Final resting place of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Hill of Allen, Co. Kildare #InThisPlace

Seperating fact from fiction or embellishment is never easy, if not impossible, when it comes to looking at the great stories of Ireland. Myths and legends begin with some kernel of truth or fact that centuries and millenia obscure from current view. 

With that in mind, today we have a post regarding the final resting place of the great Fionn Mac Cumhaill. The problem with that is, we’ve already posted on Tales and Scéals about his reputed burial place at Keshcarrigan Co. Leitrim, and now this post raises the prospect that he was actually buried elsewhere!

Legend has it that the great Fionn MacCumhaill was actually buried at the Hill of Allen in Co. Kildare.  The hill and its surrounding plains have long been associated with Fionn and his army, the Fianna, as their base and training ground.

In 1859 when a tower was being built atop the hill, a large coffin containing a giant skeleton was uncovered. This added to the associations with some believing that the skeleton was that of Fionn. The coffin was re-interred beneath the tower.

Given the many possible burial locations, maybe Fionn wasnt one man but a collection of individuals who’s reputations merged into one, over centuries and then millenia until they were all attributed to the one they call Fionn.

Location:https://maps.app.goo.gl/D1j8TbsS8c7krpN57

Photo credit: Eoghan888 @wikicommons