1-Apr-09 2:00 PM CST

Irish Stories Part II

The trials of the Fianna

With Finn as their leader, the Fianna entered into an age of such glory that news of their courage and strength spread far and wide, and stories of their wonderful adventures were told for many hundreds of years afterwards.

Men came from all over Ireland to join the Fianna, but only the strongest, swiftest, most honorable and courageous were accepted as one of Finn Mac Cool’s elite army. Any man who wished to become one of his warriors had to undergo many trials and tests in order to prove himself worthy.

First of all, his skill and courage as a warrior were put to the test. He was buried knee-deep in a meadow of rushes. With only a branch of hazel as a weapon and a shield for protection, he had to fight off the spears of nine experienced soldiers all at once. If a single spear scratched him, he would fail the test and would not be allowed to join the Fianna.

As well as being brave, he had to be as strong as an ox. He was given heavy weapons and had to hold them perfectly still for a very long time. If his hand gave the slightest shake under the heavy load, he would fail the test and would not be admitted as a member of the Fianna.

Next, he would be tested for speed and agility. Given a head start the width of a tree trunk, he would be chased at high speed by the members of the Fianna through a dense forest. If any one of the warriors caught up with him, if a single twig broke under his foot as he ran, or if the hair on his head was tossed as he ran, he would fail the test and would not be allowed to join the Fianna. If he could not leap over a branch as high as his forehead, duck under a branch as low as his knee, or take a thorn out of his foot without slowing down, then he was not worthy to be one of Finn Mac Cool’s men.

As well as being strong, swift and brave, the men of the Fianna were sharp of mind, noble of spirit and kind of heart. They had to study the art of poetry and be able to recite old poems and compose new ones with ease. They had to take several vows in order to become members of the army. They swore to respect and protect all women, to help the poor and to be faithful and loyal to their fellow comrades and their leader.

For most of the year, the Fianna were dedicated to serving the king and protecting the land and people of Ireland. During the summer months, they lived entirely off the land, roaming the countryside, and spending their days fishing and hunting. Each night they would set up camp, and build a large fire on which they would cook whatever food they had gathered during the day’s hunt. There they would sit after their evening meal and talk of their day’s adventures and recall stories of times gone by, until the fire had died down to just a few glowing embers and they would retire for their night’s sleep under the stars.

Tír na nÓg* (The land of eternal youth)

*Pronounced ‘cheer na nogue’

Many years passed and Finn had a son, whom he called Oisín. Oisín grew up to be one of the greatest warriors the Fianna had ever known – with the strength and courage of his father and the wisdom and spirit of a poet.

One misty May morning, Finn and his men set out early to hunt. The bright summer sun warmed their faces and seemed to bring the whole countryside to life in splashes of violet, lavender and gold. All of a sudden the men were stopped in their tracks by a beautiful vision before them. There, in the midst of the trees, was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen, riding towards them on a milk-white steed. Her skin was as white as snow, her cheeks like the delicate blossoms of May, her eyes sparkled like the night sky, and her hair fell in golden curls around her shoulders. When she spoke, her voice was as sweet as the lark that sang from the branches above. “I am Niamh, of the Golden Hair,” she said as she stopped in front of Finn, “and I have traveled across land and sea in the hope of finding your son, Oisín, and taking him back with me to my home in Tír na nÓg , the Land of Eternal Youth.” Oisín, who had been left speechless by the sight of the beautiful woman, was suddenly startled at the sound of his own name. “Come with me, Oisín,” said Niamh, almost in a whisper. “Return with me to Tír na nÓg. It is the most beautiful land you could ever imagine. It is a land without sorrow or pain, where the sun shines a rare gold, the trees are laden with fruit and blossoms bloom all year round. The air is filled with music and laughter, and the land flows with honey and wine. There you will live forever and never grow old. You will have more riches than you could ever hope for, and you will have me at your side as your faithful wife.” Finn felt a terrible sense of foreboding at the sound of these words, but Oisín was so captivated by the beautiful woman that it was no use pleading with him. “For you, Niamh, I would go to the ends of the earth,” he cried and without a second thought, he jumped up on the white horse behind her.

Finn watched as he saw his son being taken away from him, and his heart broke, for he knew that he would never see him again.

Onwards Niamh and Oisín rode through fields and forests until they reached the seashore. There the white horse gave three shrill neighs and leapt forward into the sea. The waves parted before them, and closed behind them as they passed, allowing them to pass safely through the deep waters, until eventually a beautiful paradise appeared in the distance before them. Not a single cloud could be seen in the sky, and the all the meadows were bathed in warm sunshine. “Welcome to the Land of Eternal Youth,” smiled Niamh, seeing the delight in Oisín’s eyes at the splendor and majesty of her homeland.

Niamh and Oisín lived happily in Tír na nÓg for many wonderful years, and never wanted for a single thing. Though he loved Niamh and his new life dearly, Oisín never quite forgot the people he had left behind, and eventually he asked Niamh to allow him to return home to see his friends and family. Niamh was deeply saddened and worried by his request, as she knew in her heart that if her left her, she would never see him again. Yet, she reluctantly agreed to let him go, warning him three times that he must always stay on his horse and not allow his foot to touch Irish soil, or the spell of the magical land would be broken, and he would be lost to her forever.

What Oisín did not understand was that time had passed much more quickly than he had realized. What had felt to him like just three years in Tír na nÓg had in fact been three hundred years, and he was shocked to find that Ireland was a much-changed place. His home, his family and his friends were long gone and the only traces of the Fianna that remained were the fireside tales that the people shared each night. Sad and weary, he turned to begin his journey back to Niamh and Tír na nÓg. As he passed through the valleys of Wicklow, he came upon a crowd of men, trying to move a heavy boulder. The men were weak and frail, and the stone was so heavy that they were being crushed under the heavy load. Oisín, being as strong as seven men, could not pass them by, and offered to help. He leaned down from the horse and, with all his strength, lifted the heavy boulder from the ground and flung it away, so that the men underneath were freed. But the stone was so heavy and the effort so great that he was pulled from the saddle and fell to the ground below. Niamh’s final warning rang in his ears, but it was too late. The spell of Tír na nÓg had been broken and he immediately became a frail old man, over three hundred years old.