Mab, Boy, Son), Used in Patronymics See Also

F
F. The sixth letter of the modern English Cumhaill, of whom the best known is
alphabet is represented by fern [*alder] in the *Fáelán mac Finn.
*ogham alphabet of early Ireland.
Fáelán mac Finn. Son of *Fionn mac
fab, fab-. Mutated form of map, map- [cf. W Cumhaill and leading member of his *Fianna.
mab, boy, son], used in patronymics; see also Conceived by a foreign woman who came to
, ap-; , vab-. be Fionn’s lover, Fáelán was noted for his
fachan, fachin. Grotesquely ugly super- loyal devotion, both to his father, especially in
natural figure in Scottish Gaelic folklore, resisting *Goll mac Morna, and also to his
counterparts of which are known in Irish half-brother *Oisín.
tradition. The fachan is a variety of the Fáelchu, Foalchú [Ir., wolf, wolfhound].
better-known *athach, while the *d‘reach is a Name borne by a few saints and one of the
more particular fachan. The fearsome crea- *Fianna of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
ture has but one leg from its haunch, one
hand protruding from its chest, *one eye, and faery. Variant spelling of *fairy.
rough, spiky hair; cf. the Irish  ;
. There were no creatures haunting faeth fiadha. Variant spelling of *féth fíada.
lonely gorges and lochs that credulous peas- Fafne. Variant spelling of *Faifne.
ants dreaded more to meet. Sometimes
classed as a *giant. See also ; . Faghtna. Variant spelling of *Fachtna.
Fachtna, Faghtna [Ir., malicious, hostile (?)]. fáidh. Modern Irish for *fáith.
Name borne by dozens of figures from early
Ireland, mythological and historical, secular Faife. A daughter of Queen *Medb of Con-
and religious, male and female. nacht and her husband *Ailill, sister of the
better-known *Finnabair.
Fachtna 1. Chief physician of *Eochaid
Airem who diagnosed the illness of Eochaid’s Faifne, Fafne. Poet and satirist, a son of
brother *Ailill Anglonnach in *Tochmarc Broccaid mac Bricc. When his sister *Aige is
Étaíne [The Wooing of Étaín]. He knew that killed by the warriors of Meilge, son of King
no doctor could cure Ailill’s distress, his love Cobthach (2), Faifne sets about avengeing her
for Eochaid’s wife *Étaín, and so recom- by using satire to raise three blotches on the
mended that she give herself to him. King. The King’s son Meilge arrests Faifne for
this offence and executes him; Meilge simul-
Fachtna Fáthach [Ir. fáthach, possessed of taneously protests his innocence in Aige’s
knowledge; wise, sagacious]. A *giant, king death, even though his warriors killed her.
of *Ulster, sometimes described as the hus-
band of Ness and the father of *Conchobar Faílbe, Fáilbhe [cf. Ir. failbe, lively(?); wolf-
mac Nessa. The better-known version has slayer(?)]. Name borne by countless figures in
*Cathbad the *druid impregnate Ness to early Irish history and genealogy as well as by
become the father. After Fachtna’s death his several saints and clergymen. Faílbe Finn [Ir.,
half-brother *Fergus mac Róich marries Ness the fair] is a character in *Serglige Con Culainn
and succeeds him as king. [The Wasting Sickness of Cúchulainn].
Fáelán, Faolán, Foalán, Foilan [OIr. fáel, Failge, Failghe [cf. Ir. failgech, having brace-
wolf]. Name borne by dozens of figures in lets or rings(?)]. Name borne by many histor-
early Irish history, mythology, and genealogy, ical figures in early Ireland, most notably Russ
Copyright © 1990. Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
including fourteen saints, and no fewer than Failge, son of *Cathaír Mór, and founder of
ten members of the *Fianna of *Fionn mac the Uí Fhailge, who give their name to Co.
MacKillop, J 1990, Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, Oxford University Press, Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [25 September 2021].
Created from cit-ebooks on 2021-09-25 16:01:25.
Failias
Offaly in *Leinster. His daughter was *Aífe and the great bulk of fairy lore was recorded
(5). in oral tradition in modern times. Although
there is a quasi-orthodoxy in the portrayal of
Failias. Variant spelling of *Falias. fairies, much in Celtic conceptions bears a
Failinis 1, Fáil Inis, Falinis. Invincible young striking resemblance to those found in Eng-
hound or whelp owned by King Ioruaidhe lish, Scandinavian (e.g. hulda-fólk), and Con-
who becomes the lapdog of *Lug Lámfhota. tinental traditions. The lack of a single shared
In reparation for killing *Cian, Lug’s father, term for fairy implies the lack of a singular,
the children of *Tuirenn had to procure discrete Celtic tradition: Ir. sídheog
Failinis ‘who shines like the sun on a summer (unreformed), síóg (reformed), sheogue
day and before whom every wild beast falls to (anglicized), *boctogaí; ScG s‘thiche; Manx
earth powerless’. ferrish; W y *tylwyth teg [W, fair family];
2. A legendary king of Iroda [Norway] Corn. spyrys [Corn., spirit]; Bret. korriganez,
cited in early Irish narratives. boudig. Out of courtesy the fairy may also be
known by a number of euphemisms: Ir. dao-
fáinne sídhe, sí, fàinne s‘th. See  . ine maithe [good people], daoine sídhe, áes
fair. Common translation for the OIr. óenach, sídhe/aos sí [people of the mound], daoine
denoting public assemblies held periodically uaisle [the noble people, gentry], bunadh na
in medieval times at *Tara, *Tailtiu, croc/bunadh na gcnoc [host/stock of the
*Tlachtga, and *Uisnech; unlike the English hills], bunadh beag na farraige [wee folk of
fair, the óenach did not include commerce. the sea]; ScG daoine s‘th [people of the
The ModIr. equivalent, aonach, denotes such mound]; Manx ny guillyn beggey [the little
assemblies as that held at Millstreet, Co. Cork, boys], ny mooinjer veggey [the little kindred],
and all through the country in the early 20th ny sleih veggey [the little people]; W *bendith
century. ScG féill, margadh; Manx margey; W y mamau [W, mother’s blessings]; Corn. an
ffair; Corn. fēr; Bret. foar. Distinguish from bobel vyghan [the little people].
*festival, *féil, *feis. Celtic conceptions of fairies, which
approach an orthodoxy, depict diminutive or
fair family, folk. Translation of *tylwyth pygmy persons. Fairies are often invisible or
teg, the usual Welsh name for *fairies. can become so at will, often by donning a
Fair Mane, Tresses. Usual translation of magical cap. They prefer to live underground,
*Mongfhind (2) (Mong Bán), a woman of the especially under a hill, in a *cave or burrow,
*Fenian Cycle. See also   [fair or in a heap of stones, such as the *raths of
hair];  (5); and   [fair Ireland. Their preferred colour is green, not
hair]; *Emer bore the occasional epithet of only for dress but sometimes for skin and hair
Foltchaín [of the fair hair]. as well; at other times they may favour the
palest of whites. Fairies are not generally
fairy, fairies, faery [L fāta; OFr. faerie]. The malevolent or harmful, but they are feared as
diminutive, supernatural beings in human abductors of children and as administrators
form are frequently depicted in all modern of the *fairy stroke, which may render the
Celtic traditions. In common with counter- victim speechless; the colloquial use of the
parts in other European traditions, Celtic fair- word ‘stroke’ for cerebral haemorrhage
ies may be seen as clever, mischievous, and alludes to this once widespread belief. If
capable of assisting or harassing human affronted, a fairy will retaliate with resolute
endeavour. Discussion in English of such vengeance; common fairy punishments are
phenomena is hampered by an often indis- burning houses and despoiling crops. Some
criminate use of the word ‘fairy’ to translate of their mischievous pranks are only tenu-
dozens of more precise terms from Irish, ously linked to human provocations; these
Scottish Gaelic, Manx, Welsh, Cornish, and include curdling milk or milking cows in the
Breton. More confusingly, ‘fairy’ has some- field, snatching unwatched food, and soiling
times been used to describe (and implicitly to clothes left out to dry. Often fairies are seen as
dismiss) many characters from ancient Celtic benevolent, taking money or food to give to
myth, legend, saga, and folklore. Yet the first the poor, providing toys for children, or coun-
citations of fairy lore appear in the writings teracting the spells cast by witches.
of the learned elite, such as *Giraldus Camb- Great distinction is made between solitary
rensis (c.1146–1223). These are few, however, and social fairies, although the first commen-
200
fairy
tators to note it were W. B. Yeats (1888) and Grian; Queen *Medb of the *Táin Bó Cuailnge
James MacDougall (1910). The solitary fairy [Cattle Raid of Cooley] becomes a fairy
may elect to wear red, brown, or grey instead queen in oral tradition. Leading kings include
of the customary green. He or she avoids *Cuilenn and *Gwyn ap Nudd; *Midir, a
large gatherings and prefers to be left by him- character from Old Irish literature, becomes a
self or herself, disdaining the unbridled gaiety fairy king in oral tradition. Some fairy mon-
of social or trooping fairies. The solitary fairy archs are married couples, such as King
is often associated with a specific household, *Finnbheara and Queen *Úna, *Iubdán and
place, or occupation, notably the shoe- *Bebo. In many respects the realm of the
making *leprechaun of Ireland. According to fairy seems heavenly or elysian. Time appears
many stories the solitary fairy appears omin- not to exist in fairyland, and neither is there
ous to mortals and is easily irritated. None any ugliness, sickness, age, or death. Mortals
the less, such a fairy is not indifferent to taken to fairyland may pass as much as 900
human kind, and is more likely to interact years there, thinking it only one night.
with lives of men, women, or children. Soli- Although no one dies in fairyland there
tary fairies generously lavish gifts upon mor- appears to be a fairy birth, as there are many
tals, but the consequences of accepting them stories of fairy infants and children who
may be dire. Faithful but suspicious Christians require mortal mothers to nurse them. Fairy
have accused solitary fairies of being in league palaces (see Ir. ;  ⁄ ) are thought to
with the *devil, a perception not widely be lavishly decorated in gold and silver, where
shared; such fairies, however, may be on close the residents and their guests spend much
terms with death. Among those fairies classed time consuming immense banquets of the
as solitary are the *banshee, *baobhan sith, richest, most delicious food. Much time is
*brownie, *bwci, *cadineag, *caoineag, *cao- given to dancing and music. Fairies favour
inteag, *cluricaune, *dooiney marrey, *doo- two domestic animals, the *dog and the
iney oie, *dullahan, *ellyll, *fairy lover [Ir. horse, although fearful dogs and cats are
leannán sídhe/sí], *fenodyree, *fr‘de/fridean, sometimes ascribed fairy powers (see 
*glaistig, *gruagach, leprechaun, *piskie, ;  ). Fairies ride in procession on
*pooka, *pwca, *síabraid, *s‘thich. their white horses, their manes braided and
In defining the two divisions W. B. Yeats decorated with tinkling silver bells. See also
(1888) introduced the term ‘trooping fairies’    ;  ; -
for those perceived to be in groups; they may ;   ;   .
also be known as social fairies, the sociable Although it was never the challenge to
fairies, the fairy nation, or the fairy race. Christianity that witchcraft was and never
Although they may be friendly or sinister to accumulated a dogma, liturgy, or priesthood,
humans, they are described as dancing and the fairy faith was once far more than the
singing while in each other’s company. Mor- literary conceit and narrative device it has
tals may eavesdrop upon this celebration by been in recent times. Individual Christian
entering a fairy mound [Ir. sídh/sí] or may clergymen offered accommodating rationales
find the evidence from *fairy rings, e.g. circu- for lay adherence to fairy beliefs and practices.
lar tracks left in grass or flower beds. Troop- One was to suggest that fairies were des-
ing fairies prefer green to other colours and cended from pre-Adamic beings or that fair-
may range more widely in size than the soli- ies, who lacked human souls, might escort the
tary; some may be so tiny as to have caps the souls of the faithful departed to the gates of
size of heather bells while others may be heaven. Occasional clerical condemnation of
large enough to have intercourse with fairy belief seems to be at the root of the
humans. Although they may have higher spir- thesis that fairies must pay a yearly tribute of
its than the solitary fairies, they still may pres- their own children to the lords of hell. To
ent a threat to mortals; especially to be feared spare their own children, fairies were thought
is the fearsome Scottish Gaelic *sluagh, the to seek out human infants, especially the
host of unforgiving dead. unbaptized. When mortal children were
Fairyland, always perceived to embrace an snatched for tribute, fairies would leave their
enormous host, is always a monarchy, with own as substitutes; these ‘changelings’ were
queens, ruling without consort, appearing thought to bear a slight outward resemblance
more often than mateless kings. Among the to the stolen child but were paler, more sickly,
queens are *Aíbell, *Áine (1), *Clídna, and and more irritable. In the nineteenth century
201
fairy blast
roads in Ireland were rerouted to avoid dis- embody the spirits of the dead. This view
turbing fairy mounds. Belief in fairies was still accommodates well the fearsome aspect of
widespread in the early twentieth century, many solitary fairies and also explains the
according to the testimony of W. Y. Evans- danger to mortals of eating fairy food, i.e.
Wentz in The Fairy Faith in the Celtic Countries that they would be prevented from returning
(London, 1911). An American-born believer to the realm of the living. Further reading on
in fairies, Evans-Wentz travelled all the Celtic these complex issues may be found in
countries on foot and collected material from Katharine M. Briggs, The Vanishing People
all social classes, during which respondents (London, 1978), 27–38, and in Lewis Spence,
spoke of their convictions without con- British Fairy Origins (London, 1946).
descension or scepticism. In more recent The *ash and the *birch were thought to
times the fairy faith has fallen sharply, and have powers to resist fairy magic in different
many residents of all Celtic lands have found parts of the Celtic world. The *hazel, on the
inquiries about such beliefs to be insulting. other hand, was thought so favoured by the
Nevertheless, as late as 1990 a privately fund- fairies that it was not often burned; trooping
ed Fairy Investigation Society maintained an fairies are described as dancing around or
office in Dublin, dedicated to collecting camping under the hawthorn. See -
reports of fairy sightings while promising to , the joint-eater; ; ;
protect the anonymity of the contributors. ;  , the fairy musician;
Learned speculation on the origin of the , demonic dwarfs; ; ,
fairy faith has centred on four theories. 1. Welsh elves; -, sacrificial child-
Fairies embody a folk memory of a region’s bird; , the doppelganger; ,
original inhabitants. When a new people alchemist or magician; , the love-
seized a territory through force of arms or talker;  ;  ; .
technological superiority, remnants of the See also Katharine M. Briggs, An Encyclopedia
conquered and displaced people would linger of Fairies (London and New York, 1976); The
in caves and remote areas, preying upon their Vanishing People: A Study of Traditional Fairy
conquerors in the night. The survival in all Beliefs (London, 1978); Reidar Th. Chris-
Celtic countries of prehistoric monuments, tiansen, ‘Some Notes on the Fairies and the
apparently built by people of smaller stature, Fairy Faith’, Béaloideas, 39–41 (1971–3), 95–
would support this perception. 2. Fairies are 111, repr. in Hereditas: Essays and Studies Pre-
composed of the discarded gods and dimin- sented to Professor Séamus Ó Duilearga, ed. B. O.
ished heroes of the old native religion. While Almqvist (Dublin, 1975); Seán Ó hEochaidh,
this thesis may explain the existence of fairies Fairy Legends from Donegal, trans. Maire Mac-
and fairy-like creatures in other traditions, its Neill, ed. Séamas Ó Catháin (Dublin, 1977);
applications to Celtic instances requires sev- Lucy Allen Paton, Studies in the Fairy Myth-
eral qualifications. The full nature of Celtic ology of Arthurian Romance (Cambridge,
religion is not known. Characters in the old- Mass., 1903; repr. New York, 1960); Carolyn
est Celtic literature, e.g. *Lug Lámfhada, White, A History of Irish Fairies (Cork, 1976);
*Cúchulainn, and the *Tuatha Dé Danann, William Butler Yeats (ed.), Fairy and Folk Tales
are now thought to be derived from the older of the Irish Peasantry (London, 1888); (ed.),
faith, yet they are by no means fairies. When Irish Fairy Tales (London, 1892); Yeats’s 1888
characters from the oldest literature reappear and 1892 volumes were condensed in Irish
in fairy lore, specifically *Medb and *Midir, Fairy and Folk Tales (New York, c.1935) and
they are greatly transformed. In addition, bound together as Fairy and Folk Tales of Ire-
many characters in fairy lore, such as the land (Gerrards Cross, 1973). James Stephens’s
merrow or the *pooka, have no antecedents widely read Irish Fairy Tales (London and
in the oldest Celtic literature but have many New York, 1920) is a highly individualized lit-
counterparts in international folklore. erary adaptation of traditional stories.
3. Fairies are personifications of primitive
spirits of nature. Earlier Celtic peoples, like fairy blast. See  .
pre-technological societies studied by modern fairy cat. See  ;  ; -
anthropologists, may have endowed every ; see also .
object with a spiritual nature that was
anthropomorphized over the centuries, espe- fairy cow, cattle. See  ; 
cially after the arrival of Christianity. 4. Fairies ;  ;   ;
202
fairy ring
the  ,  owned the Speckled Cow the love of and dominion over mortal men.
of Hiraethog. See also . Male fairy lovers also exist in stories, charac-
teristically well mannered and talkative but
fairy dart. Phrase used in Ireland to describe imperious.
flint arrowheads found near *raths, ring-forts Lady Wilde (1887) said that the ‘leanan-
constructed in prehistoric times; the Irish ori- sidhe’ was the spirit of life, and inspirer of the
ginal for the phrase, gáe sídhe, ga sí (re- singer and poet, and thus the opposite of the
formed), is rarely used. ‘Fairy dart’ is also the *banshee. W. B. Yeats (1888) thought the
colloquial name for the unexplained swelling ‘leanhaun shee’ would inspire a poet or singer
of joints, hands, and feet thought to have been so intensely that its earthly life would neces-
caused by malevolent fairies throwing the sarily be brief. The Manx lhiannan-shee is dis-
darts at humans. tinguished from her Irish counterpart in two
fairy dog. Irish folklore depicts a large, aspects: (1) She haunts wells and springs, like
unnamed fairy dog, with white rings around Melusine. (2) She attaches herself to one man,
its neck, roaming near Galway. See  and to whom she appears irresistibly beautiful
;  ; wˆ ; ; while remaining invisible to everyone else; if
;  ;  ; the he yields to her seduction, she will drain him
unnamed black dog haunting *Sliab Mis body and soul, like a vampire. Among the
[Slieve Mish] in *Kerry; the unnamed but notable fairy lovers are *Créd (1), *Étaín of
menacing black dogs haunting the quagmire Inis Grecraige, *Niam, and the unnamed
of *Youdic in *Brittany. See also . lover of *Connla in *Echtrae Conli [The
Adventure of Connla]; See also , the lover
fairy grass. See  . of *Muirchertach mac Erca. Folk motifs:
fairy herbs. See ; ; - A465.1.1; F301; F471.2.1. See also Rosalind E.
; ; others are ivy, plantain, poly- Clark, Great Queens (Gerrards Cross, UK; Sav-
pody of oak, vervain. age, Md., 1990).
fairy king. See . fairy mist [Ir. ceo sídhe]. A mist that causes
people to go astray.
fairy land. See .
fairy mistress. See  .
fairy lover, mistress. The concept is com-
monly indicated in English by an anglicization fairy music [Ir. ceol sídhe]. Music that lures
of the ModIr. phrase leannán sídhe/sí [fairy people out of this world.
lover], e.g. leannan shee, lannan shee, lan-
nanshee, leanan sidhe, leanhaun shee, lianhan fairy palace. See ; .
shee; OIr. lennán síde; Manx lhiannan shee.
This most dramatic and poetic of all fairy Fairy Palace of the Quicken Trees.
stories concerns the doomed love between a Occasional translation of *Bruidhean
mortal (usually male) and an immortal (usu- Chaorthainn.
ally female). The many Celtic instances of the fairy queen. See .
story follow a fixed pattern found in inter-
national folklore. 1. The mortal loves the fairy ring. A circle found in a lawn or pas-
supernatural being. 2. The supernatural being ture land thought to have been caused by
consents to marry or to make love to the dancing fairies. Scientific explanations for this
mortal subject to a certain condition, such as widespread phenomenon are less poetic; the
his not seeing her at specified time. 3. He must usual is that it is caused by the spreading
breaks the taboo and loses her. 4. He then mycelia of a fungus (Marasmius oreades). The
tries to recover her and sometimes succeeds, fairy ring may appear only as a depression in
usually with great difficulty. In one familiar the grass but may also include sprouting
variation on the pattern, the fairy lover mushrooms. If a human steps into the ring he
entices or seduces the mortal and pines for or she is compelled to join the fairies in their
him when they are separated; i.e. she loves wild dancing, which would seem to occur in a
him deeply (though he may not have merited few minutes but in fact lasts for seven years or
it) and is parted from him only by the conven- more. The unfortunate mortal dancer can be
tions of her status. A second variation depicts rescued by having someone outside the ring
a woman of dreadful power who seeks both grab hold of his or her coat-tails. The concept
203
fairy rock
is widely discussed in Celtic languages, usu- fairy wind, blast. A sudden gust or blast of
ally by translations of the ‘fairy ring’: Ir. wind, or whirlwind, was thought in Ireland to
fáinne sídhe/sí; ScG fàinne s‘th; Manx fainey have been caused by fairies. Several Irish
shee; W cylch y tylwyth teg, twmpath phrases describe it: sídh/sí gaoithe, sídh/sí
chwarae. See also  . chóra, gaoth sídhe/sí, séideán sídhe/sí. The
wind was sometimes thought to be caused by
fairy rock, fairies’ rocks. A phrase that the passing of a fairy host; alternately, the
might be applied to any of dozens of mega- wind may contain the host. Pious farm people
lithic monuments found throughout the Celt- would cross themselves when they saw the
ic world, of which the best-known is probably wind coming, as they were daunted to see a
the assembly of *dolmens known as La Roche column of hay rise at one end of the meadow
aux Fées near *Essé in *Brittany. while the wind at the other end was perfectly
still. Sometimes the wind was thought to be
fairy sleep [Ir. suan sídhe]. The sleep from
evidence that fairies were helping in farm
which a person cannot awake until the
labour. At other times the wind was thought
appointed moment.
to be the source of sudden illness. The fairy
fairy stroke [Ir. poc sídhe]. Abrupt, seem- wind will rip the roof off a poor family’s
ingly inexplicable changes in mental or phys- house and let the fairy host in, will protect
ical well-being of both humans and animals fairy treasure from thieves, will silence mortal
were once popularly attributed in many musicians playing fairy music, and can cause
nations to the fairy stroke. Most often the injury to humans or animals, especially the
fairy stroke denoted a paralytic seizure; the eyes.
colloquial English usage of ‘stroke’ for cere- fáith. Old and Middle Irish word for seer or
bral haemorrhage derives from this once prophet, describing both male and female
widespread belief. Sometimes it was held that examples; the powerful *Scáthach who
the victim had been carried away and a simu- taught *Cúchulainn is conventionally
lacrum, e.g. an infant or aged fairy or carved described as a ban-fháith [woman fáith].
figure, substituted. In Ireland the fairy stroke Probably the Irish cognate of what *classical
was thought synonymous with the ill omen commentators represented in the word
or ill fate that hung over those born in the *vates. See also W ; ;
time of Pentecost; thus the Hiberno-English ModIr. fáidh.
kinkisha, kinkesha [Ir. Cincís, Cingcís, Cingcíse
(gen.), Whitsuntide evil destiny] is usually Fál. Name cited in the *Dindshenchas for a
glossed as ‘fairy stroke’. A person capable of ceremonial stone found at *Tara from pre-
directing such malicious power is known as Christian through medieval times. Although
the kinkishin or kinkeshin. Another Irish it is known in Irish as Lia Fáil, literally ‘Stone
word that may translate fairy stroke is millte- of Fál’ or, idiomatically, ‘Stone of Destiny’,
oireacht, (the act of ) spoiling, destroying; e.g. that term may also denote several other
Tá millteoireacht éigin air, ‘he has been stones. Rival traditions claim that (a) the
stricken in some mysterious way’. Tommy *Tuatha Dé Danann or (b) the *Milesians
McArdle’s film The Kinkisha (c.1978) treats of brought Fál to Ireland. Narrow and as tall as a
this theme in a modern setting. full-grown man, Fál was conventionally
described as a ‘stone penis’. According to
fairy tree. Almost all kinds of tree found in widely repeated tradition, Fál would roar or
the Celtic countries have been thought to cry out under the feet of a legitimate king, or
have special powers or to serve as the abode a man who aspired to kingship, who stepped
of the fairies, especially the magical trio of upon it. A silent stone implied censure of the
*oak, *ash, and thorn. Next in rank are the king who approached it. For this reason Fál
fruit-bearing trees *apple and *hazel, fol- became a learned and poetic synonym for Ire-
lowed by the *alder, *elder, holly, and willow. land and survives in several compounds, e.g.
The esteem given different trees varies in dif- Inis Fáil [island of Fál]. The implicit sexual
ferent parts of the Celtic world; on the Isle of symbolism of Fál as a penis and Ireland as a
*Man, the phrase ‘fairy tree’ denotes the woman has been the subject of widespread
tramman [*elder]. D. A. MacManus devotes a allusion, much of it covert. In 19th-century
chapter to Irish fairy trees in The Middle King- Irish oral tradition the stone was known as
dom (London, 1959). Bod Fhearghais [penis of Fergus], although
204
far liath
which Fergus was not made clear; see  of the name remains contentious; see Chris-
 . tian J. Guyonvarc’h, ‘Irlandais Fand, nom pro-
The absolute identity of the Fál of early pre . . . ’, Ogam, 11 (1959), 440. See also Wil-
Irish literature with the stone found today at liam Larminie, Fand and Other Poems (Dublin,
Tara, called either Fál or Lia Fáil, is a matter 1892); Sir Arnold Bax [pseud. of Edward
of some argument; see  . Trevor], The Garden of Fand, orchestral over-
ture (1916, 1921). Fand may have contributed
Fálga. Mysterious small island to the east of
some characteristics to the Arthurian heroine
Ireland whose grey inhabitants, Fir Fálgae,
Laudine.
clad only in their shaggy hair, often threaten
Irish heroes. One prominent king was Iuchna. Faolán. Variant spelling of *Fáelán.
Commentators as early as Rudolf Thurney-
sen (1921) have identified Fálga with the Isle far darrig, fear darrig, fir darrig, fir dhearga
of *Man. [Ir. fear dearg, red man]. Solitary *fairy from
Hiberno-English oral tradition, known for
Falias, Failias. One of the four cities of the mischievousness. This short, pugnacious,
*Tuatha Dé Danann, along with *Gorias, ugly red-clad figure specializes in practical
*Findias, and *Murias, whence they came to jokes, some of which can be gruesome. He
Ireland. Morfessa was the instructor of learn- also has the ability to appear larger than he is
ing here. In their departure the Tuatha Dé and to release mortals trapped in fairyland. In
Danann took the magical stone *Fál with *Donegal, where a mortal man was punished
them. with macabre experiences for not producing a
Falinis. Variant spelling for *Failinis (1). succession of stories, the far darrig is tall. In
*Munster, according to T. Crofton Croker
Faltlaba. A warrior in the *Fianna of *Fionn (1832), he is about 2.5 feet tall, wears a sugar-
mac Cumhaill, conventionally described as a loaf cap, a wrinkled face, and has long grey
superior tracker of prey. hair.
Fanahan. Occasional anglicization of Folk motifs: F233.3; F369.4; F375.
*Finnchú. far dorocha, fear dorocha [Ir. fear dorcha,
Fand, Fann [OIr. fand, tear; fann, weak, help- dark man]. A malevolent *fairy, the chief
less person]. A renowned otherwordly beauty agent of mortal abduction. Usually portrayed
in early Irish literature, usually seen as the as the butler-like servant of the fairy queen,
wife of *Manannán mac Lir and as the lover he carries out her commands without emo-
of *Cúchulainn in *Serglige Con Culainn [The tion or waste of energy. With equal aplomb
Wasting Sickness of Cúchulainn]. The hero he may serve the queen her tea or retrieve on
first sees her in a vision, where she and her his black charger a desired mortal. Silently
sister *Lí Ban whip him, bringing about his obedient to his queen, he is able to make all
illness. Later, in waking consciousness, Lí Ban surrender their wills to his command.
seeks Cúchulainn’s friendship and tells him of Although many have journeyed with the far
her sister’s love for him. After Cúchulainn’s dorocha to fairyland, few have returned with
victory in battle on behalf of Lí Ban’s hus- him. See ; ;  ;
band *Labraid, the hero and Fand carry on a .
month-long affair. Later, when their tryst is far gorta, fear gorta [Ir. fear gorta, man of
interrupted by Cúchulainn’s wife *Emer, hunger]. A benevolent *fairy from Hiberno-
both women ask to be rejected, thinking the English oral tradition. This pale, emaciated
other’s love superior. Fand returns to her figure goes through the land in famine time,
husband, whose cloak causes her to forget begging and bringing good luck to the giver.
Cúchulainn and he her. Her father is *Áed He is so weak and thin he can barely lift his
Abrat and her brother *Angus (1); her mother alms cup, and he has few clothes to cover his
is sometimes given as *Flidais, the woodland modesty, even in wintertime. Only the smug
deity. In variant texts she is described as the and selfish turn away from him in disgust. See
wife of *Eochaid Iúil, one of Labraid’s   [Ir. féar gortach].
enemies vanquished by Cúchulainn.
The spellings ‘Fand’ and ‘Fann’ are not merely far liath, leea, fear liath [Ir. fear liath, grey
variants of one another, but are two discrete man]. Malevolent *fairy of Hiberno-Irish
words of similar sound. The fuller etymology tradition, a personification of fog. He covers
205
farbhann
the land and sea with his mantle, darkening Fate of the Sons of Uisnech. The. Trans-
roads so that travellers unwittingly stumble lation of Longas mac nUislenn [The Exile of
over precipices to their deaths and obscuring the Sons of Uisnech]; see .
rocks so that ships crash upon them.
Fatha [cf. OIr. fotha, foundation, origin,
farbhann, farvann [cf. ScG farbhonn, inner source]. A minor member of the *Fianna of
sole of a shoe; farbheann, mountain with *Fionn mac Cumhaill.
cliffs]. Name given to a *fairy dog cited in
Hebridean oral tradition. It was loosed upon a Fáthach. See  .
man named Hugh MacLeod of the Isle of Fathad Canaan. See .
Raasay when he stole a treasured cup from
the realm of the *fairy. fawn. Like the *deer and the *stag, the fawn
exercised great power over the early Celtic
Farney [ModIr. fearnmhagh, plain of alders]. imagination. The *Érainn king *Lugaid
Region in Co. Monaghan, Ireland, roughly Laígde pursued a fawn, probably a divine per-
coextensive with the old Irish kingdom of sonification of Ireland itself. *Aige and *Sadb
*Fernmag. The place-name Farney also were transformed into fawns. *Donn mac
appears in combination elsewhere on the Irish Midir used yet another woman transformed
map; Farney Bridge and Farney Castle are into a fawn to lure *Fionn mac Cumhaill and
both in Tipperary. his men. But some fawns are male, like
Fionn’s son *Oisín, whose name is still the
Farsa, Farsaid, Farsaidh, Farsaideb. See Irish word for fawn. The fawn appears to be
 . an antecedent of the stag in the *Perceval
Faruach. Prince of the fanciful kingdom of legend. Folk etymology (wrongly) glosses the
Innia, extrapolated from reports of India. His place-name *Uisnech as ‘place of the fawn’.
exotic magic allowed him to build an entire OIr. and ModIr. oisín; ScG laogh féidh, fiadh
ship with three blows of his axe upon his òg; Manx minjeig; W elain, hydd ifanc; Corn.
sling. yorghyk; Bret. menn-karvez.
Farvann. Anglicization of *Farbhann. faylinn. Archaic word, often presumed Celtic
but of obscure origin, denoting the realm of
fasting. Ritual fasting or hunger strike [OIr. the *fairy.
troscad] is a frequently used device in Old Irish
narrative, reflecting early Irish custom. fé. Old Irish word for a rod of *yew or aspen,
According to the *Brehon Laws, ritual fasting marked with an *ogham inscription, kept in
is an established means of compelling justice pre-Christian graveyards to measure corpses
and establishing individual rights. It was an and graves. As a reference it expresses woe,
infallible method of opening the fortress calamity, and ill omen. By tradition, no one
gates of a great warrior. Christian saints, would touch it except for the person whose
according to tradition, fasted at the grave of job it was to measure.
*Fergus mac Róich before he rose from the fé fíada. Variant form of *féth fíada.
dead and recited the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle
Raid of Cooley] to them. Even persons of Fea. Shadowy Irish war-goddess sometimes
lower station might compel redress of griev- seen as the second consort of *Néit instead of
ance by sitting before the door of the accused, *Badb; the other consort is *Nemain. In
refusing food until justice was paid. Not some accounts she is a consort of *Nuadu.
uniquely Celtic, ritual fasting is known as Feabhal. Modern Irish spelling of *Febal.
dharnia in Hindu tradition; it has been, how-
ever, a recurrent feature in Irish political life in Feacra. Anglicization of *Fiachra favoured
the 19th and 20th centuries. by W. B. Yeats.
Fate of the Children of Lir, The. See fear dearg. Irish spelling of *far darrig.
   [The Tragic Story of
Fear Diadh. Variant spelling of *Ferdiad.
the Children of Lir].
fear dorcha. Irish spelling of *far dorocha.
Fate of the Children of Tuireann, The.
See    [The Tra- fear gorm. Scottish Gaelic for ‘blue man’, as
gic Story of the Children of Tuireann]. in *Blue Men of the Minch.
206
Fedlimid
fear gorta. Irish spelling of *far gorta. Feda. A minor *Partholonian in the *Lebor
Gabála [Book of Invasions], distinguished
féar gortach. See  . only by being the first to die in Ireland.
fear liath. Irish spelling of *far liath. Fedelm, Feidelm, Feidhelm, Fedelma. Name
Fearadhach. Modern Irish spelling of by many female personages, real and imagin-
*Feradach. ary, in early Ireland, including prophetesses,
queens, and saints.
Feardhomhan. Modern Irish spelling of
*Ferdoman. Fedelm 1. The prophetess of *Cruachain in
the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley].
Fearghal. Modern Irish spelling of *Fergal. Her power of *imbas forosnai allows her to
Fearghus. Variant spelling of *Fergus. tell *Medb of Connacht that the foray into
*Ulster will end in defeat. In the Táin she is
feast, feasts. See ; ; ; . seen as an armed but beautiful blonde young
Feast of Briccriu, The. Occasional transla- woman riding in a chariot, with hair falling
tion of *Fled Bricrenn [Briccriu’s Feast]. below her knees, gold-clasped sandals, and
three irises in each eye. Patricia Lysaght
Feast of Conán’s House, The. See (1986) has suggested that Fedelm anticipates
  . the *banshee of later folk tradition.
Feast of Dún na nGéd. English translation 2. Mother of *Brandub, the king of the
of Fled Dúin na nGéd; see  (1). *Lagin.
3. Woman of the *sídh in *Munster who
Feast of Tara. See . gave *Corc mac Luightig, legendary founder
Febal, Febhal, Feabhal [cf. W gwefl, lip]. of *Cashel, his name. While the child Corc
Name borne by several minor figures in early was in her care, Fedelm was at work at her
Irish literature. The best-known is the father magic when one of her sisters in sorcery
of *Bran mac Febail, the explorer in *Imram called out, ‘I bless everything, except what’s
Brain [The Voyage of Bran]; several commen- under the cauldron.’ This caused an explosion
tators have suggested he may be identical that singed Corc’s ear, giving him his name.
with the eponym of Lough Foyle. Another Although modern lexicographers gloss corc
was the father of Conn, a minor member of as ‘heart’, early Irish writers thought it meant
*Fionn mac Cumhaill’s *Fianna. ‘red’ or ‘crimson’.
Febrat. See  . Fedelm Noíchrothach [Ir., the nine times
beautiful]. Identical with Fedelm Noíchride
February festival. See . [Ir., fresh-heart]. A *female warrior noted for
Féc’s Pool, Fec’s Pool. See  . her great beauty. A daughter of *Conchobar
mac Nessa, she abandoned her husband
Feccol Ferchertne [Ir. ferchertne, man of *Cairbre Nia Fer in favour of the great
precise craft]. Legendary Irish builder and *Ulster hero *Conall Cernach. Her son *Fia-
prophet, one of the nine prophets of *Brega. chna 1 was killed by *Dubthach. She may
His slaves, sometimes known as the Men of have had a tryst with *Cúchulainn in the
Fex, are reputed to have built the hill of Slane, *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley], or
Co. Meath, as a burial-mound. See also he may have slept instead with one of her
. bondwomen.
Féchíne, Féchín, Féchin, Féichin [Ir. fiach, Fedilmid. Variant spelling of *Fedlimid.
raven]. Name borne by several early Irish
Fedlech. See  .
saints, notably St Féchíne of Fore (d. 665),
who founded a community at Fobhar (angli- Fedlimid, Fedlimmid, Fedelmid, Feidlimid,
cized, Fore) in Co. Westmeath. By tradition, Feidhlimidh, Felimid, Feidhlim, Fedilmid,
St Féchíne of Fore had power over the water- Felim. Popular name in early Ireland, borne
horse, *each uisce, compelling one to pull his by mythological and historical figures, kings,
chariot when his mortal horse had died, later saints, and many exalted ancestors in geneal-
allowing the water-horse to return to its ogies; usually a male name, it was also borne
realm. St Féchíne of Fore’s feast-day is 20 by some women. The best-known is probably

January. *Fedlimid mac Daill, father of *Deirdre.
207
Fedlimid
Fedlimid 1. King of *Munster who visits the Féine. Modern Irish form of *Féni.
house of Gulide, a bitter lampooner not
Feinius Farsaidh. Variant form of *Fénius
known for his hospitality. While travelling in
Farsaid.
west Munster, Fedlimid was told by one of
Gulide’s daughters that the house was empty Féinn. Dative singular form of Fiann (pl.
of food, the women were pregnant, the cows *Fianna) sometimes used in the nominative
were barren and devoid of milk, the mice or as a substitute for Fianna. Although a sol-
were active, and even the hard benches were ecism, it may also be confused with *Fenian
rotten. Yet when Fedlimid actually arrived at Cycle or *Féni.
Gulide’s house, he stayed in comfort for three
days, dining sumptuously each night. Possibly Féinne Cycle, Feinné Cycle. Bogus variant
identical with *Fedlimid mac Crimthainn. forms of *Fenian Cycle.
Fedlimid mac Crimthainn. Mid-9th- Féinnidh [Ir., Fiann member]. Shadowy sec-
century bishop-king of *Munster who sought ond brother of *Fionn mac Cumhaill, cited in
to become the ruler of all of Ireland. Early in only one 14th-century text. The better-known
his kingship he interfered with the succes- brother is *Fíthel.
sions at such distant ecclesiastical centres as Feircheirdne. Modern Irish spelling of
*Armagh and *Clonmacnoise, the latter of *Ferchertne.
which he sacked. On the secular front he did
battle with the powerful *Uí Maine and *Uí feis, feiseanna (pl.)., fes [Ir. foaid, to spend the
Néill families. Before there was a paramount night with, to sleep with]. Although this word
ruler of all of Ireland, he obtained the sub- had as many as six definitions in early Irish, it
mission of a king of *Tara, *Niall Caille, and usually has but two in English usage. (a) A
two years later seized Niall’s queen, *Gorm- feast or celebration, especially in honour of,
laith (2), and her female retainers. Modern or commemorating, the marriage of a king;
commentators have suggested that taking the this would include a symbolic marriage to a
king of Tara’s mortal spouse implies posses- sovereignty figure. Important examples were
sion of his other spouse, i.e. the *sovereignty held periodically at *Cruachain, *Emain
of Ireland. Possibly identical with Fedlimid Macha, and, most prominently, at *Tara. Dis-
(1). tinguish from *fair; *féil; *festival. See also
 . (b) A competitive musical con-
Fedlimid mac Daill. Father of *Deirdre vention, comparable to the *eisteddfod of
and chief storyteller of *Conchobar mac Wales; the Feis Cheoil was founded in Dublin
Nessa in Longas mac nUislenn [The Exile of the in 1897 to promote Irish music.
Sons of Uisnech]. When Deirdre was born
Conchobar’s chief druid, *Cathbad, foretold Feis Charmain. See .
that she would be seen as the fairest of Feis Temro, Temhra, Teamhrach, Temrach.
women in Ireland but would bring death and See ; .
ruin upon *Ulster.
Feis Tighe Chonáin, Tige Chonáin. Irish
fé-fíada. Variant form of *féth fíada. title for a 14th- or 15th-century prose narra-
Féichín. Modern Irish spelling of *Féchíne. tive of the *Fenian Cycle usually known in
English as The Feast of Conán’s House, or
Feidelm, Feidhelm. Variant spellings of The Festivities in the House of Conán. While
*Fedelm. being entertained by *Conán mac Morna,
*Fionn mac Cumhaill tells stories about him-
Feidhlimidh. Variant spelling of *Fedlimid. self, some of which have parallels in Norse
Feidlech. See  . traditions. In the most significant of the stor-
ies Fionn gives three versions of how he
Feidlimid. Variant spelling of *Fedlimid. acquired supernatural knowledge by drinking
féil, féile [L viglia, vigilia, watchfulness; cf. W a draft from the *Otherworld. (a) In the first,
gwˆyl, feast, holiday]. Old Irish word for feast- one of the daughters of *Bec mac Buain, the
day or festival, especially if religious, rarely owner of a wisdom-giving well at Carn
secular or pagan. See also ; ; . Feradaig (Cahernarry, Co. Limerick), acci-
dentally spills the water into the mouth of

Féil Bhríde. See . Fionn and those of two of his companions.
208
Féni
(b) In a second, perhaps a variant of the first, *Coinchenn, the monstrous Irish warrior-
also set at Carn Feradaig, Fionn and four woman; *Creidne, champion of *Fionn’s
companions follow an ugly churl [OIr. aithech] *Fianna; *Eis Enchenn, adversary of Cúchu-
and a young woman into a magical mist. lainn; *Erc (3), a member of *Fionn’s
Once the mist clears, the men find themselves *Fianna; *Fedelm Noíchrothach, noted for
inside the churl’s *Otherworldly palace, near her beauty; *Granuaile (Gháinne Ní Mháille),
which are two wells. Fionn drinks from both, the 16th-century Irish sea-rover; *Medb, the
giving him divine wisdom. The motif of the protagonist of the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [The
hero following a churl into the Otherworld Cattle Raid of Cooley]; *Scáthach, tutor of
has close parallels in the stories of *Donn *Cúchulainn; *Luchtigern, the monster cat,
mac Míled in *Acallam na Senórach [The Col- was killed by a female warrior. See also -
loquy of the Elders] and *Fer Caille in *Togail , the murderous Scottish female demon,
Bruidne na Derga [The Destruction of Da and , . See Antonia Fraser,
Derga’s Hostel]. (c) In the third version, Fionn Boadicea’s Chariot (London, 1988); The Warrior
finds himself turned into a feeble old man Queens (New York, 1988); Miranda J. Green,
after bathing in a lake at *Sliab Cuilinn [Slieve Celtic Goddesses, Warriors, Virgins and Mothers
Gullion, Co. Armagh]. Fionn’s men then lay (London, 1995).
siege to the neighbouring sídh, until the lord,
Cuilenn, offered a magical draft in his golden Femen, Femuin (gen.), Femin (gen.), Fem-
cup. This not only restores Fionn but gives hen; also Mag Femin. Name used in early texts
him supernatural wisdom. Another memor- for a plain extending roughly from *Cashel to
able story allows Fionn to speak of the curi- Clonmel in what is today Co. Tipperary. Prox-
ous incest of *Daolghas. In answer to the imity to the mountain known today as Slieve-
question, ‘What man was the son of his own namon [Ir. *Sliab na mBan, mountain of the
daughter?’, Fionn explains that as Daolghas women] has often linked the two place-
was dying, his daughter stooped to kiss him; a names. Femen abounds in mythological and
spark from the fire flew from Daolghas’s historical associations. It is the site of Sídh ar
mouth to her, making her pregnant. Femen, home of *Bodb Derg, the son of the
The supernatural wisdom from a magical *Dagda. *Midir and *Étaín escape to the Sídh
liquid has suggested parallels with the Norse ar Femen in *Tochmarc Étaíne [The Wooing of
figures Sigurd and Odin. The standard text in Étaín]; *Fionn mac Cumhaill is enchanted
Irish was edited by Maud Joynt, Mediaeval here. The plain of Femen was thought to con-
and Modern Irish Series, vol. 7 (Dublin, 1936). trol power and wealth in *Munster, which
The only translation is the inaccessible and may explain the *Cailleach Bhéirre’s interest
now antiquated one by Nicholas O’Kearney in it. The historical king *Corc mac Luigthig
in Transactions of the Ossianic Society, 2 (1855). founded an early dynasty here before estab-
See also Rosemary Power, ‘ “ An Óige, an Saol lishing the *Eóganacht at Cashel. The plain
agus an Bás”; Feis Tighe Chonáin and “þórr’s of Femen includes Lough Béldracon, where
[Thor’s] Visit to Útgarða-Loki” ’, Béaloideas, *Angus Óg found *Cáer, the tall maiden.
53 (1985), 217–94; E. O. G. Turville-Petre,
Fena. Occasional anglicization for *Fianna;
Myth and Religion of the North (London and
See also .
New York, 1964), 41 ff.
Felim, Felimid. Variant forms of *Fedlimid. Féne. Variant form of *Féni.
female warriors and champions. Celtic Féni, Féne. Name for the *Goídels, allegedly
traditions abound in assertive women, histor- the third invaders of early Ireland, in their
ical, mythological, and legendary. Some own language; the Féni followed the *Érainn
commentators have argued that the relatively and the *Lagin. Unlike their predecessors, the
equitable status accorded women in the Féni are said to have migrated directly to Ire-
*Brehon Laws of Ireland allowed for the land from the Continent, not by way of Brit-
emergence of strong women. Among the ain. In early Irish usage, the term Féni implies
most notable figures are: *Aífe (1), ‘the hard- the old, aboriginal, purest population, i.e. free
est woman in the world’; *Bec of *Connacht; land-tillers, as opposed to servants or slaves;
*Boudicca, the historical British warrior, honorifically, Féni implies ‘true’ Irish. In the
known to legend as Boadicea; *Cathach Cha- *Brehon Laws of early Ireland, the term féne-
tutchenn, who loved *Cúchulainn; chas denoted those laws applying to landed
209
Fenian
freeholders. Féni is unrelated to the term From about the 11th century, texts attributed
*fianna, although the neologism *Fenian was much of the action of the Fenian Cycle to the
derived from a confusion between the two 3rd-century reign of *Cormac mac Airt and
terms. his son *Cairbre Lifechair. Fionn, his son
*Oisín, grandson *Oscar, and leading mem-
Fenian. Neologism coined in 1804 by char-
bers of the Fianna, such as *Caílte the great
latan scholar Col. Charles Vallancey. Although
runner, and the handsome *Diarmait ua
apparently derived from *Féni, a name for
Duibne, are usually portrayed as living away
early, landed freeholders, Vallancey used it as
from the centres of power, often at the isol-
an anglicization for *fianna. In many 19th-
ated Hill of *Allen in Co. Kildare. This is
century writers, e.g. Sir Walter Scott, Fenian
because Fenian stories were perpetuated
pertains to stories of *Fionn mac Cumhaill.
by a separate caste of storytellers from
The ambiguous reference to both fianna and
those who told narratives from the Ulster
Fionn persists in the naming of the *Fenian
Cycle; this separateness also explains why
Cycle. In 1858 ‘Fenian’ was adopted as an
several episodes and narratives from the
alternate name for the Irish Republican
Fenian Cycle run parallel with those in the
Brotherhood, a secret revolutionary society
Ulster.
dedicated to the overthrow of English author-
Although enormously popular with Irish
ity in Ireland. Never fully quashed, Fenian
and Scottish Gaelic common people over
activity in the British Isles and North America
many centuries, the Fenian Cycle has been
peaked in 1866–7. In the 20th century ‘Fenian’
less esteemed by critics and informed modern
popularly denotes Republican anti-British
readers; Seán Ó Faoláin once called it ‘the
activity, especially in the six counties of
sow’s ear’ of Irish literature. Many stories
*Ulster, still a part of the United Kingdom.
have a breathless, Boys’ Own Paper sense of
Fenian Cycle, Fionn Cycle, Finn Cycle, adolescent adventure. Some of this quality
Fianna Cycle, Finnian Tales, Fian Tales, Féinne was borrowed by James *Macpherson in his
Cycle, Feinné Cycle, Ossianic Cycle, Fian- bogus ‘translations’, The Poems of Ossian
aigecht. A large body of verse and prose (1760–3), concatenated texts of Scottish
romances centring on the exploits of the Fenian ballads passed off as a lost epic. Gerard
mythic hero *Fionn mac Cumhaill and his Murphy (1953) points out, however, that
warriors, the *Fianna Éireann, a kind of free- Fenian stories from oral tradition are more
lance militia, constituting one of four major exaggerated and cruder than those from the
cycles of early Irish tradition, along with the more restrained manuscript tradition. In their
*Mythological and *Ulster Cycles and the fullness, however, Fenian narratives depict a
*Cycle of the Kings. The Fenian is the most wide range of tone and emotion. Especially
popular, extensive, and long-lived of the four, popular were stories of the *bruiden type, in
appearing first in 8th-century texts, and flour- which the heroes are magically entrapped in
ishing in both written and oral traditions in an enchanted castle or cave and cannot
Ireland as well as in the oral traditions of escape. Many Fenian stories describe Fionn
Gaelic Scotland and the Isle of Man. and his heroes repulsing challengers and
Although Fionn mac Cumhaill, his family, invaders, some of whom hail from distant
and followers were once thought to be histor- lands, ‘Spain’, ‘Greece’, etc., and some who
ical, they are now understood to have their may be identified with various Scandinavians.
roots in pre-Christian religion. Many other This attributed service in the defence of Ire-
elements in the narratives, however, such as land explains the 19th- and 20th-century
the training of hunters and warriors, the ser- association of the word ‘Fenian’ with Irish
vice of armed men under various kings, and nationalism. As early as the 12th-century
the conflict between old ways and the values *Acallam na Senórach [Colloquy of the Elders],
of the new religion, Christianity, do reflect Oisín is portrayed as having survived the
historical experience. Fenian stories have been death of Fionn by several centuries, and now
recorded from all parts of Ireland and Gaelic contends with St *Patrick about the values of
Scotland, but internal references imply that pre-Christian society, stressing bravery, gener-
episodes occur most often in *Leinster and osity, and freedom of the older order. The
*Munster. Fionn and his family, the Clan tone is both polemical and elegiac. In such
*Baíscne, are most often seen in conflict with narratives, the action of earlier generations is
the Clan *Morna, identified with *Connacht. retold from Oisín’s point of view, causing the
210
Fer
entire Cycle to be called ‘Ossianic’, employing 1953), pp. x–cxxii; Joseph Falaky Nagy, The
Macpherson’s rendering of the name. Wisdom of the Outlaw (Berkeley, Calif., 1985);
Important personages frequently men- Cormac Ó Cadhlaigh, An Fhinnuidheacht
tioned in the Fenian Cycle, along with Fionn, (Dublin, 1938); Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Fionn Mac
his son Oisín, grandson Oscar, and his follow- Cumhaill (Dublin, 1988).
ers, the Fianna Éireann, include: *Ábartach,
Fenians. See .
*Áeda (2), *Aicher, *Áine (2), *Baillgel,
*Barrán, *Bébinn (2), *Cairbre Lifechair, Fénius Farsaid, Fenius Farsa, Feinius Far-
*Cethern, *Cochrann, *Conán mac Lia, saidh, Finius Farsaidib [Ir., Fénius the Phari-
*Conán mac Morna, *Conarán, *Cormac see]. Sometimes: Fénius the Ancient. Fabled
mac Airt, *Crimthann, *Crónánach, linguist and ancestor of the *Milesians and
*Cuilenn, *Cúldub, Cumhall mac Trénmóir, thus of the Irish people. According to the
*Dáire (4), *Dáire Derg, *Dáire Donn, *Lebor Gabála [Book of Invasions], Fénius was
*Diarmait ua Duibne, *Doirend, *Eithne (1), a king of the *Scythians, contemporary with
*Erc (3), *Étaín (3), *Iuchra (2), *Liath Moses; present at the Tower of Babel during
Luachra, *Mongfhind (2) (Mong Bán), the biblical separation of languages, he alone
*Muirenn Muncháem, *Nuadu Airgetlám, retained them all. His son *Niúl went to
*Nuadu Necht, *Tadg mac Nuadat, and Egypt and married the Pharaoh’s *Scota (2),
*Uirne. producing the son *Goídel Glas, who fash-
See also    [The Col- ioned the Irish language out of the seventy-
loquy of the Elders];   two tongues then in existence, following
[The House of the Quicken Trees]; - Fénius’ instructions. Fénius appears to be cre-
    [The Little Brawl ated from *Féni, a name for Ireland’s earliest
of the Hill of Allen];   [The inhabitants.
Battle of Ventry];   [The Battle of
fenodyree, fenoderee, finoderee, fyn-
Gabhair/Gowra];   [The Poem-
noderee, phenodree, phynnodderee, phyn-
Book of Fionn];    
odderree [Manx, hairy stockings (?)]. A short,
[The Adventure of the Great Fool]; 
dark, uncouth, supernatural creature of the
    [The Adventure
Isle of *Man, one of the best-known mem-
of the Churl in the Grey Coat];  
bers of the Manx *ferrishyn or *fairies; he is
 [The Feast at Conán’s House]; 
usually portrayed as naked but covered with
  [The Cause of the Battle of
body hair. Although customarily seen as an
Cnucha];   [The Boyhood
individual rather than a class, e.g. ‘the feno-
Deeds of Fionn];  
dyree’, his name is not usually capitalized.
  [The Pursuit of Diarmait and
Comparable to the *brownie of Scotland, he
Gráinne];   
is helpful and can perform tasks requiring
 [The Pursuit of the Hard Gilly/
enormous strength and endurance, like carry-
Difficult Servant].
ing a huge block of marble a long distance or
Collections: John Campbell (ed.), Leabhar
harvesting an entire field of crops. In recogni-
na Féinne: Heroic Gaelic Ballads (London,
tion of this second task he is sometimes called
1872); James MacDougall (ed.), The Fians,
yn foldyr gastey [the nimble mower]. The
etc., Waifs and Strays in Celtic Tradition, iv
creature was once thought handsome and
(London, 1891); Kuno Meyer (ed.), Fianaigecht
known as uddereek, but was transformed into
(Dublin, 1910); Duanaire Finn: The Book of the
an ugly and solitary figure for courting a mor-
Lays of Finn, i, ed. Eóin MacNeill (London,
tal girl from Glen Aldyn. Some commenta-
1908); ii, ed. Gerard Murphy (London, 1933);
tors describe the fenodyree as satyr-like, more
iii, ed. Gerard Murphy (Dublin, 1953); Neil
for his hairy legs than his sexual aggression.
Ross (ed.), Heroic Poetry from the Book of the
The *glashtin, known only in the southern
Dean of Lismore (Edinburgh, 1939).
Isle of Man, appears to be identical with the
Studies: Bo Almqvist, Séamas Ó Catháin,
fenodyree. See Sir John Rhyˆs, ‘The Feno-
and Pádraig Ó Héalaí (eds.), Fiannaíocht:
dyree and His Friends’, Celtic Folklore (Oxford,
Essays on the Fenian Tradition of Ireland and
1891), 323–53.
Scotland (Dublin, 1987); James MacKillop,
Fionn mac Cumhaill: Celtic Myth in English Lit- Fer [OIr., man; husband]. The separable pre-
erature (Syracuse, NY, 1986); Gerard Murphy, fix Fer appears in the names of numerous fig-
‘Introduction’, Duanaire Finn III (Dublin, ures from early Irish tradition, often as a kind
211
Fer Caille
of title, e.g. Fer Í [man of yew]; they are the context implies that Manannán’s jealousy
alphabetized here word by word. See also  was the greater cause. See also  .
[men].
Fer Gair, Gar. Son of *Donn Désa, brother
Fer Caille [Ir., man of the wood]. A forbid- of *Fer Lé and *Fer Rogain, foster-brother of
ding churl or herdsman [Ir. bachlach] of *Conaire in *Togail Bruidne da Derga [The
*Togail Bruidne Da Derga [The Destruction of Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel].
Da Derga’s Hostel] who greets and entices
*Conaire on his way to the hostel. Fer Caille Fer Hí. Variant spelling of *Fer Í.
is a dark figure with *one eye, one hand, and Fer Í, Fí, Hí [Ir., man of yew]. Magical harper
one foot, and he carries a black pig on his best known for his progeny. In *Cath Maige
back; cf. the  and the ScG  Mucrama [The Battle of Mag Mucrama] he is
and . He is followed by a hideous seen playing in a *yew tree over a waterfall;
woman. Several commentators have sug- he has the power to play so sadly as to make
gested he is a double for Da Derga. T. F. everyone weep, so merrily that everyone will
O’Rahilly (1946) sees a parallel between this laugh, and such a lullaby as to make everyone
episode and those of *Fionn in *Feis Tighe sleep. Whether he is the son or brother of
Chonáin [The Feast at Conán’s House] and *Eógabal is disputed in different texts; T. F.
*Donn mac Míled in *Acallam na Senórach O’Rahilly (1946) asserted that Fer Í and Eóga-
[Colloquy of the Elders]. R. S. Loomis (1927) bal are identical. Fer Í was the foster-son of
once suggested Fer Caille was the model for *Manannán mac Lir. He was the father of
several threatening dark herdsmen in Arthu- *Áine (1) of Knockainy, Co. Limerick, and her
riana, a line of influence given less credence sister and possible double, Grian. See also 
today. .
Fer Cherdne. Variant spelling of Fer Lé. Son of *Donn Désa, brother of *Fer
*Ferchertne. Gair and *Fer Rogain, foster-brother of
Fer Diad. Variant spelling of *Ferdiad. *Conaire in *Togail Bruidne Da Derga [The
Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel].
Fer Doirich [Ir., dark man (?)]. The dark
*druid who transformed *Sadb into a *fawn fer léiginn [Ir., man of reading]. Twelfth-
because she refused his love. After meeting century Irish term that began to replace the
*Fionn mac Cumhaill, Sadb resumed human earlier Latin scriba; an idiomatic English
form; but when Fionn was away, Fer Doirich translation is ‘master of studies’. In 1162 no
reappeared and changed her into a fawn a one could be a fer léiginn in an Irish monastic
second time. church unless he were a graduate of
*Armagh. Also used in Gaelic Scotland, e.g.
Fer Ferdiad. Variant of *Fer Fidail. the Book of Deer.
Fer Fí. Variant spelling of *Fer Í. Fer Lí. Grandson of *Goll mac Morna, who
Fer Fidail, Fer Ferdiad. A *druid with vainly sought to avenge the latter’s death. Fer
supernatural powers killed by *Manannán Lí only wounded *Fionn mac Cumhaill but
mac Lir. Fer Fidail was either the son or was killed himself.
grandson of *Eógabal and related to Fer Í. Fer Rogain. Son of *Donn Désa, brother of
When Manannán became smitten with the *Fer Gair and *Fer Lé, foster-brother of
beautiful *Tuag, he was frustrated to find she *Conaire, in *Togail Bruidne Da Derga [The
was kept under constant guard by hosts of Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel]. He speaks
women. He asked Fer Fidail to enter her to *Ingcél, who foresees the slaughter. Fer
chamber, which he did, dressed as a woman. Rogain interprets the vision without quite
He remained with her for three nights and, understanding it.
after singing a sleep-inducing song over her,
left her slumbering on the shore of *Inber Feradach Fechtnach, Feradhach Finn
Glas (the mouth of the Bann River) while he Fechtnach, Fereadach Find Fechtnach,
looked for a boat. Suddenly a wave came to Fearadhach Fionn Feachtnach [Ir. Finn Fech-
drown her, a wave identified in some versions tnach, fair fortunate]. Best-known of the sev-
as Manannán himself. For allowing Tuag to eral Irish figures of this name, shadowy early
perish, Fer Fidail himself was killed, although king of Ireland, celebrated for his military
212
Ferdoman
prowess and described as bearing two *bull Con, the friend and retainer of *Fionn mac
horns on his head. The name Feradach Finn Cumhaill, who slays him in revenge.
may be another name for *Morann, with
whose story his own is confused. An attempt Fercos. Variant spelling of *Fergos.
was made to murder the unborn Feradach, Ferdéadh. Variant spelling of *Ferdiad.
but his mother escaped to *Alba [Scotland],
from which Feradach was invited to return Ferdia 1. Variant spelling of *Ferdiad.
from exile by Morann. Feradach’s two sons 2. Servant of *Fionn mac Cumhaill whose
divided the country between them upon their murder at the hands of *Cairbre Lifechair
father’s death. One son received her wealth, provokes the climactic *Cath Gabhra [Battle
and her treasure, her cattle and her fortresses; of Gabhair/Gowra].
the other received her cliffs and her estuaries, Ferdiad, Fer Diad, Ferdia, Fear Diadh, Fer-
her mast (animal feed) and her ‘sea fruit’, her diád, Ferdéadh [cf. fer diad, man of smoke].
salmon, her hunting, and her venery. One son Sometimes bears the epithet Conganchness
was *Fiachu Findfholaid, the father of [of skin like horn]. Friend and sworn brother
*Tuathal Techtmar. See also  of *Cúchulainn, beguiled by *Medb to fight
. against Cúchulainn in the war for the bull
Feramore, Feramorc. Anglicizations of *Donn Cuailnge in *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle
*Fir Morca. Raid of Cooley]. According to several texts,
the two men had been closely bound to one
Ferann [Ir., land, domain, territory]. A son another since they were given military train-
of *Partholón in the *Lebor Gabála [Book of ing together by the amazonian *Scáthach on
Invasions]. the Isle of *Skye. Even after his beguiling by
Ferchertne, Ferceirtne, Ferche(i)rtne, Medb, who promises him her daughter
Fercherdne, Fercertniu, Feircheirdne, Fer among other things, Ferdiad is hesitant to
Cherdne [Ir., man of precise crafts]. A per- fight Cúchulainn until he is driven to anger by
sonification of a descriptive idiom; the name the gibes and insults of Láeg, Cúchulainn’s
may thus denote any number of admired per- charioteer. The reluctant three-day battle
sonages in early Ireland, especially poets, the between Ferdiad and Cúchulainn is, for many
most cited (but not earliest) of whom is the readers, the emotional climax of the Táin.
bard of *Cú Roí. See also  . Clad in impenetrable hornskins, Ferdiad is
almost invulnerable, but Cúchulainn dis-
Ferchertne 1. *Bard and faithful com- patches him with his spear, *Gáe Bolga, the
panion of the legendary *Leinster king weapon against which no man can stand. The
*Labraid Loingsech. Allusions to him are ford in the River Dee where this was thought
found in other texts, including a 7th-century to have taken place was called *Áth Fhirdia(d)
life of St *Patrick. To him are attributed [ford of Ferdia], now Ardee, Co. Louth.
verses on the destruction of *Dind Ríg, which Modern commentators have asserted that
are included in the narrative *Orgain Denna the origin of Ferdiad’s character pre-dates the
Ríg [The Destruction of Dind Ríg], in which composition of the Táin, even though he is
he is a character. He and harper *Craiphtine assigned a father, *Damán, and a heritage.
accompany *Labraid Loingsech into exile. According to T. F. O’Rahilly (1946), Ferdiad’s
2. A son of Cairbre and chief poet and martial skills in defence of *Connacht suggest
entertainer of *Conchobar mac Nessa. a link with the *Domnainn of what is now
3. Loyal *bard of *Cú Roí. When he learn- north-west Co. Mayo. In Dáithí Ó hÓgáin’s
ed that his master’s wife, *Bláithíne, had view (1991), the Clann (or Fir) *Dedad may
treacherously brought about his death have fancifully been associated with the Dee
through her lover *Cúchulainn, Ferchertne River and Áth Fhirdia(d) before the Táin was
clasped her in a deadly embrace and jumped composed. Not to be confused with Fer Fer-
off a precipice on the *Beare peninsula with diad, another name for *Fer Fidail.
her in his arms.
Ferdoman, Ferdomun, Feardhomhan, Fer-
Ferches, Ferchess. A murderous figure, giman, Fergoman. A recurring name in the
perhaps in many incarnations. One Ferches *Fenian Cycle, in both older manuscript
kills *Eógabal, the foster-son of *Manannán materials and in later oral tradition; may
mac Lir. Perhaps the same Ferches kills Mac describe one figure whose story has been dis-
213
Fergal
persed and partially lost, or a sequence of fig- L virogustus, choice of men]. Name borne by
ures whose stories have been confused. Fer- dozens of figures from early Irish history,
doman is usually seen as the son of an genealogy, mythology, and legend, as well as
important *Leinster family and as a young in Scottish and Arthurian traditions, including
member of the *Fianna. He is a protector of kings, warriors, poets, and saints. The name
his younger sister, Finnine or Finngheal (also may once have been a cultic attribute of king-
sometimes Finn), who is mistreated or killed ship, implying equine associations, and was
by *Conán mac Lia, sometimes described as especially popular in the king lists of early
her husband. Ferdoman avenges her in a duel *Ulster. The most often cited personage is
in which both he and Conán are killed. probably *Fergus mac Róich, fabled reciter of
According to different texts, Ferdoman also the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley].
slays a monster, either a lake monster in Co.
Fergus 1. The least promising son of
Offaly or a ferocious pig in Co. Donegal. Sev-
*Eochaid Mugmedón and *Mongfhind; see
eral elements, including his combat with the
    [The
pig, suggest he is an anticipation of *Diarmait
Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid
ua Duibne. See P. L. Henry, ‘An Irish-Icelandic
Mugmedón].
parallel Ferdomun/ Karlsefni’, Ériu, 18 (1958),
2. Sometimes Sir Fergus, a knight of King
158–9; Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Fionn Mac Cumhaill
*Mark and friend of Sir *Tristram. Born a
(Dublin, 1988), 255–7.
peasant, he wins Galiene, Lady of Lothian,
Fergal, Fearghal [Ir., valorous]. Sometimes after being knighted. Title character of a
with the patronymic mac Máile Dúin, ‘son of French verse romance by Guillaume le Clerc
Máel Dúin’. A king of *Ailech better remem- (c.1225).
bered in death than in life. After Fergal was
Fergus Cerrbél. One of the great early
defeated by a force of *Leinstermen near the
kings of the *Uí Néill and father of
Hill of *Allen, his head was severed, the hair
*Diarmait mac Cerbaill, the last pagan mon-
washed, and combed, and set upon a pike.
arch of Ireland.
Shortly after this *Badb, the battle-goddess in
the form of a raven, hovered over Fergal’s Fergus Dubdétach [Ir., black-toothed].
head and that of the youth *Donn Bó, a Early king of *Tara. He drove out and
youth celebrated for the sweetness of his song replaced *Lugaid mac Con, and was himself
who had also been decapitated in battle. At defeated and replaced by *Cormac mac Airt.
the feasting by the victors that night, the Cited in *Cath Fionntrágha [The Battle of
severed head of Donn Bó began to sing the Ventry].
praises of Fergal. See Pádraig Ó Riain, Cath
Fergus Fialbrethach [Ir., of the generous
Almaine (Dublin, 1978); Nora K. Chadwick,
judgement]. Father of *Dáire (2) and husband
‘Geilt’, Scottish Gaelic Studies, 5 (1942), 106–53;
of *Rígru Rosclethan in *Echtrae Airt meic
Whitley Stokes, ‘The Battle of Allen [Cath
Cuinn [The Adventure of Art Son of Conn].
Almaine]’, Revue Celtique, 24 (1903), 41–70.
Fergus Fínbél, Fionbhéil, Finvel [Ir., wine
Fergiman. Variant spelling of *Ferdoman.
mouth; fair mouth]. A poet, diplomat, and
Fergna, Fergne. Name borne by at least a peacemaker, the best-known of the ten mem-
dozen minor figures in early Irish tradition, bers of *Fionn mac Cumhaill’s *Fianna
many of them physicians or leeches. One was named Fergus. He is sometimes thought to be
a *Nemedian, the fourth physician in Ireland. Fionn’s son. A constant companion, Fergus
Another was one of the three sons of Fínbél was usually seen as Fionn’s wisest
*Partholón. counsellor and interpreter of dreams, and a
favoured carrier of important messages. He
Fergoman. Variant spelling of *Ferdoman.
was an admired maker of verses, i.e. poet, but
Fergos, Fercos. Given the patronymic ‘son not a *bard, and sings the war-ode Rosg Catha
of Roach’. Irish-sounding personality cited for *Oscar at the end of *Cath Gabhra [The
without comment in a long list of warriors of Battle of Gabhair/ Gowra]. He was once
*Arthur in *Culhwch ac Olwen. See also - saved from an enchanted cave by *Goll mac
  . Morna.
Fergus, Ferghus, Feargus, Fearghus [Ir., man- Fergus Foga [Ir., of the spear, i.e. lightning].
strength; virility; male outflow; semen (?); cf. Shadowy king of early Ireland, sometimes
214
Fergus mac Léti
credited with the invention of the spear. where there are water sprites, each with a
According to the *Lebor Gabála [Book of Inva- small body, lúchorpáin [*leprechaun], who
sions], he was the last member of the *Ulaid relieve him of his sword and carry his body to
to rule at *Emain Macha, before he was slain the water. Fergus awakes when his foot
by the ferocious Three *Collas. T. F. O’Rahilly touches the water, and he seizes the sprites by
(1946) asserted that he was identical with the neck, demanding three wishes of them:
*Fergus mac Róich. that he be given the power of swimming
under water in seas, pools, and lakes. The lit-
Fergus Lethderg [Ir., red side; half-red]. tle men grant him this three-part wish by one
Ancestor of the British people, according to of two means, either magical herbs in his ears
the *Lebor Gabála [Book of Invasions], who or by winding a waterproof tunic over his
dominated the island until the coming of the head. But he will not be allowed his new
Saxons. Fergus was one of three sons of power at Loch Rudraige [Dundrum Bay, Co.
*Nemed, along with Iarbonél and Starn, who Down] in his own country. Despite this pro-
escaped the victorious *Fomorians by sailing hibition, Fergus tries, some time later, to
to Britain. Earlier he slew a Fomorian chief- swim under the waters of Loch Rudraige,
tain, *Conand, at his tower, Tor Conaind, on where he encounters the fearsome monster
the enemy stronghold of Tory Island (off Co. *muirdris. At the sight of this creature, which
*Donegal). His offspring *Britán Máel gave alternately inflates and deflates itself like a
his name to the British people. bellows, Fergus’s mouth is turned to the back
Fergus mac Eirc, Erc, Erca; Fergus Mòr, the of his head and he escapes to the land. Fer-
Great. Traditional Irish founding father of the gus’s charioteer sees his transformation and
early Scottish kingdom of *Dál Riada in what notifies the wise men of the capital, *Emain
was (until 1974) *Argyllshire in the southern Macha, who had now to decide the kingship.
Highlands. As Fergus Mòr he is cited as a dis- They esteem Fergus but feel they must follow
tant ancestor in countless Scottish geneal- the requirement that no man with such a
ogies, as well as that of the reigning British blemish can be king. Their solution is to have
royal family. He asked his brother, *Muircher- only sympathetic nobles visit the palace and
tach mac Erca, to send the coronation stone, to banish all mirrors so that even Fergus will
*Lia Fáil, to Scotland so that he might be not know, solving the dilemma for seven
crowned sitting on it; he later refused to years. But the enslaved noblewoman Dorn
return it to Ireland. By oral tradition, this feels less compunction. One day when Fergus
stone became known as the Stone of Scone, beats her with a whip because he thinks she is
used in many subsequent coronations. washing his hair too slowly, she taunts him for
his deformity, whereupon he cuts her in two.
Fergus mac Léti, Léte, Léide, Leide, Leda. Fergus then returns to Loch Rudraige to deal
Mythical king of early *Ulster, probable with the muirdris, roiling the water for two
double of the better-known *Fergus mac days and turning it red with blood. At the end
Róich, whose fantastic story, Echtra Fergusa Fergus emerges victorious with the head of
maic Léite [The Saga (or Adventure) of Fergus the monster, but soon after drops dead from
mac Léti] exists in two widely divergent ver- exhaustion.
sions, one from the 7th or 8th century, and a The burlesque 13th-century version
burlesque, Rabelaisian one from the 13th. Suf- expands the roles of sprites or leprechauns,
fering a disfigurement from fighting a sea- introducing their king, *Iubdán, his queen,
monster, Fergus was disqualified for his *Bebo, and their court poet, *Eisirt. Fergus
throne, even though his subjects revered him. again encounters a sea-monster, now called
The narrative includes the earliest portrayal *sínach, in Loch Rudraige, which turns his
of the *leprechaun, quite different from its mouth to the back of his head, disqualifying
appearance in modern popular literature. him from the kingship. His secret is revealed
When *Eochaid Bélbuide is slain by the by his wife, when they quarrel over the use of
men of *Conn Cétchathach [of the Hundred a bath stone. In a second encounter with the
Battles], Fergus mac Léti, Eochaid’s protector, monster, Fergus slays it with his sword calad-
demands compensation. He accepts a parcel hcholg (see ), but not before it has
of land and the mother of one of the assas- torn out his heart.
sins, Dorn, whom he treats as a menial. Short- Fergus mac Léti’s identification with Fer-
ly after this he makes a journey by the sea gus mac Róich comes from their both being
215
Fergus mac Róich
kings of Ulster and swimmers, and from their bar, but Ness contrives with the nobles to pre-
possession of powerful swords. D. A. Binchy vent Fergus’s return. In texts outside the Táin,
has suggested that, despite the fantastic elem- an ambitious young Conchobar drives Fergus
ents in Fergus mac Léti’s story and his associ- from Emain Macha, whence the older man
ations with the leprechaun, elements in his allies himself with Tara, leading an unsuc-
story, especially the disputes over property at cessful rebellion against his former kingdom.
the beginning, imply ancient but contentious Fergus encourages the sons of *Uisnech,
legal questions. Vivian Mercier in The Irish Noíse, Ardan, and Ainnle, to return with
Comic Tradition (Oxford, 1962) gives credence Deirdre from *Scotland, whence they had
to the long-held assertion that Jonathan Swift fled because *Conchobar had desired her, giv-
was influenced in the depiction of Lilliput in ing his honour as a pledge for their safety.
Gulliver’s Travels (1726) by hearing a reading Once the four are back in Ulster, he departs
of the 13th-century version of Echtra Fergusa for a three-day banquet, under an obligation
maic Léti. Eighth-century text: D. A. Binchy, to a *geis put upon him. In Fergus’s absence
‘The Saga of Fergus mac Léti’, Ériu, 16 (1952), Conchobar, who has vouched for the lovers’
33–48; thirteenth-century text, Standish H. safety, has the sons of Uisnech murdered and
O’Grady, Silva Gadelica, ii (London, 1892), takes Deirdre, at last, for himself. Outraged at
269–85; repr. in T. P. Cross and C. H. Slover this dishonour, Fergus returns and burns
(eds.), Ancient Irish Tales (New York, 1936), Emain Macha to the ground. He and his war-
471–87. See also D. A. Binchy, ‘Echtra Fergusa riors then depart for *Cruachain, where they
Maic Léti’, in Myles Dillon (ed.), Irish Sagas join forces with Medb and her husband,
(Cork, 1959, 1968), 40–52. See also  - *Ailill of Connacht, with whom he serves
 [The Death of Fergus]. during most of the action of the Táin. He
gives information about his former subjects,
Fergus mac Róich, Roich, Roech, Ro-ech, but is sometimes reluctant to oppose them in
Roigh, Roi, Roth, Rosa Ruaidh, Rossa, Mac- battle, once warning them of his arrival and
Roy. One of the greatest of all *Ulster her- leading his own forces on a detour south to
oes, best known for (a) being tutor to give the Ulstermen time to assemble. None
*Cúchulainn; (b) losing his throne to *Con- the less, he kills hundreds of Ulstermen with
chobar mac Nessa through the treachery of Caladbolg and would have slain Conchobar, if
Ness; (c) encouraging *Deirdre and Noíse to he had not been prevented from doing so by
return to Ireland; (d) going into exile to join *Cormac Connloinges, Conchobar’s son. To
Queen *Medb’s forces in *Connacht; and (e) vent his rage and disappointment he is said to
revealing the story of the *Táin Bó Cuailnge have struck off the tops of three hills in Co.
[Cattle Raid of Cooley] to the poet *Senchán *Meath.
Torpéist. Additionally, Fergus is characterized Several stories outside the Táin link Fergus
from his earliest portrayals as having great and Medb. In an obscure 7th-century verse
sexual energy, as implied in his earliest patro- Fergus is portrayed as deserting his own
nymic, Roach, possibly from Ro-ech [i.e. great people because of his attachment to Medb.
horse]. He had huge genitalia, requiring seven They are often seen as lovers, as in the best-
women to satisfy him. *Fál, the upright stone known story of Fergus’s death. When they
at *Tara, was known in 19th-century oral are swimming together one day, the nude
tradition as Bod Fhearghais [Ir., Fergus’s queen is sitting on his breast with her legs
penis], perhaps implying Fergus mac Róich. entwined around him. Medb’s husband Ailill,
His great sword is *Caladbolg. understandably jealous, remarks ironically, ‘It
Most of our perception of Fergus’s persona is delightful to see what the hart and doe are
is drawn from his description in the Táin, doing in the lake.’ Hearing this, *Lugaid (1), a
augmented by both earlier and later texts. warrior-poet noted for his accuracy, despite
Fergus is king of Ulster, resident at *Emain his blindness, understands the allusion to
Macha, when he falls in love with Ness, the hunting. He throws his lance so that it passes
daughter of *Eochaid Sálbuide. She agrees to through the heart of Fergus and exits through
marry Fergus but only on condition that her his back. In the 7th-century version, Fergus
son from a previous encounter, Conchobar dies near Larne, Co. Antrim, and thus the
mac Nessa, be allowed to become king for a town of Carrickfergus is named for him. In
year, almost as a trial. Fergus agrees to this, the 10th- or 11th-century version, the lake is
becoming also the foster-father of Concho- Finnloch (Lough Carrowmore, Co. Mayo).
216
féth fíada
This swimming episode links Fergus mac standing from one to three feet high and are
Róich with the lesser-known *Fergus mac less aristocratic than the fairies of Ireland and
Léti. The love-child who resulted from Fer- Wales, having no monarch. As trooping fair-
gus’s union with Medb is *Ciar, whose des- ies, they like to hunt with their own red-eared
cendants give their name to the Ciarraige, white dogs. They are omniscient and also
whence Co. *Kerry. capable of stealing babies; thus the country
Although he is not the chief character in it, people speak of them only in the most
Fergus is usually thought to have preserved favourable terms.
the Táin. According to references in different fertility. The power to support vegetation
texts, dating from as early as the 12th century, and bring forth the young of living creatures
full knowledge of the great cattle raid has was, in different Celtic traditions, dispersed
passed from human memory when the *bard between sacred objects and different person-
*Senchán Torpéist instructs his followers to alities. The *cauldron often implies fertility in
wander until they are able to recover the tale different Celtic traditions. Female deities may
to repeat it to perfection. They find Fergus’s foster fertility more often than male deities,
grave and call upon his spirit, in a three-day but either gender may pertain; there is no one
invocation, to reveal the Táin to them. He fertility-god or goddess. *Rosmerta appears
then comes forth from the mound, as mighty to be a fertility-goddess, and aspects of the
as in life, and tells the heroic story. Christian representations of *Cernunnos imply fertility
legends describe how Fergus recited the nar- functions. The Romano-Gaulish trinity
rative to St *Brendan and to St Ciarán of known as *Matres are both fertile mothers
*Clonmacnoise. and virgins. Other figures associated with fer-
Fergus’s most often-cited consort is tility include *Áine (1), *Brigit, *Cymidei
*Flidais, the *Diana-like woodland deity, who Cymeinfoll, the *Dagda, and *Dôn. The
left her former husband for him. Among his *Fomorians of Ireland’s pseudo-history
children are *Buinne, the faithless retainer; *Lebor Gabála [Book of Invasions] have
perhaps *Conmac, a love-child with Medb associations both with blight and with
and later the founder of *Connemara; *Fia- fertility.
chra mac Fergusa; and *Illann (1), the
defender of the sons of Uisnech. See also the feryllt. Variant spelling of *fferyllt.
Welsh , son of Roch. fes. Early Irish spelling of *feis.
Fergus did not play a large role in Irish oral
tradition, but he does appear frequently in festival [MedL festivalis]. Four days on the
works from the Irish Renaissance, especially Celtic *calendar were occasions for mainline
by Katharine Tynan Hinkson, ‘The Fate of festivals: *Samain (November), *Imbolc (Feb-
King Feargus’, and W. B. Yeats, ‘Who Goes ruary), *Beltaine (May), and *Lughnasa
with Fergus’, ‘The Rose Upon the Rood of (August). See also ; ; .
Time’, The Celtic Twilight, etc. This dreamy, Festivities in the House of Conán Alter-
poetic, unwarlike Fergus owes little to the nate translation of the Irish title *Feis Tighe
warrior of the Táin but draws instead from Chonáin [The Feast at Conán’s House].
Sir Samuel Ferguson’s mid-19th-century ‘The
Abdication of Fergus MacRoy’. fetch [OlE feccan]. English name for a kind of
*fairy doppelganger known in Scotland and
Fergus Mòr. See   . Ireland. If one sees this apparition in early
Fergus the Great. See   . morning, long life is assured; see it at night
and the viewer will last only as long as the sod
Fernmag [Ir., plain of alders]. Small medi- of turf in the fireplace. Michael Traynor, The
eval kingdom in southernmost *Ulster, English Dialect of Donegal (Dublin, 1953), notes
coextensive with the modern region known that the word lacks an Irish translation in Irish
as *Farney, Co. Monaghan. At the time of the contexts.
*Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley], it
féth fíada, feth fiadha, fé fíada, faeth fiadha
was the realm of *Durthacht and his aggres-
[OIr. féth, mist, fog; fíada, lord, master, posses-
sive son *Eógan mac Durthacht.
sor]. A magic mist or veil that usually renders
ferrish, ferrishyn (pl.). The Manx word for those under it invisible; sometimes those
*fairy, rough equivalent of yn sleigh beggey under it may take animal form. Also known
[the little people]. They are described as as ceó druídecta, ceo draoidheachte [druid’s
217
Féthnat
fog]. Féth fíada is usually thought to be a self down with a handicap of twelve leaden
power of *druids and the *Tuatha Dé Dan- balls. But as their race progressed, Fiacclach
ann, given them by *Manannán mac Lir after began to drop the balls and Fionn picked
their defeat by the *Milesians. Eithne (3) had them up, reversing the handicap. Even with
féth fíada but lost it when she partook of for- this switch of the burden, both runners fin-
bidden food; see     [The ished at the same time. Fiacclach is the father
Nurture of the Houses of the Two Milk Ves- of Moling Lúath, Fionn’s foster-brother.
sels]. The *Fenian hero *Caílte was wrapped
in féth fíada when seeking a physician from Fiacha. Variant spelling of *Fiachu.
*Angus Óg. Fiachaid Muillethan. Variant form of
The power was thought to have passed to *Fiachu Muillethan.
Christian saints, an attribution persisting in
Scottish Gaelic oral tradition until recent Fiachna, Ficna [Ir., dim. of fiach, raven (?)].
times. In the celebrated prayer-poem ‘The Popular man’s name in early Ireland, borne
Deer’s Cry’ or ‘St Patrick’s Breastplate’, by dozens of mythical and legendary heroes,
attributed to St *Patrick, the saint turns him- historical kings, and at least one minor saint.
self and his companion Benén into wild *deer See  and , with which it is some-
on their way to evangelize *Tara. The times confused. The most often cited is prob-
enemies who wished to ambush them saw ably *Fiachna mac Báetáin.
only a deer with a *fawn.
Fiachna 1. Son of *Conall Cernach and
Féthnat. A female musician to the *Tuatha *Fedelm Noíchrothach, daughter of *Con-
Dé Danann. chobar mac Nessa, who was slain by *Dubth-
ach in *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of
Feunn Mac Cüail. A Scottish Gaelic variant Cooley].
of *Fionn mac Cumhaill. 2. Cited as the son of *Eógan Mór of
*Munster in the *Fenian Cycle, where he
Fex, Men of. See  . presents *Fionn mac Cumhaill with a fast
fferyllt, feryllt [W, alchemist, magician; cf. black horse.
W, fferyll, Virgil]. A name often translated as 3. A west *Munster king who lay with his
*fairy, although it derives from the Welsh own daughter, *Mugain (4), to produce St
name for the Roman poet Virgil (70–19 ), *Cuimmíne Fota.
often perceived as a magical figure in medi- 4. The only male child of *Ernmas, mother
eval Europe. *Ceridwen consulted the books of Ireland’s female eponyms, *Ériu, *Banba,
of the fferyllt in preparing her *cauldron of and *Fódla.
inspiration from which *Gwion drank. See 5. An attributed son of *Fionn mac Cum-
Juliette Wood, ‘Virgil and Taliesin: The Con- haill and lesser warrior of the *Fianna. Dur-
cept of the Magician in Medieval Folklore’, ing the action of *Bruidhean Chaorthainn [The
Folklore, 94 (1983), 91–104. Hostel of the Quicken Trees], Fiachna holds
off the *King of the World and takes many
Fiacail mac Conchinn. Variant spelling of heads in so doing. His foster-brother is Innsa.
*Fiacclach mac Conchinn.
Fiachna Dub, Dubh [Ir., the dark]. Shadow
Fiacc. Widely known name in early Ireland, rival of *Fiachna mac Báetáin and father of
probably a diminutive of *Fiachra and *Fia- *Dub Lacha.
chu, to which it usually refers. St Fiacc of
Fiachna Finn, Find. Variant name of *Fia-
Sletty is commemorated on 12 October.
chna mac Báetáin.
Fiacclach mac Conchinn, Fiacchlach, Fiachna Lurgan. Variant name of Fiachna
Fiacail, Fiacail Fí mac Conchind. Also Fiacail mac Báetáin.
mac Codhna, Fiachu mac Conga. Foster-
father of *Fionn mac Cumhaill, as well as his Fiachna mac Báetáin, Baetáin, Baodáin.
uncle by marriage, he gave the hero a spear Also Fiachna Finn, Find [Ir., the fair] and Fia-
which never missed its mark. He advised chna Lurgan. Probably historical (d. 623/626)
Fionn in wooing. Certain that he was a faster king of *Dál nAraide in *Ulster, to whom
runner than his foster-son, Fiacclach chal- numerous legends have attached. In the best-
lenged him to a foot-race and weighted him- known of them, he is cuckolded when his
218
Fiachra mac Fergusa
wife *Caíntigern sleeps with the sea-god was fishing in *Cuailnge, Fiachna caught a
*Manannán mac Lir to produce *Mongán. ‘water worm’ who spoke, telling him that a
Different texts present three versions of how great fight would come with the beast of
this happened: (a) Manannán appears in dis- *Connacht. Another water worm, found
guise on a battlefield in *Lochlainn offering elsewhere in a river at the same time, advised
victory to Fiachna for a night with his wife. Queen *Medb of Connacht to marry *Ailill,
Fiachna agrees, partially as Manannán takes who did indeed become her husband. Both
Fiachna’s form, and he achieves victory in worms were then swallowed by two different
battle. Manannán takes the child three days cows, who subsequently gave birth to the
after birth. (b) Manannán bargains with Caín- famous *bulls, the worm advising Medb
tigern, offering victory to Fiachna if she will anticipating the white bull of Connacht,
lie with him, to which she agrees. Later Man- *Finnbennach, and Fiachna’s worm anticipat-
annán informs Fiachna and grants his victory. ing Donn Cuailnge. See also   -
(c) Fiachna is fighting in *Scotland while  whose refusal to surrender Donn
Manannán visits Caíntigern. Mongán often Cuailnge prompts Medb’s aggression against
bears the patronymic mac Fiachna, despite his *Ulster in *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of
true paternity. Cooley].
Stories of Fiachna’s conception suggest
another troubled paternity. His mother, a Fiachna mac Rétach. *Otherworldly king
member of the rival Dál Fiatach, observes a in *Echtrae Lóegairi [The Adventure of
wolf attacking sheep and wishes she could Lóegaire] who seeks the assistance of a mor-
conceive a son who would give the same tal warrior, *Lóegaire mac Crimthann, in
treatment to her husband’s people. His father, retrieving his wife from abductors. When
Báetán, dislikes the infant Fiachna, claiming Lóegaire is successful, Fiachna rewards him
that the child resembles his mother too much, with the hand of his beautiful daughter, *Dér
and so she rears him in a distant place. One Gréine.
day the child seizes a piece of meat from his Fiachra, Fiachrae, Feacra. Name borne by
playmates and takes it on a spit to his father’s dozens of figures in early Ireland, including
court. Báedán then sets a ferocious hound on mythological and legendary kings and war-
the child, but Fiachna responds by putting the riors as well as several historical kings and
spit through the dog’s heart. At the same time progenitors of important families. The best-
he grabs a hawk that has swooped after the known saint of this name is usually cited in a
meat in his other hand. This so startles his French spelling, St *Fiacre. It is not clear
mother she can never conceive again. which personage is indicated by the angli-
Fiachna’s occasional epithet Finn or Find cized spelling, Feacra, favoured by W. B. Yeats
[the fair] reminds readers of his contest with and others. See also  and , with
Fiachna Dub [the dark]. In many battles Fia- which the name is often confused.
chna Finn triumphs because his kinsman St
*Comgall prays for him. Then Fiachna Dub Fiachra 1. One of the Children of Lir, twin
also asks Comgall’s favour. To resolve his brother of Conn, in *Oidheadh Chlainne Lir
dilemma, the saint asks Fiachna if he prefers [The Tragic Story of the Children of Lir].
victory in battle with eternal damnation or 2. A son of *Eochaid Mugmedón as por-
defeat in battle with eternal reward. Fiachna trayed in *Echtra Mac nEchach Muigmedóin
Finn chooses the latter and so is defeated and [The Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid
slain. Mugmedón].
Historical records, which sometimes use 3. A son of *Fionn mac Cumhaill who kills
the epithet Fiachna Lurgan, portray a cele- *Domnall (2), the king of the *Déisi.
brated warrior who did battle with the Saxons Fiachra Cáech. Alternate name for *Fia-
on their home ground in England. He may chra mac Fergusa.
have been *ard rí [high king] for a period.
Different records also suggest he was king in Fiachra mac Fergusa. Son of *Fergus mac
both Ireland and *Scotland. Róich, also known as Fergus Cáech [Ir., one-
eyed]. See also - figures. In the *Deir-
Fiachna mac Dáiri. Linked to the concep- dre story, Longas mac nUislenn [The Exile of
tion of *Donn Cuailnge [the Brown Bull of the Sons of Uisnech], he tries vainly to save
Cooley] in a strange story. One day while he the life of the hero Noíse by throwing his
219
Fiachrach Tolgrach
body in front of a spear-thrust; but the spear hunting, and venery. When this story is retold
impales both of them. in *Fenian contexts, the *Fianna give Fiachu
the sobriquet Finn [fair] and describe him as
Fiachrach Tolgrach. Variant form of *Fia- choosing the rivers, wastes, wilds and woods,
chu Tolgrach. and precipices and estuaries. Later, Fiachu is
Fiachu, Fiacha. Pet-form of *Fiachna and usurped by *Éllim mac Conrach leading vas-
Fiachra, with which it is often confused; a sal tribes from all four provinces of Ireland,
name borne by dozens of figures in early Ire- *Connacht, *Leinster, *Munster, and *Ulster.
land, including mythological and legendary Fiachu’s son *Tuathal Techtmar avenges this
warriors and kings, founders of dynasties, murder by taking portions of all four prov-
and saints, of whom *Fiachu Muillethan is inces and creating *Mide (cf. ).
the most often cited. Fiachu Finn. See  .
Fiachu 1. At his cairn *Delbáeth kindled a Fiachu Flat-Head. See  .
fire from which flowed five fiery streams.
Fiachu mac Conga. Variant form of *Fiac-
Fiachu Araide. Early king of *Dál nAraide
clach mac Conchinn.
and possibly their eponymous founder. In the
history of his people he is credited with tem- Fiachu mac Fir Fhebe, mac Firaba. An
porarily driving the great *Cormac mac Airt *Ulster warrior who fought with *Medb and
from *Tara; later, Cormac joined forced with *Ailill against his own people in the *Táin Bó
*Fiachu Muillethan and defeated Fiachu Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley]. He came to
Araide. the aid of *Cúchulainn when that hero was
Fiachu Broad Crown. See  about to be drowned by the Clan *Cailitin.
. This Fiachu appears to be identical with the
character of the same name in the *Fenian
Fiachu Fer Mara, Fermara, Fear Mara [Ir., Cycle. He inherited a magical spear from
man of the sea]. Fictional early king of Ire- *Cumall, the father of *Fionn mac Cumhaill,
land invented by medieval genealogists. Fia- which when placed against the forehead filled
chu’s father, *Angus Tuirmech, lies with his a man with strength and battle fury. Eventu-
own daughter while drunk. To conceal the ally Fiachu ceded the spear to Fionn.
shame of his incest, Angus takes the infant
Fiachu, still dressed in royal purple, and puts Fiachu Muillethan, Fiachaidh Muilleathan
him to sea in a small boat off the Donegal [Ir., broad crown, flat head]. Legendary ances-
coast. He is rescued by fishermen who raise tor of the *Eóganacht kings of *Munster,
him under the name Fer Mara [man of the thought to be a contemporary of the illustri-
sea]. Despite or perhaps because of his fabu- ous *Cormac mac Airt. A widely known story
lous origin, Fiachu’s name is cited in many explains the unusual circumstances of his
genealogies; he was thought to be the father birth and conception. The *druid *Dil Maccu
of *Eterscél and thus the grandfather of Crecga wished to have grandchildren more
*Conaire Mór. The incestuous birth and celebrated than himself, and so he invited
infant voyage is an Irish instance of the inter- *Eógan (3) of *Munster to lie with his daugh-
national tale type 933, most often associated ter Moncha. Shortly after, Eógan (3) died in
with the fabricated story of the birth of Pope battle. When the time for the delivery came,
Gregory. R. S. Loomis (1927) noted that the Moncha went with Dil to the River Suir in
story has striking parallels with that of Tipperary, where the druid-father announced
the conception of the Arthurian figure that any child born on this day would become
Mordred. the chief jester of Ireland; if his birth were
delayed a day, he would become a most
Fiachu Findfholaid, Findolaid [Ir., fair powerful king. Moncha sat on a stone in the
property (?); white substance (?)]. Son of river, suffering great pain, but the child’s birth
*Feradach Fechtnach who, upon his father’s was delayed one day. In the delay the baby’s
death, divided the wealth of Ireland with his head was flattened against the stone, giving
brother, and became king of *Tara. The two rise to his usual sobriquet, Muillethan, ‘broad-
divisions of wealth were: (a) wealth, treasure, crowned or flat head’. Moncha perished in the
cattle, and fortresses; and (b) cliffs, estuaries, difficult delivery, so that Fiachu lost both par-
mast (animal feed) and ‘sea fruit’, salmon, ents at birth, a fate he shares with Cormac
220
Fianna
mac Airt; yet only Fiachu was known as fer dá 3. Wife of *Lugaid mac Ítha, legendary
líach [the man of two sorrows]. More founding ancestor of several Irish families.
importantly, Fiachu was the first member of
Fian, Fían. Singular of *Fianna.
the Eóganacht dynasty, and was cited in many
genealogies. Many other stories link the Mun- Fian tales. See  .
ster king with Cormac mac Airt. Fiachu Muil-
Fiana. Variant spelling of *Fianna.
lethan was first allied with Cormac mac Airt
in regaining *Tara from *Fiachu Araide, but Fianaigecht, Fíanaigecht [Ir., fian lore,
later Fiachu Muillethan defeated Cormac adventures of the fianna]. Name preferred by
when he invaded Munster. This story is told some scholars for the *Fenian Cycle. Kuno
in *Forbais Dromma Damgaire [The Siege of Meyer used the word as the title for a collec-
Knocklong], where Cormac bears the patro- tion of six previously unedited Fenian texts,
nymic ua Cuinn. In reward for assistance in Todd Lecture Series, vol. 16 (Dublin, 1910).
defeating Cormac, Fiachu granted *Mug
Fianchuibhe. Variant form of *Inis Fionn-
Ruith an extensive tract of land, Mag Féne, in
chuire.
what is now north Co. Cork, extending north
from the Nagles mountains to the Ballyhoura Fianna, Fian (sing.), Fiana, Féinn, Fiantai-
hills. chean (ScG.), Fenians, Fena, Fingallians [pl. of
fian, warrior band; a band of (six?) warriors
Fiachu Sraibthine [Ir., lightning, sulphur- on the warpath; cf. L venatio, hunting; not
ous fire]. Son of *Cairbre Lifechair and early related to *finn/fionn, fair or *Féni, the early
king of *Tara. According to the better-known people]. When capitalized, this group of
version of his death, he was killed by his words refers to the band of warriors and
nephews, sons of his brother *Eochu hunters led by the mythical hero *Fionn mac
Doimlén, the rapacious Three *Collas, who Cumhaill; this body may also be known as the
wished to take over the kingdom of *Airgialla Fianna Éireann and, less often, the Leinster
(Oriel). Fianna. Not capitalized, the words may
Fiachu Tolgrach, Fiachrach Tolgraig (gen.). denote any bands of roving men whose prin-
Father of the vindictive *Daui Ladrach. cipal occupations were hunting and war, or
troops of professional fighting men under a
Fiacre, Saint. Historical (d. 670?) Irish saint, leader, the rígfhéinnid [fian-king]; the
born Fiachra, who lived in exile at Breuil, Brie *Brehon Laws indicate that bodies of non-
province, France: a patron of travellers and subject, landless men, who were not foreign-
gardeners. The small hackney coach, the ers, did exist. They stood apart from the rest
fiacre, derives more from the Hôtel de Fiacre, of society and were charged to defend the
where one would be hired, than from his pat- sovereignty of Ireland against external
ronage; in Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man enemies, both natural and supernatural.
(1914), James Joyce facetiously makes Fiacre These enemies may include the Norse, whose
the patron saint of cab-drivers. Records indi- depredations in the 8th and 9th centuries
cate that in life Fiacre excluded women from deeply affect Irish literature. The fianna’s
his hermitage and chapel. He was long vener- responsibility seems to pre-date the Norse,
ated for his miracles, and his shrine was estab- but does not extend to the 12th-century
lished at Meaux by Anne of Austria, wife of Normans.
King Louis XIII (1610–43). Perceptions about the nature of an early
Fial [Ir., modest, honourable, generous]. Irish fianna have shifted widely since the
Name borne by several female personages of beginning of Celtic studies in the mid-19th
early Irish mythology and history. century. These range from being chivalrous
benefactors, i.e. Gaelic equivalents of the
Fial 1. Local divinity for whom the river Knights of the Round Table or of the sam-
Feale in counties Cork, *Kerry, and Limerick urai, to being parasitic marauders, like the
is named. Before the Feale enters the *Shan- warlords of pre-Maoist China. An antecedent
non, its name becomes the Cashen. body may be the Gaulish *gaesatae from the
2. Elder sister of *Emer and daughter of Upper Rhone as described by the Greek his-
*Forgall Manach. *Cúchulainn rejected Fial torian *Polybius (2nd cent. ). Because they
because of her relations with *Cairbre Nia were not a part of the Celtic settlements they
Fer. defended, Polybius glossed their name as
221
fiannuigeach
‘mercenaries’, but a more likely translation is the horn of the Fianna, and *Dord Fian its
‘spearmen’; cf. OIr. gáe, ‘spear’; ScG gath; W war-chant.
gwayw. Irish chronicles indicate that the first A full membership list of the Fianna would
fianna were approximately contemporary fill pages, but some names appear more often
with the gaesatae, as when they protected the than others. At least ten are named Ailill or
*ard rí [high king] Fiachach. The influential Crimthann, several are Illann/Iollann, and
theories of Georges Dumézil (1898- 1986) dozens are named Fáelán. Important women
perceive a high status for the fianna. Dumézil include: *Bébinn (2), the giantess; *Creidne, a
sought to explicate much of European myth- *female champion; *Erc (3); and *Étan (3).
ology against a threefold structure of early Notable warriors are: *Ailbe; *Angus mac
Indo-European society. In Alwyn and Brinley Airt; *Cáel; *Ciabhán; *Coil Cróda; *Conán
Rees’s cogent application of Dumézil, Celtic mac Lia; *Conán mac Morna, a Falstaffian
Heritage (London, 1961), the fianna occupy comic figure; *Conn (2); *Dian (2); *Diorru-
Function III. ing, the faithful attendant; *Fáelán mac Finn;
Membership in a fianna was exclusive but *Fáelchu; *Faltlaba; *Fatha; *Febal; *Fer-
not hereditary. Applicants underwent rigor- doman; *Fiachna (5); *Foltor; *Fothad
ous initiatory ordeals requiring exceptional Canainne; *Garaid; *Labraid Lámderg [red
prowess and dexterity. In one a novice would hand]; Liagan, another swift runner; *Mac
stand in a waist-deep hole armed only with a Lughach, Fionn’s lazy nephew, *Maine (10).
shield and a *hazel stick while nine warriors The celebrated judge *Fíthel may have been a
cast their spears at him; to suffer a wound was member.
to fail. In another his hair was braided after Heroic and romantic portrayals of the
which he was pursued through the forest by Fianna began in Anglo-Irish and English lit-
the other warriors; if overtaken or wounded erature as early as 1800, giving rise to the
he failed. He would also be rejected if his neologism *Fenian. Nineteenth-century
weapons quivered in his hands, if his hair was writers like Sir Samuel Ferguson, Standish
disturbed by hanging branches, or if a dead James O’Grady, and especially Lady Gregory
branch cracked under his foot. He was also in her Gods and Fighting Men (London, 1904)
expected to make a running leap over a bough did much to enhance the chivalric identity of
the height of his brow, to pass under one as the Fianna. The name appears frequently in
low as his knee, and to be able to pull a thorn modern Irish contexts, such as the nationalist
from his foot without slowing down. Add- boy scouts founded by Countess Markievicz
itionally, he must be a prime poet versed in and Fianna Fáil, one of the Republic of Ire-
the twelve books of poesy. land’s principal political parties. See Eoin
Within the *Fenian Cycle, Fionn mac MacNeill, ‘Military Service in Medieval Ire-
Cumhaill’s men were first known as the Lein- land’, Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeo-
ster Fianna, part of the Clan *Baíscne. Their logical Society, 46 (1941), 6–15; Dáithí Ó
rivals were the *Connacht Fianna and the hÓgáin, Fionn mac Cumhaill (Dublin, 1988).
Clan *Morna, led by *Goll mac Morna. After See also  [Ir., fighting men].
many skirmishes, the rivals joined to form the
Fianna Éireann with Fionn as chief; in much fiannuigeach. See , the leader
of Irish literature Fianna and Fianna Éireann of the *Fianna.
are virtually synonymous. Although centred fiantaichean. Scottish Gaelic form of
around the Hill of *Allen in what is now Co. *Fianna.
Kildare, the Fianna are described as wander-
ing over all parts of Ireland and Gaelic Scot- Ficna. Anglicization of *Fiachna.
land. Among the leading members are Fidal, Fidail. See  .
Fionn’s son *Oisín and grandson *Oscar and
Fionn’s love rival *Diarmait ua Duibne. The fidchell, fidhcheall, fithchill [Ir., wood(en)
great runner Caílte mac Rónáin survives with wisdom; wood(en) intelligence]. A board-
Oisín until Christian times to tell later gener- game of early Ireland, often compared with
ations of the greatness of the Fianna. *Búan- but apparently distinct from chess. A precise
ann was the ‘mother of the Fianna’. *Fergus description of play does not survive, but allu-
Fínbél was the most important poet, but it sions to the game abound. The players sat on
enjoyed several musicians, including *Aicher, opposite sides of a square board. Playing
*Cnú Deireóil, and *Dáire (4). *Borabu was pieces, described as ‘smooth, speckled, and
222
Find File
peaked’, were pegged into positions in rows. bérla na filed; his craft was filedecht. Some
The main object of the game seems to have commentators have compared the status of
been the capturing of one’s opponent’s the fili to the brahmin of India or to the
pieces, if not his complete annihilation. Christian clergy of early modern Europe. See
Sometimes fidchell was played for mere Gerard Murphy, ‘Bards and filidh’, Éigse, 2
amusement; sometimes the stakes were much (1940), 200–7; G. Turville-Petre, ‘On the Poet-
higher, as in *Tochmarc Étaíne [The Wooing of ry of the Scalds and the Filid’, Ériu, 22 (1971),
Étaín]. *Lug Lámfhota was said to have 1–22; Liam Breatnach, Uraiceacht na Riar: The
invented the game, and *Cúchulainn was a Poetic Grades in Early Irish Law (Dublin, 1987).
recognized champion: it is often described as
a game of kings and is linked to the province Fínán, Fíonán. Name borne by as many as
of *Munster. Comparable to *brandub, eleven early Irish saints, of whom the best-
*búanfach, and the Welsh board-game known is the early 7th-century Fínán Cam
*gwyddbwyll [W, wood(en) wisdom]. See [squint-eyed], who founded a monastery at
Eóin MacWhite, ‘Early Irish Board Games’, Kinnitty [Cenn Eitigh, Co. Offaly]. According
Éigse, 5 (1945), 25–35. to fabulous tradition he was conceived when
his mother went swimming after dark and
fideal [cf. ScG fidealadh, confused and irregu- was impregnated by a *salmon. He was also
lar, intertwining; ScG fideil, entwine, twist]. described as introducing wheat to Ireland. To
An evil fresh-water creature in Scottish Gaelic be distinguished from *Finnian and *Finnán.
folklore: the personification of the entangling
bog grasses and water weeds in haunted Loch Finbar. Variant spelling of both *Finnbarr,
na Fideil near Gairloch, in the north-west name borne by many saints and warriors, and
Highlands, in what was (until 1974) Ross and *Finnbheara, king of the Connacht fairies.
Cromarty. The fideal is a subspecies of Finbheara. Variant spelling of *Finnbheara.
*fuath.
Finchoom. Anglicization of *Findchóem.
Fidelm. Variant spelling of *Fedelm.
Finchory, Isle of. Anglicization of *Inis
fidhcheall. ModIr. spelling of *fidchell. Fionnchuire.
Figol. A *druid of the *Tuatha Dé Danann find, find-. Variant spelling for the OIr. finn,
who boasts that he has power to resist the finn- [fair, white]. Names may incorporate
enemy *Fomorians; he pledges to rain down either find- or finn- as a prefix, while others
fire upon them, reduce their strength by two- may employ the ModIr. fionn-.
thirds, and bind back their urine into their
own bodies and that of their horses. Find [Ir., fair, white]. Shadowy ancient Irish
personification of knowledge and wisdom, a
fili, file, filid (pl.), filidh (pl.). Member of a prefiguration of *Fionn mac Cumhaill and
privileged, powerful caste of poets, diviners, possibly of *Fintan mac Bóchra. Although
and seers in early Ireland. To be distinguished not cited in Old Irish narrative, his name is
from the lower-status *bard and the *brehon, recorded as buvinda in *Ptolemy’s geography
whose learning dealt more with the law. Of (2nd cent. ) and this can be argued to be an
the seven orders of fili, the *ollam is the high- Irish cognate of the Continental Vindos and
est and most often cited. The simple transla- *Vindonnus, an epithet of *Apollo. Dáithí Ó
tion of ‘poet’ is misleading, as much of the hÓgain has argued that he contributes motifs
writing of the fili in his guise as senchaid [his- of *knowledge and occult wisdom to several
torian] was in prose, including sagas and later figures whose names begin Find-, Finn-.
romances, historical narratives, panegyrics, See also , -. See Fionn Mac Cumhaill
topography (see ), genealogies, (Dublin, 1988), 3–26, 323–6.
and especially satires, for which he was feared;
the ModIr. file, however, may be glossed as Find File, Finn Fili [Ir., fair, white; poet,
‘poet’. Although his calling was hereditary, seer]. Mythical early king of *Leinster
each fili was attached to the household of a thought to have resided at *Dún Ailinne, the
chief; being fili to the head of a clan was the largest ring-fort in Ireland. Although modern
prerogative of a particular family. Trained for commentators do not describe Find File as
at least twelve years in rigorous mental exer- historical, poetry is attributed to him and his
cise, the fili might use an esoteric language, name is cited in genealogies. Various texts
223
Findabair
portray him as the brother of *Cairbre Nia esteemed by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Fer, king of *Tara, and son of a Ros Ruadh, The metal was sufficiently hard to be ham-
giving him the occasional patronymic of mac mered into thin sheets and fine wires; well-
Rosa or mac Rossa Ruaid. In *Táin Bó born maidens are described as wearing san-
Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley], *Medb tells dals made of findruine.
her husband *Ailill that she had been wooed
by Find File. Some of his characterization Findthigearn. Variant of Fintigearnd, a wife
apparently derives from the ancient *Find, of *Mongán.
and he contributes some motifs to *Fionn Finegas. Anglicization of *Finnéces.
mac Cumhaill. Despite the similarity of their
names (Fionn is Find or Finn in Old Irish) and Finegím, Finegeen. Variant spellings of
the names of their residences (the Hill of *Fíngein.
*Allen is Almu in Old Irish), they retain dis-
tinct identities in Irish-language contexts. fingal. Old Irish word for the wounding or
slaying of a relative, conventionally used in
Findabair. Variant spelling of *Finnabair. the titles of narratives telling of such events,
e.g. *Fingal Rónáin [How Rónán Slew His
Findbair. Variant spelling of *Finnabair.
Son].
Findbarr. Variant spelling of *Finnbarr.
Fingal [cf. ScG fionn gall, fair foreigner]. Title
Findbennach. Variant spelling of character of James *Macpherson’s six-part
*Finnbennach. prose ‘epic’ Fingal (1762), now considered a
part of The Poems of Ossian. Clearly based on
Findchóem, Finncháem, Fionnchaomh, Fin- *Fionn mac Cumhaill, despite Macpherson’s
choom 1. Mythological Irish queen best denials, Fingal embodies many of the
remembered for her family relations: the author’s somewhat fey heroic ideals. He is the
mother of *Conall Cernach, stepmother of son of the giant *Comhal, and king of Mor-
*Cúchulainn, daughter of *Cathbad and ven, the land of the north-west Caledonians.
Ness, sister of *Conchobar mac Nessa and His wives are Roscrana, mother of *Ossian,
*Deichtine, and wife of Amairgin mac Eit. and Clatho, mother of Reyno, Fillean, and
2. Wife of the hero *Cian (1). Bosmin, his only daughter. In Fingal, he
Findchú, Findchua. Variant spellings of travels to Ireland to aid *Cuchulain against
*Finnchú. Swaran, the vicious Scandinavian king of
Lochlin, who is invading Ireland. After much
Findchuire. See  . struggle, Fingal succeeds in subduing and
Findéces. Variant spelling of *Finnéces. capturing Swaran. This narrative is continued
in Macpherson’s Temora (1763), also included
Findias, Finias, Findrias. One of the four in The Poems of Ossian. Elsewhere in the
great mythical cities, along with *Falias, Poems, Fingal is a righter of wrongs and a
*Gorias, and *Murias, from which the defender of the oppressed. He dies in a battle
*Tuatha Dé Danann were said to have near the River *Boyne.
emigrated. Much as the name Fingal is associated with
Macpherson, its use pre-dates the publication
Findige. Wife of the ferocious king *Eógan
of Ossian by many centuries. A king named
mac Durthacht of *Fernmag.
Fingal ruled the Isle of *Man, 1070–7; ‘Fingal’
Findrias. Spelling of *Findias favoured by was used in Scottish contexts for the character
W. B. Yeats. now known as Fionn mac Cumhaill as early
as the 14th century. After Macpherson, Scot-
findruine (OIr.); fiondruine, fionndruine tish commentators commonly substituted
(MidIr.); findrinny, findrina, findriny [OIr. find- ‘Fingal’ for ‘Fionn’. Distinguish from
bruine, white bronze (?)]. A precious metal *Finngoll, cited in some of Fionn’s pedigrees.
often cited in early Irish manuscripts as hav- See Derick S. Thomson, The Gaelic Sources of
ing a value lower than gold but higher than Macpherson’s Ossian (Edinburgh, 1952); James
bronze, thought to be an amalgam of silver MacKillop, Fionn mac Cumhaill (Syracuse, NY,
and probably copper and perhaps even some
1986).
gold. Some commentators suggest it was a
counterpart of orichalch, orichalcum, Fingal [place]. See .
224
Fíngein
Fingal’s Cave. An imposing basaltic cavern was able to match. To Rónán the exchange
on the now uninhabited island of Staffa in the proved his son’s guilt.
Inner Hebrides, 6 miles N of *Iona. Popular Rónán commanded one of his men,
tradition, unsupported by the text of The *Áedán (2), to cast his spear at the son. The
Poems of Ossian, has associated the cave with shaft impaled Máel Fothartaig, a second
James *Macpherson’s character *Fingal. Felix caught his foster-brother *Congal, and a third
Mendelssohn brought the cave to European killed the jester Mac Glas. As Máel Fothartaig
attention by using the name ‘Fingal’s Cave’ as was dying he protested his innocence and
the subtitle of his Hebrides Overture (1829). pledged to tell the truth. The son swore by
‘Fingal’ is a part of more than twenty other the ‘tryst of death’ he was about to keep that
place-names in the Scottish Highlands, e.g. he never wanted to lie with the queen, that
Fingal’s Grave, near Killin, Perthshire; Fin- Rónán was deceived, that Congal died
gal’s Seat, a mountain at the head of Portree unjustly because three times he had escorted
Loch, Isle of *Skye; Fingal’s Griddle, ancient the young queen home to prevent her from
remains north-west of Sunart, *Argyllshire, making further sexual propositions. Rónán
etc. lamented his deeds for three days. To seek
vengeance, Congal’s brother *Donn (2) went
Fingal Rónáin, Fionghal Rónáin [Ir., How to Dún Sobairche and murdered the queen’s
Rónán Killed His Son]. Tenth-century Irish family, beheading each one of them; he
narrative from the *Cycle of Kings, also returned to Rónán’s palace and threw the
known as Aided Maíl Fhothartaig [The Death heads in the girl’s lap, whereupon she stabbed
of Máel Fothartaig Son of Rónán]. Although herself. To finish the bloodshed, the two
one of the grimmest stories in early Irish lit- young sons of Máel Fothartaig indirectly kill
erature, Fingal Rónáin is also one of the most their grandfather for having caused the death
poetic and most admired. It does not concern of their father.
gods, taboos, or enchantments but rather David H. Greene, Fingal Rónáin and Other
everyday human elements such as love and Stories (Dublin, 1955); David H. Greene, ‘Fin-
jealousy. The motif of mistaken sexual rivalry gal Rónáin’, in Irish Sagas, ed. Myles Dillon
between son and father (folk motif: K2111) (Cork, 1968), 162–75; T. P. Cross and C. H.
has parallels in the biblical story of Potiphar’s Slover (eds.), ‘How Rónán Slew His Son’,
Wife and the Greek story of Phaedra and Ancient Irish Tales (New York, 1936), 538–45.
Hippolytus. The text is preserved in the *Book For links with other medieval literature, see
of Leinster. R. E. Bennett, ‘Walter Map’s Sadius and Galo’,
Rónán, king of *Leinster, was the father of Speculum, 16 (1941), 51–6. T. C. Murray
*Máel Fothartaig, one of the most celebrated reworks themes from the story in his drama
young men in the province. When the hand- Autumn Fire (1924), and William A. Fahey fic-
some prince entered assemblies, men gath- tionalizes it, ‘The Death of Ronan’s Son’,
ered around him. As he grew he became the Journal of Irish Literature, 19 (2) (May 1990),
darling of young girls and the lover of 47–51.
women. As the father was a lonely widower
after the death of Eithne (6), the son exhorted Fingalian, Fingallian. Forms used, especially
him to marry again, perhaps to a mature in Scottish contexts, for *Fenian, and in the
woman. Against his son’s advice Rónán chose *Fenian Cycle. The Fingalians are the *Fianna
the young daughter of *Eochaid (2), king of Éireann.
*Dún Sobairche [Dunseverick] in the north. Fingall, Fingal [Ir. finn gall, fair foreigner].
When the old man brought home his bride, Name once used for the portions of Co.
she immediately fell in love with the son and *Dublin north of the *Liffey; gives the title of
sent her maidservant to persuade him to visit earl to the Plunkett family. There is also a
his stepmother’s bed. When Máel Fothartaig Lough Fingal, having no *Fenian associations,
refused, the young wife [lit. ‘girl-bride’] falsely in south Co. Galway, 4 miles NE of Kinvarra.
accused him of trying to force his affections
upon her. Rónán was initially doubtful, accus- Fíngein, Fíngen, Fíngin, Fingen, Fingin,
ing his wife of lying and cursing her lips. At Finegín, Finghean, Finegeen, Fioneen [Ir., wine
this moment Máel Fothartaig came in, and birth]. Name borne by dozens of figures from
while drying his legs by the fire, spoke two early Irish narrative and history, including
lines of verse, which the youthful stepmother kings and saints; differences in spelling are
225
Fíngein
haphazard and do not indicate one bearer of finn, finn- [Ir., fair, bright, white, lustrous,
the name over another. Equated with the light-hued]. Most common OIr. spelling
English name Florence as early as the 13th whose variant is *find, find-. Names may
century. incorporate finn- or find- as a prefix, while
Fíngein. 1. Physician to *Conchobar mac others are encountered more often with the
Nessa; when *Cet struck Conchobar with a ModIr. *fionn, fionn-.
deadly, limed brain ball from Mesgegra, Finn, Finn-. Name borne by countless
Fíngein advised the king that he would die if legendary and historical figures, both male
it were removed. Accordingly, the king was and female. The personage most often
sewn up with golden thread and abstained implied by the name Finn is the hero of the
thereafter from horse-riding and vehement *Fenian Cycle, Finn mac Cumhaill [ang. Finn
passion. Fingein also healed *Cúchulainn at MacCool], known in this volume under the
*Sliab Fúait [Slieve Fuad]. ModIr. spelling *Fionn mac Cumhaill. The
Fíngein Fisiocdha. Physician of the *Fir name Finn also appears to have been an hon-
Bolg. orific title, often coming in threes. A 16th-
century poetic epithet for Ireland was . . . na
Fíngein mac Áeda, Aodha. Early king of dtrí bhFinn [Ir., of the three Finns], reflecting
*Munster (d. 619), ancestor of the O’Sullivan different heroic traditions from the midlands,
family, who, according to later scribes, was *Leinster and *Munster. The triplet sons of
once seduced by the territorial goddess *Mór *Eochaid Feidlech were known as the Three
Muman. Finns of Emain Macha (see  ), even
Fíngein mac Luchta. A king of *Munster though they had individual given names. Such
at the time of *Conn Cétchathach [of the *triplism may also derive from *Find, the
Hundred Battles], who was visited each early embodiment of knowledge recorded by
*Samain by a prophetess named Rothniam *Ptolemy (2nd cent. ).
who told him all the occurrences of that sac- Finn 1. An occasional variant for Finngheal
red night and everything that would result or Finnine, the younger sister of *Ferdoman.
from them for the next twelve months. Much
of this story is told in Airne Fíngein [Fíngein’s Finn Eamhna. ModIr. spelling of *Finn
Night Watch], ed. Joseph Vendryes (Dublin, Emna.
1953).
Finn Éces. Variant spelling of *Finnéces.
Fingel. Mother of the marvellous child
Noídiu. Finn Emna, Eamhna [cf. OIr. emnach, per-
taining to a pair; double]. Triplet sons attrib-
Fingula. Name substituted for *Áeb, foster- uted to *Eochaid Feidlech, also known as Trí
daughter of *Bodb Derg and mother of the Finn Emna [the Three Finns of *Emain
Children of Lir, in some English language Macha]; their given names, Bres, Nár, and
versions of *Oidheadh Chlainne Lir [The Tra- Lothar, are usually ignored. Whatever
gic Story of the Children of Lir]. See also Eochaid’s historicity, the three Finns are more
, a daughter of Áeb and Lir. likely an echo of ancient *triplism originating
Finian. Variant spelling of *Finnian. in the *Find, a personification of knowledge.
When their mother became estranged from
Finias. Variant spelling of *Findias. Eochaid, she took them to Emain Macha,
Finistère [Fr., land’s end]. Department of where she and *Ulster king *Conchobar mac
the far west of *Brittany containing the larg- Nessa exhorted them to rebellion against
est population of Breton speakers; known as their father. When they began to mount their
the diocese of Quimper and Léon in ecclesi- offensive they sought to enlist the support of
astical records and in many folk-tales. Also their sister *Clothra, then reigning as queen
noted for its prevalence of megalithic monu- of *Connacht. She not only resisted them but
ments, especially *dolmens (or portal-tombs). tried to dissuade them with sexual favours.
Their war against Eochaid was fierce but
Finius Farsaidh. Variant spelling of *Fénius unsuccessful, although Lothar knocked his
Farsaid. father unconscious by flinging a stone. Ulster
Finmole. Name used by W. B. Yeats for heroes pursued and captured them, removing
*Connla (1). their heads. Eochaid asked that their heads be
226
Finnbennach
buried with them but died himself, overcome nephew rather than the son of a previous ard
by sorrow. The incestuous union of Clothra rí, imaginative lore sought to explain his suc-
and her three brothers is thought to have procession. In one version Fínnachta was origin-
duced the legendary king *Lugaid Riab ally a poor man whose generosity to a petty
nDerg. king caught in a storm brings him wealth and
power. In a second he is also originally a poor
Finn Faídech, Finn Faidheach [Ir., fair lam-
man, but one who aids St *Adamnán, after
enting]. Name for the bell of St *Patrick, at
having nearly trampled him on the road.
whose sound the snakes fled from Ireland.
Adamnán’s tutor prophesies that Fínnachta
Finn File. Variant spelling of *Find File. will be ard rí and Adamnán his adviser until
the king insults the saint. When Fínnachta
Finn mac Regamain. An early adversary
pays the bórama tribute, he does so at the
easily slain by *Fionn mac Cumhaill.
request of St Moling, which indeed insults
Finn mac Rosa, Rossa Ruaid. Variant forms Adamnán by denying the supremacy of his
of *Find File. sept of the *Uí Néill. At Adamnán’s urging,
Fínnachta changes his mind and tries to cap-
Finn McCooil. Manx spelling of *Fionn
ture Moling, which leads to the king’s death
mac Cumhaill.
from jealous rivals.
Finn MacCool. Common anglicization of
*Fionn mac Cumhaill. Finnán, Fionnán, Saint. [Ir., dim of finn,
bright, fair, etc.]. Early bishop of Moville or
Finn Varra, Varra Maa. See . Movilla, Co. Down, whose feast-day is 11 Feb-
Finnabair, Finnabhair, Finnabher, Findabair, ruary; previously thought distinct from St
Fionnabhair, Fionnúir [Ir., fair eyebrows]. *Finnian of Moville, feast-day 10 September,
Beautiful daughter of Queen *Medb and her but now thought identical with him. Dis-
husband *Ailill mac Máta, sister of Faife. She tinguish from *Fínán.
was in love with the hero *Fráech, who Finnbarr, Fionnbharr, Findbarr, Finbar [Ir.,
would not pay her dowry. Ailill also feared fair-topped, fair-haired]. Name borne by eight
that an alliance with Fráech would raise the saints of early Ireland, most notably the foun-
enmity of rival kings. Without telling her der and patron of the diocese of Cork, whose
daughter, Medb offered Finnabair’s favours to feast-day is 25 September; also St Finnbarr of
many champions in the contest with *Ulster, Inis Doimle, 4 July; St Finnbarr, more often
as recounted in *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid *Finnian, of Moville, 10 September. The
of Cooley]. *Ferdiad accepted the challenge saints should be distinguished from several
but was killed in combat with *Cúchulainn. minor legendary figures of the same name,
Later Fráech took on the invincible Cúchu- e.g. the male of the *Tuatha Dé Danann
lainn and was killed, causing Finnabair to die making the lewd remark to *Eithne in
of a broken heart. The etymology of the *Altrom Tige Dá Medar [Nurture of the House
name Finnabair links it with the Welsh of Two Milk-Vessels]; see also ,  and
*Gwenhwyfar, the Arthurian *Guinevere, the unrelated , king of the fairies.
and the Anglo-Cornish Jennifer. Sometimes See Pádraig Ó Riain, Beatha Bharra: Saint Fin-
confused with *Lendabair, wife of *Conall barr of Cork, The Complete Life (London, 1994).
Cernach.
Finnbennach, Findbennach, Finnbhennach,
Finnachad, Fionnachadh, Sídh Finnachaid
Finnbennach Aí, Finnbhenach, Fionn Bhean-
[cf. OIr. finnach, overgrown with grass or
nach, Findbeenach [Ir., white horn]. Queen
shrub]. *Sídh or magical dwelling of both
*Medb’s white *bull in *Táin Bó Cuailnge
*Aillén mac Midgna and the sea-god *Lir.
[Cattle Raid of Cooley], also known as the
Modern commentators identify this with a
White Bull of *Connacht and as Whitehorn.
site near Newtown Hamilton, Co. Armagh.
According to a foretale to the epic, Finnben-
Also known as Sídh Fionna.
nach was originally a man named Rucht,
Fínnachta, Finnachta, Fionnachta. Late 7th- swineherd to Ochall Ochne, who quarrelled
century (c.675–95) *ard rí [high king] of Ire- with *Friuch, swineherd of *Bodb Derg.
land, to whom many legends have accrued. Their dispute was so bitter it survived their
By historical record he was the last ard rí to transformation into different forms: as ravens,
remit the *bórama tribute. As he was the water-beasts, *stags, *dragons, champions,
227
Finnbheara
water-worms, and finally as bulls. As a water- South *Leinster princess in the *Fenian Cycle
worm Rucht advised Medb to marry *Ailill; known as the robe-maker of the *Fianna.
he was then swallowed by a cow and was
begat as Finnbennach. But as he thought it Finnchú, Findchú, Findchua, Fionnchú,
unseemly to be born into the herd of a Fanahan [Ir., fair hound, fair warrior]. Name
woman, he had himself born into the herd of borne by several early Irish Christian figures,
Ailill. In maturity, Finnbennach’s contest with most notably the 7th-century (d. 664) St
*Donn Cuailnge, the Brown Bull of *Ulster, Finnchú of Brí Gobann [later Brigown, near
is central to the action of the epic; Finnben- Mitchelstown, Co. Cork], about whom many
nach is eventually defeated, but not without legends have accrued. Stories of Finnchú’s
severely wounding Donn Cuailnge. heroic self-mortification circulated widely
during the Middle Ages and were collected in
Finnbheara, Fionnbharr, Finbheara, Fin a later Irish-language biography. After a series
Bheara, Fionvarra, Finvarra, Finvara, Fin Varra, of childhood miracles, such as turning the
Finn Varra Maa. King of the *Connacht *fair- king of *Ulster’s horses to stones, Finnchú
ies with residence at *Cnoc Mheada became abbot of *Bangor, Co. Down, for
[Knockmagha], west of Tuam, Co. Galway. seven years. Then he returned to the south of
Although fond of mortal women, he is usu- his birth and built a new monastery with the
ally cited with his wife *Úna (sometimes help of smiths at Brí Gobann [Ir., hillock of
Nuala). Originally one of the *Tuatha Dé the smiths]. They made seven iron sickles for
Danann, he settles at Cnoc Mheadha when him, from which he hung, one sickle at a time
his kind are driven underground by the under his armpit, both to ensure his place in
*Milesians. The popularity of his stories in heaven and to prevent the devil from stealing
oral tradition led storytellers to think of the soul of the recently departed. Finnchú
Finnbheara as the king of all Irish fairies, not was also a warrior who helped repel invaders,
just of Connacht, and also as king of the brandishing his crozier in battle and blowing
dead. In one of the best-known stories, fire from his mouth. See Whitley Stokes, Lives
Finnbheara steals the most beautiful woman of the Saints from the Book of Lismore (Oxford,
in Ireland, *Eithne (4) or Eithne the Bride, 1890), 84–98.
and keeps her with him, Persephone-like, for
a year. He brings good crops to people in his Finnéces, Finn Éces, Findéces, Finegas,
region but his absence brings poor crops. He Finnegas, Finnéigeas [Ir. finn, fair; éices, seer,
rewards a smith who is not afraid to shoe his scholar, sage, poet]. *Druid or seer who
three-legged horse. On one occasion he cures unwittingly helped *Fionn mac Cumhaill
a sick woman, accepts food from her in gain the power of *divination. Finnéces lives
recompense, but refuses salt. Lady Wilde for seven years along the banks of the
collected many stories of Finnbheara in her *Boyne, waiting for the *salmon of know-
Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms and Supersti- ledge to appear at *Linn Féic [Fiac’s Pool],
tions of Ireland (London, 1887). T. H. Nally’s near Rosnaree, Co. Meath. At this pool *hazel
verse pantomime Finn Varra Maa (Dublin, nuts fall into the water, giving *knowledge to
1917) conflates Finnbheara with *Fionn mac salmon. Some oral variants put Finnéces at
Cumhaill (here ‘Finn MacCool’) and makes the falls of *Assaroe in north-western Ireland.
him the Irish Santa Claus. W. B. Yeats cites When the 7-year-old Fionn comes to live as a
him often, usually as Finvara, notably in the pupil with him, Finnéces catches the salmon
dramas, The Land of Heart’s Desire (1894) and quite easily, as if it had been waiting for just
The Dreaming of the Bones (1919). Although such a moment. The druid gives the salmon
his name is occasionally anglicized as Finbar, to Fionn to cook, but instructs him not to eat
he should be distinguished from *Finnbarr. any part of it. During the cooking Fionn
Folk motifs: F109; F160.0.2; F167.12; F184; scorches his thumb and thrusts it into his
F252.1. mouth, thus taking the salmon’s power for
himself. Several commentators have noted
Finnbhennach. Variant spelling of *Finn- that ‘Finnéces’ means ‘Finn the seer’, which
bennach. could also be a name for Fionn mac Cumhaill;
additionally, the salmon of knowledge is
Finncháem. Variant spelling of *Findchóem. sometimes known as *Fintan.
Finnchnes, Finnchneas [Ir., fair-skinned]. Finnén. An OIr. spelling of *Finnian.

228
Fintan
Finngheal. Younger sister of *Ferdoman. listened to Tuan’s stories, which included the
invasions of Ireland (see  , The
Finngoll [Ir., fair foreigner]. Shadowy Book of Invasions) along with much of the
legendary figure, cited only in some pedigrees rest of the pre-Christian history of the coun-
of *Fionn mac Cumhaill. Distinguish from try. In other legends associated with Finnian
Macpherson’s *Fingal. of Moville, some of which confuse him with
Finnguala, Finnuala, Fionnghuala, Fionguala, personages of similar name, he was (a)
Fionnuala, Finola [Ir., fair-shouldered]. thought to have the power to change the
Daughter of and most prominent child of course of rivers, and (b) embarrassed by a
*Lir, twin sister of *Áed (3), in *Oidheadh *Pictish princess whose advances he rejected.
Chlainne Lir [The Tragic Story of the Children His feast-day is 10 September. Once thought
of Lir]. These are the well-born children who distinct from Finnán of Moville, feast-day 11
are turned into swans by a cruel stepmother February; the two are now thought to be
and wander the world in exile for 900 years. identical. See John Ryan, Irish Monasticism
Some popular English-language retellings of (Dublin, 1931); Pádraig Ó Riain, ‘Finnian or
the story capriciously name the mother as Winnian?’, in P. Ní Chatháin and M. Richter
Fingula, clearly an anglicization of Finnguala, (eds.), Irland und Europa (Stuttgart, 1984);
instead of Áeb. Nuala is a common diminu- ‘Finnio and Winnian: A Question of Priority’,
tive of Finnguala, but in Irish oral tradition it in R. Bielmeier and R. Stempel (eds.), Indog-
becomes a substitute name for *Úna, the ermanica et Caucasica (Berlin and New York,
queen of the *fairies. 1994), 407–16.
Finnian, Finian, Finnén [Ir. finn, fair, bright, Finnian tales. Variant form of *Fenian
etc.; cf. L Vennianus]. Name borne by several Cycle.
early Irish ecclesiastical figures, notably the Finnine. Variant form of Finngheal, the
two saints cited below. Possibly a pet-form of younger sister of *Ferdoman, along with Finn
*Finnbarr; easily confused with *Fínán and (1).
*Finnán.
Finnlug, Fionnlugh, Fionnlú, Finnloga (gen.)
Finnian of Clonard, Saint. Sixth-century [Ir. finn, fair, bright, etc.; lug, light, brightness].
(d. 549) founder and abbot of the monastery Name borne by numerous minor early Irish
of *Clonard, east of the modern town of Christian figures, which is curious, as the
Kinnegad, near the *Boyne River, Co. West- name combines those of two of the best-
meath. Later legend makes Finnian the ‘tutor known pagan figures, *Fionn mac Cumhaill
of the saints of Ireland’, especially the and *Lug Lámfhota. Three of the most often
‘Twelve Apostles of Ireland’, i.e. founders of mentioned are Finnlug, the father of St
Irish monasteries of the next generation of *Brendan, Finnlug of Doon (Co. Limerick),
saints. His feast-day is 12 December. See and Finnlug, the father of St *Finnian of
Whitley Stokes, Lives of the Saints from the Clonard. James Joyce cites the name as ‘Fyn-
Book of Lismore (Oxford, 1890), 75–83, 222–30; logue’ in Finnegans Wake (1939), exploiting
Kathleen Hughes, ‘The Historical Value of both the shadowy ambiguity and the possible
the Lives of St. Finnian of Clonard’, English associations with Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Historical Review, 66 (1954), 353–72; Kathleen
Hughes, ‘The Cult of St. Finnian of Clonard Finntan, Finntain (gen.). Variant spellings of
from the Eighth to the Eleventh Century’, *Fintan.
Irish Historical Studies, 9 (1954), 13–27. Finnuala. Variant spelling of *Finnguala.
Finnian of Moville, Saint. [Ir. mag bile, finoderee. Variant spelling of *fenodyree.
plain of the large, venerated tree]. Sixth-
century (d. c.579) bishop and founder of the Finola. Variant spelling of *Finnguala.
abbey of Moville or Movilla, east of New- Fínscoth [Ir., wine blossom]. Daughter
townwards, Co. Down; sometimes called attributed to *Cúchulainn in stories com-
Finnian the Younger or Finnbarr (see posed later than the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle
). According to legends accruing to St Raid of Cooley].
Finnian, he entered the fortress of the pagan
king *Tuan mac Cairill, hoping to convert Fintan, Finntan, Fintaan, Fionntan, Finntain
him to Christianity. To do this Finnian (gen.) [proto-Celtic vindo-senos, white ancient
229
Fintan
(?); vindo-tenos, white fire (?)]. Name borne by one-third of *Ulster at the time, achronologi-
numerous figures in early Ireland, secular and cally, of *Conchobar mac Nessa. His son
ecclesiastical, including seventy-four saints *Cethern mac Fintain was fostered by Con-
and pseudo-saints and dozens of names cited chobar and became a tutor of *Fionn mac
in genealogies and pedigrees. The best-known Cumhaill.
Fintan, usually cited without patronymic, is
Fintigernd, Findtighearn. A wife of
*Fintan mac Bóchra.
*Mongán.
Fintan 1. The *salmon of knowledge is Finvara, Finvarra. Variant anglicizations of
known as Fintan in many early Irish texts. At *Finnbheara.
*Assaroe he sometimes bears the name *Goll
Essa Ruaid [one-eyed of the red waterfall]. Finvel. See  .
Fintan mac Bóchra, Bóchna. The only Fíonán. ModIr. spelling of *Fínán.
Irishman to survive the biblical *Flood, Fin- fiondruine. ModIr. spelling of *findruine.
tan was a mythical seer whose name is cited
in many texts. The Bóchra/Bóchna of his Fioneen. Anglicization of *Fíngein.
patronymic is never identified; it may refer to Fionghal Rónáin. ModIr. spelling of *Fingal
his mother or may imply the sea. He may be Rónáin.
yet another figure derived from the shadowy
*Find implied in *Ptolemy (2nd cent. ). Fionguala. Variant spelling of *Finnguala.
According to the pseudo-history *Lebor fionn, fionn- [Ir., fair, bright, white, lustrous,
Gabála [Book of Invasions], Fintan was one of light-hued]. ModIr. spelling of a concept
three men who accompanied the lady whose OIr. and MidIr. spellings are *find and
*Cesair, whom he took as a wife, and her fifty *finn. Of the several figures named *Find,
women, forty days before the Flood. When *Finn, or Fionn, all but *Fionn mac Cumhaill
the other two men died, all the women are known here under the OIr. and MidIr.
approached Fintan, who fled from them. A spellings.
poem later ascribed to Fintan explains how he
survived the Flood when all others perished Fionn Bheannach. ModIr. spelling of
by hiding in the hill of Tounthinna [Ir. Tulach *Finnbennach.
Tuindi, Tul Tuinne] over the River *Shannon Fionn Cycle. Variant form of *Fenian
(near Portroe, Co. Tipperary). In another Cycle.
story Fintan details in a dialogue with the
hawk of *Achill how he escaped the Flood. Fionn File. ModIr. spelling of *Find File.
He had been 15 years old at the coming of the Fionn Lú. ModIr. spelling of *Finnlug.
waters, but survived for another 5,500 years.
In surviving he had been transformed into a Fionn mac Cumhaill, Finn/Find mac
one-eyed *salmon, an *eagle, and a hawk Cumhaill/ mac Cumhail [OIr.], Finn MacCool
before resuming his own shape. The hawk [anglicized], Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Feunn Mac
responds that it also is very old and has wit- Cüail [ScG], Finn McCooil [Manx]; also Fingal,
nessed many of the events Fintan describes, Finn Mac Cumhal, Finn mac Cumal, Find mac
including the exploits of *Cúchulainn, the Umaill. Hunter-warrior-seer of Old and Mod-
coming of Christianity, and the whole history ern Irish literatures, central hero of the
of the Western world. Fintan is usually pre- *Fenian Cycle where he heads the Clan
sumed to be a seer of great knowledge, par- *Baiscne and the *Fianna Éireann, and sub-
tially because of his animal transformations ject of innumerable portrayals in thousands
and also because of his great age, and of narratives from both learned manuscript
becomes a patron of history and poetry. His and later oral traditions. First known as
wife of later years is *Ébliu (1), the sister of *Demne Máel, he acquires the name Fionn
*Lug Lámfhota. See Kuno Meyer (ed.), ‘Col- [fair, light-haired] while still a youth. Fionn is
loquy between Fintan and the Hawk of usually seen as brave and admirable, espe-
Achill’, in Anecdota from Irish Manuscripts, i, cially in stories told in Ossianic frame (i.e.
ed. R. I. Best et al. (Halle, 1907), 24–39. conventionally narrated by Fionn’s son *Oisín
or compatriot *Caílte), where he is a paragon
Fintan mac Néill. Son of *Niall Noígi- of pagan Irish nobility: courageous and gen-
allach [of the Nine Hostages] and ruler over erous. Elsewhere, particularly in folk-tales
230
Fionn mac Cumhaill
from oral tradition, Fionn may become a quitous patronymic, is reported as having
crude, buffoonish bumbler. In the widely been killed before his son’s birth, but the
known story from manuscript tradition, names of the perpetrators vary; (a) *Conn
*Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne [The Cétchathach [of the Hundred Battles], pro-
Pursuit of Diarmait and Gráinne], he is an tector of *Tadg (or Bracan) mac Nuadat, for
ageing cuckold and jealous avenger. Long Cumhall’s having abducted Tadg’s daughter
thought a historical personage, Fionn was *Muirenn Muncháem [of the white neck] and
ascribed the death date of  283 by chron- getting her with child; (b) *Goll mac Morna
iclers; his historicity was sanctioned by Geof- of the rival Clan Morna launching an ongoing
frey *Keating (c.1570– c.1650) and survived in clan rivalry, according to *Fotha Catha
popular perception until the 20th century. Chnucha [The Cause of the Battle of Cnucha],
Fionn’s stories are known in all parts of Ire- the most widely known version; (c) *Liath
land, Gaelic Scotland, the Isle of *Man, and Luachra, the keeper of the *crane bag
Gaelic-speaking *Nova Scotia, and have [corrbolg]; or (d) the villainous *Arca Dubh, as
migrated into the oral traditions and litera- in Scottish Gaelic folk-tales. Cumhall’s death
tures of English-speaking peoples in North and his son’s birth should take place during
America and Australia. Internal references the reign of *Cathaír Mór. Cumhall’s pedi-
imply a base in *Leinster or eastern Ireland; gree consists of little more than ciphers; he is
Fionn’s customary fortress or ‘palace’ is the the son of Trénmór [strong and big], the son
Hill of *Allen [OIr. Almu; ModIr. Almhain] in of Sualt, the son of Ealtan, son of Baíscne.
Co. Kildare. Through his maternal side Fionn claims his
The glossing of Fionn as ‘fair’ implies links more important ancestor, *Nuadu Airgetlám,
to a Continental Celtic divinity, *Vindonnus, a king of the *Tuatha Dé Danann; or this
whose name is commemorated in place- may have been *Nuadu Necht, a Leinster
names from the Roman occupation. Gaulish manifestation of Nuadu Airgetlám. Nuadu’s
vindos [white] and vindonos [fair] are ‘son’ Tadg mac Nuadat may be but an alias
employed in the several Vindonissas and for Nuadu himself; but Tadg taken as an
Vindabonas; a Vindabona along the Danube entity is thought to be father of Muirenn.
lay on the site of modern Vienna. This same After Cumhall’s death, Muirenn was unable
Continental divinity may explain the origin of to raise the baby and so had him nursed by
the two other great Irish heroes, *Lug Lámf- her sister *Bodhmall, a *druidess. *Fiacclach
hota and *Cúchulainn, as well as Fionn’s mac Conchinn fostered Fionn, giving him a
inexact counterpart in Welsh tradition, spear that never misses its mark; Fiacclach’s
*Gwyn ap Nudd. Within Irish tradition, son Moling Lúath is conventionally named as
Fionn appears to have been anticipated by Fionn’s foster-brother. Fionn’s two named
*Find, the ancient personification of wisdom brothers are *Fíthel and *Féinnidh. Fionn’s
implied by *Ptolemy (2nd cent. ). Dáithí Ó aunt (sometimes sister) is *Uirne, wife of
hÓgáin has argued (1988) that Fionn’s charac- *Illann (2), and mother of *Bran and *Sceo-
teristic persona arose when Leinstermen lang. In lesser-known variant texts Fionn’s
revering Find in the *Boyne valley were mother’s name is given as *Fuinche or Torba.
driven from their homeland by the *Uí Néill Two episodes dominate Fionn’s childhood,
of *Ulster. These families, especially the Uí the gaining of divine *knowledge and the
Fháilghe, created Fionn the poet-warrior-seer earning of his usual name. When the boy was
who resides in the countryside and is ready to but 7 years old, he became a pupil of the
defend his people while not ruling them, out *druid or seer *Finnéces, who had been wait-
of the continuing enmity with the Uí Néill. ing seven years to find the *salmon of know-
Complete as early as the 6th century, Fionn ledge at *Linn Féic [Fiac’s Pool] along the
was accommodated to Leinster genealogies Boyne (or in later tradition, the falls of
by the 7th century. Informed commentators *Assaroe in Co. Donegal). The name Finnéc-
reject the assertion first put forth by Heinrich es means ‘Finn the Seer’ and may imply the
Zimmer (1891) that Fionn is of foreign, spe- old Find, or a double of Fionn himself.
cifically Norse, origin. Finnéces caught the salmon and was roasting
Although Fionn’s pedigree may have been it on a spit when the boy touched the hot
fabricated, the names within it remain fixed flesh; he then thrust his burnt thumb into his
even when the personalities behind them are mouth, bestowing upon himself the divine
thin. Fionn’s father, always cited in the ubi- knowledge that Finnéces sought. An alter-
231
Fionn mac Cumhaill
nate, less well-known version dating from the birth to his most notable son, *Oisín. Cormac
8th century has Fionn gain knowledge when mac Airt’s daughter *Ailbe Chrúadbrecc
he catches his thumb in the door to an other- ranks high among the hero’s wives and Fionn
worldly house on *Sliab na mBan [Slievena- is often described as the king’s son-in-law.
mon], Co. Tipperary. The boy’s name from Other women listed as Fionn’s wives are:
birth was Demne Máel, implying shorn hair *Berrach, often called his ‘third wife’;
and associations with druids, poets, and *Cruithne (1), daughter of Lochán the smith;
craftsmen. After Demne Máel had won an Daolach, cited only in *Duanaire Finn (16th
athletic contest and killed a rival who chal- cent.); *Maigneis, who was unfaithful;
lenged his victory, a spectator called out, *Smirgat (or Smirnat), daughter of *Fothad
‘Who is the fair boy?’ [ModIr. Cé hé an giolla Canainne; *Taise and Téite. Fionn was
fionn?]; and thus he became Fionn the son of betrothed to *Gráinne, who betrayed him for
Cumhall. *Diarmait. Women who sought Fionn’s love
Despite many shifts in portrayals of are the ‘Daughter of the King of Greece’ and
Fionn’s character, certain aspects of his phys- Máer, a married woman. *Áine (2) would
ical person remain constant. He is always tall, sleep with no man in Ireland except Fionn.
fair-haired, and conventionally handsome, Along with the oft-cited Oisín, the hero’s sons
with broad shoulders and a broad brow. No include: *Cairell, a son killed by Goll; *Dáire
portraits of Fionn survive from Irish or Scot- (3); *Fáelán mac Finn; *Fergus Fínbél; *Fia-
tish Gaelic tradition, nor has he been the sub- chra (3); and *Fiachna (5). Among Fionn’s
ject of any notable modern work of art. His daughters are *Aí Arduallach the arrogant,
usual residence is the Hill of Allen, Co. Kil- *Cainche, the mother of *Goll’s children,
dare, a site associated with the families and *Lugach; additionally, Fionn is the pro-
thought to have created his persona; but he is tector of the beautiful *Bébinn. Fionn’s cele-
sometimes linked to *Dind Ríg, Co. Carlow. brated grandson is *Oscar, son of Oisín, and
Fionn’s favourite animal is the *dog; his com- the ‘Galahad’ of the Fenian Cycle. Key mem-
panion dogs Bran and Sceolang are his trans- bers of Fionn’s household are: *Duanach mac
formed nephews. His standard, as recorded in Morna, his *bard or *druid; *Cnú Deireóil,
later literature, is the likeness of the golden his harper; Lomna, his fool or jester; and the
sun half-risen from the blue floor of the sea. servant *Ferdia (2), murdered by *Cairbre
Like *Cúchulainn, Fionn benefited from an Lifechair.
amazonian tutor, *Búanann, but he also Decisive patterns emerge in the thousands
learned from the male *Cethern mac Fintain. of stories of Fionn as a hunter and warrior.
Along with his spear that never misses its Always a superb athlete, Fionn excells as a
mark, Fionn wields a famous sword, Mac an runner and swimmer, as well as in combat
Lúin. In military and athletic prowess, Fionn with a sword or spear. His favourite quarries
excels at what all men must do. He is a superb are wild *boar and *deer. He is described as
runner and jumper, significantly in a milieu slaying a serpent in virtually every body of
lacking cavalry or chariots. Along with other water in Ireland, as well as many in Scotland
members of the fianna, Fionn sings out the and the Isle of Man, but more place-names
war cry of *Dord Fian. His notable super- are cited from Leinster than elsewhere.
human power is in *divination, specifically Numerous passes between mountains are
*díchetal do chennaib, of which he is a great thought to have been cut by his sword, and
practitioner; names for his special *know- landmarks such as caves and ‘fingerstones’
ledge are *fios and *imbas forosnai. Some (bare, vertical rocks) attributed to Fionn
commentators see Fionn’s characteristic light, abound. At Glen Roy in Inverness-shire, Scot-
even shining hair as testimony to this unique land, the ‘Parallel Roads’, horizontal markers
luminous wisdom. from ancient glacial lakes, were attributed to
Encounters with a succession of females Fionn. He is often seen as the victor in battles,
allowed Fionn to father innumerable progeny. but few are described in detail; the most
The imposition of Christian monogamy may extensive is the account of the repulsion of an
class some women as ‘wives’ and others as invasion at Ventry Harbour, Co. Kerry, in
‘lovers’, but Fionn lacks a constant mate, *Cath Fionntrágha. Other invaders to be
unlike Cúchulainn with *Emer. The most repulsed come from the north, the Norsemen
alluring woman in Fionn’s life is the magical or Vikings from *Lochlainn. Within Ireland,
*Sadb, who first appeared as a *fawn and gave Fionn’s mortal adversaries are often identified
232
Fionn mac Cumhaill
with *Connacht, perhaps an inheritance of *Cairbre Lifechair. Different factions begin to
his father Cumhall’s contention with Conn fight among themselves, and Cairbre pro-
Cétchathach [of the Hundred Battles]. Over vokes the climactic Battle of Gabhair/Gowra,
the centuries this rivalry is embodied in *Goll *Cath Gabhra, by killing Fionn’s servant Fer-
mac Morna. Other opponents, *Arca Dubh, dia (2); in this text five men murder Fionn at
*Borba, or *Dealra Dubh, are not rooted Garristown, Co. Dublin. In Aided Finn [The
geographically. More celebrated are Fionn’s Violent Death of Fionn], *Aichlech mac
several supernatural adversaries, especially Dubdrenn slays Fionn at Áth Brea, the Ford
*Aillén mac Midna, the ‘burner’ of *Tara, of Brea, on the Boyne; other stories have
whom he kills to great acclaim, and Cúldub Fionn in mortal combat with Goll mac
mac Fidga, a food-thief. In the extensive series Morna at this same site. Scottish oral tradition
of tales of the *Bruidhean type, Fionn and his places Fionn’s death at Cill Fhinn, Perthshire.
men are trapped in a magical dwelling and Rival Irish traditions have Fionn buried at
cannot get out without help; a representative *Ard Caille, north Co. Cork, or at Luachair
example is *Bruidhean Chaorthainn [The Hos- Dedad, Co. Kerry. Fionn may have been
tel of the Quicken Tree]. Some of Fionn’s reincarnated as *Mongán, or he may be a
supernatural adventures are clearly allegories, member of the Sleeping Army (Folk motif:
as in the 15th-century story of an encounter E502), resting in a remote cave like *Arthur,
with an old man, a *ram, and a beautiful Charlemagne, or Barbarossa, waiting until his
young woman. The ram who butts their food people need him again.
from the table and cannot be restrained is the See also:    
world. The beautiful woman who rejects [The Little Brawl of the Hill of Allen]; 
Fionn’s advances, telling him that he has had  [The Battle of Gabhair/Gowra]; -
her already, is youth. And the old man who  ;     [The
easily ties up the ram is age itself, which sub- Adventure of the Great Fool];  
dues all. Many Fenian tales display a coarse  [The Cause of the battle of
humour, and in some of them from oral trad- Cnucha].
ition he is portrayed as a slapstick figure him- Fionn has been portrayed in English-
self; but in the most popular of these, of the language writing more than a hundred times
*Céadach or comic helper tales, of which at from the 15th to the end of the 20th century
least 128 survive, Fionn recedes into the in texts from the juvenile and popular to the
background and his men take the brunt of most demanding. Among the most notable
the raillery. Fionn is most unattractive in are: William Carleton, ‘A Legend of Knock-
Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne in many’ (1845, often reprinted); James Joyce,
which the old warrior is betrothed to the Finnegans Wake (New York, 1939); Flann
unwilling Gráinne, who runs off with the O’Brien, At Swim-Two-Birds (London, 1939);
handsome young Diarmait, a member of the Standish James O’Grady, Finn and His Com-
Fianna. Not only does Fionn’s desire for panions (London, 1892); Violet Russell, Heroes
Gráinne appear unsavoury, but he withholds of the Dawn (Dublin, 1913); Gordon Snell, The
use of his healing powers from her swain Cool MacCool (Dublin, 1988); James Stephens,
when he is gored by a *boar. Fionn appears at Irish Fairy Tales (London, 1920); Ella Young,
his most attractive in narratives that view him The Tangle-Coated Horse (New York, 1929).
conventionally from some time after his pass- Fionn is also the basis for James *Macpher-
ing; the longest and best-known of these is son’s Fingal in The Poems of Ossian (1760–3).
*Acallam na Senórach [The Colloquy of the Studies: Reidar Th. Christiansen, The
Elders]. Those ‘elders’ are Fionn’s son Oisín Vikings and the Viking Wars in Irish and Gaelic
and his compatriot Caílte, who also serve as Traditions (Oslo, 1931); James MacKillop,
conventional narrators in an immense body Fionn mac Cumhaill (Syracuse, NY, 1986); Ger-
of literature from oral tradition. Perhaps the ard Murphy, ‘Introduction’, Duanaire Finn III,
most impressive Irish collection is the *Dua- Irish Texts Society No. 43 (Dublin, 1953), pp.
naire Finn, compiled at Louvain and Ostend in x-cxxii; Gerard Murphy, The Ossianic Lore and
the 17th century. Romantic Tales of Medieval Ireland (Dublin,
Accounts vary concerning the manner of 1955); Joseph Falaky Nagy, The Wisdom of the
Fionn’s death and also whether he was indeed Outlaw (Berkeley, Calif., 1985); Dáithí Ó
mortal. Fionn’s Fianna has worn out its wel- hÓgáin, Fionn Mac Cumhaill (Dublin, 1988).
come during the reign of Cormac’s successor, See also .
233
Fionn na Ghal
Fionn na Ghal [ScG, chief of valour (?)]. labour includes carrying dirt in leather bags
Hypothesized spelling of *Fingal. from the valleys to the bare hills; these same
bags, refashioned into boats, allow them to
Fionna, Sídh. Variant form of *Finnachad.
escape. The bag motif prompted the fanciful
Fionnabhair. ModIr. spelling of *Finnabair. gloss of their name, ‘men of the bags’, after
bolg [bag, satchel, sack], which is now
Fionnachadh. ModIr. spelling of
rejected. Instead, the Fir Bolg are myth-
*Finnachad.
ologized from the *Builg and *Belgae and
Fionnachta. ModIr. spelling of *Finnachta. other *P-Celtic settlers in Ireland who pre-
ceded the *Q-Celtic *Goídels. Within the
Fionnán. ModIr. spelling of *Finnán.
Lebor Gabála they take their name from
Fionnbharr. ModIr. spelling; may be variant *Bolg/Bolga, an ancestor deity.
for *Finnbarr or *Finnbheara. The Fir Bolg leader in Greece is Semion,
grandson of Starn and son of Stariat. But
Fionnchú. ModIr. spelling of *Finnchú.
when the Fir Bolg return to Ireland, 230 years
fionndruine. ModIr. spelling of *findruine. after Starn’s departure, at *Inber Domnann
[Malahide Bay, Co. Dublin] on the feast of
Fionnghula. ModIr. variant spelling of
*Lughnasa, their leader is *Dela, whose five
*Finnguala.
sons divided the island. Gann and Sengann
Fionnlugh. ModIr. spelling of *Finnlug. take two parts of *Munster; *Sláine (2) takes
*Leinster; and Rudraige takes *Ulster, found-
Fionntan. ModIr. spelling of *Fintan.
ing a dynasty. Unlike their predecessors, the
Fionnuala, Fionuala. ModIr. spellings of Fir Bolg clear no plains nor form any lakes, as
*Finnguala. Ireland is by now prepared for agriculture.
They are adept at war: an early king, Rinnal
Fionnúir. ModIr. spelling of *Finnabair.
[cf. Ir. rinn, spear-point], is the first to employ
Fionvara. Anglicization of *Finnbheara. weapons with points, i.e. iron heads. Curi-
ously, they do not engage the predatory
fios, Fios [OIr., ascertaining]. One of several
*Fomorians, as did the *Partholonians,
early Irish terms for esoteric *knowledge,
Nemedians, and Tuatha Dé Danann, leading
especially as embodied in the warrior-hunter-
some to speculate that the Fir Bolg and
seer *Fionn mac Cumhaill. See also -
Fomorians were identical, an otherwise
;   [full knowledge]; and
insupportable assertion. Although the Fir
the enigmatic  . Fios is also the
Bolg prevail for only thirty-seven years, their
name of one of the three *druids of
era is distinguished by the rule of a great and
*Partholón. In Modern Irish fios also denotes
generous king, *Eochaid mac Eirc, who
*second sight.
establishes justice and provides that all rain
Fíothal. ModIr. spelling of *Fíthel. will fall as dew and that every year will yield a
harvest. His wife is *Tailtiu, in whose honour
Fir, Fir- [OIr., men; husbands]. The separable
he establishes a famous festival. The invading
prefix Fir- is a part of the names of many
Tuatha Dé Danann defeat the Fir Bolg at the
groups in early Irish tradition, and is thus
First Battle of Mag Tuired, near Lough
alphabetized here word by word. Cf. the sin-
Arrow, Co. Sligo; see   . The
gular *Fer [Ir., man]. Distinguish from fír
beaten Fir Bolg flee to distant parts of the
[true, veracious].
Gaelic world and are later associated with the
Fir Bolg, Fir Bholg, Firbolg [Ir., men of Scottish coast, Rathlin Island, the province of
Builg]. Mythical early invaders of Ireland, *Connacht, and with the *Aran Islands;
according to the pseudo-history *Lebor Gabála *Dún Aonghusa is named for their chief
[Book of Invasions], coming many gener- *Angus (3). In Irish and Scottish Gaelic folk-
ations after the *Nemedians and thirty-seven lore the Fir Bolg are grotesque helots and
years before the *Tuatha Dé Danann, the cave *fairies. In *Connemara their king is
race of pre-Christian divinities. Their brief Bola. Literary adapters of the Fir Bolg outside
period of power is marked by a secure *king- Irish and Scottish Gaelic were often influ-
ship and the rule of just laws. Descended enced by the earlier interpretation of them as
from Nemed’s son Starn, the Fir Bolg suffer subject workers carrying earth in bags to
oppression in ‘Greece’, where their forced enrich hilltops. W. B. Yeats describes Forgael
234
Fís Adamnáin
as a Fir Bolg in his play The Shadowy Waters illuminate as well as destroy. Like other
(1905). people of cold, dark northern Europe, Celts
T. F. O’Rahilly’s interpretation of the his- venerated fire in several festivals, especially at
torical roots of the Fir Bolg invasion in Early the new year, 1 November (*Samain) and the
Irish History and Mythology (1946), while wide- beginning of summer, 1 May (*Beltaine);
ly cited, remains controversial. In his vision, vestiges of these celebrations have survived in
the Fir Bolg represent the experience not of modern times. Great bonfires were built on
one people but of at least three of the P- these days as well as at midsummer, Chris-
Celtic invaders of Ireland who preceded the tianized as St John’s Day after the purported
Q-Celtic Goídels: the *Érainn, the *Dom- birthday of John the Baptist. Celebrations
nainn (or Fir Domnann), and *Galióin also included the rolling of huge fire-wheels.
(another name for the *Lagin, founders of The classical commentators Julius *Caesar
*Leinster). These P-Celts were linguistically and *Strabo (both 1st cent. ) testify that the
related to the Belgae and Brythonic peoples Celts used man-shaped wicker figures in ritual
of the Continent and Great Britain, but were sacrifices; animal and human victims could be
eventually absorbed into the rest of the Irish burned alive in them. A 9th-century commen-
population. tator linked the sacrifices with the thunder-
Other frequently cited members of the Fir god *Taranis. The straw men burned in
Bolg include: *Delga, builder of Dún Delgan medieval and early Renaissance spring festi-
[Dundalk]; Fíngein Fisiocdha, their physician; vals may represent a survival of this sacrifice.
and *Sreng, the champion who severed *Brigit, the Irish fire-goddess, was trans-
Nuadu’s arm. See John Carey, ‘Fir Bolg: A formed into St *Brigid, the early Irish saint.
Native Etymology Revisited’, Cambridge Medi- The Breton St *Barbe was reputed to be des-
eval Celtic Studies, 16 (1988), 76–83. cended from a fire-goddess. St *Patrick lit a
paschal fire in Ireland, and *Dewi Sant lit a
fir chlis, chlisneach [ScG clis, quick, lively, fire to claim Wales. In the Irish pseudo-history
nimble]. Name for the northern lights or aur- *Lebor Gabála [Book of Invasions] *Mide,
ora borealis in Scottish Gaelic folklore; some- chief *druid of the *Nemedians, lit the first
times translated as ‘the merry dancers’. Pre- fire in Ireland, at *Uisnech, which blazed for
ceded in Gaelic by the article na. seven years and was carried to every chief
fir darrig, fir dhearga. Plurals of *far darrig. hearth of the island. In Irish folklore, fire was
the best preventative against magic, *fairy or
Fir Domnann. See . otherwise. The Irish name *Áed embodies
Fir Fálgae, Fhálchae. Mythical warriors another word for fire; *Delbáeth means ‘fire
who contend with *Cúchulainn and *Cú Roí shape’. OIr. teine; ModIr. tine, teine; ScG
when the heroes make forays into Scotland; teine; Manx aile; W tân; Corn. tān; Bret. tan,
speciously associated with warriors from the tantad.
Isle of *Man. firedrake. See .
fir gorm, na fir ghorma. ScG translation of First Battle of Mag Tuired. See 
*Blue Men of the Minch.   [The (Second) Battle of Mag
Fir Morca, Fir Mhorc, Feramorc, Feramore, Tuired].
Fermore. Legendary people of early Ireland, fís, físi (pl.) [cf. L visio]. Name for a class of
whose king was *Scoriath, conventionally early Irish narrative, a kind of cosmic or
described as big men who lived near Luachair metaphysical travel literature; convention
Dedad in west *Munster. O’Rahilly (1946) makes fís the first word in the title, e.g. *Fís
argues that the name ‘Fir Morca’ is a folk Adamnáin. Distinguish from the later *aisling,
etymology from ‘Armorica’, the Latin name which usually carries a political subtext.
for *Brittany.
Fís Adamnáin. Irish title for The Vision of
fire. In common with other ancient people, Adamnán, a narrative description of the
the Celts appear to have perceived fire to be Christian afterlife that survives in three separ-
the earthly counterpart of the sun. Although ate texts. Although attributed to the 7th-
there is no Celtic Prometheus, fire is seen as a century *Adamnán, tenth abbot of *Iona, the
purifying element, a gift from the sun to oldest surviving text in the *Book of the Dun
humankind that can cleanse, warm, and Cow [Lebor na hUidre] is not earlier than the
235
fish
10th century. On the midsummer feast of St Fíthel the judge may have become confused
John the Baptist, Adamnán’s soul goes forth with Fionn’s brother of the same name.
from his body (see ) and he is Fíthel as judge arbitrated disputes of the
brought to heaven and hell. Guided by a Fianna in general as well as those between
guardian angel, Adamnán’s soul crosses a wall Fionn and Cormac. Several collections of
of fire that surrounds the afterlife, but is not wise maxims attributed to him survive; see R.
harmed by it. The Lord of Heaven, who lies M. Smith, below. The 17th-century historian
beyond the human power to describe, is con- Geoffrey *Keating relates the story of the
stantly praised by chanting angels and arch- dying Fíthel giving advice to his son: (a) to
angels. Between heaven and hell is a dark and avoid raising a king’s child; (b) to keep dire
dismal land where there is no punishment. secrets from his wife; (c) never to promote the
The vision of hell includes descriptions of son of a slave to higher station; (d) never to
punishments suffered by those guilty of par- make his sister the trustee of his wealth.
ticular sins. Beyond hell lies a wall of fire, Fíthel’s son did just the opposite, which jeop-
seven times more horrible, inhabited only by ardized the son of Cormac, whom he was
demons until the Last Judgement. Many rearing. When extricated from his troubles,
commentators have noted the influence of Fíthel’s son pleaded that he was only testing
the apocryphal Book of Enoch as well as an his father’s advice, which he had proved
anticipation of Dante’s Divina Commedia. sound. See R. M. Smith, ‘The Senbriatha Fith-
Whitley Stokes provides text and translation ail’, Revue Celtique, 45 (1928), 1–92; with
in the hard-to-find Fís Adamnáin (Simla, India, addenda, 46 (1929), 268–71; 47 (1930), 30–8;
1870); cf. Ernst Windish, Irische Texte, ser. i 48 (1931), 325–31. Pádraig Ua Duinnín
(Leipzig, 1880), 165–96; Joseph Vendryes, [Patrick S. Dinneen] based his Irish-language
Revue Celtique, 33 (1912), 349 ff.; summary drama Comhairle Fithil (Dublin, 1909) upon
translation, Myles Dillon, Early Irish Literature Fíthel; translated as Fitheal’s Counsels (Dublin,
(Chicago, 1948), 133–9. See also Charles S. 1909).
Boswell, An Irish Precursor of Dante (London,
1908); St John Seymour, ‘The Vision of Fithir [Ir., teacher (?)]. Elder daughter of the
Adamnán’, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Acad- legendary king *Túathal Techtmar whose
emy, 37(C) (1927), 304–12. unhappy marriage to *Eochaid (8) brought
humiliation to his kingdom, *Leinster. Pre-
fish. Although representations of the sea ferring Fithir’s comely younger sister *Dáir-
creatures are found on certain Gallo-Roman ine, Eochaid used deceit to marry her as well;
altars, very few have played important roles in both daughters died, Fithir of shame and
the Celtic imagination. Of these the most Dáirine of grief, or in other texts both of
notable is the *salmon; see also ; . shame. Túathal waged war upon Eochaid,
The whale upon which St *Brendan and his killing him and forcing Leinstermen to pay
followers land is *Jasconius. the heavy *bórama tribute.
Fisher King, Fisherman King. Name given Fitness of Names, The. See  .
the Grail keeper in Arthuriana; he has no spe-
Fitzgerald, Earl. See ,  
cific Celtic antecedent. Variously identified as
.
Amfortas, Alain, Bron, Pelles, or Pellinore. In
Chrétien de Troyes (12th cent.) he is *Per- Five Peaks. See .
ceval’s cousin; in the Perlesvaus (13th cent.)
and Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival (13th Flag Fen. Archaeological site in Norfolk-
cent.) he is Perceval’s uncle; in the Didot Per- shire, eastern England, centre of intense rit-
ceval (13th cent.), his grandfather. ual activity in the late Bronze Age (c.1200 ).
Excavations reveal an alignment of more than
fithchill. Variant spelling of *fidchell. 2,000 *oak posts and more than 300 metal
items, including daggers, swords, and spears.
Fíthel, Fítheal, Fitheal, Fíothal, Fithil [Ir., calf See Francis Pryor, ‘Flag Fen’, Current Archae-
(?); sprite, goblin (?)]. Celebrated judge at the ology, 119 (1990), 386–90.
court of *Cormac mac Airt in early Irish trad-
ition, known for his infallible decisions. He Flaithinis, Flaith-inis [Ir., lordly, princely
may be a brother of *Fionn mac Cumhaill island]. An Irish expression denoting the
who left the *Fianna to join Cormac, or Christian vision of heaven as a phantom
236
Fled Bricrenn
island in the west. Cf. ModIr. na flaithis thets are neimthenga, nemhthenga [poison-
[heaven]. tongued], and biltenga [evil-mouthed].
Flaithius, Flaitheas [Ir. flaith, sovereign, The trouble begins when the Ulster heroes
lord]. Name given to the loathly lady *Sover- are reluctant to attend a party at the sumptu-
eignty goddess who prophesies to *Niall ous new house Briccriu has built at Dún Rud-
Noígiallach [of the Nine Hostages] that he raige [Dundrum, Co. Down], fashioned after
will be a great king. Folk motif D732. the banquet hall at *Tara. The host’s reputa-
tion is enough to deter them. But Briccriu
Flann, Fland [Ir., bright red, blood-red]. threatens to set all Ulster in turmoil if they do
Name borne by countless figures in early Irish not come: each father and son will be set
tradition, both male and female, including against each other, even the two breasts of
high kings, saints, abbots, poets, and scholars. each woman will strike against each other
The most often-cited is probably the 9th- until they are destroyed. Faced with such cer-
century poet *Flann mac Lonáin. tain consequences, many acquiesce, but only
Flann mac Díma. Hapless lover of on the condition that Briccriu himself should
*Mugain (3), wife of *Diarmait mac Cerbaill, not enter the house. Undeterred, Briccriu sets
king of *Tara. Jealous Diarmait set fire to about tempting the vanity of three heroes
Flann’s house, during which the lover was before they arrive. He goes first to *Lóegaire
burned, sought refuge in a vat of water, and Buadach, urging him to claim the champion’s
drowned at *Beltaine. This death brought a portion of succulent milk-fed pork for him-
curse upon Diarmait. self because he is the most deserving. Then
he taunts *Conall Cernach and *Cúchulainn
Flann mac Lonáin. Ninth- and tenth- in similar vein. When all three arrive in the
century Irish poet, the earliest from whom hall, Briccriu withdraws as he has promised,
any definite tradition survives; his death dates asking only that the heroes decide among
vary from 893 to 918/920. While little of his themselves who should have the champion’s
life can be documented, such as an association portion. The predictable tumult follows, end-
with the monastery at Terryglass, Co. Tip- ing only when the wise *Sencha mac Ailella
perary, his persona has attracted many stories. divides the pork among the whole company.
The bite of his satires caused him to be called Briccriu next turns his wiles to the consorts
the ‘Devil’s Son’, and his avarice was reputed of the heroes. Seeing that *Fedelm
to have sent him to hell. In one story he con- Noíchrothach, wife of Lóegaire, has con-
tends with *Angus Óg, the pre-Christian god sumed much wine, he urges her to take pre-
of poetry; and his knowledge of place-name cedence over all other women of Ulster by
lore was proverbial. After his death he rose to entering his hall first. With the same words he
give his own elegy as well as elegies for the also tempts *Lendabair, wife of *Conall Cer-
five people buried with him. nach, and *Emer, wife of *Cúchulainn. Los-
Flann ua Fedach [Ir. fedach, boughs, ing all pretence of dignity, the three women
branches]. Lover who elopes with *Becfola in rush with their entourages to Dún Rudraige.
Tochmarc Becfhola [The Wooing of Becfola]. Outside the door they compete in a boasting
contest about their husbands, with the result
fled bainisi [Ir. fled, feast; banais, wedding]. that Conall and Lóegaire tear down the pillars
Variant form of *banais ríghe. of the house so that Fedelm and Lendabair
Fled Bricrenn, Bricrend, Fleadh Bhricreann. may enter. But Cúchulainn simply lifts his
Irish title for an *Ulster Cycle narrative side of the building, allowing Emer and her
known in English as Briccriu’s Feast. Com- ladies a stately entrance, and also sliding Bric-
posed as early as the 8th century, but probably criu and his spouse into the mud among the
drawing on ancient antecedents, the story dogs.
exists in four variant texts written in the 11th As the title to the champion’s portion is
century, one of which is in the *Book of the still not settled, the three withdraw to *Con-
Dun Cow [Lebor na hUidre]. The entire narra- nacht for a contest presided over by *Ercol.
tive merges two barely related motives: (a) Cúchulainn’s primacy is represented by a gold
Briccriu’s inciting of competition for the *cup, but the others do not accept the judge-
*champion’s portion [Ir. curadhmhír]; (b) the ment, and so all return to *Emain Macha.
champion’s bargain or beheading contest. An Again they travel to seek an end to the dis-
irascible mischief-maker, Briccriu’s usual epi- pute, this time to *Cú Roí in south-western
237
Fled Gobnenn
Ireland, who also judges Cúchulainn first, a beautiful-haired]. Her magical *cow
verdict the others refuse. This stalemate leads resembles the seven kine of *Mannanán,
to the most celebrated sequence in Fled whose milk could sustain hundreds. Although
Bricrenn, one in which Briccriu takes no part. she is cited as the mother of the witch-like
Back again at Emain Macha, the heroes are *Bé Chuille and the wanton Bé Téite, and
startled one evening by the entrance of a sometimes of *Fand, her husband is
*giant, loathsome churl [Ir. bachlach] who uncertain; he may be the shadowy Ádammair,
shouts a daunting challenge: anyone present who also takes her name as Ádammair Flidais,
may cut off his head if he may do the same to or Ailill Finn, a local king in what is today Co.
them the following night. First Lóegaire and Mayo. In any event, she is better known for
then Conall accept, lopping off the head eas- her lusty affair with Fergus mac Róich, whose
ily, but when a headless churl returned the sexual appetite only she could satisfy; other-
next night, they shirk their part of the bar- wise he required seven women. Her affair
gain. At last Cúchulainn accepts the chal- with Fergus is the subject of extensive oral
lenge; when the churl returned, Cúchulainn tradition in Co. Mayo, where she may bear
lowers his head, ready to accept the fatal the name Muinchinn. In one story Fergus
blow. The huge churl raises his axe as high as realizes he cannot trust her as she betrayed
he can, but brings down only the blunt edge, her husband, and he drowns her in a river
sparing Cúchulainn. The churl then calls out flowing out of Carrowmore Lough.
that Cúchulainn’s bravery establishes his pri- The Táin Bó Flidais [Cattle Raid of Flidais]
macy over the other heroes, and reveals him- is sometimes seen as a preliminary to the epic
self to be Cú Roí in disguise, who has *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley]. See
returned to vindicate his judgement. From Margaret E. Dobbs, ‘On Táin Bó Flidais’, Ériu,
that day Cúchulainn is always awarded the 8 (1916/17), 133–49.
champion’s portion.
flood, flood legends. Instances of the inter-
The ultimate unity of the two seemingly
national flood theme (folk motifs: A1010–22)
disconnected motives is often justified by ref-
occur frequently in Celtic literatures. The bib-
erence to the classical commentator *Posido-
lical Deluge serves as a model for many
nius (1st cent. ), who described both con-
instances and is cited as factual in the Irish
tests over status-conferring joints of pork and
pseudo-history, *Lebor Gabála [Book of Inva-
throat-slitting challenges among the ancient
sions]; only *Fintan mac Bóchra survives it.
Celts. The beheading bargain (folk motif:
Wales, although a mountainous country, has
M221) has been much commented upon,
two flood stories: (a) *Cantre’r Gwaelod, the
especially its links to the English romance Sir
land of *Gwyddno Garanhir, flooded to make
Gawain and the Green Knight (14th cent.). See
Cardigan Bay through the carelessness of
Whitley A. Stokes, Irische Texte, ser. 2 (1)
Seithennyn, the drunken dike-keeper; (b)
(1884), 164–217; George Henderson (ed. and
*Llyn Llion, the lake of the waves, whose
trans.), Fled Bricrend: The Feast of Bricriu
overflowing forces *Dwyfan and *Dwyfach
(London, 1899); Kaarina Hollo, ‘A Critical
to escape in a hastily built ship. The Breton
Edition of Fled Bricrenn ocus Loinges mac nDuíl
City of *Ys may be the best-known of all
Dermait’, dissertation, Harvard University,
Celtic flood legends. See  .
1992; T. P. Cross and C. H. Slover (eds.),
See also John Rhyˆs, ‘Triumphs of the Water
Ancient Irish Tales (New York, 1936), 254–80;
World’, in Celtic Folklore (London, 1891), 401–
Edgar Slotkin, ‘The Structure of Fled Bricrenn
55; F. J. North, Sunken Cities (Cardiff, 1957);
Before and After Lebor na hUidre Inter-
Alan Dundes (ed.), The Flood Myth (Berkeley,
polations’, Ériu, 29 (1978), 64–77. Eimar
Calif., 1988).
O’Duffy dramatized the narrative in Bricriu’s
Feast: A Comedy in Three Acts (Dublin, 1919). Foalán. Variant spelling of *Fáelán.
Fled Gobnenn. See . Foawr. Stone-throwing giants of Manx trad-
ition, apparently derived from the *Fomori-
Flidais, Fliodhais, Flidhais, Flidas [cf. OIr. os,
ans of the *Lebor Gabála [Book of Invasions].
deer]. Woodland goddess of venery and wild
Although ravishers of cattle, they are not
things, mistress to *stags, reputed to drive a
ogres.
chariot drawn by *deer; often compared to
the Roman *Diana and Greek Artemis. She Fochmarc, Fochmart [Ir., inquiring]. One
often bears the epithet foltchaín [fine or of the three brother *druids of the *Partho-
238
Fomorians
lonians, along with *Eólas [knowledge] and Fomhóraigh, Fomhoire, Fomorii, Fomor,
*Fios [intelligence]. Fomors, Fomoré, Fo-Muir, Foawr [Manx].
Malevolent euhemerized deities of the Irish
fód gortach. See  .
*Mythological Cycle, known chiefly from
fód seachráin. See  . two texts, the *Lebor Gabála [Book of Inva-
sions] and *Cath Maige Tuired [The (Second)
Fódla, Fódhla, Fodhla, Fótla, Fotla, Fohla.
Battle of Mag Tuired], in which their por-
Irish goddess, one of the three divine
trayals are not coordinate. Although current
eponyms of *Ireland, along with her sisters
scholarship agrees on their divine origin, earl-
*Banba and *Ériu, and thus one of the poetic
ier commentators often portrayed them as
names for Ireland; she personifies the power
demonic pirates, probably reading the elem-
of the land. A member of the immortal
ent mór- [phantom] as muir [sea]. Early Chris-
*Tuatha Dé Danann, she meets the invading,
tian commentators traced the Fomorians to
mortal *Milesians at Slieve Felim in what is
the biblical Ham, son of Noah. Later ecclesi-
now Co. Limerick and asks that Ireland be
astical storytellers made them either *giants
named for her; later she is revealed to be mar-
or elves, with *goat- or horseheads and other
ried to *Mac Cécht, a prominent warrior of
misshapen features. While the origins of the
the Tuatha Dé. Her mother is *Eirnin (some-
Fomorians dates from pre-Christian times,
times Ernmas). The Highland Scottish place-
their characterization has been coloured by
name *Atholl incorporates her name [ScG
generations of sea-raiders from the north,
Ath Fodhla, the next Ireland]. Fódla is the con-
first from the Scottish islands and more exten-
ventional personification of Ireland in the
sively from the Norse lands; they are often
poetry of Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn (1550–1617).
linked to *Lochlainn [Scandinavia]. Rejected
See  .
now is the earlier assumption that the Fomo-
fóidín mearaí, mearbhaill; fóidín seachráin, rians were primitive gods of fertility.
fód seachráin [Ir. fóidín, clod of earth thrown When they first appear in the Lebor Gabála,
up by flying feet; mearaí, craziness, distrac- under their ferocious leader *Cichol against
tion; seachrán, wandering]. An enchanted the beneficent *Partholonians, the Fomorians
piece of turf bringing confusion to those who are portrayed as monstrous and fearful, each
tread upon it; the condition is called being having only *one eye, one arm, and one leg;
pixie-led or pixilated (see ) among the see the Irish   and the Scottish Gael-
British Celts. See  . ic . Later in the text they are more
anthropomorphic. While the Fomorians do
Foilan. Variant spelling of *Fáelán.
not fit into the invasion sequence, they prey
Foirbre. Variant spelling of *Furbaide upon each successive invader, the Partholoni-
Ferbend. ans and the *Nemedians, until they are
defeated by the *Tuatha Dé Danann. Curi-
foldyr gastey [Manx, nimble mower]. Nick-
ously absent are Fomorian attacks on the
name of the *fenodyree.
invaders between the Nemedians of the
Follamain mac Conchobair. Youngest Tuatha Dé Danann, the *Fir Bolg, prompting
son of *Ulster king *Conchobar mac Nessa in some commentators to speculate that the two
the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley] are identical; later commentators reject this
who leads the ill-fated boy-corps against assertion. While associated with several loca-
*Medb, warrior-queen of *Connacht while tions, the Fomorians never appear to be set-
other warriors were suffering their disability. tlers in Ireland but instead make raids from
Despite heroic resolve, they were slaughtered their fortress on Tory Island, north of Co.
to the last man. Earlier Follamain harassed *Donegal. In general the Fomorians are wan-
*Cúchulainn on his first arrival at *Emain tonly cruel bullies, cutting the noses off those
Macha. who would not pay them tribute. The Neme-
dians overcome the Fomorians in three battles
Foltor, Foltlor. Lesser member of the
until they themselves are defeated at
*Fianna of *Fionn mac Cumhaill, son of the
*Cnámross (distinguish from *Fenian battle
king of Innia, celebrated for his prowess in
on the same site). The subsequent humili-
tracking or stalking over any terrain, even
ations visited upon the Nemedians, especially
over water.
an exacting annual tribute, cause them to rise
Fomorians, Fomoire, Fomóiri, Fomoraig, up against their Fomorian masters, storming
239
Fontes Sequanae
the fortress of Tory Island; they attack Tor Fomor or Fomoroh. His sorceress Orchil in
Conaind, and the Nemedian champion *Fer- The Shadowy Waters (1905) and *Dhoya
gus Lethderg slays the Fomorian chief (1891), the abandoned giant, are both Fomo-
*Conand. But the Fomorians prevail, and the rians. The *Foawr of Manx tradition, initially
disappointed Nemedians are scattered around a local variant of the Fomorians, are stone-
the world. throwing giants. See also Alexander H.
In Cath Maige Tuired, the portrayal of the Krappe, Balor with the Evil Eye (New York,
Fomorians draws more substantially on their 1927).
divine origin. They intermarry freely with the Fontes Sequanae. See .
Tuatha Dé Danann, the tribe of gods, imply-
ing that they are the marine counterparts of fool. Courtly society in medieval Ireland,
the latter. The Fomorian *Elatha mac Del- Scotland, and Wales included jesters, buf-
baíth, for example, mates with *Ériu of the foons, and mimics for entertainment; as con-
Tuatha Dé Danann to produce *Bres, who ventional figures in early narratives they
inherits the leadership of the Tuatha Dé Dan- often, like King Lear’s Fool, speak more wise-
ann from *Nuadu Airgetlám. The great ly than their masters. *Lomna reports the
champion of the Tuatha Dé Danann, *Lug adultery of *Fionn mac Cumhaill’s wife. Mac
Lámfhota, is the grandson of a Fomorian. Glas, fool of *Máel Fothartaig, is killed with
Although the root of the conflict between the his master. *Do Dera tries to save his master,
Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann in Cath *Lugaid mac Con, by impersonating him in
Maige Tuired is extraordinarily deep, the pre- battle. Irish distinguishes between the profes-
text within the narrative is the unsuitableness sional fool [OIr. drúth] and the more modern
of Bres as king: he insults poets and demands person of poor judgement [ModIr. amadán],
humiliating tributes from the race of the gods although English does not. The Irish and
made subject. Nuadu returns to power and Scottish Gaelic folk figure Amadán Mór [Big
Lug Lámfhota presents himself in court to aid Fool] is heroic; see   
the cause. The central conflict pits Lug  [The Adventure of the Big Fool].
against the Fomorian menace, *Balor of the foot-holder. An officer in the court of
Evil Eye, who is in fact Lug’s grandfather. In medieval Welsh kings; Welsh laws designate a
an unexpected turn of events, Lug’s sling male foot-holder whose duty was to ‘rub’ the
stone drives Balor’s eye back through his king. *Math’s foot-holder in the *Mabinogi is
head, directing it towards his Fomorian com- the female virgin *Goewin.
rades in arms and thus debilitating them. In
the remainder of the story, the Tuatha Dé Forbaí, Forbay, Forbuide. Variant forms of
Danann rout the Fomorians and, amidst *Furbaide Ferbend.
much slaughter, drive them back into the sea. Forbais Dromma Damgaire, Droma
Other often-cited Fomorians include: Dámhghaire; Forbuis Droma Damgaire. Irish
*Ágach, an enemy of the Tuatha Dé Danann; titles for the medieval narrative known in
*Cailitin, a wizard slain by *Cúchulainn; English as The Siege of Knocklong. Some-
*Corb, a tribal deity; *Delga, builder of the times called the ‘Táin of the south’, Forbais
fortress of *Dun Delgan [Dundalk]; Dromma Damgaire portrays a legendary inva-
*Domnu, the mother of them all; *Indech, a sion of *Munster by a force from *Tara led by
king killed at Mag Tuired; *Lóbais, *druid of Cormac ua Cuinn (i.e. *Cormac mac Airt).
the Fomorians; *Morc, who emigrated from To conquer the country, Cormac magically
Africa; *Néit, the war-god; *Searbhán, the dries up all springs, rivers, and lakes. The
*one-eyed keeper of *rowan berries, who is Munster king *Fiachu Muillethan, a longtime
sometimes a Fomorian; *Tethra, a warrior- rival of Cormac, seeks the help of his blind
chief killed at Mag Tuired. The *goat-headed magician *Mug Ruith, who rallies the Mun-
*Gaborchend may be derived from the stermen and restores the waters. Fiachu
Fomorians. defeats Cormac at Druim Damgaire in south
Under different guises, as demonic pirates eastern Co. Limerick, later called Cnoc
or as spirits of the earth, as earlier commenta- Luinge [Knocklong]. In appreciation for his
tors described them, the Fomorians have help Fiachu grants to Mug Ruith and his des-
appealed to the imaginations of several cendants an extensive tract of land in north
writers in English. W. B. Yeats spoke often of Co. Cork known as Mag Féne. The historical
the Fomorians, whose name he spelled either undercurrent of the stories concerns the dyn-
240
Fotha Catha Chnucha
astic and territorial wars between the south- tune, luck, and chance appears frequently in
ern *Eóganacht and the *Érainn. The text has ancient Celtic iconography, although she is
been translated into both French (1926–7) and not recorded as having a Celtic name. She is
English (1992); see M. L. Sjoestedt-Jonval, usually portrayed with a characteristic wheel
‘Forbuis Droma Damgaire’, Revue Celtique, 43 or a rudder on a globe, implying an instant,
(1926), 1–123, and 44 (1927), 157–86; Seán Ó random change in direction. Her wheel may
Duinn, Forbhais Droma Dámhgháire (Cork, associate her with the Celtic sun-god, whose
1992). solar symbol is also identified with the wheel.
She is often depicted with the Gaulish *Mer-
ford, fords. Shallow river crossings were
cury and with *Rosmerta, goddess of pros-
important to the early Celts before technol-
perity; her worship may have contributed to
ogy provided ferries and bridges. Ritona was a
the depiction of Celtic divinities, especially
Continental Celtic goddess of fords wor-
Rosmerta and *Nehalennia, a mother-
shipped at Trier, in what is now Germany.
goddess.
Many hand-to-hand combats take place at
fords, notably that of *Cúchulainn and *Fer- fosterage. Training and protection of sons
diad in the *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of and daughters by a distinguished, often
Cooley]. See also the spectral figure of Irish powerful patron, not a family member. The
and Scottish Gaelic folklore, the *washer at English word ‘foster’, often connoting charity
the ford. or altruism, inadequately describes this dis-
tinctive feature of early Celtic society, which
Fordruim. Early alternate name for *Tara.
survived in Gaelic Scotland until the 18th cen-
Forgael. Fictional sea-king and protagonist tury. Described in the *Brehon Laws of early
of W. B. Yeats’s drama Shadowy Waters (1906), Ireland, fosterage began when a powerful
of dubious Celtic antecedents. Although Yeats man might have children by more than one
explained that Forgael was based on *Angus woman in his household and primogeniture
Óg yet was somehow also a member of *Fir did not guarantee inheritance to an oldest,
Bolg, informed commentators link him to the legitimate son. The fosterer might be a chief-
fabled 6th-century poet *Dállan Forgaill. tain, especially in a distant province, a *druid,
or later a monk; along with the arts of war, he
Forgall. Variant spelling of *Forgoll.
would give instruction in poetry, music, and
Forgall Manach, Monach [Ir. monach, dex- games. Children were fostered at the age of 7
terous; capable of tricks]. Wily father of until the perceived age of choice, 14 for girls
*Emer who opposes *Cúchulainn’s courtship and 17 for boys. In Christian times foster-
of her and demands that the hero undertake a children were also taught revealed belief and
series of tasks, as described in Tochmarc Emire classical languages. In maturity, a former
[The Wooing of Emer]; he wants his elder foster-child was a useful ally to his former
daughter *Fial (2) married first. His task- patron. See Fergus Kelly, A Guide to Early Irish
setting has prompted some commentators to Law (Dublin, 1988).
compare him with Eurystheus, task-master of
Fotha Catha Chnucha. Irish title of a
*Hercules. The most important of Forgall’s
*Fenian Cycle narrative known in English as
six fortresses was Luglochta Loga [Gardens of
‘The Cause of the Battle of Cnucha’, found in
Lug] at Lusca, coextensive with the modern
the 12th-century *Book of the Dun Cow [Lebor
Lusk, in north Co. Dublin.
na hUidre]. The action focuses on the death of
Forgoll, Forgall. The learned poet who *Cumhall, father of *Fionn mac Cumhaill,
recites the story of *Mongán. and explains the long-standing enmity
between the rival clans *Baíscne, led first by
Forménus, Formenius, Fearmenius. Alpine
Cumhall and later by Fionn, and Clan
hermit and former king of ‘Thrace’ who calls
*Morna, led by *Goll mac Morna. Sometimes
down fatal lightning upon *Dathí when that
*Conn Cétchathach [of the Hundred Battles]
Irish king destroys his tower hermitage. The
takes Goll’s place in the rivalry. The Cnucha
Continental setting may signal a non-Irish
of the title, later called Castle Knock or
origin; some commentators have suggested a
Castleknock, is today located on the grounds
model in Faramund, cited by the medieval
of Castleknock College near Phoenix Park,
French chronicler Fredegar.

Dublin. See W. H. Hennessy, ‘The Battle of
Fortuna. The Roman personification of for- Cnucha’, Revue Celtique, 2 (1873), 86–93.
241
Fothad
Fothad, Fothud, Fothadh [cf. Votadini (?), a Four Masters. See    
Celtic people of early Scotland; cf. Ir. fothad, .
fothud, the founding or establishing; support,
sustenance]. Name borne by many person- foxglove. The healing powers, real and sup-
ages in early Ireland, mythological and posed, of the tall plant with distinctive white
ecclesiastical, especially the three *Connacht or purple flowers (genus digitalis) have been
warriors of ancient origin who are enemies known since classical times. Poisonous if
of *Fionn mac Cumhaill. They are the chil- swallowed, it is applied externally for sprains,
dren of Mac Nia and the divine *Fuinche, bruises, and bone ailments. In Gaelic and
daughter of their leader *Dáire Derg, who Welsh traditions its powers are thought to
nurtures them with her three breasts. This flow from the realm of the *fairy; its name
*triplism implies divine origin. Best-known of means literally ‘fairy fingers’ [méirini púca] or
the three is ferocious Fothad Canainne, who ‘fairy thimble’ [méaracán sídhe] in Irish and
will not sit down to dinner without placing ‘banshee herb’ in Scottish Gaelic [lus-nam-ban-
before him the heads of those he has recently s‘th; cf. Ir. lus na mban sídhe]. Its prestige in
slain. Yet Fothad Canainne is true to his love Ireland is shown in the Hiberno-English word
vows. After he carries off the wife of *Ailill for foxglove, lusmore [Ir. lus mór, great herb].
(1) of Munster with her consent, he is pur- Manx sleggan; W bysedd y cwˆn [dog finger];
sued by the enraged husband and each man Corn. mannek lowarn [foxglove]; Bret.
dies at the other’s hand. But as he has prom- bruluenn.
ised to return to his lover after battle, Fothad
comes back to meet her regularly, even after Fráech, Fraích (gen.), Fraich, Fráich, Fraoch,
death, giving rise to the *Fenian poem trans- Fróech [OIr. fráech, heather]. Name borne by
lated by Kuno Meyer as ‘The Tryst After dozens of personages from early Ireland, both
Death’, Revue Celtique, 15 (1910), 4–17. In later legendary and historical. Previously Fráech
oral tradition Fothad is somehow joined to mac Idaith was thought to be distinct from
Fionn’s *Fianna, and he is sometimes seen as Fráech mac Fidaig (or mac Fiodach); more
the mate of the *Cailleach Bhéirre. His recent commentary has argued that the iden-
daughter is *Smirgat (or Smirnat). The other tity of the *Connacht warrior in the *Ulster
brothers are shadowy; Fothad Airgthech slew Cycle Fráech persists through several narra-
Fothad Cairthech and his death was reported tives, even though the action is discontinuous
by the *Fenian hero *Caílte. The trio are and contradictory.
often cited by medieval pseudo-historians and Hero of the 8th-century Táin Bó Fraích
genealogists, and Fothad Canainne is [Cattle Raid of Fráech], an antecedent to the
described as the ancestor of the Uaithne sept action of the epic *Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle
of north-eastern Limerick. Raid of Cooley], Fráech is the son of the div-
ine *Bébinn, sister of *Boand, and the hand-
Fótla, Fotla. Variant spellings of *Fódla. somest young man in all Ireland. So great is
his reputation for masculine allure that *Fin-
fountain. *Cormac mac Airt visits the Foun- nabair, daughter of Queen *Medb and *Ailill,
tain of Knowledge in *Tír Tairngire [The falls in love with him just hearing about him.
Land of Promise]. For Lady of the Fountain, Learning of this, Fráech seeks out Finnabair,
see . See also the Fountain of Baranton whom he finds washing her hands in the river.
in . She refuses to elope with him, but gives him a
thumb ring she has received from her father
Four Ancient Books of Wales. Title of a and asks Fráech to seek his approval for the
once influential, now superseded, two- match. Ailill demands an exorbitant bridal
volume collection of poetry in Welsh with price for Finnabair: all of Fráech’s wealth,
English translation, edited by William Forbes including the magical red-eared *cows he had
Skene (Edinburgh, 1868; repr. New York, received from his mother. Fráech refuses.
1982). The four cited are: *Black Book of Car- Later while the young man is swimming,
marthen, *Book of Aneirin, *Book of Taliesin Ailill, fearful that Fráech might elope with his
and the *Red Book of Hergest. daughter steals the gift thumb ring and
throws it into the water, where it is swallowed
Four Branches of the Mabinogi. See by a *salmon. He also commands that Fráech
. fetch some *rowan berries that will prolong
242
fuath
life and cure illness. As Ailill knows, the ber- Frecraid, Fragarach, Freagarach [Ir. frecraid,
ries are near the dwelling of a *dragon [Ir. answerer]. Terrible sword of *Manannán mac
péist], which he hopes will devour the swain. Lir that could pierce any mail and whose
Fráech, with Finnabair’s help, slays the every wound was fatal. It was brought by
dragon, but is wounded in the venture. One *Lug Lámfhota from *Tír na mBeó [the Land
hundred and fifty maidens from the *sídh, of the Living].
clad in crimson and green, take him first to
the *Otherworld, where he is healed, and frenzy. See   [The Frenzy of
then bear him back to Ailill’s palace at *Cru- Suibne]; ; .
achain. At a triumphal banquet, Ailill frìde, frid, fridean (pl.) [ScG frìde, gnome,
demands the thumb ring, which Fráech pro- pigmy, elf, rock-elfin]. Supernatural creature
duces, having previously caught the salmon or *fairy of Scottish Highland folklore who
that swallowed it. With the ring restored, lives in or under rocks and devours all spilled
Ailill grants Fráech’s wish, and Fráech agrees milk or crumbs. In a widely known story a
to bring his herd of cows to Cruachain. piper and his dog follow the fridean into a
In the second, seemingly unrelated part of winding cavern, his music still being heard by
Táin Bó Fraích, the hero returns to his fortress mortals above ground; the piper never
one day to find that his wife, three sons, and returns, but the dog returns hairless and
herd of magical cows have been abducted. In immediately dies. Folk motif: V12.9.
seeking them out he is aided by *Conall Cer-
nach. They find the captives in a great fortress Friuch [Ir., boar’s thistles]. Pig-keeper of
in the Alps, where a servant of Irish descent *Bodb Derg at the beginning of the *Táin Bó
conveniently leaves a door open for the res- Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley], whose per-
cuers at night. Upon his return, Fráech then petual rivalry with Rucht, pig-keeper of Och-
joins Medb and Ailill on the great cattle raid all Ochne, causes him to be transformed into
to retrieve the Brown Bull of Ulster. Within *Donn Cuailnge, the much sought-after
the action of the Táin Bó Cuailnge, Fráech is Brown Bull of *Ulster. Sometimes confused
drowned in hand-to-hand combat with with *Nár, another swineherd of Bodb Derg.
*Cúchulainn.
The popularity of Fráech’s story persisted Froech. Variant spelling of *Fráech.
in several variant written texts from the 11th
to the 14th centuries, continuing in Irish and Fuad, Fuadh, Fuait. *Milesian chief, son of
Scottish Gaelic oral tradition, changing the *Breogan, for whom *Sliab Fúait [Slieve
names of characters and details of the action. Fuad] in Co. Armagh is named.
Numerous commentators have seen an Fuamnach, Fúamnach, Fuamach [cf. OIr.
anticipation of the Old English Beowulf in fúamnach, lamentation of the fair-skinned
Fráech’s slaying of the dragon. The motif of vocal woman]. First wife of *Midir who seeks
the ring in the fish’s belly is an Irish instance to destroy her husband’s second wife, the
of the international tale type 736A. It has beautiful *Étaín. She takes a potion from
been edited several times: by Mary E. Byrne *Bresal Etarláim, usually described as her
and Myles Dillon, Táin Bó Fraích (Dublin, foster-father, she transforms Étaín into a fly
1933); Wolfgang Meid, Táin Bó Fraích (Dublin, (or butterfly). See   [The
1967; rev. edn., 1974) and Die Romanze von Wooing of Étaín].
Froech und Findabair (Innsbruck, 1970). See
also J. F. Campbell, The Celtic Dragon Myth fuath, fuathan (pl.), vough [ScG, hatred,
(Edinburgh, 1911; repr. New York, 1973; aversion; cf. OIr. fúath, hate; likeness]. Gen-
North Hollywood, 1981); Donald E. Meek, eric term for a class of spectral monsters in
‘Táin Bó Fraich and other “Fraech” Texts; A Highland Gaelic folklore, usually having a
Study in Thematic Relationships, (I-II)’, Cam- close connection with water, lochs, rivers, and
bridge Medieval Celtic Studies, 7 (1984), 1–37. often the open sea. Sometimes known as the
arrachd or fuath-arrachd. A fuath is the
Fragarach. Variant spelling of *Frecraid.
mother of the *brollachan. Highland subspe-
Fraích. Variant spelling of *Fráech. cies of the fuath include the *beithir, *fideal,
*peallaidh, and *ùruisg. Vough is a phonetic
France. See ; .
anglicization. See also ; . Folk

Fraoch. Variant spelling of *Fráech. motifs: F420.5.2; F470.
243
Fuinche
Fuinche, Faince, Fuince [cf. Ir. fuinche, claw, cheese while she is bathing in *Lough Ree in
talon; fuinche, scald-crow, black fox]. Name the *Shannon, Co. Roscommon; this avenges
borne by many female personages in early Ire- Medb’s murder of *Clothra, Medb’s sister
land, historical and legendary, including four- and Furbaide’s mother, at the same place.
teen saints, but most notably by the divine Furbaide had been cut from his dying
daughter of *Dáire Derg and mother of the mother’s womb. He is portrayed with *bull
three *Fothads by a warrior named Mac Nia. horns, as is *Feradach Fechtnach; in the
She was said to have three breasts, like the *Dindshenchas he has three horns. Some
legendary saints Fainche Tré-Chíchech and commentators assert that the horns echo the
Ardmáer Tréchíchech or the Welsh saint ancient Celtic god *Cernunnos.
Gwenn Teirbronn. In lesser-known variant
texts she is cited as the mother of *Fionn mac Fursa, Fursu, Fursey. Name borne by
Cumhaill. numerous early Irish ecclesiastics, such as the
monk who evangelized East Anglia and later
Furbaide, Foirbre, Forbaí, Forbay. Name founded a monastery near Paris. To this 7th-
borne by at least two personages from early century Irish saint (feast-day 16 June) is
Irish narrative, of whom *Furbaide Ferbend ascribed the horrific vision of the Christian
is the better-known. afterlife, cited by the Venerable Bede (731)
Furbaide 1. Son attributed to *Eochaid Fei- and often thought to have anticipated Dante’s
dlech, cited for his extraordinary birth Divina Commedia (14th cent.). See Charles S.
‘through the side of his mother’, i.e. Caesar- Boswell, An Irish Precursor of Dante (London,
ian, like *Goll mac Morna, Buddha, the 1908); William W. Heist, Vitae Sanctorum
Egyptian god Set, and Julius *Caesar. Hiberniae (Brussels, 1965); Pádraig Ó Riain,
‘Les Vies de Saint Fursy: les sources irlanda-
Furbaide Ferbend, Ferbenn, Fur Bend [Ir., ises’, Revue du Nord, 68 (1986), 405–13; ‘Sanc-
the cut one]. Sometimes called Furbaide the tity and the Politics of Connacht c. 1100: The
Horned in English texts. *Ulster warrior, son Case of St. Fursa’, Cambridge Medieval Celtic
of *Conchobar mac Nessa, protégé of Studies, 17 (1989), 1–14.
*Cúchulainn, who kills *Medb, queen of
*Connacht, with his sling loaded with hard fynnoderee. Variant spelling of *fenodyree.
244

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F

realm. St Féchíne of Fore’s feast-day is 20 by some women. The best-known is probably

dentally spills the water into the mouth of

Finnchnes, Finnchneas [Ir., fair-skinned]. Finnén. An OIr. spelling of *Finnian.

French chronicler Fredegar.

anglicization. See also ; . Folk

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