The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the sea coast on the edge of the Antrim plateau in Northern Ireland. It is made up of some 40,000 massive black basalt columns sticking out of the sea. These formations were caused by volcanic activity during the Tertiary, some 50–60 million years ago. Irish legend says the causeway was built by a giant. This is the story:
Legend has it that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner. When Fionn reached Scotland he found the much larger Benandonner asleep and retreated back across the causeway. When Benandonner awoke he saw the causeway and crossed it to fight Fionn. To protect Fionn, his wife Oonagh dressed him up like a baby and when Brenandonner arrived Oonangh told him Fionn was out chopping wood and he could wait until he returned. When Benandonner saw the size of the 'infant', he assumed the alleged father, Fionn, must be gigantic indeed. Benandonner fled home in terror, ripping up the Causeway in case he was followed by Fionn, leaving only remnants on each shore.
