Fingal’s Cave

In Ireland lived a giant called Finn MacCool who was only 52.6 feet, across the sea in Scotland lived a rival giant called Benandonner who could not swim.

The two giants hollered across Moyle Sea demanding a trial of strength. This was agreed and Finn offered to make the contest possible by building a rocky causeway between Ireland and Scotland.

Finn was exhausted after so much work and fell asleep. 

Oonagh was Finn’s wife, when she woke up the following morning she found Finn completely asleep; suddenly, she heard the sound of thunderous footsteps. It was Benandonner .

On seeing his approach,  Oonagh decided to cover Finn’s body with a nightgown and a bonnet. There was no possible way Finn could defeat Benandonner for he was too small. Benandonner was very angry because he was forced to use the causeway to reach Finn.

Benandonner asked Oonagh where Finn was and she told him to be quiet because Finn’s bairn would wake up.

Benandonner looked at the child and on seeing his size, he thought that Finn was much bigger than himself and so the Scottish Giant retreated quickly destroying part of the causeway in his way back to Scotland.

Another story says that the giant built the causeway because he was in love with a giantess who lived in Scotland so he built the causeway to reach his lover’s home and seduce her.

Fingal’s cave on the Isle of Staffa, Scotland

Copyright Monica Loreto