528:
29:
380:
that prepared young men for adult life. Katharine Simms writes that "While most members eventually inherited land, married and settled down, some passed their lives as professional champions, employed by the rest of the population to avenge their wrongs, collect debts, enforce order at feasts and so
388:
was a tolerated institution in early Irish secular society, and secular literature continued to endorse it down to the 12th century. However, the institution was not favoured by the church, and it is likely the church was key in the demise of the
351:
is more a compilation of traditions than a reliable history, but in this case scholars point to references in early Irish literature and the existence of a closed hunting season for deer and wild boar between
Samhain and Beltaine in medieval
368:
such as appeared in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, but then under command of adventurers who were not inhabitants of the province, Free
Companies who sold their services to any one who could raise their wages".
291:
and involved living in the wild, hunting, raiding, martial and athletic training, and even training in poetry. They also served as mercenaries. Wild animals, particularly the wolf and the deer, seem to have been
1271:
412:
hairstyle: long at the back, with the scalp partly shaved. Some are also described as having strange or 'devilish' marks on their head; this has been taken to mean
788:
warrior, nephew of Fionn, one of the four who could have untied the knots
Diarmuid bound the sea-kings with, but refused to do so. Lover of AĂfe, daughter of
583:
groups are depicted as roving hunter-warriors, and there are many pagan and magical elements. Later tales focus on Fionn and his companions, and the
666:, and they often sounded it before and amid battle, either as a mode of communication or to put fear into their enemies. In the legend
376:
seemingly "served a vital function in siphoning off undesirable elements providing an outlet for rambunctious behaviour", and was a
339:
were quartered and fed by the nobility, during which time they would keep order on their behalf, but during the summer/autumn, from
1266:
842:
i.e. "the isle of destiny", and hence sometimes rendered "the soldiers of destiny") has been used: as a sobriquet for the
1131:
87:
128:
977:
132:
1211:
249:) was a small band of roving hunter-warriors. It was made up of landless young men of free birth, often young
465:
320:
1043:
Hubert Thomas Knox, 'The history of the county of Mayo to the close of the sixteenth century', 1908, p. 13
527:
508:
488:
435:
428:
with similar young warrior bands in other early
European cultures, and suggest they all derive from the *
140:
752:
119:
111:
1148:
331:
886:
807:
692:, and proceeds to strike back at the enemy with great fury, killing many dozens of warriors. The
679:
20:
1114:
635:
257:
but had not yet inherited the property needed to settle down as full landowning members of the
147:
but had not yet inherited the property needed to settle down as full landowning members of the
1179:
999:
1261:
1237:
536:
454:
588:
201:
859:
8:
982:
906:
762:
250:
1062:
Simms, Katharine (1997). "Gaelic warfare in the middle ages". In Thomas
Bartlett (ed.).
1019:
1160:
1133:
Keltische BeitrĂ€ge III, in: Zeitschrift fĂŒr deutsches
Alterthum und deutsche Litteratur
813:
785:
735:
671:
569:
357:
208:
193:
32:
1092:
757:
442:
881:
689:
218:
45:
839:
826:
213:
1012:
851:
843:
798:
684:
326:
61:
558:
377:
347:, they were obliged to live by hunting for food and for pelts to sell. Keating's
181:
166:
405:
tell of saints converting them from their "non-Christian and destructive ways".
1198:
747:
604:
154:
124:
100:
40:
39:
seated in a banquet hall as their rival bands of Fianna fight. Illustration by
36:
1077:
MacQuarrie, Charles (2000). "Insular Celtic tattooing". In Jane Caplan (ed.).
863:
1255:
402:
302:
28:
1109:
McCone, Kim (2013). "The Celts: questions of nomenclature and identity", in
507:"enemies" > "brave enemies" > "brave warriors". He also noted Fionn's
615:
562:
548:
185:
947:, similar to the original three motto's of the Fianna. DĂĄibhĂ Ă CrĂłinĂn,
496:
365:
234:
1164:
789:
1193:
847:
473:
158:
766:
512:
774:
254:
144:
875:
516:
430:
174:
600:
596:
353:
340:
794:
765:: a warrior of the Fianna who ran off with Fionn's intended bride
259:
149:
741:
659:
619:
344:
1079:
Written on the Body: The Tattoo in
European and American History
1032:
Cattle Lords and
Clansmen: the Social Structure of Early Ireland
1180:
The thumb of knowledge in legends of Finn, Sigurd, and
Taliesin
801:
778:
413:
221:
youth organisation of the 20th century, are named after them.
161:, training, and fighting as mercenaries. Scholars believe the
70:
700:
631:
532:
477:
is probably related. Kim McCone derives it from Proto-Celtic
461:
315:
1222:
770:
614:
seem to conform to historical reality: for example, in the
79:
73:
1226:
965:
Pagan Past and
Christian Present in Early Irish Literature
188:, which focuses on the adventures and heroic deeds of the
1242:
Gods and Fighting Men (1904) Chapter - The Death of Fionn
153:". For most of the year they lived in the wild, hunting,
866:
political party. The Army Ranger Wing's motto is also "
858:), in the opening line of the Irish-language version of
1136:(in German). Weidmannsche Buchhandlung. pp. 15ff.
595:
as one group with two factions: the Clann BaĂscne of
88:
76:
67:
933:
Nagy, Joseph (2006). "FĂan". In John T. Koch (ed.).
568:. Most are about the adventures and heroic deeds of
587:are more often depicted as household troops of the
531:"The Fianna raised a pillar stone with her name in
471:(to chase, pursue), and says the Irish ethnic name
200:are more often depicted as household troops of the
64:
1034:, University of Notre Dame Press, 1994, p. 122-123
139:was made up of freeborn young men, often from the
1272:Military units and formations of the Middle Ages
1253:
1066:. Cambridge University Press. pp. 101â102.
1081:. Princeton University Press. pp. 42â44.
1003:. Oxford University Press, 1999. pp.xi - xiii
959:
957:
1076:
954:
393:. Churchmen sometimes referred to them as
1196:, "Anecdota from the Stowe MS. No. 992",
1146:
1099:. Brill Academic Publishers. p. 412.
1091:
993:
991:
935:Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia
819:
1057:
1055:
1053:
1051:
1049:
526:
321:Britain during the end of the Roman rule
27:
1184:, New York: Institute of French Studies
1097:Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic
630:and kills the 12 foster-fathers of the
599:, led by Fionn, and the Clann Morna of
591:. These later tales usually depict the
447:Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic
300:with the outdoor cooking pits known as
1254:
1129:
988:
928:
926:
924:
922:
920:
918:
916:
914:
696:also marked the demise of the Fianna.
541:Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race
522:
1125:
1123:
1061:
1046:
645:
626:of 27 men which fights against other
503:from an Irish rendering of Old Norse
397:(which came to mean 'marauders') and
123:) were small warrior-hunter bands in
118:
99:
932:
495:tales come from the heritage of the
491:(1891), however, suggested that the
434:which is thought to have existed in
911:
889:containing many tales of the Fianna
769:and was finally killed by a giant
744:: Fionn's father, the former leader
13:
1120:
638:. In response, Ness leads her own
566:, 'Fianna Cycle' or 'Fenian Cycle'
335:, says that during the winter the
229:The historical institution of the
196:and his band. In later tales, the
177:in other early European cultures.
14:
1283:
997:Harry Roe, Ann Dooley (editors).
824:In more recent history, the name
726:
1147:Scowcroft, Richard Mark (1995),
978:Dictionary of the Irish Language
511:is similar to the Norse tale of
296:mascots. Some sources associate
186:'Fianna Cycle' or 'Fenian Cycle'
60:
1231:
1216:
1205:
1187:
1170:
1149:"Abstract Narrative in Ireland"
1140:
1103:
1085:
1070:
408:They are described as having a
401:('sons of death'), and several
235:early medieval Irish law tracts
180:They are featured in a body of
1037:
1024:
1006:
1000:Tales of the Elders of Ireland
970:
941:
900:
579:In earlier tales, the various
309:Many of the first mentions of
224:
169:into manhood, and have linked
1:
1064:A Military History of Ireland
937:. ABC-CLIO. pp. 743â744.
893:
856:SciathĂĄn FiannĂłglaigh an Airm
642:of 27 in pursuit of Cathbad.
610:Some legendary depictions of
722:(Action to match our speech)
570:Finn (or Fionn) mac Cumhaill
372:Joseph Nagy writes that the
233:is known from references in
211:of the 19th-century and the
7:
1267:Medieval history of Ireland
1212:Oxford Reference: Dord Fian
869:
850:, the name in Irish of the
738:: last leader of the Fianna
557:are the focus of a body of
535:letters" - illustration by
436:Proto-Indo-European society
175:similar young warrior bands
10:
1288:
846:, on the cap badge of the
720:Beart de réir år mbriathar
678:when he sees his grandson
546:
419:
141:Gaelic nobility of Ireland
18:
1176:Scott, Robert D. (1930),
1130:Zimmer, Heinrich (1891).
862:, and as the name of the
860:the Irish national anthem
424:Scholars have linked the
1111:Ireland and its Contacts
1227:http://www.dil.ie/18319
716:(Strength of our limbs)
287:way of life was called
21:Fianna (disambiguation)
1115:University of Lausanne
951:, Longman, 1995, p. 88
949:Early Medieval Ireland
820:Modern use of the term
710:(Purity of our hearts)
688:against the armies of
544:
499:. He derived the name
329:, in his 17th-century
115:
50:
16:Celtic Tribe of Legend
1238:Augusta, Lady Gregory
1017:Foras Feasa ar Ăirinn
530:
31:
1202:6, 1884, pp. 173-186
985:, 1990, pp. 299, 507
668:"The Death of Fionn"
19:For other uses, see
983:Royal Irish Academy
981:, Compact Edition,
784:Lughaid LĂĄmhfhada:
763:Diarmuid Ua Duibhne
523:Legendary depiction
466:Proto-Indo-European
453:from reconstructed
449:, derives the name
360:(1908) likened the
313:are connected with
101:[ËfÊČiÉnÌȘË É]
830:has been used, as
814:Cael Ua Neamhnainn
736:Fionn mac Cumhaill
646:War cry and mottos
545:
509:Thumb of Knowledge
358:Hubert Thomas Knox
356:as corroboration.
332:History of Ireland
271:; the leader of a
209:Fenian Brotherhood
194:Fionn mac Cumhaill
51:
1030:Nerys Patterson,
885:, a 1920 book by
882:Irish Fairy Tales
753:CaĂlte mac RĂłnĂĄin
690:Cairbre Lifechair
279:(literally "king-
263:". A member of a
219:Irish nationalist
133:early Middle Ages
46:Irish Fairy Tales
1279:
1244:
1235:
1229:
1220:
1214:
1209:
1203:
1191:
1185:
1182:
1174:
1168:
1167:
1144:
1138:
1137:
1127:
1118:
1107:
1101:
1100:
1095:(2009). "wÄnÄ".
1093:MatasoviÄ, Ranko
1089:
1083:
1082:
1074:
1068:
1067:
1059:
1044:
1041:
1035:
1028:
1022:
1013:Geoffrey Keating
1010:
1004:
995:
986:
974:
968:
961:
952:
945:
939:
938:
930:
909:
904:
852:Army Ranger Wing
844:Irish Volunteers
838:of Ireland", or
797:, son of Fionn (
777:. Foster son of
773:on the heath of
694:Battle of Gabhra
685:Battle of Gabhra
445:, author of the
327:Geoffrey Keating
253:, "who had left
143:, "who had left
122:
120:[ËfeËÉČÉ]
103:
98:
91:
86:
85:
82:
81:
78:
75:
72:
69:
66:
1287:
1286:
1282:
1281:
1280:
1278:
1277:
1276:
1252:
1251:
1248:
1247:
1236:
1232:
1221:
1217:
1210:
1206:
1192:
1188:
1178:
1175:
1171:
1145:
1141:
1128:
1121:
1108:
1104:
1090:
1086:
1075:
1071:
1060:
1047:
1042:
1038:
1029:
1025:
1011:
1007:
996:
989:
975:
971:
962:
955:
946:
942:
931:
912:
905:
901:
896:
872:
822:
758:ConĂĄn mac Morna
732:
708:Glaine ĂĄr gcroĂ
699:They had three
648:
551:
525:
489:Heinrich Zimmer
443:Ranko MatasoviÄ
422:
378:rite of passage
227:
167:rite of passage
112:Scottish Gaelic
96:
89:
63:
59:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1285:
1275:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1246:
1245:
1230:
1215:
1204:
1199:Revue Celtique
1186:
1169:
1139:
1119:
1102:
1084:
1069:
1045:
1036:
1023:
1005:
987:
969:
953:
940:
910:
898:
897:
895:
892:
891:
890:
887:James Stephens
878:
871:
868:
827:Fianna Ăireann
821:
818:
817:
816:
811:
810:, son of OisĂn
805:
792:
782:
760:
755:
750:
748:Goll mac Morna
745:
739:
731:
725:
724:
723:
717:
714:Neart år ngéag
711:
647:
644:
605:Goll mac Morna
547:Main article:
524:
521:
421:
418:
364:to "bodies of
226:
223:
214:Fianna Ăireann
155:cattle raiding
125:Gaelic Ireland
41:Arthur Rackham
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1284:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1259:
1257:
1250:
1243:
1239:
1234:
1228:
1224:
1219:
1213:
1208:
1201:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1183:
1181:
1173:
1166:
1162:
1158:
1154:
1150:
1143:
1135:
1134:
1126:
1124:
1116:
1112:
1106:
1098:
1094:
1088:
1080:
1073:
1065:
1058:
1056:
1054:
1052:
1050:
1040:
1033:
1027:
1021:
1018:
1014:
1009:
1002:
1001:
994:
992:
984:
980:
979:
973:
967:. 1990. p205.
966:
963:McCone, Kim.
960:
958:
950:
944:
936:
929:
927:
925:
923:
921:
919:
917:
915:
908:
903:
899:
888:
884:
883:
879:
877:
874:
873:
867:
865:
861:
857:
853:
849:
845:
841:
837:
833:
829:
828:
815:
812:
809:
806:
803:
800:
796:
793:
791:
787:
783:
780:
776:
772:
768:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
743:
740:
737:
734:
733:
730:
721:
718:
715:
712:
709:
706:
705:
704:
702:
697:
695:
691:
687:
686:
681:
677:
673:
669:
665:
661:
657:
653:
643:
641:
637:
633:
629:
625:
621:
617:
613:
608:
606:
602:
598:
594:
590:
586:
582:
577:
575:
571:
567:
565:
561:known as the
560:
559:Irish legends
556:
550:
542:
538:
534:
529:
520:
518:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
485:(wild ones).
484:
480:
476:
475:
470:
467:
463:
459:
456:
452:
448:
444:
439:
437:
433:
432:
427:
417:
415:
411:
406:
404:
403:hagiographies
400:
396:
392:
387:
382:
379:
375:
370:
367:
366:Gallowglasses
363:
359:
355:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
333:
328:
324:
322:
318:
317:
312:
307:
305:
304:
303:fulacht fiadh
299:
295:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
267:was called a
266:
262:
261:
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
222:
220:
216:
215:
210:
205:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
184:known as the
183:
182:Irish legends
178:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
151:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
121:
117:
113:
109:
108:
102:
94:
93:
84:
57:
56:
48:
47:
42:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
1262:Fenian Cycle
1249:
1241:
1233:
1218:
1207:
1197:
1189:
1177:
1172:
1156:
1152:
1142:
1132:
1110:
1105:
1096:
1087:
1078:
1072:
1063:
1039:
1031:
1026:
1016:
1008:
998:
976:
972:
964:
948:
943:
934:
902:
880:
855:
835:
831:
825:
823:
799:Macpherson's
775:Benn Gulbain
728:
719:
713:
707:
698:
693:
683:
682:fall in the
675:
667:
663:
655:
651:
649:
639:
627:
623:
616:Ulster Cycle
611:
609:
592:
584:
580:
578:
573:
563:
554:
552:
549:Fianna Cycle
540:
537:Stephen Reid
504:
500:
492:
487:
482:
478:
472:
468:
457:
455:Proto-Celtic
450:
446:
440:
429:
425:
423:
409:
407:
398:
394:
390:
385:
383:
373:
371:
361:
348:
336:
330:
325:
314:
310:
308:
301:
297:
293:
288:
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
258:
246:
242:
238:
230:
228:
212:
206:
197:
189:
179:
170:
162:
148:
136:
106:
105:
54:
53:
52:
44:
25:
1159:: 121â158,
864:Fianna FĂĄil
832:Fianna FĂĄil
674:raises the
656:Dord Fiansa
564:FĂanaigecht
497:Norse-Gaels
289:fĂanaigecht
251:aristocrats
225:Historicity
159:Irish clans
127:during the
104:; singular
1256:Categories
1225:- "dord",
1194:Kuno Meyer
907:eDIL: Fian
894:References
848:Irish Army
618:the druid
589:High Kings
519:'s heart.
399:maicc bĂĄis
202:High Kings
840:Inis FĂĄil
786:sorcerous
676:Dord Fian
652:Dord Fian
634:princess
603:, led by
576:members.
441:Linguist
319:raids in
277:rĂgfĂ©nnid
255:fosterage
145:fosterage
1165:30007878
870:See also
790:ManannĂĄn
727:Notable
658:was the
622:leads a
601:Connacht
597:Leinster
572:and his
515:tasting
464:), from
381:forth".
354:Scotland
341:Beltaine
283:"). The
241:(plural
129:Iron Age
767:GrĂĄinne
742:Cumhall
701:mottoes
662:of the
660:war-cry
620:Cathbad
513:SigurĂ°r
483:*wÄd-nÄ
420:Origins
414:tattoos
395:dĂberga
349:History
345:Samhain
192:leader
49:(1920).
1163:
1117:. p.26
876:KĂłryos
836:Fianna
834:("the
802:Ossian
779:Aengus
729:fénnid
664:Fianna
632:Ulster
628:fianna
612:fianna
593:fianna
585:fianna
581:fianna
555:fianna
543:(1911)
517:FĂĄfnir
505:fiandr
501:fianna
493:fianna
479:*wÄnnÄ
431:kĂłryos
426:fianna
362:fianna
337:fianna
311:fianna
298:fianna
281:fénnid
275:was a
269:fénnid
247:fianna
198:fianna
171:fianna
165:was a
157:other
116:FĂšinne
97:Irish:
55:Fianna
1161:JSTOR
808:Oscar
795:OisĂn
680:Oscar
672:Fionn
533:Ogham
481:<
469:*weyh
462:troop
458:*wÄnÄ
451:fĂana
410:cĂșlĂĄn
316:Scoti
260:tĂșath
243:fĂana
217:, an
173:with
150:tĂșath
92:-É-nÉ
33:Fionn
1223:eDIL
1153:Ăriu
1020:2.45
771:boar
650:The
640:fian
636:Ness
624:fian
574:fĂan
553:The
474:FĂ©ni
391:fĂan
386:fĂan
384:The
374:fĂan
294:fĂan
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