Legend of Finn MacCool
Pronunciation: Fin macool
Meaning: white, bright, lustrous; fair, light-hued (of complexion, hair, etc.); fair, handsome, bright, blessed; in moral sense, fair, just, true
Legend:
Finn MacCool, also known as Fionn mac Cumhaill, is a legendary hero in Irish mythology celebrated for his exceptional strength, wisdom, and leadership. He is the leader of the Fianna, a band of elite warriors who served as guardians and protectors of ancient Ireland. According to legend, Finn gained his wisdom by catching and accidentally burning his thumb on the Salmon of Knowledge, which he subsequently ate, imbuing him with great wisdom and knowledge.
There are many stories in Irish Myth of adventures, voyages, battles and gods which are commonly categorized by historians into four main cycles, one of which is the Finn Cycle, also known as the Fenian Cycle.
These stories are based around Fionn MacCool and his warriors of the Fianna, who were forest-dwelling mercenaries known as the soldiers of destiny. These Finnian Tales were said to have been written as poems by Finn McCool’s son, Oisín, and retold by the Irish people for generations.
Finn MacCool is most well-known for his role in the legend of the Giant’s Causeway. When another giant – Benandonner, across the Irish Sea in Scotland – threatened Ireland, Finn retaliated by tearing up great chunks of the Antrim coastline and hurling them into the sea. The newly-created path – the Giant’s Causeway – paved a route over the sea for Finn to reach Benandonner.
However, this turned out to be a bad idea, as Benandonner was a massive giant, much bigger than Finn! In order to save himself, Finn retreated to Ireland and was disguised as a baby by his quick-thinking wife Oonagh. When Benandonner arrived, he saw Finn disguised as a baby and realised that if a mere baby was that big, the father must be far larger than Benandonner himself!
Following this realisation, Benandonner rushed back to Scotland, tearing away as much of the Causeway as he could in his haste to put as much distance between Ireland and himself as possible.
Sources: Finn McCool Marketing | Giants Causeway Tour | Twinkl l Wikipedia
Further reading: Finn and the Fianna
