Fianshruth

The title Fianṡruth refers to two alphabetically arranged Middle Irish lists of names associated with the Finn Cycle, preserved only in the Yellow [Book of Lecan] and probably datable to the twelfth century. The lists A and B are preceded by almost identical introductions. Many of the approximately 170 names do not occur elsewhere in the attested sources, while a number of familiar faces from later tales in the Finn Cycle, such as Fergus finnbél, are missing.

Manuscript sources

List A: YBL, headed “It e annso anmann muntire Find.i. fiandsroth fian Find u Baiscne”
List B: YBL, headed “Fianruth Fiand inso”

Title

The title fian-ṡruth literally means ‘fian-stream’, which one may render as ‘fían-lore’. As observed by Stern, the word recurs in the Metrical Dindshenchas of Carmun as one of the literary genres to be recited at the Fair of Carmun:

Introduction from List ''B''

Except in facsimile, the actual name-lists have not yet seen publication. Ludwig Stern's edition and German translation of the introduction are as follows :