The Pursuit of Díarmait and Gráinne

Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne or the usual English title – "The Pursuit of Díarmait and Gráinne" – was a very popular Irish romance of a love triangle that most likely influenced the medieval romance of Tristan and Isolde in the 12th century.

Though there was a reference to this tale in the late 12th century manuscript known as the Book of Leinster, suggesting that the original tale was composed around 1100, the surviving text we have of The Pursuit of Díarmait and Gráinne was no earlier than the 17th century.

Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne has often been compared with an earlier love triangle between Deirdre, Noísi and King Conchobar of Ulster, titled Longes mac nUislenn (The Exile of the Sons of Uisliu), which was part of the Ulster Cycle. The work on Diarmait and Grainne was considered inferior to that of the tragedy of Deirdre.

• Elopement of Grainne

• The Long Chase

• Searbhan and the Berry Tree

• Death of Diarmait

• Finn and Grainne

Elopement of Grainne

At Allen (Almu), Finn Mac Cumhaill was a much older man than he was in his previous adventures, and over the years he had several wives. When his last wife died, his son Oisín and his companions one day asked Finn when he would remarry again. They thought that their Fian captain should not be without a wife.

Diorruing, one of the wisest men among Finn's companions, suggested that the most suitable woman for their leader would be Gráinne, the beautiful young daughter of Cormac Mac Airt who was the high king of Ireland. So Finn sent Oisín and Diorruing to King Cormac's court at Tara to ask for the hand of the king's daughter in marriage.

Instead of deciding for her daughter, Cormac Mac Airt asked Grainne if she wished to marry Finn. Grainne thought that she would be marrying Finn's son Oisín or grandson Oscar, not the aging captain himself, so she agreed to the match.

Grainne was terribly disappointed when she realised her mistake, when Finn arrived with his companions for a great feast in Tara. She thought that Finn was old enough to be her grandfather or great grandfather. Grainne was determined not to marry the aging Fian hero.

Grainne asked for the name of each of her guests. She saw that Oisín and Díarmait ua Duibne were single, handsome, and a lot younger than Finn. Grainne decided to run away with either Fian champion.

That night, she administered a drug into the wine of the guests, making sure that Finn and her own father would fall into drugged slumber. Only Oisín, Oscar, Diarmait, Caílte Mac Ronan and Diorruing were not drugged.

First, Grainne approached Oisín, but found that as son of Finn, he was too loyal to run away with a princess that Finn was set to marry. So Grainne approached Diarmait.

Diarmait also objected to her advances too, because Finn was a friend and his leader. Though he was attracted to her, he was loyal to Finn. Grainne would not relent, and she imposed a geis upon the reluctant hero that he had to follow and run away with her. Grainne would not love any other man than him so he must elope with her. Grainne left the court and immediately waited outside in Finn's own chariot.

Troubled by this event, Diarmait asked counsel from each of his four friends. Each companion told the confused hero that Diarmait should do as Grainne asked, not only because each man thought she was beautiful, but because he was under a geis. Diorruing was even saddened by this, since he knew that Diarmait would die because the hero had come between Finn and Grainne. However, Diorruing also counselled that he should marry the princess.

So Diarmait left the court, knowing that despite the fact that he was a friend and follower of Finn, his leader would hunt him down for the betrayal. Diarmait and Grainne fled from Tara, in Finn's own chariot and fine horses.

They crossed the ford known as Ath Luain, leaving the chariot and horses behind, and the pair fled and hid in the Wood of two Tents.

The Long Chase

When Finn and the others woke from their slumber and realised that Diarmait had spirited off with Grainne, he was overcome with rage and jealousy. Finn immediately sent the Clan O'Navnan (Navin) to track the fleeing couple down. When they came to the ford called Ath Luain of the river Shannon, they lost the trail when the fleeing pair left behind the chariot.

When Finn heard of this, in an unusual outburst of rage, Finn threatened to hang every member of the Clan O'Navnan (Navin). This showed a darker aspect of Finn's personality, which was different than the earlier tales of the great Fian captain, where Finn was a kind and fair hero. Jealousy was never part of Finn's personality in his earlier adventures.

Oisín, Oscar, Caílte and Diorruing, companions to both Finn and Diarmait, were troubled by Finn's outburst and behaviour. Despite Finn being their leader and friend, they were also determined to secretly help Diarmait whenever they could. Oisín sent his father's own dog Bran to warn to Diarmait to flee from the Wood of two Tents.

The trackers of Clan O'Navnan (Navin) managed to find the trail of Diarmait when they reached the Wood of two Tents. However, in this wood, Diarmait had erected a fence around him with seven doorways that led to different directions in the Woods. No one could climb over this fence, so the doorways were the only way through.

Finn arrived with the Fianna and set seven groups to block Diarmait's exits, to prevent their escape. Finn told his followers to capture Diarmait for him. Finn also rebuked his son (Oisín) for sending a warning to Diarmait.

Angus Og, hearing of his foster son's plight and trap, went to his aid. Angus could have spirited them both out of the trap without Finn or anyone realising what had happened. Diarmait insisted that he would leave on his own. So with his magic, Angus took Gráinne away to the Wood of two Sallows.

Then Diamait asked who was on the other side of each door. At five doors, Diarmait had friends on the other side, who would have assisted him to escape, but he refused their help because he didn't want Finn's wrath on them. However the Clan O'Navnan (Navin), who had no love for Diarmait, guarded the sixth door, and Finn himself guarded the seventh door.

So Diarmait escaped by pole-vaulting over the fence which Finn guarded, and managed to escape into the wood, before anyone could stop him. Then Diarmait ran until he reached the hut in the Wood of two Sallows, where Angus and Grainne waited for him.

Angus left the pair, giving his foster son wise counsel to avoid capture.

 *

Diarmait and Grainne travelled west until they met a friendly giant named Muadhan (Modan) at Bogach-Fhinnléithe (the Grey Moor of Finnlia). Muadhan told Diarmait that he would serve him for payment, to which the hero agreed. Muadhan would protect and guard them while they slept. So the three travelled together. Whether there was a river to cross, Muadhan would carry them on his shoulders while he waded through the stream.

They were staying in the cave at the hill of Curra-Kenn-Ammid when Diarmait encountered a host of the three sea-champions from the Iccia Sea (English Channel?). Finn had brought them there, because he couldn't trust his own people (Fianna) to capture Diarmait. They didn't recognise that Diarmait was their quarry.

The hero informed that them he knew of Diarmait, and that he was dangerous. To prove to them how dangerous Diarmait was, the hero challenged the three sea-champions with what Diarmait had taught him.

On that day, he showed them his ability that he had learned from Diarmait. In an empty tun (barrel) of wine, Diarmait managed to stay on the tun as it rolled down a steep cliff. Fifty men who had tried were dashed on the sharp rocks below the cliff. Then Diarmait returned to the cave where he spent the night with Grainne and Muadhan.

The next day, the hero displayed another amazing feat of Diarmait to the host of the three sea-champions. Diarmait then vertically planted his spear, Gáe Buide, on the earth. Then he would leap lightly on top of the spearhead before he leaped off of it. Diarmait didn't even receive a scratch from the sharp point. Another fifty men attempted this feat, but each of them died when the spear split them in two. The three sea-champions asked them if they had seen Diarmait, and he replied that another man had seen the hero. Diarmait returned to the cave to share a meal with Grainne and Muadhan.

On the third day, the hero dared the host to try another feat. Diarmait fixed two forked poles on the ground and placed his sword Nórralltach on them, with the edge up. Then Diarmait would leap on the sword and walk backward and forward (3 times) on the sharp blade, without receiving any cut to his feet. Fifty foolish men tried this new feat and cut themselves that day on Diarmait's sword. Again, the three sea-champions asked them if they had seen Diarmait, and the hero replied that he had and that he would bring him tomorrow.

On the following day, Diarmait fully armed himself with his two swords and two spears. Diarmait told them that he knew of the whereabouts of Diarmait, but that he was under his protection. So the host of the three sea-champions attacked Diarmait. However, such was Diarmait's awesome strength and speed that he slaughtered most of the host. Only a few managed to flee back to their ships.

On the fifth day, Diarmait returned to the beach and challenged the three sea-champions, one by one. Rather than kill them, Diarmait bound each champion in iron bonds, leaving them on the beach. The survivors of the previous day could free the three sea-champions. The three sea-champions ordered them to send for Finn Mac Cumhaill, in the hope that they would gain their freedom while they sent their hound-masters and three venomous hounds after Diarmait and Grainne.

Diarmait left the cave with Grainne and Muadhan to go to the mountain of Sliab Luachra (Slieve Lougher). There, the three venomous hounds caught up with them. The first hound was killed by Muadhan's small hound-whelp, which crushed the venomous hound's throat. Diarmait killed the second hound with his spear Gáe Derg. The last hound pursued them to Duban's Pillar-stone. The hound leaped over Diarmait's head to catch Grainne, but the hero caught the hound by its hind legs. Diarmait swung the hound around to dash the hound against a rock. Watching this, the hound-masters fled back to their three kings.

Meanwhile at the beach, Finn and the Fianna arrived and found the three miserable sea-champions bound together. Only Oisín, Oscar, Mac Lugha and Conan Mael could release the three sea-champions from their bonds, which they refused to do, since they were friends of Diarmait.

At this point, the three panic stricken hound-masters returned with the news that Diarmait had killed their three hounds. This news caused the three sea-champions to die from distress. Finn had the three kings buried on that beach.

Searbhan and the Berry Tree

In the centre of forest of Dubros, there were magical berries from the rowan tree that could restore an old person their youth. To prevent anyone from eating the berries, the Tuatha Dé Danann had set a surly giant named Searbhan (Sharvan) from the Lochlann, to guard the special fruit from all whom seek it. No Fian warriors were allowed to hunt in this forest.

Diarmait and Grainne, who parted company with Muadhan (Modan), entered the forest and asked Searbhan if they could live and hunt game in the forest. Searbhan only agreed, if they did not seek to eat the berries.

So Diarmait and Grainne lived a peaceful life in the forest of Dubros, but they lived away from Searbhan's own home.

One day, Angus and Aedh, together with fifty followers and members of Clan Morna whose fathers had fought against Cumhaill, Finn's father, at the Battle of Cnucha, wanted to make peace with Finn and become members of the Fianna. However, Finn imposed an eric upon them. They were either to bring the berries of the forest of Dubros or the head of Diarmait. Diarmait's companions tried to dissuade them from such an unfair undertaking, but they refused to heed their warning.

Angus and Aedh found Diarmait first. When Diarmait realised their intentions, he tried to persuade them to go home. Failing that, Diarmait easily defeated them and bound them.

Diarmait would have cut off their heads, but it was at this point that Grainne had a strong desire to eat the berries from the quicken tree. Diarmait didn't want to quarrel with the giant Searbhan, but feared that Grainne might fetch the berries herself, if he didn't do it.

Angus and Aedh pleaded with Diarmait to release them, so they could help him to defeat Searbhan, but Diarmait went to the giant alone.

First, Diarmait tried to persuade the giant to allow his wife to eat some berries that he guarded, but Searbhan replied that he would never do so. Then the giant immediately attacked the hero with his massive club.

Despite his prowess, Diarmait had a problem harming the giant with his own weapons. When Diarmait saw an opening, he threw his sword and shield aside, and leaped upon Searbhan. Catching the giant off guard, Diarmait used all his might to lift and throw the giant to the ground.

Searbhan was greatly shocked by this sudden attack, and lost his hold on his oversized club. Seizing this opportunity, Diarmait took the club and bashed it over Searbhan's head. Since Diarmait could not kill the giant with his sword, he used Searbhan's own weapon to slay the giant.

Diarmait then took some of the berries to wife. The hero also released his prisoners, giving them some berries to take to Finn Mac Cumhaill, to fulfill their eric.

Angus and Aedh returned to Finn Mac Cumhaill with the rowanberries. Though, Finn conceded that the berries indeed came from the forest of Dubros, the Fian leader also knew that Diarmait was the slayer of the giant Searbhan, not Angus and Aedh, because he could smell the hand of Diarmait on the berries. Finn refused to recognise Angus and Aedh's places in the Fianna.

Knowing that Diarmait must be in the Wood of Dubros; Finn gathered the Fianna and travelled to Dubros. They found the quicken tree unguarded, so Finn and his followers ate some berries.

Finn knew that Diarmait must be sitting on some branches of this quicken tree, which was true. Diarmait and Grainne were hidden from sight. So Finn had a fidchell board set up, where he played some matches against his son Oisín. Oscar and Cailte assisted Oisín in the game, since no one except Diarmait was a match against Finn, in the game of fidchell (chess).

Diarmait, who watched the game from above, couldn't resist aiding Oisín in the game. Diarmait directed Oisín's moves by tossing berries at the chess-pieces.

After losing three straight matches to his son, Finn declared that Diarmait was indeed in the tree above. Despite being surrounded, Diarmait, who was never a coward, revealed himself to his enemy. Grainne, seeing that they were trapped, trembled with fear. Diarmait tried to comfort his wife by kissing her. Seeing this intimacy inflamed Finn's jealousy, and he ordered men up the trees to kill his young rival.

By this time, Angus Og saw that his foster son was trapped again. He flew to the quicken tree without letting Finn know of his presence. Garbh (Garva) of Slieve Cua, who had no love for Diarmait because the hero had killed his father Donn, was the first to climb up the tree. Angus changed Garbh so that he looked like Diarmait, when Diarmait kicked him off the tree. Since Garbh had the shape of Diarmait, Finn's hirelings butchered Garbh before they realised they had killed the wrong man.

Another man, named Garbh (Garva), but from Slieve Crot, went up the tree to avenge his own father's death, whom Diarmait's father had killed. This time Angus pushed the second Garbh off the tree, but not before using his magic to transform Garbh to look like his foster son (Diarmait). Through this illusion, Garbh of Slieve Crot was also killed by his own men.

Seven other men with also the names of Garbh went up the tree and each man was killed in the same way as the first two. At this point, Angus Og decided that it was time to take Grainne to safety. So with his magic cloak, he hid Grainne before spiriting her away from the tree.

Diarmait decided to come down from the tree, whether he died or not at Finn's hand. Oscar, Finn's grandson, admiring Diarmait's courage, decided to aid his friend's escape. Oscar being the strongest Fian warrior alive, he warned that anyone who harmed Diarmait would face his wrath.

Diarmait came down and Oscar escorted the hero safely away through the forest. No man there was willing to confront Diarmait with Oscar at his side. Finn watched angrily and helplessly as his rival escaped, because he also was unwilling to fight his own grandson.

Diarmait and Oscar found Angus and Grainne in Brugh na Bóinne (Boyne), Angus' home.

Death of Diarmait

Angry that Diarmait had evaded his vengeance again, Finn sailed to the Land of Promise (Tir Tairngire), to speak with his old nurse. Though her name was not given in this story, the nurse was possibly Bodhmall, his aunt, and the sister of Muirenn. Bodhmall was a Danann druidess who had raised him, but in this story she was seen as a witch-hag. Since they knew that Diarmait's foster father (Angus) had magically aided him, then maybe the hero could be destroyed by magical means.

One day while Diarmait was hunting in the forest beside the river Boyne; the hag flew through the air on a flying water-lily. As she flew past, she hurled poisoned darts that could penetrate his shield and armour. Diarmait suffered great agony where the darts struck him. With all his might, Diarmait hurled the gáe derg (red spear), which killed the hag. Diarmait returned to Brugh with the hag's head and related to what had happened in the forest to his foster father.

Angus appeared to Finn the next morning, informing him to cease his pursuit of Diarmait and make peace with them, since it was not right when Grainne was in love with Diarmait and they were married. Finn, seeing that Diarmait had killed many of his men as well as his old nurse, was tired of the quarrel he had with Diarmait and agreed to peace.

So Angus with Cormac Mac Airt, Grainne's father, made a formal arrangement of peace between Finn and Diarmait in Tara. As father-in-law of Diarmait, Cormac gave the cantred of Ben-Damis in Leinster to the hero. According to this version, Cormac wanted no further quarrel between the two, so he married his other daughter to Finn Mac Cumhaill. Grainne's sister was unnamed in this version, but she was possibly Ailbe, known as Ailbe Grúadbrecc (Ailbe of the Freckled Cheeks).

So Diarmait and Grainne lived in peace at Ceis Chorainn for several years. They had four sons and a daughter. Their land became fairly prosperous in cattle, herds, and gold and silver. Diarmait had a fort built which they called Rath Grainia, after Grainne.

However, they lived for years without visiting her father and Diarmait's former comrades. So Grainne persuaded Diarmait to invited them to a feast, including Finn and the Fianna.

That night as the young couple and their guests slept, Diarmait was awoken several times by the disturbances of the hunting hounds. Each time, Diarmait wanted to investigate the noise but Grainne, sensing treachery from Finn, managed to persuade not to leave their bed, each time.

However in the morning, Grainne couldn't prevent her husband from investigating what had awoken him the past night. Grainne also failed to persuade him to go with armour on, nor to carry his best weapons: gáe derg (red spear) and his sword nóralltach ("Great Fury"). Ignoring her warning of great danger, he instead took his sword begallta ("Little Fury"), and his yellow spear, gáe buide.

Diarmait met Finn Mac Cumhaill on a hill of Ben Bulben. Finn told Diarmait that he had found track of a wild boar and advised him to leave. Diarmait replied that he was not frightened of any boar.

Finn warned him that he was under a geis not to hunt any boar, but the younger warrior wasn't aware that such a geis had been imposed upon him. So Finn told him the truth of when Diarmait was very young under the fosterage of Angus Og in Brugh.

The son of Angus's steward was also under the foster care of Angus. The steward was named Roc. Roc happened to have slept the wife of Diarmait's father, so the other foster son of Angus was really Diarmait's half-brother.

One day while Finn and Diarmait's father, possibly named Donn, were visiting Angus, Roc's son ran in between his legs. The boy was playing with Finn's hound. Donn, who knew that this child was from his wife and Roc, was jealous that the people of Angus loved him more than his own son. So Donn broke the boy's neck with his knees. Since the boy was playing near the hounds, Roc thought that the Finn's hounds had killed his only child, so he would have placed a terrible eric upon Finn. But Finn told the steward that he was innocent, since there were no scratches or bites that marked Roc's son. So Roc placed a geis to find how his son had died. Left without a choice, Finn was forced to place his magic thumb in his mouth (ie. thumb of wisdom; see Training of Finn about the Salmon of Knowledge), to learn what had taken place. Then Finn reluctantly told the steward that Donn had murdered his son.

When Roc discovered that Donn had murdered his son, the steward foretold that Diarmait would die at his son's hand. Roc tapped his wand on his dead son, reviving him, but transforming his son into a wild boar. The boar was invulnerable to all spears and swords. This boar would hunt for Diarmait in Ben Bulben.

Finn warned Diarmait that he was certain that this very boar was Roc's son, so it was best to leave the boar alone. The boar had already killed a number of his men and hounds.

According to the whole story, it hinted that Finn had deliberately driven the boar to where Diarmait would break his geis. Which proved that Finn had never forgiven Diarmait for taking Grainne from him. Since he couldn't kill Diarmait directly, then he would force Diarmait to meet his destiny; Diarmait's unavoidable doom.

Diarmait refused to leave the hill and was determined to meet his fate. Diarmait asked for Finn's assistance – the use of Finn's hound to assist his own hound, Mac-an-choill. Finn refused the request.

Finn left Diarmait's side when he saw the boar's approach. Diarmait's hound fled in terror because of the boar's great size.

Diarmait hurled his yellow spear at the boar. Though his aim was accurate, the gáe buide dropped harmlessly on the ground after it struck the boar in the forehead. The mighty spear didn't even scratch the wild boar. Diarmait realised that he should have heeded his wife's warning. Diarmait drew begallta (his sword) from his sheath, as he waited for the boar's relentless charge.

Diarmait struck a mighty blow upon the boar's neck, but the hero was left holding the hilt as the blade shattered. The boar crashed into the unarmed warrior, slashing deep wounds into Diarmait's sides with his bloody tusks. Dying, Diarmait flung his bladeless hilt at the head of wild boar. The hilt broke the boar's skull and penetrated the brain, thereby killing Roc's son (boar) – Diarmait's own half-brother.

Finn came to his fallen rival and gloated that no woman would ever admire his beauty. Diarmait asked Finn to heal him, because he had rescued Finn and the Fianna on a number of occasions in the past. Oisín and Oscar also pleaded with Finn to save him. Diarmait knew very well that Finn could heal him by allowing him to drink water from Finn's hands.

Finn reluctantly fetched the water for his rival from a stream that was only nine paces from where Diarmait lay mortally wounded. But as Finn returned to Diarmait with water in his cupped hands, he recalled his rival running away with Grainne. His memory inflamed his jealousy, so he allowed the water to slip through his fingers.

Diarmait saw Finn's action with great anguish. Diarmait and his companions pleaded with Finn to save him. Diarmait told the Fian captain that he had no choice but to elope with her, since she had imposed a geis upon him. But Finn spilled the water when his jealousy overcame him again, before Diarmait could drink from his hands.

Oscar, seeing that Finn was deliberately allowing his friend to die, threatened his own grandfather that he would not allow him to leave the hill alive, if Finn didn't save Diarmait.

The aging Fian captain feared his grandson's wrath and fetched the water a third time, but this time he was too late. Diarmait died from his fatal wounds. Of all Diarmait's companions, only Finn didn't mourn for Diarmait.

Angus Og knew that his favourite foster son had died as his steward had proclaimed in his geis. Angus Og came upon the hill, overcome with grief. Rather than allow the Fianna to bury him, he took the Diarmait's body back to Brugh with him, to preserve the body, so that he could occasionally instill a soul into the body which would allow him to talk to Diarmait.

News arrived to Grainne of her husband's death. Though she was overcome with grief over the loss of her husband, she was pleased to hear that Angus had taken Diarmait's body.

Finn and Grainne

In the version related here, the tale ended with Diarmait's death and Angus retrieving the body. There are however other versions that continued the tale with Grainne and Finn. The problem with these other versions is that the endings were cynical and mocking, or sentimental to the point of being coy.

According to one of these other versions, Grainne had four sons and a daughter by her husband. Grainne was determined to gain revenge by using her sons. In yet another version, she died not long afterwards from a broken heart.

In still another version, Finn was not married to Grainne's sister. Finn continued to woo her now that his rival and former companion was dead. At first, Grainne scornfully rebuked the leader of the Fianna.

Finally, Grainne relented from Finn's persistent, sweet words. As Finn drove his chariot to his hill-fort at Allen with Grainne at his side, the men of Fianna mockingly laughed at Finn's new bride.

Grainne felt embarrassment and shame. She finally forgave Finn, and they were married at last. It seemed that Grainne was Finn's last wife before he died.