Book excerpt: Stories of Finn Mac Cumaill and his fian (warband) constitute the most enduringly popular branch of Gaelic literature. The essays in this book - the first English-language collection on the subject to be published in over 20 years - offer new insights into diverse aspects of the tradition. They are essential reading for anyone with an interest in early Irish literature, folklore, and legends. Contents include: the Celtic and Indo-European origins of the fian * problems with dating the early fianaigecht corpus * Finn, Ferchess and the rincne * Finn and the Man in the Tree as verbal icon * accounts of the death of Finn * some hagiographical sources in Acallam na Senorach * deeping the Acallam together * Duncan Kennedy and his heroic ballads * Tadhg O Cianain: spaghetti fiannaigheacht.