The Giant in Mediaeval Celtic Story

t is striking how little attention has been given to the phenomenon of the giant in the Celtic literatures. By comparison with the scholarship relating to giants in Germanic literatures, in Latin and in French, Celtic seems to be a giant free zone. There is one very well known example in mediaeval Gaelic literature, that of the superannuated (anti )heroes in Acallam na senórach, written in the earlier thirteenth century as part of the Finn cycle of stories in prose and verse. Celtic folklore abounds with giants, but only one remarkable pioneer, Chris Grooms, has ventured into such territory, providing a very credible platform from which to consider the British hero Arthur in that light.

If we turn to ‘The Ulster cycle’ of mediaeval Gaelic literature, we find much reason to suspect that we are among giants: Conchobar mac Nessa, overking of the Ulaid; Fergus mac Roích, his predecessor and subsequent opponent; Medb, martial queen of the Connachta. All these can be described or explained in these terms. Cú Roí of Munster is another contender. The prize is perhaps Cú Chulainn himself, now diminutive, now a raging monster. Whether description or deeds provide the entry point to evaluation of a character’s stature, there is much to contemplate in this regard.

The character stock and the context of mediaeval hero literature may be transformed by approaching mediaeval Celtic literatures with such an outlook.

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