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| Oisín
A warrior-bard. Oisín (Oisin) was the son of Finn Mac
Cumhaill and Sadb (Saba or Blaí), the
woman-hind. See Sadb and the Birth of Oisín in
the Fenian Cycle.
One tale tells of how he and Caílte Mac Ronan survived the Battle of Gabhra, in the Acallam na
Senórach ("Colloquy of the Ancients").
Oisín parted company with Caílte, but later meeting his companion in Tara, where
he encountered St Patrick. Caílte and Oisín reminisced a number of adventures of
the Fian warrior, particular of Finn.
In another tale, Oisín survived the Battle of
Gabhra and met St Patrick, 300 years later. A beautiful Danann woman, named
Niam of the Golden Hair, had lured Oisín to the Otherworld. They became
lovers.
Later, when he decided to return to the surface, Niam warned him to not set
foot to the surface, but to remain mounted on a magical horse. He broke this
geis, and was transformed into an old man. Oisin discovered that all his
companions were dead for three hundred years.
Oisín then met St Patrick, where he told saint of his life with his father
(Finn) and the adventures of the Fianna. Several adventures are recounted in the
Otherworld. Patrick had Oisin's tales recorded. Before the hero died, he was
baptised.
It was Oisín who found the horn borabu under the rock. The
borabu was sounded to summon Fian warriors from all parts of
Ireland.
from http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/ossian.html#Sadb
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 Sadb
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Related Information
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| Name |
Little Fawn.
Oisin,
Ossian.
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| Related Articles |
Finn Mac Cumhaill, Oscar, Caílte St Patrick.
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Oisin riding with Niam of the Golden
Hair
Illustration by Yvonne Gilbert
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| Oscar
Oscar was the son of Oisín (Oisin) and Eibhir, and the
grandson of Finn.
Oscar was the strongest and fiercest fighter of the Fianna. Oscar appeared
frequently in battles. In his first battle, he was in love with Níam, the
daughter of Áed Donn, who was king of Ulster. But Níam was betrothed to Áed, the
son of King Fidach of Connacht. Áed received aids from Ulster and Leinster in
the war against the Fianna. In the fighting, Oscar beheaded Áed, and also killed
Áed Donn and Baetán, the king of Leinster. Oscar won Níam.
In Bruidhean Chaorthainn (Fairy Palace of
the Quicken Trees), Oscar swept off the head of Sinsar, the King of the
World, in the battle on the ford of Shannon.
In the Fianna was defeated in the Battle of
Gabhra. Oscar killed Cairbre, high king
of Ireland in single combat, but he was also mortally wounded in this
encounter.
source http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/fianna.html#Oscar
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Battle of Gabhra
When Cairbre,
son of Cormac Mac Airt, became high king of Ireland, he wanted to break
the power of the Fianna. Cairbre believed that the Fianna had become
too powerful and arrogant. Furthermore, Cairbre did not like paying
tributes to the war-band for the protection they offered. Cairbre
conspired with other provincial kings, to destroy or disband the
Fianna. He raised a huge army to face the Fianna. Munster was the only
province to support the Fianna.
It was Cairbre who provoked the war with the Fianna by killing Ferdia, the servant of Finn Mac Cumhaill.
There was also split among the Fianna. Once again, Goll Mac Morna opposed the Clan Baiscne, siding with the high king.
The
battle took place at Gabhra, in Leinster. Fierce fighting erupted, with
the Fianna; the Fianna were heavily outnumbered. Cairbre and Oscar, the son of Oisín,
fought in a single combat, where Oscar killed the king. Oscar was also
dying, when his father found him covered with countless wounds.
Weeping, Oisín and Caílte bore Oscar's body away.
According to this tale (Cath Gabhra or "The Battle of Gabhair"), five warriors murdered Finn at Garristown (Gabhra). While in the Aided Finn (The Violent Death of Finn), Aichlech Mac Dubdrenn killed Finn in battle at Ath Brea (Ford of Brea).
Casualties
were extremely high on both sides, however, and only twenty Fian warriors
survived the battle. The Fianna was defeated and the power of the
Fianna was broken in Ireland.
Caílte Mac Ronan and Oisín were the only two surviving heroes of the Fianna.
http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/ossian.html#Gabhra
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Related Information
Sources
Cath Gabhra (The Battle of Gabhair / Gowra).
Aided Finn (The Violent Death of Finn).
Acallam na Senórach (Colloquy of the Ancients).
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Related Articles
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Oisín, Oscar, Caílte Mac Ronan, Goll Mac Morna, Cairbre
.................
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