Gods and Fighting Men

Gods and Fighting Men retells two major strands of Irish myth: the stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the heroic Fianna. Lady Gregory’s first section recounts the coming of the god-like Tuatha Dé Danann, the rise of Lugh of the Long Hand, the Sons of Tuireann, the battles of Magh Tuireadh and the fate of the Children of Lir.

The second section follows Finn and the Fianna through hunting, feuds, battles and enchantments, bringing together tales of Diarmuid and Grania, Oisin’s children, the Battle of Gabhra and the gradual decline of the warrior band. Arranged and put into English from Irish sources, Gregory’s retelling preserves the episodic, often tragic character of Ireland’s mythological and Fenian traditions.