It is located in County Antrim
on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about 4.8 km northeast of the town
of Bushmills. The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the
cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although
there are also some with four, five, seven or eight sides. The tallest are
about 12 metres high and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick
in places.
I always like
legends. According to a legend, the
columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the
Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool) was challenged to a fight by the
Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway
across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet. In one version of
the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner. In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner
when he realises that his foe is much bigger than he. Fionn's wife, Oonagh,
disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the
size of the 'baby', he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among
giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him
so that Fionn could not follow. Across
the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava
flow) at Fingal's Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that
the story was influenced by this.
I am grateful to Nicole
(20 March 2014) for sending me this wonderful postcard. (Postcrossing Direct Swap)
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