A mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, the story of Fionn and his followers the Fianna forms part of the Fenian Cycle and it was said to be narrated by Fionn’s son, a poet Oisin.

Sculpture of Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his hounds in County Kildare

Fionn translates as blonde, fair or white. He was however born with the name Deimne and legends state that he got the name Fionn when his hair turned prematurely white. He was the son of Cumhall, leader of the Fianna, who were a band of mercenary warriors.

His mother was Muirne, daughter of a druid who lived on a hill in County Kildare. Cumhall abducted Muirne when his father refused him her hand and Tadg appealed to the High King, Conn of the Hundred Battles. Muirne, who was now pregnant, was exiled and placed under the care of Cumhaill's brother-in-law Fiacal. When the child was born, Muirne left him in the care of a warrior woman named Liath Luachra who taught him the ways of the Fianna.

Fionn was also tutored by a druid, Finnegas, who had spent years and years searching for the ‘salmon of knowledge’, a mythical creation that had all the knowledge of the world. Eventually he caught the fish and instructed Fionn to cook it. While Fionn was cooking it he scorched his thumb on the fire, put it in his mouth and gained all the knowledge.

Fionn traveled to Tara as an adult, seat of the High Kings of Ireland and eventually became leader of the Fianna. He married Sadbh, who had once been turned in to a deer by the druid Fer Doirich, and they had a son Oisin who later became one of the greatest of all the Fianna. Sadbh was later re-cast as a deer by the druid and she subsequently vanished in to the forest forever.

Later in his life, Fionn was promised the hand of the beautiful Grainne by her father the reigning High King Cormac Mac Airt. However this was not to be as she eloped with Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. He gave chase but unsuccessfully. He allowed them to be together but in later years took revenge by not using his powers to help or heal Diarmuid when he was injured by a bull.

Legend has it that Fionn created the Giants Causeway as stepping stones from the North of Ireland to Scotland. It was also said that he grabbed and threw another piece of land in to the sea at an enemy and that land eventually became the Isle of Man.  

Giant's Causeway in County Antrim

Fionn lives on in the stories of Ireland. His death remains a mystery and one legend even suggests that he is not dead but only sleeping in a cave under Dublin ready to strike back against Ireland’s enemies.