Balor of the Evil Eye.

Balor of the Evil Eye.

Balor can be equated to a god of death and destruction, in Irish mythology he was the son of Net, and lord of the Formorians, the grotesque race that inhabited Ireland before the Tuatha de Dannan. In the Celtic-Irish mythology, Balor is the god of death and the king of the Fomorians, a race of giants. He was the son of Buarainech and the husband of Cethlenn.

He became known as 'Balor of the Evil Eye' after spying on druids preparing a draught of wisdom; some of the potion splashed on to his eye, which made his stare baleful to all those he looked upon. He kept his evil eye closed when not in battle, and his lid was so heavy that he needed four attendants to lift it.

According to some prophesies Balor would be killed by his own grandson. He locked his daughter Ethlinn in a crystal tower, to prevent her from getting pregnant. With the help of the druidess Birog, Cian of the Tuatha Dé Danann, managed to enter the tower and slept with Ethlinn. She gave birth to a son, but when Balor learned of his existence he threw him in the ocean.

Birog saved the boy and gave him to the sea god Manannan mac Lir, where he was raised. The boy, named Lugh Lamhfada (Lugh of the Long Arm), became a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann and led them in the second battle at Mag Tuireadh.

In this second and final battle, Balor killed King Nuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann with a glance from his eye. However, when he opened his eye to kill his grandson Lugh, Lugh managed to smash out Balor's eye with a sling and Balor fell dead to the ground.

Sounds a little like the story of David and Goliath.

The Daghdha.

Dagda, Daghdha, The Father God.

The father god of Irish mythology, his name means 'The Good' he is master of all arts and knowledge, and can be seen as one of the most powerful gods in the Irish Celtic pantheon.

His symbols are the cauldron known as the Undry (inspiration and wisdom), and the club (primal power) the club was supposed to be able to kill nine men with one blow; but with the handle he could return the slain to life. His cauldron also has the power to restore life, and was always full, providing endless nourishment for his peoples.

In mythology he is the chief of the Tuatha de Dannan (The people of the goddess Dannan), and was a key figure in the overcoming of the Formorians. The Dagda is also associated with the bardic tradition, and has a magical harp in his possession, which flies into the hands of its true owner when called. It was known as Daurdabla (also known as The Four Angled Music), it was a richly ornamented magic harp made of oak, which when the Daghdha play it, put the seasons in their correct order. Other accounts tell of it being used to command the order of battle. He possessed two pigs, one of which was always growing whilst the other was always roasting, and ever-laden fruit trees.

His prowess as a lover appears many times in the Irish tales, which may link him to fertility; in any event he is the father of many of the Irish pantheon.

Also known as Eochaidh Mór (The Great Horseman) he was better known as the Daghdha an ancient name which meant the Good God and he was famous for his wisdom and generosity. He was a big man, who carried a great club with which he hit the earth so as to make the crops grow. Tremendously strong, he was a great builder of raths and forts. He was also a skilled musician on the harp, and if he had any fault it was his tendency to eat and drink too much.

The ‘great Daghdha’, as he was usually called, had his residence in Brugh na Bóinne (the tumulus at Newgrange on the bank of the Boyne). It is said that he fell in love with the lady Bóinn, a mystical woman after whom the river is named. She was the wife of the water-deity Nuadhu, nicknamed ‘Ealcmhar’, who lived in the well at the source of the river. The Daghdha thought of a plan to gain her love unknown to her husband, and for that reason he asked Ealcmhar to go on a message for him which would take nine days. When Ealcmhar was away, the Daghdha used his massive strength to tie the sun in the sky so that it did not move for nine months, and in that time he became the lover of Bóinn, and she gave birth to a baby-boy before her husband returned. The boy was called Aonghus and we will look at him in another post.

The Dagda (or sometimes just Dagda; Proto-Celtic: dagos-deiwos; Old Irish: dag dia; Irish: dea-Dia; all meaning "good god") is an important god of Irish mythology. The Dagda is a father-figure (he is also known as Eochaid Ollathair or "All-father Haughey") and a protector of the tribe. In some texts his father is Elatha, in others his mother is Ethlinn.

The Dullahan.

The Dullahan.

The Irish Dullahan (also Gan Ceann.) is a type of unseelie fairie. He is a soul collector who roams the countryside during midnight on certain Irish festive days. He is dressed in a long black cloak and is headless, usually seen riding a black horse and carrying his head under one arm. The head's eyes are massive and constantly dart about like flies, while the mouth is constantly in a hideous grin that touches both sides of the head. In some of the stories his horse has a head too. Its head is longer than its body by 6 yards and has flaming eyes and short ears.

The flesh of the head is said to have the colour and consistency of moldy cheese.He has a large mouth filled with razor sharp teeth filed to a point. The Dullahan's whip is actually a human corpse's spine, and the wagons they sometimes use are black horse drawn hearses. When the Dullahan stops riding, it is where a person is due to die. The Dullahan calls out their name, at which point they immediately perish.

There is no way to bar the road against a Dullahan, all locks and gates open on their own when it approaches. Also, they do not appreciate being watched while on their errands, throwing a basin of blood on those who dare to do so (often a mark that they are among the next to die), or even lashing out the watchers' eyes with their whips. Nonetheless, they are frightened of gold, and even a single gold pin can drive a Dullahan away.

The Dullahan may have been the inspiration for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

W. J. Fitzpatrick, a famous storyteller claims to have seen a Dullahan. He recounts:
I seen the Dullahan myself, stopping on the brow of the hill between Bryansford and Moneyscalp late one evening, just as the sun was setting. It was completely headless but it held up its own head in its hand and I heard it call out a name. I put my hand across my ears in case the name was my own, so I couldn't hear what it said. When I looked again, it was gone. But shortly afterwards, there was a bad car accident on that very hill and a young man was killed. It had been his name that the Dullahan was calling.

In other legends he sides with the legendary ghost, the Banshee, and they drive a black cart (called the Coiste Bodhar) drawn by six black horses and whips them with his whip made of a human spinal cord . (which he sometimes has on his own which he whips the eyes out of the mortals foolish enough to spy on him during his nightly runs, for he hates those with sharp eyesight.) The only fear it has is gold, which any lonely traveller at night would be wise to have to ward off him off.

Some people believe that the Dullahan is the embodied spirit of a celtic god, Crom Dubh, who demanded human sacrifices each year. The worship of Crom Dubh continued in Ireland until the sixth century, when Christian missionaries arrived from Scotland. However, Crom Dubh still wanting souls became the Dullahan or far dorocha (Which translates into Dark Man.)

The Dullahan serves no master but death.

The Púca.

The Púca or Pooka.

The Pooka is the Anglicisation of the Old Gaelic word Púca, it refers to the most feared and respected fairy in Celtic folklore. According to legend, the Púca can metamorphose into a wide variety of shapes; it may appear as a horse, rabbit, goat, dog or goblin. However, it most commonly assumes the shape of a dark horse with yellow eyes, it roams the countryside at night smashing down fences and gates, terrifying and scattering livestock.

Certain agricultural traditions surround the Púca, it is said that at the end of harvesting, a small deformed goblin shows up in search of a small share of the crops, if he is not placated he will wreak havoc, so the croppers leave behind a small amount of the crop which has become known as the Púca's share to satisfy the ravenous goblin. Only one man ever managed to tame a Púca - Brian Boru, when high King of Ireland, managed to ride a Púca until it surrendered to his will. He forced the Púca to make two promises - firstly that he would no longer torment Christians and secondly that he would no longer attack Irishmen except those who were drunk or were roaming with evil intent.

The puca agreed but as the centuries rolled by it forgot its bargain and returned to its old ways. However, in some areas the Púca is spoke about with quite an amount of deference and is treated with more respect than fear. It is stated that if the Púca is treated with respect they can actually turn out to be more beneficial than malevolent.

According to legend, the Púca is a deft shape shifter, capable of assuming a variety of terrifying or pleasing forms, and may appear as a horse, rabbit, goat, goblin, or dog. No matter what shape the púca takes, its fur is almost always dark. It most commonly takes the form of a sleek black horse with a flowing mane and luminescent golden eyes.

If a human is enticed onto a Púca's back, it has been known to give them a wild ride, though unlike a kelpie, which will take its rider and dive into the nearest stream or lake to drown and devour him/her, the Púca will do its rider no real harm. The Púca has the power of human speech, and has been known to give advice and lead people away from harm. Though the púca enjoys confusing and often terrifying humans, it is considered to be benevolent

Certain agricultural traditions surround the púca. It is a creature associated with Samhain, a Pagan harvest festival, when the last of the crops is brought in. Anything remaining in the fields is considered "Púka", or fairy-blasted, and hence inedible. In some areas reapers leave a small share of the crop, the "Púca's share", to placate the hungry creature. Nonetheless, November 1st is the Púca's day, and the one day of the year when it can be expected to behave civilly.

The Púca is a creature of the mountains and hills, and in those regions there are stories of it appearing on November Day and providing prophecies and warnings to those who consult it.

The Púca (also Pooka, Phouka, Púka, Glashtyn, Gruagach) is a creature of Irish and Welsh myth. It is one of the myriad of fairy (faery) folk, and, like many faery folk, is both respected and feared by those who believe in it.

The Púca is an adroit shape changer, capable of assuming a variety of terrifying forms. It may appear as an eagle or as a large black goat (its name is a cognate of the early Irish 'poc', 'a male goat' and it lends its name to Puck, the goat-footed satyr made famous in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream), but it most commonly takes the form of a sleek black horse with a flowing mane and glowing yellow eyes.

The Púca is considered by many to be the most terrifying of all the creatures of faery. Not the slightest reason is its appearance, but it is its powers that are most feared. It is said to waylay travellers and others about at night, and if it is able to toss them onto its back, it will, at very least, provide them with the ride of their lives, from which they will return forever changed. A similar creature, the Aughisky (Water-horse), will allow itself to be saddled and ridden, but if it is ever taken next to a river or pond, it will carry its hapless rider into the water and rip him to pieces. The Púca has the power of human speech, and has been said to call those it feels have slighted or offended it out of their homes for a ride. If they fail to appear, it will tear down fences, scatter livestock, and create general mayhem.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the Púca has succumbed to the terminal cuteness which has been the fate of so many other powerful mythological creatures. Contemporary media have reduced it to a harmless, shy, and slightly demented garden-gnomish weevil eater. Toy manufacturers seek to increase their market penetration by selling cuddly blue-eyed púcas, in absolute ignorance of the thousands of years of history they debase in doing so. Yet myth is not easily denied. The Púca, ever the master of disguise, may find new life in synthetic fur and glass eyes, and gallop forth into the darkness once again to strike fear into the hearts of the midnight traveller.

The Kelpie.

The Kelpie.

The kelpie like the Aughisky is a supernatural water horse from Celtic folklore that is believed to haunt the rivers and Loughs of Scotland and Ireland. The horse's appearance is strong, powerful, and breathtaking. Its hide was supposed to be black (though in some stories it was white), and will appear to be a lost pony, but can be identified by its constantly dripping mane. Its skin is like that of a seal, smooth but is as cold as death when touched. Water horses are known to transform into beautiful women to lure men into their traps. It is understood that the nostril of the horse is what creates the illusion of grandeur. The water horse creates illusions to keep itself hidden, keeping only its eye above water to scout the surface, much like the illusion of a fish's pupil. It is wise to keep away from them.

As the story of the kelpie differs depending on the region where it is told. Other versions of the story say that the kelpie is "green as glass with a black mane and tail that curves over its back like a wheel" or that, even in human form, they are always dripping wet and/or have water weeds in their hair.

The water horse is a common form of the kelpie, said to lure humans, especially children, into the water to drown and eat them. It performs this act by encouraging children to ride on its back. Once its victims fall into its trap, the kelpie's skin becomes adhesive and it bears them into the river, dragging them to the bottom of the water and devouring them — except the heart or liver. Commonly known as spirits of the dead, they are malevolent creatures.

An exception is an Irish tale in which, toward the end of the mystical period of Ireland, a water horse fails to travel to Tír na nÓg with its fellow mystic folk and instead rises above water, seeking a wife. However, after attempting to court a clever girl, who consults a druid about the situation, he is captured and forced to work to be taught compassion. After learning his lesson, he is given the choice of departing to Tír na nÓg or drinking a magic potion that will make him a real man. The water horse, now full of love, decides to drink the potion which erases the memories of his life as a water horse and gives him the chance to live with the clever girl with whom he has fallen in love.

Some say the kelpie is not always male, but may also take the form of a human woman. In this instance, the kelpie is often referred to as a water wraith and is most often seen clothed in a green dress. She is just as treacherous as a male Kelpie.

There was one way in which a Kelpie could be defeated and tamed; the Kelpie's power of shape shifting was said to reside in its bridle, and anybody who could possess such a bridle could force the Kelpie to submit to their will. A Kelpie in subjugation was highly prized, it had the strength of at least 10 horses and the endurance of many more, but the fairy races were always dangerous captives especially those as malignant as the Kelpie.



The Kelpie’s Wife.

There once was a Kelpie's wife, who lived beneath the Lough with her baby son, whom she loved dearly. The Kelpie's wife loved her husband but she missed the warmth of the sun and her family, for the Kelpie had stolen (this is the custom of Kelpies who steal their wives) her away from them without as much as a farewell.

One day, when her husband was out hunting victims, the cold and the darkness became unbearable and she fled to the surface, leaving behind her baby son, for she knew the Kelpie loved his son and would care for him. Once at the surface she basked in the warmth of the sun and soon made her way to her parent’s cottage. Her family were overjoyed to see her, for they thought she had died and so they held a great Celidh.

The Celidh dragged on into the night and the Kelpie's wife soon forgot her husband and child with the joy of being reunited with her family. During the night there came a great storm and suddenly, from outside the cottage, they could hear the champing of a horse's hooves.

Her husband had found his wife gone and was furious, for he loved her so greatly that he viewed her escape as the ultimate crime. Taking the form of a black stallion he banged on the cottage door but he could not enter, for he had not been given permission to enter and cross the threshold. He called for her in rage filled screams. The Kelpie's wife was frightened and also sad for she loved her husband but wished to stay with her family. Eventually, during the night, they heard a great 'thud' as something hit the door. After this, there was silence.

In the morning when the Kelpie had returned to the Lough, they found lying on the ground, the decapitated head of the Kelpie's son. In revenge for his wife's betrayal he had slain his only son. This was the price to pay for breaking a Kelpie's heart. The Kelpie's wife lived contently and was never again bothered by the Kelpie, who had learnt his lesson of love.

Dobhar Chu. The Irish Crocodile.

Dobhar Chu. Irish Water Hound.

The name Dobhar Chu is Gaelic and translates to "water hound." The nickname for this creature — Irish Crocodile — may arise from legends about its huge and ferocious appetite and its speed in and out of the water. It’s thought to be about seven feet long and carnivorous. Some think it was an amphibious predator, half wolf, half fish that lived in Ireland’s lakes and rivers.

There are two accounts in a seventeenth century book of men’s encounters with the Dobhar Chu and one account is mentioned in a poem about a woman who was killed by the beast in the eighteenth century. There are have been no modern sightings of this creature.

Accounts of Dobhar Chu Written in 1684.

Roderick O’Flaherty, in his book, A Description of West Connaught wrote about a man’s encounter with what he called the Irish crocodile. The man was on the shore of Lough Mask when he saw the head of a beast swimming in the water. He thought it was an otter. The creature seemed to look at him, it then swam underwater where it reached land. It grabbed the man by his elbow and dragged him into the lake. The man took his knife from his pocket and stabbed it, which scared the animal away. It was about the size of a greyhound, had slimy black skin and appeared to be hairless.

Old people who know the lake believe that Irish crocodiles live there. They reminisced about a man who was walking with his dog, who encountered one. There was a struggle with the pair against the lake monster when the creature finally went away. When the waters receded after a long period of time, they found the beast’s corpse in a cave.

The Kinlough Tombstone.

Grace Connolly was washing clothes at the edge of a lake when she was attacked by a Dobhar-Chu. Her husband, McGloughlan, heard her cries and rushed to help. By the time he got to her, she was dead and the Dobhar-Chu was still there.

The man killed her attacker who screamed before it died, summoning its mate. McGloughlan jumped on his horse to evade the beast. A friend joined him, but they realized the horses couldn’t outrun it. The dismounted and ducked behind a wall. As the beast hurled over the wall, they killed it. There is a tombstone near Kinlough that bears a carved illustration of a large otter, impaled by a spear, held by a hand. The first name appears as Grace, but the last one is illegible due to the ravages of the weather. The date on the tombstone is 1722.

Many sightings have been documented down through the years. Most recently in 2003 Irish Artist Sean Corcoran and his wife claim to have witnessed a Dobhar-Chú on Omey Island in Connemara, County Galway. In his description the large dark creature made a haunting screech, could swim fast and had orange flipper like feet.

So be careful when swimming in Lough Mask??

Aughisky.

These are the water horses of Ireland and are similar to the Each Uisge and Cabyll-Ushtey. They gallop out of the crashing waves up onto the shore, venturing inland. They are supposed to make excellent mounts for whoever can catch one although riding an Aughisky is not without risk. If they hear or see the sea they set off in an uncontrollable charge, galloping straight back into the watery depths where they came from, taking their helpless rider with them to be torn apart. It has even been suggested that the Aughisky may be the so-called "Irish crocodile," which is more commonly referred to as the Dobhar Chu.

Eyewitnesses have described the animal as a Water Horse which is capable of assuming the characteristics of a man, save for its ears, which retain their horse-like appearance. According to legend the Aughisky pastime was to lure unsuspecting humans onto its back by appearing to be a docile horse. Once the trusting individual was firmly situated on the creature's spine it would suddenly bolt for the nearest lake or riverbed, where it would proceed to devour its victim with the exception of the liver which for some reason it seems to have developed a dislike. It has also been claimed that the skin of the Aughisky has adhesive properties, which would explain why its victims aren't able to leap to safety before plummeting into their watery graves.

The following is from "Notes on Irish Folk-Lore" by G. H. Kinahan, from Folk-Lore Record 4, 1881.

There are fairies like a horse that inhabit certain lakes; they seem to be very common, as the Aughinch (the island of the water horse) is not uncommon in connection with most of the lakes. The horse comes out of the water of an evening to graze on the land. In general no bad stories are told about these horses, yet most people are afraid to pass a place they frequent after it is dark.

If a person gets between them and the water, and can steal up and put a halter on them, they can be subdued and used as long as they are not allowed to see their old lake; but if once allowed to see it, all power over them is lost, and various stories of them and their riders dashing into the water never to be seen again are told.

An Aughisky a few years ago frequented Lough Mask, County Mayo, preying on the cattle, until it was laid by a monk of Tourmakeady. Another that lived in Lough Corrib had a serpent's body and a horse's head; this used to feed on the bodies buried in the churchyard to the south-east of Oughterard, but one of the Lees whose sister was buried watched her body and killed the monster, its blood staining the church wall to this day: the holes through which this aughisky came up can be seen along its track through Lemonfield Bog.

A water horse that lived in Litter-craffoe Lake was captured by a boy of the Cooney’s, who was told by a wise woman if he ever let it see the water it would be the death of him. For years it was a faithful horse, but one day he brought it in sight of the lake, into which it shot like an arrow, carrying its rider with it, whom it killed and tore to pieces, he was devoured as blood and fragments of his body floated on the surface of the water.

A ludicrous story is told of Tom C______. He was turning a 'lock of malt' on an island, when he saw a water horse coming towards him. He rushed into his boat and pulled for his life; but when he got to land he met a neighbour who asked him to lend him the boat, as his old mare and foal had just swum across the lake and he wanted to follow them—so much for this aughisky."

November seems the month most likely for the aughisky to be seen, and it is also said that they devoured mortal cattle.

Physical description:

Length up to 21 feet. Its body is as thick as a bull. It has a horse like head and neck with a mane of hair. It has sometimes been described as ‘serpentine’ in shape.

Behaviour.

It is seen most frequently in the month of November (from Samhain onwards). It grazes with normal horses. If someone tries to ride it, it will gallop off to the nearest body of water where it will drown and eat its rider. It eats animals and people which it consumes under water although it refuses to eat human livers. It kills by constriction. It can change its shape to a handsome man or a giant bird. It leaves a slimy trail when moving on land.

Habitat.

Ocean, lakes, rivers and streams.

Significant sighting.

In the 7th century St. Féchine of Fore compelled an Aughisky to pull his chariot after his horse fell dead.

Source. Thomas Crofton Croker. Fairy Legends and Traditions in the South of Ireland.


Newspaper image: www.robotoperatormanuals.com/film/monsterhouse/images/Dobhar_clipping.jpg