The Tale of Oisin
Oisín or Ossian (Old Irish, pronounced [ˈɔʃiːnʲ], roughly uh-SHEEN) was the son of Fionn mac Cumhail and of Sadb (daughter of Bodb Dearg). He was regarded in legend as the greatest poet of Ireland, as well as a warrior of the Fianna in the Ossianic or Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He was boldly known as the narrator of much of this cycle. [Wikipedia]

“Oisin” means “Young Deer or Fawn” partly because of his mother’s tale. The Druid “Fear Doirche” was madly in love with Oisin’s mother Sadbh, and when she turned down his advances, in spite he turned her into a deer. While out on a hunt, the great hunter “Fionn” spied this lovely deer in the woods. When he captured her, she turned back to human form. Madly in love with his prize, he retired from hunting, and proposed to her. They settled down for a life happily ever after and became pregnant with a son. When “Fear Doirche” discovered this, he turned her back into a deer, and she ran off into the woods never to be seen again. Seven years later, Fionn found their child lying naked on the Benbulbin. He was ecstatic with joy. He raised his son Oisin to be a great poet, hunter, and warrior.

The story of Oisin’s life is very well captured in the “Oisín in Tir na nÓg” adventure tale. It is within this fable that we are told that the Faerie woman “Níamh Chinn Óir – Niamh of the Golden Hair or Head” came to visit Oisin. Niamh was one of Manannán Mac Lir’s daughters. Manannan was the Irish God of the Sea. Niamh announced to Oisin that she was his true love and soul mate and that he must come with her to the “Tir na nÓg” (“the land of the young”, or “the land of promise”). There Niamh and Oisin gave birth to a son and daughter. Oisin’s son is “Oscar” and his daughter was “Plor na mBan” the “Flower of Women”.

They were all quite happy. However, after what seemed like three years in Faerieland, Oisin grew weary to see his family in Ireland and persistently requested Niamh’s permission to return for a visit. Little did Oisin know that those three years in Faerie were in actuality 300 human years that had passed. So Niamh gives him “Embarr”, her white faerie steed, with specific instructions that he shall not dismount for any reason for if his feet touch the ground those 300 years would immediately turn him into an ancient withered old man.

Oisin returns to find his home on the hill of Almu abandoned and in disrepair. As he tries to find his father he encounters some men trying to lift a great stone onto their wagon. As he tries to help, his girth breaks and he falls to the ground, becoming a blind old man just as Niamh warned. Embarr returns back to the Tir na nÓg without him. Oisin is then left to wander the countryside of the human realms as a wise old blind man. He teams up with Caílte mac Rónáin and takes on the bardic path sharing folklore, faerie tales, and stories of the Fianna. He becomes the Epitome of the term “Wanderlust”. He is also rumored to be a staunch advocate of the Pagan faiths. He becomes quite bothered by the fact all his comrades, family, and friends are gone as is the Pagan faiths of Ireland.

According to William Butler Yeat’s poem “The Wanderings of Oisin”, Oisin encounters the Irish Catholic Saint Patrick who was responsible for destroying the Pagan faiths of Ireland. Oisin tries to teach Saint Patrick about the glories of Ancient Ireland and the land of the Faerie. Further mythology tells of Niamh coming to the shores of Ireland in search of her long lost love to find him and bring him back to Faerie. Story has it she does not ever find him and Oisin dies of old age.

Oisin’s grave is believed to be located close to the foot of the Glenann in the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland. Yeats, James Macpherson, Goethe, and Walter Scott all wrote about Oisin and were obsessed with translating his poems. Books have been written about him. Films have been made about his story.
[More stories of Oisin: Oisin and Niamh; The Youths of Oisin; The Wanderings of Oisin; and Oisin and Patrick.]

to be continued ….

Preface on Magisto, Youtube, or Vimeo.
Run Time: 5 min 44 sec.
Soundtrack: The Journey Ahead by Donn Wilkerson.