Photo by Khomenko Maryna/shutterstock.com. The Cat in Celtic Lore: Demon, Witch, or Lover? - Living Library She was buried near Strongbows Tree in Waterford, and one night, she rose from her grave to seek revenge on her father and husband, sucking their blood until they dropped dead. There are stories that say the Dullahan throws blood at people he passes or announces the name of the person thats about to die. [25] In common with other mythical sea-monsters, with the possible exception of kelpies and the nuggle of Shetland, it is unable to wade through fresh flowing water,[19] therefore it can be escaped by crossing a stream. She holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and Education, and has also studied Political Science, Ancient History and Literature. They are wicked, violent tricksters who are different forms depending on which part of Ireland youre hearing a Pooka story from. In this guide, we tell the story of this Celtic mythological creature, and offer insight into where in Ireland it roamed (and where its now buried). *Originally published in January 2014. According to legend, the Sluaghs were angry about their fate and would snatch the soul of anyone with who they cross paths. If you are trying to manage chronic pain or stress, or just want to create a more balanced and healthy lifestyle, than this program is for you! Others, in Scottish folklore, say he used to capture bold children (a story used to scare kids into behaving). "Can't beat a good Irish pub" - David Beckham celebrates son's birthday in Dublin, Irish citizen's Australian visa nixed over Russian spy allegations, UPDATE: Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murdering wife and son, WATCH: Irish bishop's funeral held in Los Angeles today, Brian Donnelly, Irish American visa hero, has died, Sunak's Northern Ireland deal is a solid one, Irish bishops memorial services underway in LA as murder investigation continues. Like many Celtic creatures, the Merrow has incredible powers, and it is able to reside on land or at the depths of the ocean. A supernatural being with long snouts and skinny tails, the Far Darrig are actually closely related to leprechauns in Irish mythology. The 7 Worst Monsters & Demons from Celtic Mythology - Demonicpedia The Irish word for demon is "deamhan" and it is certainly well used because Celtic mythology has always feared an array of evil forces, monsters, demons, Photo by Shvaygert Ekaterina/shutterstock. Oct 28, 2022 . The Leanan Sidhe will then take their dead lover back into her lair, collect their blood into a cauldron, which is the source of her youth, beauty, and artistic inspiration. Her name translates to red bloodsucker and, according to legend, shes a cunning vampire who seduces men and drains them of their blood. But the strange thing about this pony is that its mane would always be dripping with water. According to Irish folklore, Sluagh is dead sinners that come back as malicious spirits. Celtic mythology is the collection of stories and folklore from various ancient Celtic cultures like the Irish, the Welsh, and the Gauls. [3] Traill Dennison only describes a man's head with a "mouth projected like that of a pig". Morrigan (phantom queen) or Mrrgan (great queen) is a figure from Irish mythology who appears to have been a goddess, though not referred to as such explicitly in later text. This term actually has offensive origins. You must be wise in making these wishes though because he might trick you. The Dullahan rides a headless black horse with flaming eyes, carrying his head under one arm. When I was a kid I saw a grey head with pointed wooden spikes all over it looking over a falling tree it was human form head ,,it was like pinhead from hellraiser but grey like wood ,,can anyone help me name it ,,was over 45 years ago and I still remember it as if yesterday. Leanan Sidhe would then take her dead lovers back to her lair. Best features of Core Spirit. One monster, however, managed to escape Caorthannach, the fire-spitter. Marrow-men are horribly ugly male sea-creatures, while the females or the Merrows are absolutely beautiful. The leanan sidhe would seduce them and would offer to be their muse, fueling their creativity by using her magic. Copyright Symbol Sage 2022 All Rights Reserved. The pursuit was a long one, and Caorthannach knew St. Patrick would need water to quench his thirst along the way, so she spit fire as she fled, and poisoned every well she passed. The Leprechaun is arguably the best known of the many Celtic creatures mainly due to its association with Ireland and the quirky tale attached to it. Several versions of the Banshee legend say the feared ghost rode alongside the Dullahan in a black cart drawn by six black horses. Contrary to popular belief, the Leprechaun has nothing to do with the term the Luck of the Irish. Regardless of how she looks, its her wail that sends shivers up the spine of many, as it signals impending doom. If youre looking for stories about Irish mythical creatures to tell your kids, then this one is more than suitable! ; Branwen, Welsh goddess of love and beauty; Cliodhna, Irish goddess, sometimes identified as a goddess of love and beauty. Carman put a blight on Irelands crops and terrorized the Irish until the Tuatha De Danann, the peoples of the goddess Danu, used their magic to fight and defeat her, and drove her sons across the sea. These small faeries usually wear red caps and coats and, similar to the Clurichaun, love to play practical jokes on humans. The Celtic variant of mermaids, merrows have human feet instead of tails but their feet are flat and have webbed fingers to help them swim better. Some Irish families would keep their west-facing windows shut at all times to keep the Sluagh out of their homes. Photo left: zef art Right: John Duncan (1911). Who is the Morrigan? Another interesting point about them is that if you catch a leprechaun, they can grant you three wishes to let them free just like a genie or many other mythological creatures across different religions. First up is arguably the scariest of the many Irish mythology creatures / Irish monsters the Abhartach. A tip to artists: perhaps you should look elsewhere for inspiration, rather than risk falling into the evil hands of the Leanan Sidhe! Ah, the Dearg Due. Also known as The Dwarf King, the Abhartach was a magical Irish dwarf tyrant who rose from his grave after he was killed by the people. Ancient mythology about african gods and godesses, Quantum Physicists Prove Gods Existence. [5][24] The creature was also blamed for prolonged periods of abnormally low rainfall, leading to water shortages and poor harvests. He encounters himself, his musings and emotions as something isolated from the rest-a sort of optical dream of , Unfortunate it may be, but despite the spectacular successes of modern science, there is no ultimate foundation for our knowledge of the world. Unlike leprechauns, who just chill in the woods near their pots of gold, the Far Darrig roam around with giant burlap sacks, looking to kidnap people. Often named Titanian or Mab, she is often described as both seductive and beautiful. She prowls around with her three equally evil sons Dub (darkness in Irish), Dother (evil), and Dain (violence), and their mission is always to cause destruction and devastation. so I would be terrified every night stayin up to make sure that she didn't call me. Once those authors or musicians reached the peak of their creativity, however, the leanan sidhe would suddenly leave them, plunging them into a much deeper depression than they were in previously. As alluded to by Traill Dennison, to whom the story was told, Tammas's account bears a certain resemblance to the events in, "Jo Benn's 1529 Description of North Ronaldsay", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nuckelavee&oldid=1141494086, Articles containing Scottish Gaelic-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 09:56. Omissions? In Irish folklore, Bnnach are a supernatural race that were known to haunt battlefields. It also went by the name of Joint-eater, Just-halver, Art-Luachra, Airc-Luachra, and Doichi-Luachair. The Story of Merlin and the Demons who made him Another snake-like evil Celtic creature is the Questing Beast, a monster with the head of a snake, the body of a leopard, the backside of a lion, and the hooves of a deer. While typically good, the Daoine Maithe can become vengeful if they are mistreated by people. The Leanan Sidhe is another Irish folklore creature that resembles a vampire. These were a race of gigantic warriors who liked nothing better than to invade somewhere, pillage it and then gloat horribly. Dearg-due means "red bloodsucker," and in Irish folklore, it refers to a female demon that seduces men and then sucks and drains them of their blood. People tend to view faeries as happy little Irish mythological creatures that possess a variety of magical powers. Right Eye. [18], Malevolent creatures possibly served to provide explanations for incidents that islanders were otherwise unable to account for; many ancient myths were based upon the natural elements of the turbulent and ever changing sea around Orkney. A Guide To 12 Infamous Celtic Gods And Goddesses - The Irish Jewelry Privacy Policy. No, it wont kill her, but at least youll hold her off until next year! The beasts constant cry was said to sound like the bark of 30 dogs. Share your favorite stories with other history buffs in the IrishCentral History Facebook group. The latest Core Spirit news, articles, and products, sent straight to your inbox. The Pooka, The Leprechaun, The Fairy Queen and Glas Gaibhnenn. The fearless Failinis was one of a number of Celtic mythology animals that could go toe-to-toe with the fiercest of warriors. Natural beauty, a long tumultuous history, castles, beer, whiskey, Halloween, and fascinating mythology. In Celtic mythology, Balor is the name of the evil version of the god of death. Photo left: R. de Moraine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The merrow is said to be half fish (from the waist down) and half beautiful woman (from the waist up) and, according to legend, is friendly and modest. The author was, of course, born in Dublin. Ireland is a lush, green isle thats rich and abundant in so many ways. Just like mermaids, merrows usually live in the water. These Celtic folklore creatures can be very protective and can appear in a form of either beautiful or grotesque creatures. The Kelpie is an evil water spirit, typically portrayed as a white horse that swims in rivers or lakes. Scariest monsters and demons from Celtic myth for Halloween They spoke the Brythonic languages. The beasts constant cry was said to sound like the bark of 30 dogs. yeah I was a very tired lad. Just like vampires, the Abhartach walked the land at night, killing folks and drinking their blood. There was also a fairy cat that was known as the King of the Cats. My readings are very dynamic and profound. Alp-Luachra. [16] An islander, Tammas, claimed to have survived a confrontation with the beast and, after much cajoling from Dennison, reluctantly gave his description of the monster, the only known first-hand account. Sluaghs were one of a handful of Irish mythical creatures that well and truly creeped me out as a child, after hearing stories about them from friends. Some versions of this legend say that the Dullahan throws buckets of blood at people he passes, while others say he simply calls out the name of the mortal that will soon die. When the Tuatha De Danann, the peoples of the goddess Danu, came to the rescue. Some regions say its a red-feathered cap that gives them their water magic, while others claim that its a sealskin cape. She can be an old woman with frightening eyes, a pale lady in a white dress, or a beautiful woman wearing a shroud. Another possible theory, however, is that Bram Stroker took the idea from the Irish Abhartach. A general term for most fairy folk, the Daoine Maithe are usually human-like, have supernatural abilities, and are usually good and kind-hearted. Photo by Ververidis Vasilis/shutterstock.com. Celtic MythologyCeltic Mythology in ContextAdventure, heroism, romance, and magic are a few of the elements that make Celtic mythology one of the most entrancing mythologies of Europe. She is the Celtic goddess of battle, death, fate, strife, and fertility. One of the most recognizable Celtic creatures, having made a guest appearance in Darby OGill and the Little People and all, the Banshee is a female spirit whose wail, if heard outside of a house, foretells the death of one of its inhabitants. Caornach According to ancient Irish folklore, a Caornach is the mother of demons and deathly spirits. The Celts were doing alright until Christianity came along. There is another legend that says Carman cursed Irelands crops and terrorized the Irish. Celtic Mythology | Encyclopedia.com Said to be the scariest type of fairy in Irish folklore, the Pooka are primarily creatures of the night. It could be a cap or a cape. I also lived in 3 continents from the Caribbean, South East Asia to Africa. Dearg-due, an Irish name meaning "red blood sucker," is a female demon that seduces men and then drains them of their blood. The kelpie is a monster right out of Celtic myth. [5], The nuckelavee is the most malevolent of the demons in and around the Scottish islands, without any redeeming characteristics. The nuckelavee's breath was thought to wilt crops and sicken livestock, and the creature was held responsible for droughts and epidemics on land despite being predominantly a sea-dweller. Not to worry, though there is one way to defeat Dearg-due. Curiously, Pookas are also shapeshifters and can sometimes appear as black eagles or as goblins. A race of supernatural giants, Fomorians are often described as hideous-looking monsters who came from the sea/underworld. [2] Variant spellings, or readings, of the name Esus in the manuscripts of Lucan include Hesus, Aesus, and Haesus. I think the one I be most terrified in was The Dearg Due because I had been livin in that same village. They can also take the form of a dark eagle, some boogeyman character, or goblin. Theres no mystery why, during a time when food was scarce, stories of this Irish mythical creature were a firm favourite. Rather than directly suck the blood of her victims, Leanan Sidhe got creative and collected their blood in a giant red cauldron, which was the source of her beauty and artistic inspiration. Babalon, Thelemic godform of lust, carnality and the liberated woman. The local deities from Celtic nature worship were the spirits of a particular feature of the landscape, such as mountains, trees, or rivers, and thus were generally only known by the locals in the surrounding areas. The Bodach, The Man-Wolves of Ossory, The Sluagh and Bnnach. These frightening creatures would often fly from village to village, usually in packs, going from west to east. Learn more about our mission. Celtic mythology is the collection of stories and folklore from various ancient Celtic cultures like the Irish, the Welsh, and the Gauls. The Gods told us to do it. Female merrows are very desirable brides as they are said to be stunningly beautiful, as well as rich because of all the treasures theyve collected from the bottom of the sea. If a Merrow wants to walk on land, she must abandon her cap or cape. They spoke Hispano-Celtic languages. He carries his head in one arm and a whip made out of a human spine in the other. The scientific phenomenon known as Quantum Physics (Quantum Theory) has been discovered and is being widely embraced by many scientific leaders. Read More. Fomorians In Irish Myths And Legends: Race Of Demonic Giants Who [5] Islanders were terrified of the creature and would not speak its name without immediately saying a prayer. A look at some of the top Celtic mythology gods and goddesses, including Morrigan, Danu, Dagda, C Chulainn, Aonghus, Brigit, and Tuath D Danann. She would share with them her creativity, intellect, and magic. The ancient Celtic texts which give the most insight into their mythology and folklore are largely transcriptions of oral histories dating from the middle ages. Celtic deities can belong to two categories: general and local. During all my sessions I connect with as many sources of information as I can to give you a more complete reading. The Leanan sdhe was known to spark up relationships with humans. The Questing Beast, known to be quick, was hunted down by many a knight, and in Celtic myth was chased by King Pellinore, an Arthurian character. What Is a Hellhound? A Guide to the Demonic Dog of Mythology