Texts

Duanaire Finn

  • Irish
  • verse
  • Duanaire Finn, Classical Irish poetry, Finn Cycle

Collection of Fenian poems.

Language
  • Irish
Form
verse (primary)
Associated items
Goll’s parting with his wifeGoll’s parting with his wifeFionn’s prophecyFionn’s prophecyThe bathing of Oisín’s headThe bathing of Oisín’s headThe rowan-tree of ClonfertThe rowan-tree of ClonfertThe sword of OscarThe sword of OscarThe standing stones of IrelandThe standing stones of IrelandThe naming of Dún GáireThe naming of Dún GáireThe wry rowanThe wry rowanAgallamh Oisín agus PhádraigAgallamh Oisín agus Phádraig

Early Modern Irish fíanaigecht poem, which occurs in the collection Duanaire Finn as well as the later Agallamh Oisín agus Phádraig

The battle of GabhairThe battle of GabhairThe house of Morna defend Fionn in hellThe house of Morna defend Fionn in hellFionn’s prophecyFionn’s prophecyThe death of GollThe death of GollThe women-folk of the fíanThe women-folk of the fíanThe coming of the DeargThe coming of the DeargThese sixThese sixLament for the fianaLament for the fianaLugh’s fían kinshipLugh’s fían kinshipThe crane-bagThe crane-bagThe Battle of the SheavesThe Battle of the SheavesThe bird-cribThe bird-cribCotail becán becán becCotail becán becán becFionn’s foray to TaraFionn’s foray to TaraErect your hunting spearsErect your hunting spearsDo bádus-sa úairDo bádus-sa úairThe magic pigThe magic pigThe lay of Beann GhúalannThe lay of Beann GhúalannRise up OisínRise up OisínRise up OsgarRise up OsgarThe abduction of EargnaThe abduction of EargnaThe daughter of DiarmaidThe daughter of DiarmaidThe bell on Druim DeirgThe bell on Druim DeirgThe household of AlmhaThe household of AlmhaFionn’s ancestryFionn’s ancestryThe kinship of Fíamhain with OisínThe kinship of Fíamhain with OisínThe kindred of FionnThe kindred of FionnThe adventure of the men from SorchaThe adventure of the men from SorchaThe fray at Loch LuigThe fray at Loch LuigThe enchanted stagThe enchanted stagThe burden of Críonloch’s churchThe burden of Críonloch’s churchThe beagle’s cryThe beagle’s cryThe chase above Lough DergThe chase above Lough DergThe kinship of Cnú Dheireóil with FionnThe kinship of Cnú Dheireóil with FionnThe chess-game beneath the yew-treeThe chess-game beneath the yew-treeOisín in ElphinOisín in ElphinCaoilte’s swordCaoilte’s swordManannán of the fíanManannán of the fíanTeacht Laighne Mhóir ar an bhFéinnTeacht Laighne Mhóir ar an bhFéinnLaoi an bhraitLaoi an bhraitThe lay of Airrghean the GreatThe lay of Airrghean the GreatThe adventure on Slieve GullenThe adventure on Slieve GullenThe chase of Sliabh TruimThe chase of Sliabh TruimGoll’s tomb and the coming of MagnusGoll’s tomb and the coming of MagnusLige Guill (i mMaig Raigni)Lige Guill (i mMaig Raigni)Caoílte’s mischief-makingCaoílte’s mischief-makingBran’s departure from the fíanBran’s departure from the fíanWoe for them that wait on churchmenWoe for them that wait on churchmenGoll’s maledictionGoll’s maledictionOenach indiu luid in ríOenach indiu luid in ríOlc mo thuras sonn ó LundainOlc mo thuras sonn ó LundainSeilg Shléibhe na mBanSeilg Shléibhe na mBanThe battle of CronnmhóinThe battle of CronnmhóinThe boyhood of FionnThe boyhood of FionnThe lay of the smithyThe lay of the smithyCaoilte’s urnCaoilte’s urnThree heroes went we to the chaseThree heroes went we to the chaseTrúag sin a Chaílte a charaTrúag sin a Chaílte a charaThe war-vaunt of GollThe war-vaunt of GollThe shield of FionnThe shield of Fionn

Classification

Duanaire Finn
Duanaire Finn
id. 11031
Classical Irish poetryClassical Irish poetry
...

Finn Cycle
Finn Cycle
id. 578

Sources

Primary sources Text editions and/or modern translations – in whole or in part – along with publications containing additions and corrections, if known. Diplomatic editions, facsimiles and digital image reproductions of the manuscripts are not always listed here but may be found in entries for the relevant manuscripts. For historical purposes, early editions, transcriptions and translations are not excluded, even if their reliability does not meet modern standards.

MacNeill, Eoin, and Gerard Murphy [eds.], Duanaire Finn: The book of the lays of Fionn, 3 vols, Irish Texts Society, 7, 28, 43, London: Irish Texts Society, 1908–1953.  
comments: Edition of the poem-boek Duanaire Finn, with translation and notes. Three volumes were published between 1908 and 1953:
  • vol. 1 (1908): ed. Eoin MacNeill
  • vol. 2 (1933): ed. Gerard Murphy
  • vol. 3 (1953): introduction, notes, appendices, glossary and indexes by Gerard Murphy, with Anne O’Sullivan, Idris L. Forster and Brendan Jennings
Internet Archive – vol. 1: <link>, <link> CELT – edition of vol. 2: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 2: <link> Internet Archive – vol. 3: <link>
[ed.] [tr.] MacNeill, Eoin [ed.], Duanaire Finn: The book of the lays of Fionn, 3 vols, vol. 1: Irish text, with translation into English, Irish Texts Society, 7, London: Irish Texts Society, 1908.
Foclóir na Nua-Ghaeilge – editions: <link> Internet Archive: <link> Internet Archive – originally from Google Books: <link>
[ed.] [tr.] Murphy, Gerard [ed.], Duanaire Finn: The book of the lays of Fionn, 3 vols, vol. 2: Irish text, with translation into English, Irish Texts Society, 28, London: Irish Texts Society, 1933.
CELT – edition: <link> Internet Archive: <link>
[intro.] [notes] Murphy, Gerard, Duanaire Finn: The book of the lays of Fionn, 3 vols, vol. 3: Introduction, notes, appendices and glossary, Irish Texts Society, 43, London: Irish Texts Society, 1953.
Internet Archive: <link>

Secondary sources (select)

Murray, Kevin, The early Finn Cycle, Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2017. 200 pp.  
abstract:
The Finn (or Fenian) Cycle (fíanaigecht) is classified by modern scholarship as one of four medieval Irish literary cycles along with the Ulster Cycle, the Cycle of Historical Tales (or Cycles of the Kings) and the Mythological Cycle. It is primarily composed of material dealing with the legendary character Finn mac Cumaill, his warrior band (fían), his son Oisín and his grandson Oscar. In a fashion recalling the expansion of the Arthurian legend throughout Europe, the traditions centred on Finn grew from localized beginnings to spread throughout the entire Gaelic-speaking world. This study takes as its focus the early Finn Cycle, up to and including the composition of the most significant fíanaigecht tale, Acallam na senórach (‘The colloquy of the ancients’), at the beginning of the Early Modern Irish period. The volume also deals in detail with topics such as the nature of the fían; the extent of early fragmentary Finn Cycle sources; the background to Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne (‘The pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne’); the boyhood deeds and death of Finn; and the development of the Fenian lay tradition. The Early Finn Cycle details and investigates the primary and secondary sources for the study of this material and traces the literary development of the early fíanaigecht corpus. In so doing, it seeks to account for the emergence of the Finn Cycle from fragmentarily documented beginnings to become the dominant genre of Gaelic literature after 1200.
esp. 130–139
Carey, John (ed.), Duanaire Finn: reassessments, Irish Texts Society, Subsidiary Series, 13, London: Irish Texts Society, 2003.
Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen
Page created
April 2012, last updated: January 2024