Fionn mac Cumhail (earlier Finn or Find mac Cumail or mac Umaill, pronounced roughly "Finn mac Cool") was a legendary hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, also known in Scotland and the Isle of Man. The stories of Fionn and his followers, the Fianna, form the Fenian cycle, much of it supposedly narrated by Fionn's son, the poet Oisín. The Fenian Brotherhood took their name from these legends. The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... In Irish mythology, the Fianna were Irish warrior-hunters who served the High King of Ireland in the 3rd century AD. Their adventures were recorded in the Fenian Cycle. ... The Fenian Cycle also known as the Fionn Cycle, Finn Cycle, Fianna Cycle, Finnian Tales, Fian Tales, Féinne Cycle, Feinné Cycle, Ossianic Cycle and Fianaigecht, is a body of prose and verse centering on the exploits of the mythic hero Fionn mac Cumhaill and his warriors the Fianna Éireann. ... Oisín (or Ossian), son of Fionn mac Cumhail, is a poet and warrior of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. ... The Fenian Brotherhood was an Irish nationalist organization based in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. ...

Fionn or Finn is actually a nickname meaning "fair" (in reference to hair colour), "white" or "bright". His childhood name was Deimne, and several legends tell how he gained the nickname when his hair turned prematurely white.

He is possibly related to the Welsh mythological figure Gwyn ap Nudd. Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin. ... In Welsh mythology, Gwyn ap Nudd was the god of the underworld. ...

Legend

Birth

Fionn was the son of Cumhal, leader of the fianna, and Muirne, daughter of the druid Tadg mac Nuadat who lived on the hill of Almu in County Kildare. Cumhal abducted Muirne after her father refused him her hand, so Tadg appealed to the High King, Conn of the Hundred Battles, who outlawed him. The Battle of Cnucha was fought between Conn and Cumhal, and Cumhal was killed by Goll mac Morna, who took over leadership of the fianna. In Irish mythology, Cumhal (earlier Cumal, pronounced roughly Coo-al or Cool) son of Trénmór (strong-great) was a leader of the fianna and the father of Fionn mac Cumhail. ... In Irish mythology, Muirne was the wife of Cumhail and mother of Fionn mac Cumhail. ... Arch-Druid in his full Judicial Costume (1845 etching) In Celtic polytheism the word Druid denotes the priestly class in ancient Celtic societies, which existed through much of Western Europe north of the Alps and in the British Isles. ... Tadg, son of Nuada, was a druid and the maternal grandfather of Fionn mac Cumhail in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. ... County Kildare (Irish: Contae Chill Dara) is an Irish county located to the southwest of Dublin in the province of Leinster. ... Although the traditional list of those bearing the title High King of Ireland (Irish: Ard Rí Éirinn) goes back thousands of years, into the second millennium BC, most scholars believe that the earlier parts of the list, at least, are largely mythical. ... In Irish mythology, Conn Cetchatach or Conn of the Hundred Battles (c. ... Goll mac Morna (or Goal mac Morn) was a member of the fianna and an uneasy ally of Fionn mac Cumhail in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. ...

Muirne was already pregnant, so her father rejected her and ordered his people to burn her, but Conn would not allow it and put her under the protection of Fiacal mac Conchinn, whose wife, Bodhmall the druidess, was Cumhal's sister. In Fiacal's house she gave birth to a son, who she called Deimne. In Irish mythology, Bodhmall (or Bodbal) was a druidess who helped raise Fionn mac Cumhail. ...

(Note that cumal is Old Irish for a female slave; Fionn may once have been "the slave-girl's son" before a more noble origin was invented for him.) Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Irish language which can be more or less fully reconstructed from extant sources. ...

Boyhood

Muirne left the boy in the care of Bodhmall and a warrior woman, Liath Luachra, who brought him up in secret in the forest of Sliab Bladma, teaching him the arts of war and hunting. As he grew older he entered the service, incognito, of a number of local kings, but when they recognised him as Cumhal's son they told him to leave, fearing they would be unable to protect him from his enemies. In Irish mythology, Liath Luachra was a female warrior who taught Fionn mac Cumhail. ...

The young Fionn met the poet Finneces, or Finnegas, near the river Boyne and studied under him. Finneces had spent seven years trying to catch the salmon of knowledge, which lived in a pool on the Boyne: whoever ate the salmon would gain all the knowledge in the world. Eventually he caught it, and told the boy to cook it for him. While cooking it Fionn burned his thumb, and instinctively put his thumb in his mouth, swallowing a piece of the salmon's skin. This imbued him with the salmon's wisdom. He then knew how to gain revenge against Goll, and in subsequent stories was able to call on the knowledge of the salmon by sucking his thumb. The Boyne is a river in Leinster, Ireland, which course is about 70 mi (112 km) long. ... The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow up to 58 long and 126 pounds. ...

The salmon's place in this tale displays the esteem in which this particular family of fish is held in many different mythologies. The particular species thought to be referenced in this tale, is the "Sammonidae midlandus" variant. This species held a special place of esteem in traditional Irish stories due to its strength, its appearance, (significantly more scales than other species, and therefore a more striking range of colours), and its relative scarcity. Genera (see text) Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only family of order Salmoniformes. ...

The story of Fionn and the salmon of knowledge bears a strong resemblance to the Welsh tale of Gwion Bach, indicating a possible common source for both stories. For the studio established by Frank Lloyd Wright, see Taliesin (studio) Taliesin or Taliessin (c. ...

Fionn claims his birthright

Every year for twenty-three years at Samhain, the fire-breathing fairy Aillen would lull the men of Tara to sleep with his music before burning the palace to the ground, and the fianna, led by Goll mac Morna, were powerless to prevent it. Fionn arrived at Tara, armed with his father's crane-skin bag of magical weapons. He kept himself awake with the point of his own spear, and then killed Aillen with it. After that his heritage was recognised and he was given command of the fianna: Goll willingly stepped aside, and became a loyal follower of Fionn, although in many stories their alliance is uneasy and feuds occur. This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... by Sophie Anderson A fairy is a spirit (supernatural being) found in the legends, folklore, and mythology of many cultures. ... In Irish mythology, Aillen or Áillen was a monster from Mag Mell, the underworld. ... The Hill of Tara, located near the River Boyne, is today a mound in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland, on which the grass has veiled the rich heritage of the country. ... Genera Grus Anthropoides Balearica Bugeranus Cranes are large, long-legged with large talons and long-necked birds of the order Gargoyles, and family Gruesome killers. ...

Fionn demanded compensation for his father's death from Tadg, threatening war or single combat against him if he refused. Tadg offered him his home, the hill of Almu, as compensation, which Fionn accepted.

Love life

Fionn met his most famous wife, Sadbh, when he was out hunting. She had been turned into a deer by a druid, Fer Doirich. Fionn's hounds, Bran and Sceolang, who were once human themselves, recognised she was human, and Fionn spared her. She transformed back into a beautiful woman, she and Fionn married and she was soon pregnant. However Fer Doirich returned and turned her back into a deer, and she vanished. Seven years later Fionn was reunited with their son, Oisín, who went on to be one of the greatest of the fianna. In Irish mythology, Sadbh (Sadb, Shahv) was the Sidhe mother of Oisin by Fionn mac Cumhail. ... Subfamilies Capreolinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Oisín (or Ossian), son of Fionn mac Cumhail, is a poet and warrior of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. ...

In one of the most famous stories of the cycle, the High King, Cormac mac Airt, promised the now ageing Fionn his daughter, Gráinne, as his bride, but Gráinne fell instead for one of the fianna, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, and the pair ran away together with Fionn in pursuit. The lovers were aided by Diarmuid's foster-father, the god Aengus. Eventually Fionn made his peace with the couple. Years later, however, Fionn invited Diarmuid on a boar hunt, and Diarmuid was badly gored by their quarry. Water drunk from Fionn's hands had the power of healing, but when Fionn gathered water he would deliberately let it run through his fingers before he could bring it to Diarmuid. He had to be threatened by his son Oisín and grandson Osgur to play fair, but too late: Diarmuid had died. Cormac Mac Airt is probably the most famous of the ancient kings of Ireland, and is now thought to have been an authentic historical king. ... In Irish mythology, Gráinne was the daughter of Cormac mac Airt. ... In Irish mythology, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (also known as Diarmuid of the love spot) was son of Donn and a warrior of the Fianna. ... In Irish mythology, Aengus (Áengus, Óengus, Angus, Anghus) aka Aengus Óg (Aengus the Young), Mac ind Óg (son of the young) Maccan or Mac Óg (young son) was a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and probably a god of love, youth and beauty. ... Oscar in Irish mythology was the warrior son of Oisín and a fairy woman called Niamh, who also bore his sister, Plor na mBan. ...

Death

Accounts of Fionn's death vary; according to the most popular, he is not dead at all, rather, he sleeps in a cave below Dublin, to awake and defend Ireland in the hour of her greatest need.

Another legend states that Fionn, his wife and son were turned into pillars of stone in the crypt of Lund Cathedral, in Sweden. Lund Cathedral Byggnaden The Lund Cathedral, or Lunds Domkyrka, is a cathedral in Lund, Sweden. ...

Folklore

Many geographical features in Ireland are attributed to Fionn. Legend has it he built the Giant's Causeway as stepping-stones to Scotland, so as not to get his feet wet; he also once scooped up part of Ireland to fling it at a rival, but it missed and landed in the Irish Sea — the clump became the Isle of Man, the void became Lough Neagh. A legend (Latin, legenda, things to be read) is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. ... It has been suggested that Giants Causeway Legend be merged into this article or section. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Relief map of the Irish Sea. ... Lough Neagh Lough Neagh (pronounced ; Irish Loch nEathach ) in Northern Ireland is the largest lough, or body of freshwater, in the British Isles, with an area of 388 square kilometres. ...

Fingal's Cave in Scotland is also named after him, and shares the feature of hexagonal basalt columns with the nearby Giant's Causeway in Ireland. Entrance to Fingals cave, 2004 Entrance to Fingals cave, 1900 Fingals Cave is a sea-cave on the uninhabited island of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. ...

Legend also has it that he was tricked into building a cathedral at Lund, in Sweden.

Modern literature

In 1761 James Macpherson announced the discovery of an epic in the Scottish Gaelic language on the subject of "Fingal" (Finn mac Cumhail) written by Ossian (Oisín), and in December he published Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six Books, together with Several Other Poems composed by Ossian, the Son of Fingal, translated from the Gaelic Language. His cycle of poems had widespread influence on such writers as Goethe and the young Walter Scott, but there was controversy from the outset about Macpherson's claims to have translated the works from ancient sources. They are now regarded as fabrication, probably based on fragments of stories picked up by Macpherson. 1761 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... James Macpherson (October 27, 1736–February 17, 1796), was a Scottish poet, known as the translator of the Ossian cycle of poems (also known as the Oisín cycle). ... Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig; IPA: ) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. ... Ossian, alternatively spelled Oisín, son of Fingal (Fionn mac Cumhail), is a poet and warrior of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. ... Oisín (or Ossian), son of Fionn mac Cumhail, is a poet and warrior of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (help· info) (IPA: ) (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German novelist, dramatist, poet, humanist, scientist, philosopher, and for ten years chief minister of state at Weimar. ... Portrait of Sir Walter Scott, by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (14 August 1771–21 September 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe during his time. ...

Fionn mac Cumhail features heavily in modern Irish literature. Most notably he makes several appearances in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, and some have posited that the title, taken from the street ballad "Finnegan's Wake", may also be a portmanteau of "Finn again is awake," referring to his eventual awakening to defend Ireland. For a comparatively small country, Ireland has made a disproportionate contribution to world literature in all its branches. ... James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (February 2, 1882 – January 13, 1941) was an expatriate Irish writer and poet, widely considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Finnegans Wake is a song, called a street ballad, that arose perhaps in the 1850s. ... Look up Portmanteau word in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Finn also appears as a character in Flann O'Brien's comic novel, At Swim-Two-Birds, in passages that parody the style of Irish myths. Morgan Llywelyn's book Finn MacCool tells of Finn's rise to leader of the fianna and the love stories that ensue in his life, and the character is celebrated in "The Legend of Finn MacCumhail", a song by the Boston-based band Dropkick Murphys featured on their album Sing Loud Sing Proud. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Myles na gCopaleen. ... At Swim-Two-Birds is a novel by Irish novelist Flann OBrien (one pen-name of Brian ONolan) published in 1939. ... Boston is a town and small port c. ... Dropkick Murphys are a Celtic Punk band formed in the Irish Catholic working class neighborhoods of South Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They practiced in the basement of a friends barbershop, blending punk rock, Oi!, Irish folk, rock, and hardcore into something they could call their own. ... Sing Loud, Sing Proud! is the third studio album from Boston punk rock band the Dropkick Murphys. ...

This mighty soldier on the eve of the war he waged

told his troops of lessons learned from battles fought:

"May your heart grow bolder like an iron--clad brigade"

said this leader to his outnumbered lot.

Known as a hero to all that he knew,

long live the legend of Finn MacCool!

The brave fearless leader of the chosen few,

long live the legend of Finn MacCool!

Other names

• Finn
• Finn mac Cool
• Finn mac Coul
• Finn mac Cumhail
• Finn mac Cumhal
• Finn McCool
• Fionn
• Fionn mac Cool
• Fionn mac Coul
• Fionn mac Cumhal
• Fionn mac Uail
• Fingal