Fianna

[Icarus]

The Fianna did not use chariots preferring to be more mobile on horses alone. The Fianna were made up of members from many different tribes who travelled in bands of up to 3000 men across the country protecting the land from invaders. By the time of the Fianna iron was being used in weaponry as opposed to the use of bronze by their ancestors. Iron was much stronger and less liable to bend. The average sword was 3 feet in length, the hilt comprising 6 inches of the total length. The swords were used to cut and hack rather than stab, later on shorter stabbing swords would have been used. The Fianna probably used both types. Spears were also used these had barbs attached they were easy to thrust into a body but always tore when being withdrawn causing the most damage. Slings would also have been used but not as often. The Fianna's greatest task was the defence of the coast. They had a system of look-outs and signals posted on top of cliffs and at fords and passes of importance. Signals were passed by relays of runners or by beacons at night. Therefore the Fianna were alerted very quickly of any encroachments and could defend the land straightaway.


The Fianna were made up of three classes of Irish men each under obligation to give a certain number of their days in service to their chieftain after which they could return to their normal duties. They also comprised of mercenaries from various countries such as Scandinavia and Britain who were paid a regular wage for their services by the reigning high king. Ordinary peacekeeping duties were also under their jurisdiction. The making and keeping of laws was very important in Celtic culture at this time.


The motto of the Fianna was: Truth in our hearts. Strength in our hands. Consistency in our tongues.

They had a special war-cry called the- 'Diord Fionn'.


From Bealtaine to Samhain they went from place to place hunting game for their food. The rest of the year they patrolled as defenders, being granted free bed and board by local chieftains in return for their protection.


Conditions for entry into the Fianna:


First of all there had to be assurances from the patrilineal as well as the matrilineal line of the family that none of them would sue for compensation in the event of the death of the member.


Conversely if a member of the Fianna caused damage to anyone or their property then his family would not be held responsible for his actions.
No man was taken until he was a prime poet versed in the twelve books of bardic literature.



No man was taken until he could defend himself from within a large hole in the ground up to his belt, with only his shield and a length of hazel rod. While nine warriors having nine spears and being a distance of ten furrows away from him let fly at him together. If he let anything past his guard and got hurt he was not accepted.


No man was taken until he had woven his hair into many braids and he was set at a run through the woods, while the ones seeking to wound him were sent after him there having been just one forest bough between them at first. If he was overtaken and wounded he was not allowed entry, If his weapons had quivered in his hand he was not taken, If his hair was disturbed in any way out of its braiding he was not taken. If he cracked a dry stick under his foot as he ran he was not taken. He also had at full speed to jump a branch level with chest and stoop under one level with his knee without breaking stride or else he was not accepted. Also he had to extract a thorn from his foot without pausing in his stride or else he was not taken.


If he could manage to do all the above successfully then he was accepted into the Fianna.


Celtic Warcraft


The Celtic Warriors often went into battle naked expecting to be protected by their gods, their hair would be whitened with lime, fashioned into splendid shapes, their bodies patterned with tattoos, they attacked their chosen combatants with special war cries and boasts of past victories. Some Celts were head hunters believing the head to be the seat of the soul and the possession of the skull to lend strength to them in battle therefore these tribes decorated their chariots with skulls. The use of the chariot was very important for the Early Celtic warriors, they worked in tandem with their charioteers and horses as a team. The Celts used the method of single combat choosing a champion to fight in a one on one confrontation with an opposing champion, they did not believe in unnecessary bloodshed and waste of life. Therefore skill and mastery of Warcraft was an important element of combat as they never relied on sheer numbers to win their battles.


Celtic Battles were very organized, joined by mutual agreement on certain days at specified times. Before battle each warrior took a stone and these were piled into cairns, afterwards those stones not reclaimed enabled the number of dead to be calculated.


www.shee-eire.com/magic&mythology/W...ianna/Page1.htm

[Icarus]

Motto and Maxims:

Motto: There were three:


Glaine ár gcroí which means "Pureness of Heart"

Neart ár ngéag which means "Strength of Limb."

Beart de réir ár mbriathar which means "Deeds To Match Words."



Maxims of the Fianna
(As given to mac Luga by Finn)

“Son of Luga, if armed service be thy design, in a great man’s household be quiet, be surly in the narrow pass.”


“Without a fault of his beat not thy hound; until thou ascertain her guilt, bring not a charge against thy wife.”


“In battle meddle not with a buffoon, for, O mac, Luga, he is but a fool.”

“Censure not any if he be of grave repute; stand not up to take part in a brawl; have naught to do with a madman or a wicked one.”


“Two-thirds of thy gentleness be shown to women and to those that creep on the floor (little children) and to poets, and be not violent to the common people.”


“Utter not swaggering speech, nor say thou wilt not yield what is right; it is a shameful thing to speak too stiffly unless that it be feasible to carry out thy words.”


“So long as thou shalt live, thy lord forsake not; neither for gold nor for other reward in the world abandon one whom thou art pledged to protect.”

“To a chief do not abuse his people, for that is no work for a man of gentle blood.”

“Be no tale-bearer, nor utterer of falsehoods; be not talkative nor rashly censorious. Stir not up strife against thee, however good a man thou be.”

“Be no frequenter of the drinking-house, nor given to carping at the old; meddle not with a man of mean estate.”

“Dispense thy meat freely; have no niggard for thy familiar.”

“Force not thyself upon a chief, nor give him cause to speak ill of thee.”

“Stick to thy gear; hold fast to thy arms till the stern fight with its weapon-glitter be ended.”

“Be more apt to give than to deny, and follow after gentleness, O son of Luga.”

[Icarus]

Tests of the Fianna


In the time of Finn no one was ever permitted to be one of the Fianna of Erin unless he could pass many severe tests of his worthiness.


-He must be versed in the Twelve Books of Poetry.


-He must be skilled in making verse and rhyme as a master of Gaelic poetry.


-He was buried in the ground, up to his middle, then had to defend himself with shield and a hazel stick against nine spear throwing Fianna.


-His hair was then braided and he was chased through the forest by the Fianna. If one of the braids were disturbed, or if the warrior was overtaken, or if a dry stick cracked beneath his running feet, he was not accepted.


-He must be able to leap over a lath level with his brow, and to run at full speed under one level with his knee.


-He must be able to pull a thorn from his foot, while running at full speed, without slowing a pace.


-He must take no dowry with a wife.