping by galleon. She gave all her jewels to the Fianna, died, and Finn buried her beneath the Ridge of the Dead Woman.

Dermot and Grania

Its not deja vue, its Naisi and Derdriu all over again.

Grania was the daughter of Cormac mac Art, High King of All Ireland, and was betrothed to Finn, now past his prime. At the wedding her dad's druid Dara was showing her the Fianna when she spotted Dermot and went completely soggy. She drugged most of the assembly, made a fake pass at Oisin and then pounced on Dermot, placing him under an irresistable geis. Egged on by his pals he reluctantly eloped with her in a convenient getaway chariot.

Finn and the Fianna persued the pair for 16 years, the lovers always escaping, helped by Dermot's foster-dad Angus Og. Eventually they all forgave one another and Grania insisted on a year-long party.

One night they heard a hound baying in the night, and the next day Dermot set forth to find it. He met Finn and the Fianna on the mountain of Ben Bulben (Co Sligo) where they had just lost 30 men rousing The Boar of Ben Bulben, cursed to kill Dermot, its half-brother. It appeared and ripped out his guts as he beat out its brains.

Finn taunted him as he is dying, and Dermot asked for a healing draught of well-water from his hands (a Finn speciality). Oscar persuaded him to do this, but he stalled until Dermot died. Oisin insisted on giving Grania Dermot's dog, Angus Og and his Danaan pals bore away Dermot, and eventually Grania married Finn after all, to the utter derision of the Fianna.

Oisin and Niam

Finn and Oisin and Co were hunting by Loch Lena when Niam, daughter of the King of Tir Nan Og, appeared, expressed her love for Oisin, enchanted him and carried him away on her horse to Tir Nan Og, where he had many adventures including rescuing a maiden from a Fomor.

He remained here throughout the Battle of Gowra and thus missed the end of the Fianna, or not, depending on who you believe.

The Battle of Gowra

The High-King Cormac mac Art died and was succeeded by his son Cairbry, whose daughter Sgeimh Solais (Light of Beauty) was betrothed to a prince of the Decies. The Fianna were by now getting to be a bit of a burden and demanded their customary tribute of 20 gold ingots, so Cairbry decided to break them, summoning the provincial kings to his side.

The Fianna split; Clan Morna siding with Cairbry, Ulster, Connacht and Leinster, and Clan Bascna (Finn's clan) siding with Munster.

The battle took place at Gabhra (or Gowra, Garristown, Co Dublin), and the slaughter was great. The Fianna were destroyed, Oscar and Cairbry slew each other, and Oscar was buried on the field and his wife Aideen on Ben Edar.

Finn seems not to have taken part, appearing only later "in a boat" to weep over the destruction of his comrades with Keelta, the only survivor.

Oisin's Return

Meanwhile, after 3 weeks in fairyland Oisin got homesick and Niam lent him her magic horse. He returned to the Hill of Alan to find Finn's dun a ruin. In the Valley of the Thrushs he carelessly fell of his horse whilst helping some peasants shift a boulder, and the horse vanished and he instantly grew old, whereupon he learned that 3 centuries had passed.

Oisin and St Patrick

He was taken to St Patrick (AKA Talkenn, meaning "Adze-Head"), who wrote down all his tales of old Erin.

Keelta's End

Keelta mac Ronan lived to be very old and was baptised by St Patrick to whom he told the story of Finn and the Fianna (and may have held a reunion with Oisin and 16 more Fianna).

Even later he rescued the Fairys of the Mound of Duma, Leyney, Connacht from pirates, and their seer Owen confirmed Finn's earlier prediction and gave Keelta 17 more years to live. He accepted magical healing but turned down rejuvenation.

The Death of Finn

...may have been at the Battle of Brea, or more likely he sleeps in an enchanted cave with his son Oisin, his grandson Oscar, his steward Keelta and the rest of the Fianna, awaiting the appointed time to reappear in glory and redeem his land from tyrany and wrong.

So where is he ?

That just leaves The Historical Cycle.

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