Caoilte

Also known as: Caoilte son of Ronan / Caoilte, son of Ronan · Family: Fianna · Role: warrior · First appears: The Gods · The Ever-living Living Ones · Bodb Dearg · Part 2

In the time of the Fianna, Scathniamh, daughter of Bodb Dearg, gave her love to Caoilte, but they were forced to part and did not meet again until he was old and withered. At Teamhair, when Finn was held there by force, Caoilte killed Cuireach while avenging him, then disguised himself as a servant and asked the king how he could free his “master.” He gathered pairs of Ireland’s wild creatures for the king, and when Finn regained his freedom, the creatures scattered as they left Teamhair.

Caoilte fought beside the Fianna in many battles. He joined Oisin, Lugaidh's Son, Conn Crither and Glas in destroying the strangers who landed in Ireland, and, after Osgar rebuked him for not helping, killed eighty fighting men. At Ess Ruadh he recognized his foster-brother Derg, fought and killed Lir, and received weapons and other gifts from Ilbrec. Later, after Mane wounded him with a poisoned spear, Bebind treated him at Ess Ruadh. At Cruachan, Caoilte identified himself to Bairnech as his kinsman and killed the three women who had been robbing Bairnech’s flocks; at Ceann Slieve, he killed Ethne (the woman-Druid).

Caoilte was among the Fianna who covered Diarmuid’s body with their cloaks at Beinn Gulbain. He led a thousand men who were defeated by Tailc, and later struck Goll with a spear, knocking off his helmet and a piece of flesh. After the Fianna gathered for the last time, Caoilte entered a hill of the Sidhe to be healed of his old wounds. A long time later, he revealed himself to the King of Ireland as the man who “was with Finn one time.”