Why The Name

Nine Hazelnuts: A Legacy of Wisdom & Brotherhood

The name Nine Hazelnuts is drawn from one of Ireland's oldest myths—an origin story of knowledge, honour, and destiny.

According to legend, nine hazel trees grew around the sacred Well of Wisdom, An Tobar Segais. From their branches, hazelnuts dropped into the well, where they were consumed by the mythical Salmon of Knowledge. It was said that whoever first tasted the salmon would gain the wisdom of the world.

That moment came when Fionn MacCumhaill, a young apprentice to the poet Finnegas, was tasked with cooking the salmon. In the process, he burned his thumb on its skin and instinctively put it to his mouth, gaining in that instant all the knowledge the salmon had consumed. Fionn would go on to lead the Fianna, a legendary band of warriors known not just for their courage and skill but for their loyalty, discipline, and deep connection to the land.

The founders of Nine Hazelnuts are all Fianóglach—veterans of Ireland's Army Ranger Wing. The word Fianóglachmeans "young warrior of the Fianna" and reflects a direct lineage of service, tradition, and guardianship.

The home of the Fianna was the Hill of Allen, a place still sacred to this day. It is there, on that very ground, that modern-day Fianóglach are awarded their Green Berets after passing the arduous selection into Ireland's Special Forces. Some have even chosen to have their ashes scattered on the hill—such is the strength of the bond to the unit and its history.

Nine Hazelnuts is more than a name. It is a link to a legacy of service and honour. We are not driven by growth, but by purpose—to do the right thing, for the right reasons, and for the right people. Our work reflects the values we inherited and the standards we uphold.