Mythology Monday: Irish Folk Stories

Finn McCool and the legend of the Giants Causeway

There once was a giant called Finn McCool. He had heard stories of a competition in Scotland that battled out the biggest and fiercest giants against eachother in areas such as tree trunk throwing and bolder carrying. Finn decided this would be great fun so he decided to build a road across the sea so he could walk right over to Scotland. He flipped mountains into the ocean until the road began to take shape. A few days later one of Finn's friends walked over to him bringing a message. "There is gossip that a giant is on his way to your house, he lept over the sea from Scotland and has as much strength as ten men put together." Finn began to feel uneasy so he left his road half finished and went back home to his wife Oonagh. Oonagh laughed at Finn's fear and told him to follow what she does and leave everything to her. They first put some round flat stones on a plate with one single oatcake and they made a Giant cradle that Finn McCool laid in dressed as a baby. Shortly after a huge giant knocked on their front door asking for Finn McCool and Saying that he will "Rip him apart when I find him" Oonagh told the giant that her husband was away building his bridge but the giant is welcome to come in and have something to eat. She handed him one of the rocks disguised as oatcakes and when he bit into it all of his teeth fell out. Oonagh told the giant that these oatcakes were her babies favorites and headed over to the cot which held Finn McCool and fed him the real oatcake. The giant was shocked at the size of Finn's 'baby' as Oonagh boasted that he already had his teeth. She prompted the Giant to put his finger in Finn's mouth and see. The giant did as he was told and Finn bit down biting the end of his finger off. The Giant screamed "If this is Finn McCool's baby i don't want to meet him!" and he ran off into the day. Finn never did finish his road as he decided he would much rather stay with his clever wife instead.