In the footsteps of giants

This the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. And this is the story of a giant called Finn….






In Ireland, lived a gentle giant called Finn MacCool. At fifty two feet six inches he was quite small as giants go, but across the sea in Scotland he had a rival, a strapping giant called Benandonner.

The two Giants shouted across the sea of Moyle to each other, demanding a trial of strength. Finn offered to make the contest possible by building a rocky causeway between the two countries. The path across the sea went all the way from County Antrim to Benandonner's lair - Fingal's cave on the island of Staffa.

The work was so laborious that Finn became exhausted. Oonagh, his giantess wife, woke up early the next morning to find her husband sound asleep.

Before she could wake him she heard the sound of thunderous footsteps and saw the mighty Benandonner approaching. He was truly enormous. She was dismayed to think that Finn would be no match for this Scottish giant.

As quick as a flash, Oonagh covered the sleeping Finn with one of her nightgowns and a bonnet.

"Where's Finn?" bellowed Benandonner. "Where is the coward hiding?"

He peered at the sleeping Finn.

“Be quiet," Oonagh warned Benandonner, "or you'll waken the bairn!"

Benandonner panicked. If this was a baby, how big would his father be? He did not stay to find out. He hastily retreated across the causeway, destroying it in his wake.

No one knows what Finn said to Oonagh when he woke up. Do you think he was pleased - or not?

There was a young man ...

This is you just hours after you were born. And this is the nursery rhyme your Mummy sang to you the next day.

There was an old man called Michael Finnegan, he grew whiskers on his chinnegan. The wind came up and blew them in again - poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again.

You were called Finn because your Mummy and Daddy liked the name. And then you were called Michael after both your granddads. So you were young Finn Michael Harrison. Not old Michael Finnegan. But you seemed to like the song anyway.

This is you giving me a funny look. I hope I wasn't singing to you. I can't sing.

You were born sooner than everyone predicted - two weeks before we were told to expect you. But your Mummy did everything perfectly and your Daddy drove like the wind to the birth centre in Paulton, so all went well. You arrived at one minute to six in the evening of October 12 2007 and weighed in at 6lb 12oz.

Here are some more pictures of the new you.


It looks as if you came with a health warning! Did it alert your parents to the fact that babies may produce hazardous waste at both ends?






This is you (asleep) and Ribbet (awake).








You did quite a lot of sleeping in your first few days.