Wonders Of The World

On the coast of Northern Ireland lies a remarkable feature: a field of more than 40,000 interlocking hexagonal columns, leading down into the sea. To the ancient Irish, the basalt columns -- the result of a long ago volcanic eruption -- seemed like the foundations of a bridge made for giants. And so they are still called the Giant's Causeway to this day. On this abnormally long episode, we discuss the mythological origins of the causeway and the legendary Irish hero, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, a.k.a. Finn McCool. While the physical bridge to Scotland might be a myth, other connections in the early medieval period were very much evident. Dr. Lucy Barnhouse (@singingscholar),  medieval historian and contributor to @historyfootnote, drops wisdom about Irish monasticism and its impact in Ireland and abroad. We discuss the beer-multiplying, chariot-riding St. Brigid, the hot-tempered St Columba, and the wandering St. Columbanus. In addition, listeners Jenn and Diarmuid talk about their experiences visiting the causeway a