The Fhianna

by Iain Mac an tSaoir

The Fhianna was an out-caste caste of warriors. While they were certainly looked down upon, they fulfilled a necessary role in ensuring peace and suporting order and justice. The Fhianna was typically comprised of youths and young-adults. The members of the Fhianna, the Fennidh, were those whose relatives had given up claim to eric fine for. In many respects they appear to be similar to the "sadus" of another Indo-European peoples, the Hindi. In fact, typical of IE warrior bands, there is the noted blood lust, a set of endurances through which candidates attained initiation into the group, and association with animals (1). Tales about the Fhianna are repleat with imagery dealing with boars and deer.

Many members of the Fhianna were poets and seers of high regard. The leader of the Fhianna, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, is thought to have been an avatar of the much older Find, the quintessential seer of earlier mythos (2). Fingalian myths abound with tales of hunting trips that eventually land them in the Otherworld. The Fenian Cycle in Irish mythos pertains to the activities of Fionn MacCumhaill and his Fennidh. Perhaps through the tales we can also get a glimpse of the actions of the pscychopomp of the Gaelic pantheon in action, the boar against the gentle deer of the newly dead souls in the wild hunt (3).

The members of the Fhianna were foot soldiers, and from the lore we can see that they weren't allowed to ride on horses. They almost always fought on foot. We can see many things related to the Fhianna through the language. We can learn much about the Fhianna from the language itself.

Irish:

From the Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy (4):

Fian; derived from the ON fiandi 'enemy'...de Jubainville, RC xxviii 249, and Thurneyson, ZCP xv 262, connected with the people-name Fe/ni; by Loth, RC xiii507, with 'fine'. Acc. to Meyer, Fianaig. vi ff. it is from an abstr meaning 'driving, pursuing, hunting,' which has in Irish taken concrete meaning and denotes 'a band of warriors on the warpath.'

Fianach; pertaining to or possessing warrior-bands
Fianachas m. membership in a 'fian'; warrior's or hunter's calling
fianachta; pertaining to a 'fian' or the Fianna
fianachtach; like a fian-warrior, warlike
Fianaige; member of a fian; a soldier
Fianaigecht; serivice in a 'fian'; a warriors calling
fianamail; pertaining to a 'fian'; warlike
Fianas; the profession of a roving hunter and warrior; military service in a 'fian'; warfare as a calling.

Gaidhlig:

From the Faclair Gaidhlig Gubeurla Le Dealbhan (Dwelly's Illustrated Gaelic To English Dictionary)(5)

Fiann; sm Giant 2. Warrior 3. Fingalian
Fiannach; sm August
Fiannach, - aich; sm Month of August
Fiannach; ** a. Heroic, gigantic 2. Like a Fingalian 3. Of, or pertaining to a Fingalian
Fiannachail, - ala; a. Like a Fingalian 2. Gigantic 3. Heroic 4. August

Criterion For Acceptance:

There was an established criterion to be eligible for the Fhianna. The criterion is recorded by Lady Gregory (6). The candidate had to have memorized the twelve books of poetry. That showed that he was educated. In addition he had to versed in ettiquette and culture. Lastly, he had to pass a series of tests.

The first test was to stand in a knee deep pit and deflect the spears cast simultaneously by nine men from a distance of nine ridges. Armed only with a shield and a hazel rod, the candidate had to defend himself, deflecting the spears that were hurled against him.

The second test consisted of a chase through the forest, pursued by armed men. During the course the candidate would, while continuing at full speed:

a. Jump a tree limb his own height.
b. Run beneath a branch the height of his knee.
c. Remove a thorn from his foot.
d. Move with such grace as not a lock of hair was out of place, or loosened from its knot.
e. Avoid capture.
f. Express no signs of fear or fatigue, as demonstrated by shaking hands.

Sources:

1. The Code of the Warrior - In History, Myth, and Everyday Life, Rick Fields

2. Myth, Legend and Romance; "Fionn Mac Cumhaill", Dr. Daithi OhOgain

3. Clannada na Gadelica, "An Exploration Of Death In The Gaelic Paradigm of the Classical Age v.1.4", Iain MacAnTsaoir

4. Dictionary of the Irish Language, Royal Irish Academy

5. Faclair Gaidhlig Gubeurla Le Dealbhan (Dwelly's Illustrated Gaelic To English Dictionary)

6. Of Gods and Fighting Men, Lady Gregory

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