Hello and welcome to the fifth part of our six part series on Heroes. Last week we spoke about Fionn MacCumhaill and today we’ll look at his son, Oisín. Now, chances are, you’ve heard tell of Oisín and his adventure to Tír na nÓg with Niamh Chinn Óir, but for those who haven’t, here’s his story.
After Fionn and Sadhbh’s love story, came Oisín. At this time, Fionn was away fighting, and Sadhbh had been transformed into a doe. When Oisín was born, he too was a deer, or a fawn, which explains his name. Sadhbh looked after Oisín and raised him, but when Fionn met Oisín againn, he was alone. Fionn’s hound, Bran, almost killed Oisín and Oisín yelled out, pleading with Fionn not to kill him. Fionn told Oisín to leap through his legs. Oisín did as he said, and when Bran chased him, Fionn closed his legs, killing her with his knees. Fionn broke down and wept for his hound, since he had loved her so much.
Now, Fionn and Oisín were reunited but Oisín was still in the form of a fawn. But, Oisín and Fionn had a special kind of blood. Fionn’s mother, Oisín’s Grandmother, was called Muirne and she could transform from human to doe with ease. And so, Fionn spoke to Oisín and taught him how to shift back into his human form. On his third attempt, Oisín succeeded and Fionn saw a young boy in front of him. His son.
Oisín grew up, and became a strong warrior. He was one of the strongest warriors in the Fianna. As well as that, he was a wonderful poet. He could compose verses and prose with ease. He was a beautiful man and after hearing all of this, it’s not hard to guess why Niamh Chinn Óir came looking for him.
One day, after a terrible battle, the remainder of the Fianna travelled over the mountains in Killarney, led by Oisín and Fionn. From the mist over Lough leane, Niamh Chinn Óir came on a white horse, approaching them over the water. Niamh spoke to Fionn, the Leader of the Fianna, and Fionn knew that she was unhappy.
“What troubles you? What has happened to your husband?” he asked.
“I have no husband. I had no need for one until I heard tell of Oisín of the Strong Hands. He is the one that I want, and my heart is heavy without him.”
When Oisín heard these words, he fell in love with Niamh on the spot.
“What is it you desire, my love?” he asked.
“I wish for you to come with me to Tír na nÓg, a place where no one ages,” Niamh replied.
Oisín’s love for Niamh was strong, but his family was in Ireland. His father, FIonn, his friends in the Fianna, even Ireland herself. The place that inspired his stories and poetry. The green valleys and the blue lakes. He could not decide until Niamh put a gease on him.
A gease is a form of powerful magic. It was often used on warriors as an unbreakable bond, usually for them to keep their honour or something similar. Niamh used her magic on Oisín and Oisín could not break the gease.
Oisín went with Niamh and on their way across the Atlantic, the stopped to rescue the King of Youth’s daughter from Fómhar Builleach. He was a giant and Oisín fought him for three days and three nights until he won. The three of them headed to Tír na nÓg. The King gave Oisín a warm welcome. They celebrated for ten days and ten nights after Oisín and Niamh married. Oisín stayed with Niamh and they had three children together. Two boys, Oscar and Fionn, and one girl, Los na mBan.
After a spell, Oisín wanted to go back home. He felt like he was in heaven, or in the Otherworld, the home of the fairies. Everyone there was happy, there was no hunger or want for anything here. They could hunt, and play hurling. Oisín taught his children poetry and how to play chess. And yet, Éire called to him and he felt he had no other options but to return home.
As expected, Niamh did not want him to leave, but she knew it would not be right for her to keep him there. Niamh’s magic allowed her to divine the future and she gave Oisín a warning three times.
“Do not step off the horse, or you won’t come back to me.”
“Do not step off the horse, or you won’t come back to me.”
“Do not step off the horse, or you won’t come back to me.”
Oisín took the white horse and returned to Ireland. He landed in Gleann na Smól and came across some men struggling to move a huge rock. Well, I say a few, but actually it was three hundred men that were trying to move this rock. Oisín leaned down on his horse and hurled the rock out of the way. As he did so, his saddle broke and he fell from the horse. On the spot, he transformed into a blind old man. With the horse now disappeared, the men took care of Oisín and he learned that he had not been gone three years, but three hundred. By this time, the Fianna were long gone and Oisín died on his own, without his family or his tribe, in a land he didn’t recognise.
That is the story of Oisín, and isn’t it a tragic one? Next week, we’ll continue with our series, and finish up with our last hero. Bígí Linn!
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