The Legend of Abarta and His Quest for the Gilla Decair and His Steed
Have you ever found yourself pondering the origins of an unusual name? We’re frequently asked about our name, which certainly raises eyebrows. There exists a river named Abartagh in Galway as well as a townland called Abartach in County Waterford. The name was translated by Rev. Canon Power to mean “the place rich in peat or puddles,” a fitting description for many Irish archaeologists, although it isn’t the source of our name Abarta. In 2013, we were approached by Frank McNally from the Irish Times, who had an inquiry surrounding our name. He unearthed a reference by P.W. Joyce about an ancient custom known as ‘Abarta’ — a term that once described “a blessing given by a tradesman upon finishing a task.” This custom, dating back over a millennium, aptly symbolizes the completion of labor and the inevitability of muddy puddles, which aligns closely with our sentiment. Yet, we ultimately traced our name back to a unique old Irish tale.
Abarta, or Abartach, serves as a mysterious character in the Fenian Cycle, a collection of narratives revolving around Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna. He predominantly appears in the adventurous tale titled The Pursuit of the Gilla Decair and his Horse.
In this tale, Abarta seeks to win Finn’s admiration through his cleverness in hopes of securing a position amongst the Fianna. He approaches Finn and the band of warriors, masquerading as the ‘Gilla Decair,’ or the ‘Lazy Servant.’ Interestingly, the term ‘lazy’ paradoxically implies that the servant allows his master to rest while he undertakes all the labor. Upon joining the Fianna, Abarta finds them somewhat insular and dismissive, failing to meet his expectations of camaraderie among such esteemed warriors.
Realizing that owning a horse would double his earnings, he quickly summoned his impressive steed. This formidable creature, once unleashed, ruthlessly eliminated all the horses belonging to the Fianna. As you can imagine, the Fianna did not take this lightly. Despite their irate response, they were simultaneously struck by both the size and the power of Abarta’s horse. When one of the Fianna attempted to ride the beast, despite being a strong warrior, he could not make it move. Another warrior climbed aboard to assist, yet the horse remained unimpressed and still refused to budge. This cycle of failed attempts continued until fourteen members of the Fianna crowded onto the back of the beast. Seizing this opportunity, Abarta decided to impart a lesson to Finn and his companions. He climbed aboard behind the warriors, and suddenly, the horse took off at an extraordinary speed, catching Finn entirely off guard.
