His fame is most notable in relation to two stories The Salmon of Knowledge and his role in The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne. The Salmon of Knowledge (in Irish, An Bradán Feasa) is a creature from the Fenian Cycle of Irish Mythology .
When did the Salmon of Knowledge happen?
The text is dated from linguistic evidence to the 12th century .
Who kissed the Salmon of Knowledge?
Catching the Salmon of Knowledge
Finegas taught the druidic arts to Fionn but he never lost his hope that one day he would catch the Salmon of Knowledge. Every day he would cast his line into the Boyne in the hope of hooking the fish and suddenly one day he hooked a giant of a salmon.
What river was the Salmon of Knowledge caught in?
‘ Is there a way to know everything?’ Fionn asked him. This was a question that Finnegas had asked once too and was the very reason why he now lived next to the river Boyne . It had been told by the druids of old that living in a still, dark pool in the shade of the overhanging hazel trees was the Salmon of Knowledge.
What is the legend of the Salmon?
The legend of the Salmon of Knowledge or Salmon of Wisdom (bradán feasa), is the ancient tale of Fionn Mac Cumhail , (Mac, meaning son of) who was the leader of a heroic band of warriors and hunters called the Fianna.
What does the Salmon of Knowledge teach us?
The story goes that the salmon ate the hazel nuts which on one occasion fell into the well, thus acquiring all the wisdom of the universe. It was foretold that the first person to catch and eat the salmon would gain this knowledge and that a man by the name of Fionn would be the one to do so.
Do salmon eat hazelnuts?
According to the story, an ordinary salmon ate nine hazelnuts that fell into the Well of Wisdom (an Tobar Segais) from nine hazel trees that surrounded the well. By this act, the salmon gained all the world’s knowledge. The first person to eat of its flesh would in turn gain this knowledge.
Where is the Salmon of Knowledge?
In the river Boyne there was a magic fish called the Salmon of Knowledge. It was said that the first person to taste its flesh would be wiser than all other men. Finegas was a poet who lived near the River Boyne, where he read books and wrote poems.
Where did Fionn catch Salmon of Knowledge?
‘Is there a way to know everything? ‘ Fionn asked him. This was a question that Finnegas had asked once too and was the very reason why he now lived next to the river Boyne . It had been told by the druids of old that living in a still, dark pool in the shade of the overhanging hazel trees was the Salmon of Knowledge.
When did the Fenian Cycle take place?
An elite volunteer corps of warriors and huntsmen, skilled in poetry, the Fianna flourished under the reign of Cormac mac Airt in the 3rd century ad . The long-established Fenian lore attained greatest popularity about 1200, when the cycle’s outstanding story, The Interrogation of the Old Men, was written down.
Who was Setanta?
Setanta was the nephew of King Conor of Ulster , son of his sister Dechtire, and it is said that his father was the sky god Lugh. The hero-to-be was brought up by King Conor himself, at Emain Macha, (Armagh) and while he was still a child his fame spread all over Ireland, thanks to his prowess as a boy warrior.
What is Irish Salmon?
Irish Organic salmon have a lower fat content than most farmed Atlantic salmon. While the taste retains the essential flavors of farmed salmon, the look and texture of the fillet call to mind the wild animal.
What is the story of the Giants Causeway?
Local legend tells the story of the giant, Finn McCool, (also known as Fionn mac Cumhaill) who is said to have had a fight with a Scottish fellow, named Benandonner, across the sea. The rabid Finn grabbed huge rocks and hurled them into the water, forming a trail of stepping stones .
What has Fionn learned from Finnegas?
Fionn learned much from Finnegas and in return for all that he learnt he would clean the house and cook for the old man . Finnegas was happy for the company that Fionn provided him but sometimes he could not answer all of the questions that the inquisitive young boy had.
What is the story of Finn McCool?
As legend has it, Northern Ireland was once home to a giant named Finn McCool (also called Fionn Mac Cumhaill). When another giant – Benandonner, across the Irish Sea in Scotland – threatened Ireland, Finn retaliated by tearing up great chunks of the Antrim coastline and hurling them into the sea .
Where did Fionn Mac Cumhaill live?
Apart from the well known Salmon of Knowledge story, the next most famous tale associated with Fionn MacCumhaill is that of the Giant’s Causeway. In this story, Fionn has become so superhuman that he is in fact a giant, living on the north coast of Ireland .
