Swimming to keep the Lough Finn legend alive

A Scotsman with strong Donegal connections has just completed an unusual and one might add daring swim across Lough Finn at Fintown.

Dòmhnaill Mac Giolla Chomhgaill broke through the icy waters of this three-mile lough last Thursday in a bid to heighten awareness of the legend surrounding the lough’s name.

Legand has it a local woman, Finngheal, was drowned there while attempting to carry a sword or a stone across the lough to her brother An Fear Gabhainn, by then a member of Finn MacCumhaill’s Fianna.

He was engaged in a life-and-death battle with a giant boar.

He called out for help but a combination of echoes across the water confused her efforts to reach him and her long hair became entangled in her feet and between the entanglement and the weight of the sword or the stone, Finngheal was drowned. The lake is called Lough Finn ever since and her grave is to be seen on its bank.

It was hoped this latest swim across the width of Lough Finn and back followed a similar route to the ill-fated Finngheal.
Dòmhnaill departed from a small slipway just below the Fintown Railway Station headquarters but some say the ill-fated Finngheal’s journey began a little further up the bank at a point of land known locally as Finngheal apron.

Dòmhnaill, who has family connections to Meennasrón, Fintown and Brockagh is from Lochgilphead the administrative centre for the entire Argyll and Bute region.

He is also a highly qualified swimming teacher at Scottish Swimming, the national governing body for swimming .

He’s no stranger to the Fintown-Brockagh either having spent many summers on holiday over the years maintaining strong connections with his grandparents' native area alive.

“I wanted to do the swim to keep the legend of the Gaelic lore alive. So if by doing this I’ve brought attention to it, possibly to a wider audience, then I’m happy.

“Swimming in bodies of water that have Gaelic legends and stories are special to me. None more so than the story of Finngheal, given my links to the area.”

Before he started his swim, Dòmhnaill made an offering to the spirit of Finngeal and his ancestors of the area by crumbling a corner of his wife’s delicious baked soda bread into the loch along with a generous glug of poitín! He then made a blessing in Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic).

“I drew water from the stream which runs by the old house where my granny was born and bred. I’ll take this water, which runs into the river Finn, back to where I live in Earra Ghàidheal (Argyll).

“The ancient Gaelic world is interconnected and I plan on honouring this in a special ceremony of reciprocity later this month. I’ll release the water of this area into an ancient sacred Gaelic site near where I live in Argyll. An area (Knapdale) is where my ancestors and kin, ‘An Suibhne’ left to come to the hills of Donegal. We will also be joined by native Anishinabee elders from across the Atlantic.”

After his swim, Dòmhnaill thanked local tradition bearer Joseph Brennan (above) for his excellent portrayal of the story in Gaeilge, Yer

Man’s Coffee Cove for the delicious coffee and cake and Tom Maxwell, Michelle Gallen, Sharon Sweeney Lynch and Sergio of GAP Camera Club for coming along to take fantastic photos.

“Big thanks also to my uncle Shaun Coyle and his lovely grandsons for coming along, and delivering an impromptu interview to TG4 in Gaeilge so well.

“I’m sure granny will be proud! It was lovely of Margaret McMonagle to say a few words too, thanks very much.

“I’ll come back to swim it again, maybe this time from Finngheal’s apron. In the meantime, I hope to see more folk enjoying the stunning waters of Lough Finn for a dip or swim. Cold water swimming is a gift with wide-ranging holistic health benefits - but stay safe!”

He also threw down a challenge to anyone who enjoys this type of swimming.

"Will you join me next time?"