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Fionn mac Cumhaill's Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Fionn mac Cumhaill

Location: Caherconlish (County Limerick) - Knockeen (little hill)
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This hill was said to be the first place Fionn mac Cumhaill appeared having killed Ceannurran, a one eyed giant.

Giant's Stone

Location: Clonbulloge (County Offaly) - Clonkeen standing stone
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Stone still present
Further Comments: The giant Fionn MacCumhaill tossed this stone from Croghan, around twenty kilometres southeast. As the stone rolled across the ground, a dog stood in its path and stopped the stone with his paw; the paw print is still seen on the stone today.

Thrown Stone

Location: Crolly (County Donegal) - The Large Rock Of The Foxes Leap, aka Crolly Stone
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: Fionn Mac Cumhaill threw this large boulder during the pursuit of Diarmuid and Grainne but missed his targets. It is said to grant a wish if three small stones can be successfully thrown on top of it. Another legend says the boulder will roll if the most beautiful maiden in the all the land stands in its shadow.


A magic lantern slide of the Giant's Causeway.

Finn's Bridge

Location: Giant's Causeway (County Antrim) - Rock formation
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Rock formation still present
Further Comments: Finn McCool, a hero of Ireland, created this rocky causeway to enable a Scottish giant to cross the sea so they could fight. MacCool won the duel after dressing as a baby; the Scottish giant fled home, tearing up the bridge to prevent the Irish giant from following. Also, the ghost of a boy who drowned here in 1910 is still seen playing on the rocks - he wears a soaking wet sailor's suit and vanishes if spoken to.

Finn's Dog

Location: Lough Bran (or Brin) (County Leitrim) - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: McCool's hunting dog, Bran, drowned in this body of water - the area was named after the faithful hound. Bran's ghost now haunts the lake.


An old illustration of a boar.

Wet Boar

Location: Lough Cullin (County Mayo) - General area
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: While Fionn mac Cumhaill was hunting with his hounds Cullin and Conn, they encountered a boar with water leaking from its feet. He hunter and his dogs gave chase; the boar's leaking feet eventually creating Lough Cullin that enabled it to escape and drown Conn in the process.

Finn the Monster Killer

Location: Lough Derg (County Tipperary) - Waters of the Lake and surrounding area
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A legend tells of how the Warrior Hero Finn fought and killed a huge monster which lived in this lake - two hundred men climbed out of the beast's belly once Finn sliced it open. Some say a (smaller) lake creature still lives in the water.

Scoop of Earth

Location: Lough Neagh (County Antrim) - Waters of the lough
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Fionn mac Cumhaill, aka Finn McCool, created Lough Neagh when he picked up a lump of earth and threw it at a Scottish rival. He missed, and created the Isle of Man. The waters are also said to be the home of a peist.

Finn's Kitchen

Location: Machrie, Isle of Arran (Ayrshire) - Fingal's Cauldron Seat
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: Created by the giant Finn McCool as a place for his cauldron, this set of standing stones remain intact ready for the next passing ogre...


Petrified people stand on a vanishing island.

Banished Island

Location: Port Soderick (Isle of Man) - Off the coast
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Reappears every seven years, last seen late September, year unknown.
Further Comments: The occupants of an island insulted the wizard Fin MacCool. As punishment he turned the people into granite and sunk the island, permitting it to return once every seven years. The curse could be broken if a bible were placed on the island during a period of its return. The last time the island was spotted, the witness ran home, grabbed her bible and returned to the site, but was too slow - the island had already sunk back to the depths. The woman who tried to save the island died soon after; superstitious locals blamed her death on MacCool's curse, and this supposedly has prevented anyone from trying to save the island and its occupants again.


An old postcard showing Proleek Dolmen and tomb.

Giant's Grave

Location: Ravensdale (County Louth) - Proleek Dolmen and tomb
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: The Scottish giant Parrah Boug MacShagean built the dolmen at this site and challenged Fionn mac Cumhaill to combat. Fionn poisoned the nearby river and Parrah died from drinking the water. Parrah's body is said to lay in the nearby tomb. A legend says that if a visitor can manage to land three stones on to the dolmen, their wish shall be granted.

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