CELTIC WARRIORS
The line between the perceived world and the Otherworld can sometimes fade or be obscured by the mists of time.When this happens, heroic legends walk.The Red Branch. More than 2,000 years ago, Conor mac Nessa was the king in ancient
Ulster. One day, into his stronghold walked a silver-eyed boy named Setanta. He was the son of a high born lady, Dectera and Lugh, Son of the Sun. He grew to manhood and the leadership of the elite "Red Branch" It is said that when the battle-rage seized him, he became like a terrible god of destruction. He became Conor's champion. They called him "Cuchulain" the Hound of Ulster. He was a man torn between this world and the Otherworld; between gentleness and violence and haunted by
a sinister raven. Within the tales of the Red Branch are basic truths covered with the mists of myth. Yet in ancient Ireland, one can never
really seperate fact from magic. As Chuchulain is reported to have said, "A man believes what he wants to believe." "Let Erin remember the days of old... When her kings with standards of green unfurl'd, Led the Red Branch Kinghts to danger,"
- Thomas Moore -
The Fianna
Among the other great warrior elite of Ireland are the legends of "Fionn MacCumail."(sometimes called Finn MacCool) His stories also lie in the
shadowplace between myth, magic and history. He is one of the mightest of Irish heros, a leader of the well known and invincible army of the "Fianna." Fionn MacCumail wore many faces: he was a warrior, poet, lover, creator and destoyer. He gained it all, held it and then lost it. In the end he gained immortality and to this day he still walks within
the misty legends. So the question is,did the man become a legend or the legend a man? Many and hard were the tests of he who sought to be one of
the noble Fianna. He must have mastered all 12 books of poetry, he must be skillful enough to run thru the wood at top speed and not have a
single braid of hair come lose. His step must be light and silent enough that he not break a withered branch or turn over a leaf in his passage.
When a young man was successful in his trials he would then take the oath of fealty -- however, this oath was not given to the Ad Righ (king) but to Fionn, Chief of the Fianna.
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