In early Ireland, fianna (singular fian) were small, semi-independent warrior bands who lived apart from society in the forests as mercenaries, bandits and hunters, but could be called upon by kings in times of war^{[citation needed]}. They appear in Irish mythology, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Contents 1 Descriptions 2 Training 3 War cry and mottos 4 Notable fénnid 5 Later use of the term 6 In popular culture 7 References

[edit] Descriptions

The historical institution of the fian is known from references in early medieval Irish law tracts. A fian was made up of landless young men, often young aristocrats who had not yet come into their inheritance of land.^[1] A member of a fian was called a fénnid; the leader of a fian was a rígfénnid (literally "king-fénnid).^[2] Geoffrey Keating, in his 17th century History of Ireland, says that during the winter the fianna were quartered and fed by the nobility, during which time they would keep order on their behalf, but during the summer, from Beltaine to Samhain, they were obliged to live by hunting for food and for pelts to sell.^[3] Keating's History is more a compilation of traditions than a reliable history, but in this case scholars point to references in early Irish poetry and the existence of a closed hunting season for deer and wild boar between Samhain and Beltaine in medieval Scotland as corroboration.^[4]

Some legendary depictions of fianna seem to conform to this historical reality: for example, in the Ulster Cycle the druid Cathbad leads a fian of twenty-seven men which fights against other fianna and kills the twelve foster-fathers of the Ulster princess Ness. Ness, in response, leads her own fian of twenty-seven in pursuit of Cathbad.^[5]

However, the stories of the Fiannaíocht, set around the time of Cormac mac Airt, depict the fianna as a single standing army in the service of the High King, although it contains two rival factions, the Clann Baíscne of Leinster, led by Fionn mac Cumhaill, and the Clann Morna of Connacht, led by Goll mac Morna, and lives apart from society, surviving by hunting.

[edit] Training

Membership was subject to rigorous tests. In one such test the applicant would stand in a waist-deep hole armed with a shield while nine warriors threw spears at him; if he was wounded, he failed. In another his hair would be braided, and he would be pursued through the forest; he would fail if he was caught, if a branch cracked under his feet, or if the braids in his hair were disturbed. He would have to be able to leap over a branch the height of his forehead, pass under one as low as his knee, and pull a thorn from his foot without slowing down. He also needed to be a skilled poet.

[edit] War cry and mottos

The Diord Fionn was the war-cry of the Fianna, and they frequently employed its use prior to and amid battle, either as a mode of communication or to put fear into their enemies. In the legend "The Death of Fionn", Fionn raises the Diord Fionn when he see's his grandson Oscar fall in battle (Battle of Gabhra) against the armies of Cairbre Lifechair, and proceeds to strike back at the enemy with great furiosity killing many dozens of warriors.^[6] The Battle of Gabhra also marked the demise of the Fianna.

They had three mottoes:

• Glaine ár gcroí (Purity of our hearts)
• Neart ár ngéag (Strength of our limbs)
• Beart de réir ár mbriathar (Action to match our speech)

[edit] Notable fénnid

• Fionn mac Cumhaill: last leader of the Fianna
• Cumhall: Fionn's father, the former leader
• Goll mac Morna
• Caílte mac Rónáin
• Conán mac Morna
• Diarmuid Ua Duibhne: a warrior of the Fianna who ran off with Fionn's intended bride Grainne and was finally killed by a giant boar on the heath of Benn Gulbain. Foster son of Aengus.
• Lughaid Stronghand: sorcerous warrior, nephew of Fionn mac Cumhaill, one of the four who could have untied the knots Diarmuid bound the seakings with, but refused to do so. Lover of Aife, daughter of Manannan
• Oisín, son of Fionn mac Cumhaill: (Macpherson's Ossian)
• Oscar, son of Oisín

[edit] Later use of the term

In more recent history, the name Fianna Éireann has been used by a number of Irish Republican scouting organisations^{[citation needed]}. Fianna Fáil ("the Fianna of Ireland"; sometimes rendered "the soldiers of destiny") has been used as a sobriquet for the Irish Volunteers; on the cap badge of the Irish Army; in the opening line of the Irish-language version of the Irish national anthem; and as the name of the Fianna Fáil political party, the largest in the Republic of Ireland.^[7]

[edit] In popular culture

• Within the .Hack series, the legendary players Orca and Balmung are referred to as the 'Descendants of Fianna' possibly in reference to the Irish Fianna.
• Within the White Wolf Gaming World of Darkness a Tribe of the Garou (werewolves) of Irish stock is known as the Fianna, well known for their bards and poison tolerance. In Werewolf: The Apocalypse Fianna are known to be weak to their passions and have the 'best temper' of all Garou. They rival with the Get of Fenris, a Germanic/Viking oriented Tribe based on historical rivalries between invading Normans and others into Ireland.
• Barnhall Rugby Club uses one of the Fianna mottos (Neart ár ngéag - strength of our limbs) as the club motto.
• Femme Fianna is the name of a Tacoma, WA Roller Derby team
• In book 5 (Awakening) of Cate Tiernan's Wicca/Sweep series, The Fianna is the name of a celtic pop band that plays at a party held at Practical Magick.

[edit] References