By Dubhán Ó Longáin
Dr Dubhán Ó Longáin, from Fionn Folklore, examines the roles played by Caoilte, Diarmaid and Bran in the Fianna, highlighting attributes of speed, charm and faithfulness.
I have recently, in two previous articles, discussed the most famous members of Clann Bhaoiscne and Clann Mhorna. There are, however, still a few prominent Fianna characters who don’t fit into these two factions. In this article, we will discuss Caoilte, Diarmaid and Bran.
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- The folkloric legacy of Fionn mac Cumhaill, his son Oisín and grandson Oscar
- Tales of the one-eyed Fianna warrior Goll mac Morna and his brothers
Caoilte
Caoilte mac Rónáin is a nephew of Fionn mac Cumhaill, his mother being Fionn’s sister – a fact not mentioned in more recent folklore. Caoilte is the fastest member of the Fianna and often takes on the role of messenger. Because of his speed and role as messenger, he frequently must work alone for some time until the rest of the Fianna catch up to him.
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In the tale How Caoilte Slew the Giant, he is sent ahead of the Fianna, who have become lost, in order to find a road. He fails to locate the road but ends up spending the night in the abode of a fairy woman. The next morning, a giant arrives looking for his beloved, whom he claims is inside. Caoilte defends the dwelling against the giant, who reveals that it is he who killed Caoilte’s father, which leads to his own death at Caoilte’s hands. This tale is primarily found in Scotland but one version was collected in London.
Caoilte was originally named “Daorghlas” (or a variant of this name) at birth but was given his new name after the events of The Lay of the Smithy. The Fianna are out on a mountain when a one-legged, one-eyed man, who declares himself to be the smith to the King of Scandinavia, appears. He challenges them to a race to his forge and Daorghlas is the only member of the Fianna who can keep pace with the smith. When the rest of the Fianna arrive, Daorghlas is busy smithing. Fionn is asked who this slender man, warm from the fires of the forge, is. “Caol” is the Irish word for “thin” and “te” is the Irish word for “hot”; these two words were combined to give Daorghlas his new name – Caoilte.
Diarmaid
Diarmaid is, of course, very well-known from the tales of his elopement with Gráinne (who we will discuss in an upcoming article on the women of the Fianna). Fionn is set to marry Gráinne but a series of events leads her to flee from the wedding party with Diarmaid.
>>> RELATED: The women at the heart of the Fianna tales: Niamh, Sadhbh and Gráinne
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In oral tradition, Gráinne’s actions are justified by the explanation that she saw Diarmaid’s love spot (ball seirce). This is a kind of birthmark suggested to be on Diarmaid’s forehead and usually kept covered by his helmet. When Gráinne accidentally sees the spot, she immediately falls in love with Diarmaid, who, in some versions, receives a love potion from her. The new lovers then flee from Fionn and the Fianna but Diarmaid eventually dies, most commonly from a wound inflicted by a boar.
Diarmuid is also seen to use his womanizing ability in Laoi na Mná Móire – the Fianna are being held captive by a group of women but Diarmaid manages to seduce one of them and convinces her to release the Fianna from their binds.
In another tale, Fionn is imprisoned overseas and awaiting execution when Diarmaid, through Fionn’s playing of the Dord Fianna (a type of horn), realizes that his leader is in trouble. He then travels to Fionn and is able to free him and kill his captors.
>>> RELATED: Bronze Age horns: Ireland’s oldest musical instruments
Bran
Bran is the supreme hound of the Fianna and exhibits such a deep connection with Fionn that they almost seem to share one spirit. Bran is actually Fionn’s cousin, having been conceived as a human but Fionn’s aunt was transformed into a hound during her pregnancy.
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In some tales, Bran is seen to drown or be enticed underwater, while in other tales, the hound is killed by Fionn in confusion. Another version of Bran’s death suggests that he (although Bran is portrayed as female in some tales) was accidentally killed by Oisín (Fionn’s son). A further version suggests that Oisín killed Bran deliberately to save his mother, who was magically transformed into a deer (again, more on this when the women of the Fianna are discussed in an upcoming article).
A happier tale tells us how Fionn first met his famed hound. After this meeting, Bran went on to become a supreme hunter, killing many deer in the hunt and a great warrior for the Fianna, defeating many enemies (as depicted in Laoi na Con Duibhe).
Dr Dubhán Ó Longáin earned his PhD from Ulster University, having focused his doctoral research on the poetry of the Fenian cycle. He is interested in folklore, literature and the manuscript tradition, with a particular interest in how creative writers draw inspiration from folklore. He is currently working with the Fionn Folklore Database, creating learning materials to accompany the database. Read more from Dubhán here.
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➤ The folkloric legacy of Fionn mac Cumhaill, his son Oisín and grandson Oscar
➤ Tales of the one-eyed Fianna warrior Goll mac Morna and his brothers
➤ The women at the heart of the Fianna tales: Niamh, Sadhbh and Gráinne
➤ St Patrick’s contribution to the legends of the Fianna
➤ Fionn Folklore: new oral heritage site showcases the Fianna’s lesser-known tales
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