There is the joke that if you are Irish then you will probably never play for the NBA.
But now I’ve been reading about the search for a 1,500 year old mutated gene that causes gigantism. Scientists will be providing free screening for folks in some areas in Northern Ireland to study it further and to understand how widespread it is.
Hey, I’m no scientist but I would like to bring up one little point. Has everyone forgotten about Finn McCool????
There would be no Giant’s Causeway without him in the beautiful county of Antrim. I mean you can believe what you want to believe. That it’s a result of basalt, asphalt or a plain old fault. But I think you might be wrong. Science or not.
It was because of Finn McCool. The biggest fella of them all.
I will make this short.
There once was a causeway built by a Scottish giant. One day, looking for trouble, he tromped across it to Ireland to find the Irish giant, Finn McCool. Finn’s wife, the very clever Oonagh, disguised Finn as her baby son and presented him to the Scottish challenger. When he saw the size of the baby, he ran back to Scotland tearing up the causeway on his way home. He’d never win a fight with that boy’s father.
Back to the scientists. I guess I am just a little surprised that they’re surprised. About this giant thingy.
I was there some years ago with my girls. My Auntie Mairead drove us, along with a family friend, Anna Duffy, to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
I had purchased a book about Finn McCool for Annie. To brush up on him before we visited. Even though she was only a little bit of a thing she absorbed quite a bit.
The guide would point at a rock formation and ask the group of visitors, “Does anyone know what this is?”
Annie would promptly answer, “The Wishing Chair!” Or “The Honeycomb!” Or “The Giant’s Granny!”
He chuckled and seemed to get a kick out of the fact that he had less work to do.
Anyway, it was all very real. A grand trip. A giant of a trip.
Which leads me back to my original question. Am I the only one who remembers Finn McCool?
C’mon, people!!! He’s in the genes!
Stepping stones
Giant’s Causeway with Rory and Annie
Looking across the Channel
Girl giant. Not even five feet two inches. Never gonna play NBA.
The Causeway
Rory and I trekked up the hill for a better view
Note: the Irish spelling of his name is Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Just Being Mary 