WELCOME TO An Entertainment Site for Scottish Country Dancers - Enjoy the curated selection of theme-related dances for celebrations and holidays, or find a dance associated with a special calendar day, or EVEN your own birthday!
The Sleeping Warrior by Moonlight, artist Ed Hunter
Ancient Warrior Days
Sep 5
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"When Fingal, the great warrior, lay down his sword, he took to the mountains of Arran, where his slumber shaped the land itself, leaving the silhouette of a sleeping hero to guard the isles for eternity."
~ Fingalian Cycle, 3rd-5th century AD
This strathspey with an interlocking allemande figure by Derek Haynes pays tribute to the Sleeping Warrior natural formation on the Isle of Arran, visible from the mainland of Scotland. The silhouette of the island's northern hills resembles a resting warrior lying on his back, with his features, including a prominent nose and forehead, outlined against the sky. The Sleeping Warrior has inspired local legends and myths, often linked to ancient warriors or giants. One legend surrounding the Sleeping Warrior on the Isle of Arran tells of a giant warrior named Fingal, a heroic figure in Scottish and Irish mythology. According to the tale, Fingal was a powerful leader who defended his people from invaders. After years of battle, he grew weary and lay down to rest on the hills of Arran. The gods, seeing his great service to his land, put him into an eternal sleep, preserving his body in the landscape. His resting form became the silhouette now known as the Sleeping Warrior, watching over Arran as a silent guardian, awaiting the time he might rise again if his people ever need him. Sleep on, ancient warriors. 🖤 ⚔️
The Sleeping Warrior
The legends surrounding Fingal (Fionn mac Cumhaill) and his heroic deeds have roots in oral tradition, dating back to ancient Gaelic mythology, long before being written down. The Fenian Cycle, in which Fionn (Fingal) is a central figure, is thought to have originated in early medieval times, possibly as early as the 3rd to 5th centuries AD. These tales were passed down through generations of Gaelic bards and storytellers in both Ireland and Scotland.
The written versions of the Fenian Cycle emerged much later, particularly in Irish manuscripts from the 12th century onward, such as the Book of Leinster. In Scotland, the influence of these stories grew through oral tradition and became part of the Highland and Hebridean mythos.
The association of Fingal with the Sleeping Warrior formation on Arran is likely a more recent interpretation within local Scottish folklore. The name Fingal became especially prominent in Scotland during the 18th century, when James Macpherson published his "translations" of the epic poems of Ossian, a supposed Gaelic bard. Macpherson's works, beginning with Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem (1761), romanticized and popularized the figure of Fingal across Europe. Though his writings were controversial for being largely invented, they helped cement Fingal as a legendary Scottish hero.
Thus, while the legends of Fingal are ancient, the specific link to the Sleeping Warrior formation likely evolved over time and may have been reinforced during the 18th and 19th centuries with the rise of romanticized Scottish folklore.
For more on this impressive landscape, click the actual landscape!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
