Oisin

Also known as: Oisin, son of Finn · Family: Fianna · Role: Finn's son · First appears: The Fianna · Finn, Son of Cumhal · The Coming of Finn · Part 3

After seven years, Finn and his men found the naked, long-haired boy among Finn’s hounds at Beinn Gulbain. Sadbh, his mother, had been forced to leave him and follow Fear Doirche; the Fianna named the boy Oisin, and he became their maker of poems and a good fighter. He followed his father Finn and his son Osgar in battle. During the defence of Ireland, Credhe equipped the Fianna and cared for their wounded. Oisin fought the King of France, the son of Garb, and Forne of the Broad Shoulders, defeating them; Fiachra (son of the King of the Bretons) and Duaban Donn were among the Fianna’s friends.

Oisin married Eibhir after fighting the High King and bringing her to Ireland. Later, Niamh declared her love for him and invited him to the Country of the Young. He accepted, bade farewell to Finn and the Fianna, and went with her. In Oisin’s telling to Patrick, he married Niamh of the Golden Hair, and they had two sons, Finn (son of Oisin) and Osgar (son of Niamh), and a daughter, The Flower.

After a long absence, Oisin returned to Ireland as a withered old man. In his telling, he found that Finn and the Fianna were gone and that Finn’s hall at Almhuin had become weeds and nettles. He stepped off his horse and suddenly aged, becoming weak and blind; Patrick took him into his house, taught him, and argued with him. Oisin recalled his life with the Fianna, including that “I would be under his sway no longer, and that I would obey him no more.”