Description

The tale of the pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne is one of several epic but sad tales known as the ‘Great Sorrows of Storytelling’.

Diarmuid Donn Mac Duibne, ‘the master and charmer of all women’ was, buy all accounts a very beautiful young man who took the heart of a certain Gráinne, a girl of great beauty herself -but betrothed to Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the legendary leader of the greatest band of warriors ever to roam Ireland, known as the Fianna Éireann.

Fionn had no intention of letting go of such a beautiful bride-to-be and relentlessly pursued the pair all over the countryside until finally Fionn and his army caught up with them and their escort, but peace was agreed between the warring factions. In his heart, Fionn was still angry and unforgiving and when Diarmuid was grievously wounded during a wild boar hunt Fionn allowed him to die.

He went to draw water for him -for Fionn had the gift of healing -but each time Fionn let the water slip from his fingers rather than heal the gaping wound. So it was that the beautiful and brave Diarmuid was finally parted from his beloved Gráinne.

I first drew this as a pen and ink work back in 1973 and reworked it, together with the sister work from that earlier period, Conánn of the Fianna, for my book ‘Érinsaga’ published in 1984.