The Giant's Causeway | Myths, Legends & Folklore

The Giant's Causeway in Antrim, Northern Ireland, is a mystical and impressive location. A landscape rich in myths and legends, these old tales have taken a backseat for a long time as guides, documentaries an books explain how volcanic eruptions and geological processes made these features. The legends are regarded as a bit of fun, the old explanation that our forebears had for the causeway. Here though, the old tales will be prioritised.
This video explains the popular story of Fionn mac Cumhaill (or, Finn McCool), alongside the lesser known version. I then show you the features of the landscape that link in to these stories.
Contact me: [e-mail]
Follow me on Telegram: t.me/TheJollyReiver
Filmed in Antrim, September 2023.
If you'd like to support my work, you can do so via Patreon with a monthly subscription or with a one-off payment via Paypal. Your help is greatly appreciated as it aids me with travel costs and entry fees. Links below:
Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheJollyReive...
Paypal: www.paypal.com/paypalme/TheJo...
Music composed by Albert Schofield.
The Jolly Reiver is my project aiming to preserve and promote the forgotten folklore and history of rural Britain and Ireland. Primarily focusing on folklore and legends, you’ll not find me trying to deconstruct these old stories or trying to rationalise them with science and psychology. Instead I will present them as they were always told by our forebears, and leave the conclusions up to you. Videos are filmed on location to show you exactly where these stories took place.

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Those strange stones must have amazed our elders.

[@charlieshoestring7900]

Yours is such a great channel. You keep the tradition of storytelling alive

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thank you! Much appreciated

[@jurajvis]

​@@TheJollyReiverp P😊😊

[@jurajvis]

​@@TheJollyReiveru😊p

[@jurajvis]

😢😊

[@frankb821]

One of the most memorable places I visited in Antrim in 2016, and that's saying something! Such a beautiful part of the world

[@enawhiteraven]

I love the Giant's Causeway! It's on my list of places to visit one day. Thank you for covering it. I greatly prefer the mystical tales to the boring science lesson.

[@godbyone]

Mudfossil sent me !!! Glad i subbed

[@TheJollyReiver]

Welcome :-)

[@owenshale8719]

I did enjoy your video and you have a plaantes voice it is a pleasure listening and the music that you're friend made us wonderful 👍 make me happy and want to visit

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thank you!

[@aariley2]

What an amazing place!!!!

[@TheJollyReiver]

Aye it’s grand!

[@jamesduly2184]

I'm live in and from County Antrim great to hear these tales. Looking forward to learning more about my native county.

[@TheJollyReiver]

Glad to hear it!

[@theendofeverything6356]

I always look forward to your videos, which just keep getting better. I've been to Staffa, but not to the Giants Causeway. This was a treat.

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thanks fella, glad you enjoyed! It’s definitely worth a visit, much better than what the camera can capture

[@durhamfox5271]

Every day’s a school day 👌🏼

[@donnyskinglongliveme]

You really showed off the legends and the landscape off at it's best!

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thanks mate!

[@ignachioelsmith9053]

Thank you for another brilliant video. Really looking forward to the rest of the series.

[@TheJollyReiver]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@paranormalesmitk2undEMFsaar]

Klasse gefällt mir sehr gut 😂❤❤ macht weiter so ❤❤. Liebe Grüße aus dem Saarland ❤❤❤

[@TheJollyReiver]

Danke :-)

[@laukpauk6053]

This video is so peaceful. Thank you

[@TheBoldDeciever]

thanks

[@connorricketts1323]

thank you for a another great story loved it love your channel and love the stories you find us and the great folklore and mythology thank you for doing my 2 favourite subjects can't wait for more great folklore and stories you tell them really well this channel is a gem glad I found it

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thanks for watching as always fella, lots of good stuff to come!

[@connorricketts1323]

@@TheJollyReiver can't wait for more great stories and folklore and can't wait for more to cone

[@phlebgrl6064]

Enjoying this video on the Giant’s Causeway from Orange County, New York and looking forward to seeing more. New sub today Thanks for sharing this!

[@TheJollyReiver]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@QueenB33-s3b]

Thank you for the beautiful scenery. This is such a brilliant addition to the videos.

[@mysticallymerry5523]

Amazing place.💛 I love these folklore tales, the imagination of old storytellers to convey myths and legends is just glorious. Thanks for the vid!😊

[@TheJollyReiver]

My pleasure!

[@abaronsir5851]

Thanks for sharing

[@TheJollyReiver]

My pleasure!

[@gavhenrad]

Really enjoyed that thanks

[@TheJollyReiver]

My pleasure :-)

[@ooklathemok]

i always look forward to your unique and interesting videos

[@TheJollyReiver]

I’m glad to hear it!

[@davidhowe6905]

0:40 Reminds me of visiting a cave in France in the early '70s where the guide described the stalactites and other formations as 'flowers' growing from the rock.

[@lizscutt7899]

Oh Reiver glad your back 😊😊

[@TheJollyReiver]

:-)

[@JackHwyte]

Charming, been there many times

[@TheJollyReiver]

Aye it’s a great place

[@TheDungeonMinister]

One of the things I like best about your videos is that you present the legends as accepted fact. So many presenters would add a disclaimer, "Of course this is just a legend." That rather disrespects the stories and the people who lived and told them. You just give us the legends at their face value, and trust us to be smart enough to know where fantasy and legend end and history picks up, while also leaving plenty of room for the fantastic and numinous.

[@mrmeowmeow710]

Dang good video loved it great work

[@TheJollyReiver]

Cheers mate!

[@LandersWorkshop]

Great video mate, always like the effort you put in bro. Those formed stones with the almost hexagonal sides don't look natural to me so I think the tour guides were on the right track. My thoughts are this area was probably an ancient port that was abandoned when weather systems changed.

[@TheJollyReiver]

Glad you enjoyed mate!

[@ahmed-ed4sd]

Lava does not form this shape but wood from giant trees does, I believe there is more truth in the legends than mainstream science!

[@MrJambiwana]

being proud of your cultural heritage is nothing to be ashamed of, in contrast to what some toff from Glasgow says

[@godbyone]

So glad mudfossil university sent me. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jeremydabal9000]

Hey jolly, are you gonna more of them 😊😁

[@TheJollyReiver]

Many videos planned over here

[@jeremydabal9000]

@@TheJollyReiver i can't wait for it 😁😊

[@travellingwitch]

The Iceland stones inspired me to write my own wee story about the causeway. That Finn MacCool and Bennandonner were actually allies against the Icelandic trolls. But obviously there are more stones now in Iceland than in Ireland because giants are bigger and can throw harder…..

[@DenkyManner]

Both the "real" explanation and the folklore are equally important. We are imaginative creatures so to strip that away robs us a large part of what makes being alive so interesting. Humans developed these stories, we are humans, the stories are a real part of our human history, inspired by real things. The only problem is when stories turn into rules on how to live.

[@godbyone]

I was sent by mudfossil university. Channel. Every year. We make a discovery. Of stories we thought. Myth we fjnd. A town or real landmark. Like Trojan war etc

[@lovelyskull3483]

Love this story, thank you.

[@TheJollyReiver]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@iaindcosta]

My Scottish mum told me the "main" tale when I was a wee'un, she also said that in another showdown Benandonner ground rocks to dust, but Finn Maccool impressed him by squeezing water out of his rocks, which were actually cheese, from his wife.. She pronounced It with a shorter "o" like McColl

[@Traveler13]

Great video👍

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thank you!

[@RiFFxxx]

Haven't been back to the Giant's causeway in over thirty years, i just remember slipping on the black ones and hurting my arse.

[@TheJollyReiver]

I was very wary of that happening while holding the camera aha so I was careful

[@LandersWorkshop]

Go Pro is your friend roving Reiver brother.@@TheJollyReiver

[@user-nj5bd8ly1y]

👍

[@Danny_1878]

Best channel on KZbin

[@erin-lindabrilley1079]

Really loving this channel, please could you consider some manx folklore videos? There's not a lot about and it's quite fascinating

[@TheJollyReiver]

The Isle of Man is actually on my list of considerations for a filming trip next year

[@williamrobinson7435]

This is a pre watching comment in re the tragic loss of the Sycamore Gap Tree. We are all sensible of how such damage is apt to have consequences, I am so sorry this has happened, I thought of you the moment I read this story. 😥👍

[@TheJollyReiver]

Yes it was very tragic indeed 😭

[@rusnikfromtranscarpathia]

If Fynh left in such a hurry back across the causeway, where did his boot go? Is there a large clag of stone near the causeway that would be Fynh's boot?

[@WhatChaMaCalum]

I'm local went to school In Bushmills if your still about you should visit Mountsandel Fort a Norman fort bulit on the banks of the river Bann beside it is the oldest known human settle on the entire island. Ireland.

[@TheJollyReiver]

Sadly I’ve left, but there was so much to see there I was spoiled for choice!

[@SharpingtonTheGreat]

Could someone help me see the teddy bear in the rocks? I can't see anything resembling bear ears and Google just shows me literal stuffed animals on the rocks. But I love the video! I believe both science and folklore are important, and learning both sides adds dimension to the topic and gives you more to appreciate. I also love seeing how they interact and why.

[@TheJollyReiver]

I believe you need to be much closer to see it! I didn’t see it myself from where I stood but that’s what it’s been called :-) Glad you enjoyed!

[@SharpingtonTheGreat]

@@TheJollyReiver ooohh okay thank you, I felt I was going crazy lol.

[@mudfossiluniversity]

Excellent my friend....I study these formations and made a video about Giants causeway formations and used some pics and clips from your content (full credit to you). I would like you to see it...are you interested?

[@TheJollyReiver]

Just watched it mate. Very interesting ideas! I’ll be watching more of your videos for sure!

[@smartman123]

love the Scottish accent

[@TheJollyReiver]

Thank you but it’s not Scottish I’m afraid aha

[@QueenB33-s3b]

​@@TheJollyReiverYou are Northumberlandish, right?

[@TheJollyReiver]

I am indeed

[@michaelstamper5604]

Forgive a rather ignorant question, but were Oisin and Taliesin different recorded versions of the same person?

[@jakeblackhurst24]

There werw Giants in the earth in those days-Bible reference

[@obsidiandwarf]

Myth and legend: 5 - 30 Geology : 0 - 00

[@dot2562]

.

[@eric-ty3yn]

Yup. I know this place...yell out hey finn mcCool you can kiss my my...see what Happens

[@andrewardern8393]

Build by blacks 😂😂