Fionn mac Cumhaill

Fionn mac Cumhaill or Finn MacCool, legendary Irish hero, a chieftain and bard of the 2nd or 3rd century ad. According to legend he was the descendant of a druid and had been raised in a forest. Wise and sensitive to natural beauty, Fionn was also a man of mighty deeds and the leader of a band of warrior-poets whose name, the Fianna, is derived from his. One member of the band, Ossian, was believed to be Fionn’s son (see Ossian and Ossianic Ballads).

Fionn's exploits are the subjects of several long narrative poems, the Fenian Cycle, the earliest version of which dates from the 8th century (see Gaelic Literature). He is also the hero of many ballads traditionally ascribed to Ossian.