The Fenian Cycle Today

By around 1500AD, Fionn became the most prominent figure in stories of the Fenian Cycle. The Cycle is not purely oral, and has been influenced by technology since the early Christian monks first put pen to paper in Ireland. While the chanting of Fianna lays (poetic verses) by specialised storytellers does not survive, some recent versions have been in Scotland.

A manifestation of Fionn appears in Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce

The character Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker represents Fionn in James Joyce's play 'Finnegan’s Wake' (1939).

A manifestation of Fionn appears in Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce

A manifestation of Fionn appears in Finnegan's Wake by James Joyce

The character Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker represents Fionn in James Joyce's play 'Finnegan’s Wake' (1939).

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The oral and written tales have copied from, borrowed, recreated and re-imagined the stories of Fionn and his warriors. Fionn appears as a character in James Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake (1939), corresponding with the character Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker. He also occurs as a character in Flann O’Brien’s novel At Swim Two Birds (1939), while a game based on the popular 1990’s TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer featured the characters of Willow and Tara as reincarnations of Fionn’s foster mothers.