That's the first time I've heard the explanation from Maria. I have some material that I will be posting in the Hideaway soon about the Fianna and some of the legends around it. Hideaway (DO NOT GIVE OUT URL) is private to this list... http://www.geocities.com/~hoseahouse/fianna/fiandex.html Figure I'll get some new material up this weekend. Peace, chirho At 07:17 PM 10/15/97 +1000, you wrote: >JCowan wrote: > >> I had a query from someone that saw the Fianna website, I was >> wondering if anyone may be able to help answer his question? From what I >> remember, Fianna was a name that was once used by an ancient Irish army. >> Does anyone else have any info. on the Fianna name or > > >Hi, > >I wondered about the name Fianna too. I have just been >reading a book on the West of Ireland and found something >that may be relevant. If not relevant, it's interesting. > >The author is Seán Jennett, the book is "The West of >Ireland", published by Batsford, London in 1980. On p 3 of >the introduction he says: > >"In places, at at Spiddal in Galway, in Sligo, and at >Carrigaholt in Clare, there are colleges of Irish, where >students may come to learn and practice the language in the >company of native speakers... .Facility in the language may >be indicated by a small, plain ring, the fáinne, worn by >students in the lape or as a brooch - a gold ring for the >expert, a silver one for those less so." *** > >I wonder if this is the explanantion. > >Cheers, > >Maria > >M.M. Brandl >in Hobart Tasmania > >Researching GARVEY FLANNERY COLLINS CARMODY GLEESON >BERMINGHAM DONNELLAN in County Clare > > > Anne Boyes boyes@gardener.com <center>http://www.geocities.com/~hoseahouse/gen/gene.html Linking to Lives: An indexed collection of links for doing genealogy, beginner to experienced! http://www.geocities.com/~hoseahouse/irish/irish.html WildIrish Roves: Irish Genealogy, History and Culture, with a little Fun! </center>