Fionn mac Cumhaill, pronounced Finn Macool, is an Irish folk hero. He became the leader of a warrior band called the Fiana after both defeating its leader and killing a fire spirit with his sword Mac an Luin. He accidentally gained the ability to tap into universal knowledge by sucking his thumb after being burnt by the fish of knowledge. Fionn met his future wife in the form of a deer, noticing that his dogs acted weird around the deer, Fionn was intrigued, bringing the deer back to his home. As soon as they stepped foot onto his land the deer transformed into a woman with Fionn falling in love with her, she confided that an evil Druid transformed her into her deer form. However one day when he was out hunting she was taken once more by the evil druid, never being seen again. When Fionn went out looking for her, he found a young fawn that once again piqued his interest, bringing it back to his home it transformed into a young boy, his son. Fionn isn’t believed to be dead, on the contrary it’s said that he’s in a deep slumber, and once Ireland is threatened he will emerge once more to defend his people.
Fionn’s name come from his light hair, Fionn meaning fair hair. Fionn mac Cumhaill is one of the most prolific and popular culture heroes from Ireland along with Cú chulainn and Lugh. According to some traditions, Fionn is the great grandson of Nuada, the god of hunting. Fionn’s genealogy doesn’t end there as he’s also commonly depicted as the descendant of the Firbolg warriors who fought the Tuatha dé Dannan.
