Editing Fianna (section)

==Legendary depiction==
[[File:Myths and legends; the Celtic race (1910) (14760479206).jpg|thumb|"The Fianna raised a pillar stone with her name in [[Ogham]] letters" - illustration by [[Stephen Reid (artist)|Stephen Reid]] in ''Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race'' (1911)]]
{{main|Fianna Cycle}}
The ''fianna'' are the focus of a body of [[Irish mythology|Irish legends]] known as the [[Fenian Cycle|''Fíanaigecht'', 'Fianna Cycle' or 'Fenian Cycle']]. Most are about the adventures and heroic deeds of [[Fionn mac Cumhaill|Finn (or Fionn) mac Cumhaill]] and his ''fían'' members.

In earlier tales, the various ''fianna'' groups are depicted as roving hunter-warriors, and there are many pagan and magical elements.<ref name="Simms"/> Later tales focus on Fionn and his companions, and the ''fianna'' are more often depicted as household troops of the [[High King of Ireland|High Kings]].<ref name="Simms"/> These later tales usually depict the ''fianna'' as one group with two factions: the Clann Baíscne of [[Leinster]], led by Fionn, and the Clann Morna of [[Connacht]], led by [[Goll mac Morna]].

Some legendary depictions of ''fianna'' seem to conform to historical reality: for example, in the [[Ulster Cycle]] the druid [[Cathbad]] leads a ''fian'' of 27 men which fights against other ''fianna'' and kills the 12 foster-fathers of the [[Ulaid|Ulster]] princess [[Ness (Irish mythology)|Ness]]. In response, Ness leads her own ''fian'' of 27 in pursuit of Cathbad.<ref>[[Kuno Meyer]], "Anecdota from the Stowe MS. No. 992", ''[[Revue Celtique]]'' 6, 1884, pp. 173-186</ref>

===War cry and mottos===
The ''Dord Fian''<ref>[https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095727226 Oxford Reference: Dord Fian]</ref> or ''Dord Fiansa''<ref>[[eDIL]] - "dord", http://www.dil.ie/18319</ref> was the [[war-cry]] of the ''Fianna'', and they often sounded it before and amid battle, either as a mode of communication or to put fear into their enemies. In the legend ''"The Death of Fionn"'', [[Fionn mac Cumhaill|Fionn]] raises the ''Dord Fian'' when he sees his grandson [[Oscar (Irish mythology)|Oscar]] fall in the ''[[Battle of Gabhra]]'' against the armies of [[Cairbre Lifechair]], and proceeds to strike back at the enemy with great fury, killing many dozens of warriors.<ref>[[Augusta, Lady Gregory]] - ''Gods and Fighting Men (1904) Chapter - The Death of Fionn''</ref> The ''Battle of Gabhra'' also marked the demise of the Fianna.

They had three [[motto]]es:
*''Glaine ár gcroí'' (Purity of our hearts)
*''Neart ár ngéag'' (Strength of our limbs)
*''Beart de réir ár mbriathar'' (Action to match our speech)

===Notable ''fénnid''===
*[[Fionn mac Cumhaill]]: last leader of the Fianna
*[[Cumhall]]: Fionn's father, the former leader
*[[Goll mac Morna]]
*[[Caílte mac Rónáin]]
*[[Conán mac Morna]]
*[[Diarmuid Ua Duibhne]]: a warrior of the Fianna who ran off with Fionn's intended bride [[Gráinne]] and was finally killed  by a giant [[boar]] on the heath of [[Benbulbin|Benn Gulbain]]. Foster son of [[Aengus]].
*Lughaid Lámhfhada: [[magic (paranormal)|sorcerous]] warrior, nephew of Fionn, one of the four who could have untied the knots Diarmuid bound the sea-kings with, but refused to do so. Lover of Aífe, daughter of [[Manannán]]
*[[Oisín]], son of Fionn ([[James Macpherson|Macpherson's]] [[Ossian]])
*[[Oscar (Irish mythology)|Oscar]], son of Oisín
*[[Cael Ua Neamhnainn]]