The Life of Fionn Mac Cumhaill

Fionn's father, Cumhaill mac Baiscne, was the chieftain of the Fianna, the legendary army of ancient Ireland and Scotland. Cumhaill was killed in battle before Finn's birth by Goll mac Morna, the leader of a rival clan. Fionn’s mother was Muirne, granddaughter of Nuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the faerie race whom we know better as elves, and also called sidhe. Terrified for her new baby's survival, Fionn's mother sent him away, entrusting him to a druidess named Bodhmal and a woman warrior named Fiachel. Together, these women raised Fionn deep within the mountains of Eriu. He was trained, strenuously and in secret, and sent from place to place to keep him safe and further his education. When he was ten years old, Fionn ventured out to serve under several kings, calling himself Demne. When they discovered who he was, they immediately sent him away, for fear of retaliation from mac Morna. Discouraged, Fionn wandered throughout Ireland until he met an old warrior-poet named Finegas. Finegas took Fionn as an apprentice for seven years, teaching him the rhyming magic of the bards.

At the end of these seven years, Finegas caught the Salmon of Knowledge, which he had been pursuing for most of his life. Finegas gave the Salmon to Fionn to roast, warning him not to let the fish blister as it cooked. Though Fionn watched the fish carefully, a blister formed on its skin. Not wanting to disappoint his teacher, Fionn pressed the blister down with his thumb, burning himself in the process. When he put his thumb in his mouth to cool, Fionn gained magical insight into the future. From then on, he had only to chew on his thumb to receive foreknowledge of important events. Fionn also drank a mouthful of water of the well of the moon, which gave him the power of prophecy.

At the age of 17, Fionn left Finegas to reclaim his father’s place in the Fianna, traveling to Teamhair, the palace of the High King of Eriu. Every Samhain night for nine years, a prince of the Tuatha Dé Danann would come out of his sidhe mound and burn Teamhair. This prince, Aillen, would play such sweet enchanted music that everyone at the Samhain feast would fall into a magic sleep. The high king promised that if any man could save Teamhair, he would grant that man whatever inheritance he claimed.

With the help of a magical spear, which he kept pressed to his forehead, Fionn was able to withstand the enchantment. When he realized that someone was left awake, Aillen grew angry and shot a flame of fire from his mouth, which Fionn caught in his cloak. Realizing that Fionn could overpower him, Aillen retreated to his sidhe mound. As he entered through the doorway, Fionn cast his spear and struck the faerie prince through the heart.

The High King recognized Fionn as the son of Cumhaill and admitted him to the Fianna, for he was the son of a man whom he had trusted. When he finally challenged mac Morna, Fionn gathered 150 of the bravest and best of the Fianna to battle with mac Morna’s clan. The struggle was long, lasting a few days, but in the end mac Morna's men were no match for the Fianna and Goll mac Morna died on Finn's sword. Fionn was summoned to the Otherworld by Fiachel, who had trained him as a boy. She wanted him to battle with a great serpent, which had been poisoning the Tree of Life with its breath. She gave him an oak shield and blessed his sword, Birga, then sent him down into the earth to kill the wyrm. Fionn fought the serpent for three days and nights before he was able to defeat it. To heal his wounds, Fiachel bathed him and fed him apples, honey and hazelnuts, all foods sacred to the sidhe. Fionn slept in her care before returning home—he had been gone three years, which had seemed like a week in the Otherworld.

Fionn had two hounds, Bran and Sceolan, who were really his nephews in dog-form—they had been born in the Otherworld to Fionn’s sister, who had been changed into a dog by a curse. During a hunt, they led a fawn into Fionn’s house, which Fionn refused to kill. The fawn turned out to be a young woman, whom a druid had cursed into the form of a deer, and her name was Sadb. Fionn was father of Oisin by Sadb, who eventually reverted to her deer form, and was taken from Fionn by the druid.

In his old age, Fionn was to take another wife, Grainne. However, his bride-to-be fell in love with one of the Fianna, Diarmuid O’Duibne, and the young couple eloped. This dishonorable act invoked the wrath of Fionn, who tirelessly pursued them from then on across the country. Years later, when Diarmuid was lying mortally wounded by the boar of Beinn Gulben, Fionn refused to offer him a drink of water from his hands, which had life-restoring powers.

Fionn outlived his grandson, Oscar, and saw the slaughter of his Fianna at the Battle of Gabhra. He did not die but wasted away into the Otherworld where, like Arthur, he is said to sleep. He is credited with building the causeway between Ireland and Scotland, where he appears in many folk-stories as the ever-living and cunning hero.