Finn McCool... Nothing to do with Doodles

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Still recovering from jet lag after a 2 hour train ride from Belfast to Dublin and an 8+ hour flight from Dublin to Atlanta.  We did a couple of day trips to various sites in Northern Ireland and my favorite was visiting the Giant's Causeway.  I wanted to share the legend of Finn McCool and how the Giant's Causeway was formed.

 

The Legend of Finn McCool

Northern Ireland is a place enchanted with the folklore legends of faeries, leprechauns and giants.

This legend has been told in Ireland for hundreds of years to explain the beautiful rock formations on the north coast of Northern Ireland, known as the Giant’s Causeway. This is now a World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction. There is a similar formation on the Scottish coastline, facing Northern Ireland.

Finn McCool was a giant who lived on the coast of Northern Ireland. Finn McCool was rumoured to have torn a chunk off the middle of Northern Ireland, and thrown it mid-way between Scotland and Northern Ireland. This spare piece of land is known as the Isle of Man. His action also left a hole in the middle of N. Ireland that is now the Lough Neagh (a very big lake).

Finn McCool lived with his wife, Oonagh. Finn stood at fifty two feet six inches, which was small for a giant. Despite his flaw in height, Oonagh and Finn lived a happily married life in the serene scenery of Ireland, filled with a mirage of green tones and the beautiful sound of waves swooshing on the coast.

However, a monstrosity interrupted their serene way of life in the form of Benandonner; he was another giant who lived in Scotland. Finn and Benandonner were rivals, constantly bantering across the Irish Sea, making threats or trying to boast about their magnificent strength. Although they both only knew the sound of each other’s voices, they hadn’t actually come face to face with one another.

Both of the giants were growing restless and wanted to finally meet each other and challenge each other in a sword fight. To resolve this, Finn proposed that both the giants attempted to build a causeway, connecting Scotland and Northern Ireland. They would finally meet and challenge each other to a fight.

Thirsty for victory, Finn gathered himself a bunch of helpers and began on his conquest to building the causeway. He used chunks of Ireland, vigorously tearing pieces of land from the crust of the earth. The work gradually got so consuming of his energy, he fell asleep right there and then by the coast.

Oonagh awoke at the crack of dawn and realised that the other side of the bed was cold and empty. Slightly concerned about her husband’s whereabouts, she got up and wrapped her white robe around her and placed her bonnet on her head to go outside in search of her husband. Gradually, after wandering around she found Finn fast asleep. She smiled to herself, as she watched him breathing contentedly, lost deep within the land of nod.

Her smile vanished quickly from her face as she heard powerful pounding noises. It was Bennandonner. All she could do was put her bonnet on Finn’s head and her robe around him to disguise him as a baby.

When Bennandonner arrived, he yelled “Where’s Finn Mc Cool?” to which Oonagh replied, “Shhh, you will wake the baby. My husband will be back in ten minutes”.

When Bennandonner looked at the sleeping Finn, he jumped back in alarm, for he thought, “If his baby is this big, how much bigger than me must the father be!” And he ran off as fast as he could across the causeway, lifting up the clumps of rock and throwing them in the sea after himself so that Finn could not follow him.

And thus were formed the causeway coast, Lough Neagh and the Isle of Man.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Thanks for sharing!  I wish I could see this in person... awww maybe someday

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Very neat.  I love IRELAND!  I was there a year ago right now. So sad to not be there now :( :( :(

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

What a great story-thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Hope you had a really great time here!

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

@Laurie, I think Finn McCool would be a great doodle name too.

[Dori & Rua]

Very cool story.  I just love Ireland!

[F, Calla & Luca]

A very fanciful and interesting story indeed. Thanks.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

BTW, Finn McCool would be a neat name for a doodle.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Nina, I love this blog and the pictures. Thank you for sharing :)