The Irish demon would sometimes transform into a handsome man to lure women into its trap, but a telltale sign that it was a kelpie was if that man had kelp in its hair. Not all fairy children are changelings. The original Dearg Due is said to have been a beautiful lords daughter who fell in love with a peasant. The nuckelavee ( /nklvi/) or nuckalavee is a horse-like demon from Orcadian folklore that combines equine and human elements. The Fear Gorta is one of a number of Celtic folklore creatures that emerged during the time of the famine in Ireland. Like the evilest creatures in Irish folklore though, the Dullahan has a weakness and it is gold. These spirits come from the west, flying in groups like flocks of birds, and try to enter a house where someone is dying to take away that persons soul. She holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and Education, and has also studied Political Science, Ancient History and Literature. There are stories that say the Dullahan throws blood at people he passes or announces the name of the person thats about to die. I think the one I'd be more afraid to see would have to be The Far Darrig,because of it seems that he like's to play his food be for he attacks his prey and finish him/her off and that why I feel afraid of The Far Darrig, also could you give facts about why it is a myth. Photo by Shvaygert Ekaterina/shutterstock. Science and religion have been at divisive odds during Earths entire existenceuntil recently, that is. Leanan Sidhe the evil Irish fairy-muse. As with most evil forces, the Dullahan has a weakness gold. The creature can take on multiple shapes, but usually, it appears in the form of a horse. I could also sha. Hume realized that all. 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. "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. The pungent smoke emitted during the process was believed to enrage the nuckelavee,[5] resulting in a wild rampage of plague, the deaths of cattle and the destruction of crops. Patrick eventually made it to the Hawks Rock, where he waited for Caorthannach. The word Merrow is from the Irish words Muir, meaning sea and Oigh, the maid. 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. Though the saint was desperately thirsty, he refused to drink from the poisoned wells and prayed for guidance. This Celtic mythological creature is best described as a mermaid in appearance, however, this is where the similarities. It is believed that whoever listened to her play would die rather sooner than later. Curious how these Celtic creatures compare to Greek, Norse or Japanese mythological creatures? First up is arguably the scariest of the many Irish mythology creatures / Irish monsters the Abhartach. Now the Fomori have returned to their waters and transformed into sea monsters who prey on humans. In old Irish folklore, the Cailleach was said to be a hag that was responsible for the creation of earth. Aos S translates to people of the mound. The faeries are a huge part of Irish folklore and are split into two categories. 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. Commonly known in Irish folklore as the foreteller of death, the Dullahan is the Irish counterpart of the headless horseman. Once that happened, the leanan sidhe would come, steal their fresh corpse, and take it to her lair. When you see him, he must grant you three wishes before he can be released. Theres no mystery why, during a time when food was scarce, stories of this Irish mythical creature were a firm favourite. [13] Writer and folklorist Ernest Marwick considered it very similar to the Norwegian nkk, the nuggle of Shetland and the kelpie. They believed in a life after death, for they buried food, weapons, and ornaments with the dead. Some tales describe the Bodach as a Celtic creature that plays tricks on kids. This destructive witch roamed around with her three evil sons: Dub (darkness in Irish), Dother (evil) and Dain (violence), destroying anything or anyone in their path. Not all Irish folklore creatures are sinister, there are those that are actually generally good such as the Daoine Maithe. The malevolent monster had only one eye and a single huge leg, yet it held the title of . When he stops riding, a human dies. It could be a cap or a cape. A general term for most fairy folk, the Daoine Maithe are usually human-like, have supernatural abilities, and are usually good and kind-hearted. Top 10 Scary Irish Mythological Creatures - Celtic Creatures Another vampire myth in Celtic culture, the Dearg Due is a female demon. [c] According to Tammas, the nuckelavee has a man's torso attached to a horse's back as if it were a rider. If you read our guide to Irish Mythology, youll know that theres plenty of Irish mythological creatures that were known to be fierce in battle. They have human-like legs and huge, flat feet and webbed fingers. The other story says that fairies are from the magical being called Tuatha D Danann. Aamon, (Christian Origin) comes from Christian demonology. These evil fairies take the shape in black horses, who stampede through fences, crops, and properties, causing damage and destruction. Although youll often hear the Oilliphist described as a Celtic monster, it was said to take on the appearance of a dragon. 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. Fairies are easily the best known of the many Irish folklore creatures, and theyre presences has been seen in everything from Disney movies to video games. Pca - the Irish Ghost. In exchange, the Fear Gorta (also often referred to as man of hunger) offers fortunes to those that offer assistance or kindness. This was David Humes great insight, when he formulated his famous problem of induction. The author was, of course, born in Dublin. According to the Celtic legend, an Irish woman who was known throughout the country for her beauty fell in love with a local peasant, which was unacceptable to her father. 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. A Guide To 12 Infamous Celtic Gods And Goddesses - The Irish Jewelry Caorthannach, thought by some to be the devils mother, is a demon that was fought off by St. Patrick when he banished the snakes out of Ireland. Perhaps itd be a good idea to stay away from any bodies of water this Halloween! Another key difference between the Dullahan and the banshee is that the headless horseman does not hesitate to harm onlookers with his whip. They are not exactly demons, they are more like dead sinners that come back from the grave and roam the kind of the living as malicious spirits. Demons of the Ancient World - Sarah Woodbury Privacy Policy. Best Restaurants In Tralee: 8 Tasty Places To Eat In Tralee Tonight, Causeway Coastal Route Guide (Has A Google Map With Stops + Itinerary For 2023). IrishCentral has hunted down the ten most frightening of these Celtic and Irish demons and monsters: Yes, Dracula himself is an Irish creation (Irishman Bram Stoker created the monster in his masterpiece novel), but theres also a vampire that resides right smack in the middle of Ireland. However, when a merrow finds her cap or cape again, she is overtaken by the desire to return to the water and leave her husband and children. She is the Celtic goddess of battle, death, fate, strife, and fertility. The banshee often appears as a young woman, a matron, or an old hag, that wears a white cloak. Natural beauty, a long tumultuous history, castles, beer, whiskey, Halloween, and fascinating mythology. 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. Photo left: zef art Right: John Duncan (1911). After Celtic lands became Christianised, there were attempts by Christian writers to euhemerize or even demonize most of the pre-Christian deities, while a few others became Saints in the church. According to Irish folklore, Sluagh is dead sinners that come back as malicious spirits. Celtic mythology is full of unique creatures, many of which have influenced modern day pop culture and are still mentioned in books, movies, video games and songs. 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. Though the saint was desperately thirsty, he refused to drink from the poisoned wells and prayed for guidance. Since publishing a large number of Irish folklore and Irish mythology guides, weve received countless emails about Irish folklore creatures. List of love and lust deities - Wikipedia The Morrigan in Irish/Celtic Mythology The Shapeshifting Goddess of War & Death. Here, you'll find everything from hike and drive guides to funky places to stay and more! Morrigan, sometimes known as Morrigu, was an Irish goddess of death on the battlefield who help the Tuatha De Danann at . Portrayed as a little person but in green, the leprechaun sports a glorious orange beard and a big green hat, usually adorned with a four-leaf clover. She controlled the weather and the winds and was popular among many Irish poets. He was invincible and could destroy any wild beast that he crossed paths with. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The base Kelpie myth shows them as beautiful and captivating creatures that attract travelers and children by offering them a ride on their back. The Celtiberians and Gallaecians were ancient Celtic peoples in Iberia. Celtic mythology is so rich that even though we have access to just a fraction that has survived through the ages, that fraction still contains dozens of different unique and fantastic myths and mythological creatures. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. As with Dearg-due, to prevent the undead Leanan Sidhe from rising, one must put a cairn of stones over her resting place. Balor - Celtic demon king. [14] Marwick also only mentions one head with a single red eye, and he borrows some of Tammas's characterisation by recording the creature's mouth as "like a whale's". Balor can kill someone just by staring at them with his evil eye, so he kept it closed most of the time, so as not to constantly be tripping over dead bodies. The one sure-fire way to deal with a Far Darring is to say out loud You will not mock me! before they manage to trap you. Some of the Celtic monsters were originally gods but were later demonized as pagan creatures when many of the Celts became Christians. The Abhartach, Balor of the Evil Eye, The Banshee and The Dearg Due. The womans husband was terrible to her, so she ended up committing suicide out of sorrow. Curiously, Pookas are also shapeshifters and can sometimes appear as black eagles or as goblins. Dearg-due, an Irish name meaning "red blood sucker," is a female demon that seduces men and then drains them of their blood. If a human emerges, he will be dragged outside and killed. 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. The pair is said to whip the horses with a human spinal cord. Spread throughout the St. Patricks Festival Week are various activities and events like [], 10 Things To Do In Lahinch - Ireland Travel Guides, [] to legend, an old hag, Mal of Malbay, fell in love with the Irish mythology hero, Cu Chulainn. Elln Trechend is known to emerge from a cave and embark on a rampage of destruction in a tale called the Cath Maige Mucrama. The scariest monsters and demons from Celtic mythology. The 7 Worst Monsters & Demons from Celtic Mythology - Demonicpedia The first section of our guide is dedicated to Celtic mythological creatures that veer towards the terrifying side of things. [5] Islanders were terrified of the creature and would not speak its name without immediately saying a prayer. Irelands most popular baby names of 2022 - by county! She stands in the shadows of the better-known Abhartach, but shes none the less terrifying, in our opinion. The saint is said to have stood on the mountain now known as Croagh Patrick and expelled all the serpents and demons out of the Emerald Isle into the sea to drown. Read More. Some of the Celtic monsters were originally gods, but were later demonized as pagan creatures when many of the Celts became Christians. In Irish folklore, Bnnach are a supernatural race that were known to haunt battlefields. http://www.classics.upenn.edu/myth/php/tools/dictionary.php?regexp=RHEA&method=standard, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Celtic_deities&oldid=1139194287, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Adsagsona - Gallic goddess of magic named on the, Cissonia - a Gallic goddess of trade, companion of, Matronae Dervonnae - Gallic mother goddesses in, Matronae Vediantiae (Deae Vediantiae) - Gallic mother goddesses in, Seixomniai Leuciticai - a Celtic goddess, equated with, Bergimus - a mountain god of Cisalpine Gaul, Brasennus - a god known from a lone inscription in Cisalpine Gaul, Cuslanus - a god in Cisalpine Gaul associated with, Deus Ducavavius - a god known from a lone inscription in Cisalpine Gaul, Deus Orevaius - a god known from a lone inscription at, Paronnus - a god known from a lone inscription at, Besencl (Besenclae) - a community and house protector, Erbina - a goddess of wild animals, hunting, and domestic security, Laneana (Laneanis) - a goddess of springs and floods, Reva (Reua) - personification of water flows, This page was last edited on 13 February 2023, at 21:59. He whipped out an instrument and played soothing music until C Chulainn fell asleep. 10. Not to worry, though there is one way to defeat Dearg-due. They were pastoral people of Greek or Eastern origin. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. The Oilliphist used to inhabit the dark, murky waters of many lakes and rivers across Ireland and many Irish warriors ended up fighting these Celtic folklore creatures. The pair is said to whip the horses with a human spinal cord. Riding a black horse and covered with a black cape, the Dullahan roams the fields at night. The fairy was a beautiful woman who was said to give inspiration to poets and musicians but at the price of their lives. A post shared by Morgana das Fadas (@morgana.das.fadas) on May 15, 2020 at 7:44am PDT. The kelpie galloped around Ireland, looking like a lost pony, attempting to trick women and children into riding on it. Hmm. [14] The torso has a large head possibly as much as 3 feet (90 centimetres) in diameter that rolls back and forth. In this article, well be going over some of the most legendary Celtic mythological creatures. As fallen angels, their sins were not great enough to warrant a lifetime in hell so they were sent to earth as fairies instead. Though theyre not so much demons, Sluagh are scary creatures that hunt down souls. Dad forced her into an arranged marriage with a rich man who treated her terribly, and eventually, she commits suicide. In Irish folklore, these elf-like creatures are tricksters who cannot be trusted and will deceive you whenever possible. According to legend, the Sluaghs were angry about their fate and would snatch the soul of anyone with who they cross paths. It also went by the name of Joint-eater, Just-halver, Art-Luachra, Airc-Luachra, and Doichi-Luachair. Its like the Pooka, to an extent, in that it plays jokes on people, but thats where the similarities end. Sporting one eye and a single gigantic leg, the evil creature was King of the Fomori, demons who lived in the dark depths of lakes and seas. 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. The Daoine Maithe are the fairy folk in Irish mythology. When they encountered people, the Sluagh would instantly try to kill them and take their souls. The original Dearg Due is said to have been a beautiful lord's daughter who fell in love with a peasant. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. Some versions of this legend say that the Dullahan throws buckets of blood at people he passes, while other say he simply calls out the name of the mortal that will soon die. The beasts constant cry was said to sound like the bark of 30 dogs. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Annnnd were back to creepy Celtic monsters again, next, with the Bnnach. One monster, however, managed to escape Caorthannach, the fire-spitter. Those that fell victim to his seductive charm ended up passing away not long after. A post shared by Tami Wicinas (@twicinas) on Oct 10, 2019 at 11:59pm PDT. How did he free himself? The Clurichaun is a strange one. Farewell Its been a while, but Beck and Kip are still in my heart and drifting in between short story drabbles in my free time. A particularly gruesome detail is that the nuckelavee has no skin;[19] black blood courses through yellow veins, and the pale sinews and powerful muscles are visible as a pulsating mass. Celtic Mythology | Encyclopedia.com While typically good, the Daoine Maithe can become vengeful if they are mistreated by people. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 8. 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. ; Branwen, Welsh goddess of love and beauty; Cliodhna, Irish goddess, sometimes identified as a goddess of love and beauty. Often portrayed in contemporary fantasy fiction and video games, this foreteller of death is the Irish version of the headless horseman. Ladies, take note if meet a guy with seaweed on his head, dont go home with him! The creature is scared of the substance, so any lonely travelers this Halloween night would be wise to have some on him in case they have a run-in with this headless horror! Her name literally translates as "Red Bloodsucker" and she's said to lure men by seducing them in the night before biting them and sucking away their blood. The Pooka (or Puca) is one of several Irish mythological creatures that doesnt get half the attention that it deserves. Others, in Scottish folklore, say he used to capture bold children (a story used to scare kids into behaving). They spoke Gaulish. They say that when a chicken or cow sees a Pooka, the animals become too traumatized that they cannot produce eggs or milk for weeks. In section two, we tackle the less harmful Celtic creatures. Sign up now for weekly facts, the latest blogs, and interesting features. They have a terrifying laugh and they often cause nightmares. Outside of a person it was not much to . As is the case with many tales from Irish folklore, the story behind some of these creatures differs, depending on whos telling it. [15] The monster described by Tammas has two heads;[18] the equine head has an enormous gaping mouth that exudes a pungent, toxic vapour, and a single giant eye like a burning red flame. A graphic description of the nuckelavee as it appears on land was given by an islander who claimed to have had a confrontation with it, but accounts describing the details of the creature's appearance are inconsistent. Category:Celtic Mythology | Megami Tensei Wiki | Fandom Alp-Luachra. Considered as an omen of death and the fear of every child, the banshee is one of the scariest creatures in Irish folklore. Morrigan is a demon in the series. Many view them as a type of fairy, which is logical in a sense as the word banshee comes bean sidhe or fairy woman in Gaelic. The origin of this creature is told in the Celtic legend about a woman who was known all over Ireland for her beauty. My readings are very dynamic and profound. Celtic mythology - Wikipedia The Irish demon would sometimes transform into a handsome man to lure women to its trap, but a telltale sign that it was a kelpie was if that man had kelp in its hair. 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, I think the one I be most terrified in was The Dearg Due because I had been livin in that same village. In Christian demonology, he is a Marquis of Hell and rules 40 infernal legions. 18 Celtic Gods and Goddesses: Ancient Celtic Pantheon This beast appears not only in the legends of King Arhtur, but also in Edmund Spensers epic tale The Faerie Queene, which in part, tackles the troubled relationship between England and Ireland in the 16th century. These spirits come from the west, flying in groups like flocks of birds, and try to enter a house where someone is dying to take away that persons soul. Although similar to the boogeyman in appearance, the Bodach is one of a number of Celtic mythological creatures who, according to legend, was completely harmless. yeah I was a very tired lad. 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. The Morrigan frequently appears in the ornithological guise of a hooded crow. The pursuit was a long one, and Caorthannach knew St. Patrick would need water to quench his thirst along the way, so she spitfire as she fled, and poisoned every well she passed. Like all fairies, these dogs are more spectral hounds than demonic. 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. Hi, Im Christine a full-time traveler and career woman. The character of Merlin originally came from pagan mythology. 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. Celtic | Mythology Explained If a Merrow wants to walk on land, she must abandon her cap or cape.