Horror logo

10 Terrifying Creatures From Irish Folklore

There is a long history of strange and fantastic creatures in Ireland

By Durga PrasadPublished 12 months ago 5 min read
Like

Ireland has a long history of strange and fantastical creatures, but it's not just fairies and leprechauns; there are also some truly horrifying inhabitants of the Irish Otherworld, such as these ten the abharthak Long before the Irish author Bram Stoke created Dracula, the island had bloodsucking bat attacks. Another time, a wicked wizard from the hills near Glenoolen aparthek a dwarf was killed by his subjects and buried standing up when he returned the following day.

The Banshee, which in Irish means "Otherworld woman," is possibly the most well-known ghost from the Emerald Isle. Her screams and whines heard at night foreshadow death in the family, but only if your family is particularly wealthy. The Banshee, according to Irish poet wb8, is a fairy attendant who follows the old families and is the only ones for whom having more than one is considered an honor—the Banshee queen. Cleona was a goddess of love and beauty who was accompanied by birds that cured illness, but she also enticed sailors to their deaths for which she was punished by the Sea God, where she fled the other realm to be with her lover Immortal McClure, who drowned her with a wave, giving rise to the folklore in Gallows County.

The Banshee, which in Irish means "Otherworld woman," is possibly the most well-known ghost from the Emerald Isle. Her screams and whines heard at night foreshadow death in the family, but only if your family is particularly wealthy. The Banshee, according to Irish poet wb8, is a fairy attendant who follows the old families and is the only ones for whom having more than one is considered an honor—the Banshee queen. Cleona was a goddess of love and beauty who was accompanied by birds that cured illness, but she also enticed sailors to their deaths for which she was punished by the Sea God, where she fled the other realm to be with her lover Immortal McClure, who drowned her with a wave, giving rise to the folklore in Gallows County.

The Femorians, also known as Femores, are the sea demons or giants believed to have constructed Ireland's megalithic monuments. In Irish mythology, there are basically two main factions: the good one, represented by the two Acer Di Danan, and the evil one. The first Irish settlers are believed to have been the Fomorians, who reportedly numbered 200 men and 600 women at first. However, their most distinguishing feature is their mutant appearance, which they believe to be a gift from the dark gods. They frequently have misaligned limbs, too many eyes, and other abnormalities. They also use ancient earthly magic, such as the power of the worm, which controls the weather and torments the king of Balor.

Gorta, fear The origins of the fear gorter, or hungry man, who prowls the island during times of hunger and begs from house to house for food, are unknown. Some claim he emerges from the hungry grass, which curses anyone who steps on it to starve to death. Others claim the fear gauter is the spirit of a man who perished from malnutrition not far from a fairy mound. There is no way to destroy the fear gauter, but there is a way to protect yourself through compassion. Those who feed him whatever they can are thanked or rewarded for it. The wretched and feared water appears emaciated, dressed in rags with long, dirty fingernails, and frequently dropping an arm bowl.

The fetch, which derives from the old Irish belief system and means "seer," is Ireland's equivalent of the doppelganger. Depending on the time of day you see it, it may bring good or bad luck, but most of the time the fetch is bad luck because it takes the form of a person whose death is imminent and manifests itself to them or their loved ones as Roman. The fetch's inclination to colour at the reason of impending death, revealing burns of its fire, gripping its chest for a heart attack, etc., as well as the lack of a shadow, mark it apart from a standard doppelganger. Needless to say, this all makes the scene look very frightening. After passing away, he might still be seen strolling around.

many acts The souls of sinners doomed to wander the land, dragging souls with them to hell, are explained by Christians as Sue AXA monsters with a taste for human souls, especially souls and true love. They are said to be particularly active at Halloween, when all fires were traditionally forbidden to avoid drawing their attention, or whatever day of the year it is; there is an old saying that applies.

olotheistiana While scholars are unsure of the exact meaning of the old legend, which claims that Saint Patrick drove snakes out of Ireland, it may have something to do with a species of enormous, worm-like creatures that have been compared to dragons. In order to buy their time in deep lakes and underground caverns, especially marshes and swamps, and because their blood is toxic, when the Healer of the Gods died and set about removing three of them that had been growing inside a baby's breast, he burned them to ashes, and the River Shannon is said to have formed this way, leaving Kevin Olive to flee some Patrick.

THE DUNHAM Ireland had a headless horseman long before the stories of Sleepy Hollow.The dullahan, which means "dark man," is a black-robed death-harbinger who stalks through the night on horseback while brandishing a human spine as a whip. He may also ride his giant black carriage, which is drawn by six headless horses and moves so quickly that it wipes out the wayside.

AblazeThe dollarhan is traditionally a representation of the pagan fertility god Kromdoer, whose blood sacrifice privileges include decapitation; despite the head's likeness to a lump of mouldy cheese, he keeps it near at hand by holding it aloft. Although there are many stories of people who watch from their windows for a glimpse of him only to get blood in their eyes, you don't want to be too eager. For Miles's journey around the countryside and his midnight pursuit of the dying, it also serves as a lantern because its decaying phosphorescence is enough for his vision.

monster
Like

About the Creator

Durga Prasad

My "spare" time is spent creating for myself and writing for others.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.