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Irish Mythology

Tales of Fionn mac Cumhaill: Colloquy of the Ancients

12th century. Middle Irish Acallam na Senórach, Bodelian Library, Oxford; Book of Lismore.

A beautiful giantess once waded ashore in Fionn's Ireland, according to a twelfth century Middle Irish literary account, the Colloquy of the Ancients. She had come across the sea looking for refuge. As they were speaking to her, Fionn's warriors on the beach became suddenly aware of another shape bearing down upon them. This second giant was a handsome young man, but his manner became less engaging when he threw a spear at the girl, mortally wounding her. The giant then waded back out to sea, to where a ship was waiting to carry him away, leaving the giant girl lying on the beach, dying. She distributed her gold and jewels among them, and the Fianna buried her under a great mound, and raised a pillar stone over her...

Story fragment recounted from: Rolleston, Thomas, 1911. Myths of the Celtic Race. The Gresham Publishing Company. Reprinted 1998. Myths and Legends of the Celts. Senate, an imprint of Tiger Books International plc. Chapter VI. Tales of the Ossianic Cycle, pp 252–308. The Fair Giantess, pp 287–8.