The story is about Vincent Macken who has written what he thinks is the best postmodern novel ever. His novel 'The Daughter of Conn' is a Celtic quest saga set somewhere in Ireland 200 years ago or thereabouts (who's counting?) which tells the story of Deisin, a hero of the Fianna who has fallen in love with Fionnula, the Princess of Connacht. Her father sets out five great trials that Deisin must perform in order to win her hand in marriage. Each task of this quest takes the form of a riddle in a poem. Vincent overhears literary agents at a bookfair ridiculing his piece of literature and vows to prove to his detractors that the novel is a feasible story in any time.

Vincent interviews a number of camera people about the project and finally settles on Aisling, a young film student enamoured with the films of the French New Wave. The pair set out to reinterpret the riddles of the quest for a modern era. Using the manuscript as their guide, they set out to re-enact the story of Deisin. Needless to say translating the tasks to modern day settings proves an adventure. Aisling, his camera person agrees to accompany him on this journey which takes them around the coast of Ireland. While Vincent wants to document his novel on video, she is more interested in making a documentary about him. The struggle begins. The novel takes on a life of its own. Vincent finally decides that what he has created has the potential for a hit movie.