Warriors, Heroes & Villains

Goll Mac Morna

 

Name:  Goll 'One-Eyed'/ Aodh Mac Fidga/ Áed -'Fire'

 

Title: Flame of Battle

 

Race: Celtic

 

Clan: Morna

 

Father: Fidga/Daire

 

Brother: Conán Maol

 

Wives: Scandlach Cainche

 

Grandson: Fer Li

 

Army: The Fianna

 

King: Cormac Mac Art

 

Rival and Ally: Fionn Mac Cumhall

 

Associated Deities: Manannan Mac Lír

 

Associated Sites: The Burren The Hill of Allen Co. Kildare

 

Associated Province: Connaught

 

Goll was leader of the Connaught branch of the Fianna, He had ousted Finn's father Cumhal from power at the Battle of Cnucha now known as Castleknock in Dublin. 

Goll was part of the clan Morna who were rivals of the clan Baiscne in power struggles.  Finn wrested the leadership of the Fianna back from Goll Mac Morna when he managed to kill the Sidhe prince Aillén Mac Midgna. 

Thereafter he was ordered by Cormac Mac Art to be on cordial terms towards Fionn and he promised the king that he would.  There are many stories which show that Goll developed a respect for Finn against the wishes of the rest of the Clan Morna who still held a grudge.

 

Fionn promised Goll his daughter Cainche's hand in marriage as reward for rescuing him from Conarán's daughters.  Although he already had Scandlach for a wife.

 

He has a disagreement with Finn's son Cairell and kills him in the Battle of the White Strand (Fionntraigh, Bantry Co. Cork), this action leads to his own death because he went into a cave to hide from the anger of Fionn and the Clan Baiscne and he was laid siege there and died of starvation and thirst after twelve days, despite his wife begging him to come out of the cave.

 

Conan Maol his clansman swears to avenge his death on Fionn and this leads to the final split of the Fianna into various factions and its downfall, and the end of the protective army of Ireland, which kept the invaders out.

 

Stories, Myths and Legends Associated with Goll

 

Battle of Cnucha/ Fotha Catha Chnucha

The Boyhood of Finn

The Coming of Finn

How the Fianna Won Their Horses

The Hostel of the Quicken Trees

The Birth of Bran

Cat-Heads and Dog-Heads

How Diarmuid Got His Love-Spot

Oisín and Patrick

Oisín and Patrick: the Arguments

The Cave of Ceiscoran

The Death of Fionn

Death of Goll

The First Fighters

The Flight From Teamhair

The Hard Servant

The House of the Quicken Trees

The King of Britain's Son

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