The Fianna were a hardy band of warriors in Irish mythology who swore to protect the king of Ireland.
To join the Fianna, a man stood in a hole up to his waist, armed only with his shield and a stick.
Nine warriors circled around him and threw spears.
If the man warded off the deadly shafts, he became a member of the Fianna.
The Fianna were also called the Fenians.
In 1858, Irish and Irish Americans formed a political group called the Fenians.
They plotted to achieve Irish independence from Great Britain.
