DASG Blog

Duain agus Laoidhean na Fèinne (Pàirt 1)

As I am always on about, in every blog we do, folklore, oral tradition and heritage is especially important to the Gaels but there isn’t a folklore as important to the Gaels than the Folklore of the Fenians (or the Fingalians, if you prefer).
The Fenian folklore are as old and ancient to the Gaels – the Gaels of Scotland, The Gaels of Ireland agus the Gaels of Man – that one would have said “Mu’n robh Pàp anns an Ròimh’ gu’n robh na Fiantainnean làidir an Cinn-tàile nam bò,” [“Before the Pope was in Rome the strong Fenians were in Kintail of the Cow,”] showing just how old that the folklore, and the belief, in the stories of the Fenians.
I have created for you, from what we have in literature and in sound-recordings at “Tobar an Dualchais” that we have from Scotland, a list. The stories are not in order however.

1. “Duan na Muilidheartaich.”
2. “Duan na Ceàrdaich.”
3. “Dàn Dheirg” no “Duan an Deirg.”
4. “Diarmad Fleadha gun d’ rinn Fionn” no “Teanntachd Mhòr na Fèinne.”
5. “Laoidh a’ Choin Duibh.”
6. “Latha dha’n Fhinn am Beinn Ioghnaidh.”

 
1. In “Duan na Muilidheartaich” [“Lay of the Muilidheartach”] a beast was sent by the King of Scandanavia to Ireland in order to smite the Finaglians. The Fingalians defeated the Muilidheartach after a bloody battle:
“Là dhan Fhinn air Tulaich Choireall,
A’ coimhead Èirinn for mòr thimcheall,
Chunnacas a’ tighinn air bhàrraibh thonn
an earra chraoille, chraille, chrom...”
 
[“A day the Finaglians were on Coireall’s Tulach,
Watching over all of Ireland around,
Seen coming from the top of the waves
A fearsome, crooked beast...”]
Some people are of the opinion that the “Cailleach Bheithir” was the Muilidheartach, as it is written in the recording here.
 
2. It is said that the events of “Duan na Ceàrdaich” [“Lay of the Smith”] after the events of “Duan na Muilidheartaich,” with the hopes of strengthening Fionn MacCùmhail’s sword, “Mac a Luinn,” with strength again, according to this recording an-seo. The Fenians met with a magical smith who had four smithies with four hands each. The sword must have been renewed with the blood of an innocent and living person, and as it happened the smith killed his mother with Mac a Luinn, strengthening and renewing it again:
“...Fhuair iad an sin ’nan sìneadh
Na lannan dìreacha daithte,
’S an claidheamh luinneach air a dhianamh
Le Clanna Sìomain na faiche...”
 
[“Then they got the straight,
Shining swords stretched out,
And the keen sword
Made by the children of Siomain of the green...”]
[This verse can be found in “Folksongs and Folklore of South Uist,” by Margaret Fay Shaw.]
 
3.There are multiple accounts of this lay so we shall look at the both of them.
(1) Apparently “Dearg” was another name for Diarmad and it Dear was the name given to him in this lay. This lay looks at the Finn tried to test Diarmad’s wife’s fidelity, after hearing many lies and threats from enemies that she was not faithful. The Finn said that “Dearg” had died after a hunting trip in the mountains, with “Dearg” letting on he was dead. “Dearg’s” wife was as faithful as one would have thought that she would have been and they shown that he was alive. This lay was sung at his wake and funeral. “The Lay of Diarmaid” is another name for this lay in “Popular Tales of the West Highlands,” by J.F.Campbell:
“Derg mac Derg gur i mi do bhean;
Air an fhear cha deanain lochd.
Cha n’ eil saoi nach d’ fhuair a dheuchain;
S’ truagh tha mise ad dheigh an nochd.
 
Derg mac Olla chridhe ’n iuil,
Leis an seinte gu ciuin cruit;
B’ ionmhuin an Laoch air nach do luidhe fearg;
Ged do thorchadh Dearg le muic...”
[“Derg, son of Derg, I am thy wife,
The husband whom I would not hurt,
There never was a worthy who was not tried;
Wretched am I after thee this night.
 
Derg, son of Olla of the enlightened mind,
By whom so softly the harp was played,
Beloved was the hero who kept no wrath,
Though Derg was laid low by a hog...”]
[Another version of this lay can be found in the recording “Chì Mi ’n t-Seabhag ’s Chì Mi ’n Cù” on Tobar an Dualchais.]

(2) Dàn Dheirg marks the death of Dearg son of Druidhinn. The Fingalians killed Druidhinn, Dearg’s father, and they raised the young lad. When the boy came to age he attacked them for revenge but he was killed by the Fingalians in the same way that his father was killed:
“Innseam sgeul air caithream an fhir mhòir,
A thàinig o ’n sear le dòchas buaidh;
Treun laoch a bha làn de fheirg,
’S b’ e ’n Dearg dàna mac Druidhinn.
 
Gu teach nam Fiann bu mhór glòir,
Do ghluais an Dearg mac Druidhinn,
O ’n ear, o thìr nam fear treun
Gu crìoch a chur air Fianntaibh Alba...”
 
[“I relate the exploits of the mighty chief,
That came from the east with the hope of victory –
A valiant hero, full of wrath,
The intrepid Dearg, Druidhinn’s son.
 
Towards the mansion of Fionn’s Illustrious race,
Advanced Dearg the son of Druidhinn
From eastern shores, the land of the brave,
To destroy the Fenians of Alba...]
[I found these verses here in the book “Bàrdachd na Fèinne,” from “Sìol Cultural Enterprises.”]
 
4. The lay “Teanntachd mhòr na Fèinne” the time that the Fingalians to fight against the Vikings, with their flags and although many of the Fingalians were killed they gained victory on the battle-field:
“...Ged thug sinn buaidh anns a’ ghreis
Cha d’ rinn sinn an là ud air leas;
Dh’fhàg sinn còrr is leth ar Fiann
Air an traigh ’tha siar fo dheas.
 
’S nan lùghainnse air mo rìgh,
Cha mhò na ar trian thàinig as,
Sin agads’ ’n cath ’s teinne ’n robh an Fhiann,
A Phàdraig nan salm ’s nan clag,
Is nam biodh tusa air an tràigh,
Air Fianntaibh Phàil bu mhór mo mheas.”
 
[“...But though there our battle we fought,
We have not prospered on that day:
More than the half of the Fenian heroes
We left on the shore to the south-west.
 
And were I to give an oath by my king,
Not more than the third of us escaped.
This was the most hard battle in which the Fenians ever were.
Patrick, of the psalms and bells,
Hadst thou stood spectator on the shore,
High would thy esteem for the Fenians be.”]
[I found these vereses here from the book “Bàrdachd na Fèinne,” by “Sìol Cultural Enterprises.”]
 
5. In “Duan a’ Choin Duibhe” a “red brindled one” came towards the Fingalians with intention to fight his black dog against the dogs of the Fingalians. Fionn’s dog, Bran, killed the black dog:
“Chaidh Caoillte là dhan a’ bheinn
Shealgaireachd ri Taobh Loch Lear.
Chunnacas a’ teàrnadh le gleann,
Fear earadh dhearg is a chon duibh;
’S e tighinn gu dian ’s gu borb
A dh’iarraidh oirnne còmhraig chon...”
 
[“One day Caoilte went to the mountain
To hunt by the side of Loch Lear
He saw, coming down the side of the glen,
The brindled one and his black dog;
And approaching with haste and rage
Seeking ftom us a dog fight...”]
[I found the verses above from Maighread Stiùbhart. You can hear another recording of the lay here.] You can read more about the story here in “Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 986.
 
6. “Latha dhan Fhinn am Beinn Ioghnaidh” is sung about the acts of Caoilte, that was known for the “Luaths a chois” (“Swiftness of Foot”) against a giant who stole the daughter of the King, Aillil:
“Latha dhan Fhinn am Beinn Ioghnaidh
’S an Fhinn uile ’s na fir colgharr’.
Chuir Caoilte air luas a chas
Romhpa a dhèanamh a’ rothaid...”
 
[“A day when the Fiann where in the mountain of Marvels
All of the Fiann, the fierce men
They sent Caoilte, because of his swiftness
Ahead of them to make a trail (as a guide).”
[The verse can be found here, written by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.]
 
We shall continue another time with more lays of the Fiann. What Fingalian folklore do you have that I haven’t said already with the lays about? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our own website!