Happy New Year!
To start it off right, the paranormal way, I thought I'd share my...
Top Ten Celtic Mythical Creatures
1. Dearg Due – Celtic Vampire
The Dearg Due means red blood sucker in Gaelic.
A beautiful young woman fell in love with a peasant, but was forced into marriage by her father to a rich man who abused her. She committed suicide and rose from her grave to seek revenge by sucking all the blood from her father and husband’s body.
She was buried near Strongbow’s Tree in Waterford, and rises one a year using her beauty to lure men to their deaths.
The Dearg Due may possibly have been Irishman, Bram Stoker’s inspiration for Dracula!
2. An Dullahan or Gan Ceann - Celtic Collector of Souls.
An Dullahan (meaning "without a head" in Gaelic) is a type of unseelie (Dark) fairy.
It rides a headless black horse with flaming eyes. He carries his head under one arm. But beware if he stops riding and calls out your name…For he will have taken your soul and you’ll no longer be among the living.
He likes to ride on Samhain (Halloween) and has a weakness-Gold. So if you have to travel during this time make sure you have some on hand or risk your soul!
3. Bean Sidhe (anglicized as Banshee)
She is seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. Her wails alert that someone is about to die.
The Bean Sidhe, or Bean Nighe in Scotland, are seen at the banks of streams washing the blood from the clothing of someone who is about to die.
If you see her, and ask politely, she will answer three questions, but be forewarned- you will have to answer three of hers first.
4. Balor – Celtic Demon King
Balor is the demonic God of Death in Celtic mythology and the progenitor of The Evil Eye.
His forehead contains one single eye that could kill someone simply by staring at them. The Celts believed the eye emitted an ethereal form of light, and was a prominent belief in the Scottish Highlands.
5. Sluagh – Celtic Evil Faeries
The foulest and most dreaded of the realm of Faerie, the Sluagh (pronounced SLOO-AH)
are scary creatures that hunt down souls!
Dead sinners that fly from the west in groups resembling a flock of Ravens or other black birds. They try to enter a house where someone is dying and steal their soul.
These are the spirits of evil people who were unwelcome in heaven, hell, and the Underworld.
So lock your West-facing windows or risk your immortal soul!
6. Carman – Celtic witch
Carman is the Celtic goddess of evil magic.
This malevolent witch roamed around Ireland with her three evil sons: Dub (“darkness”), Dother (“evil”) and Dain (“violence”), destroying all in her path.
Carman blighted Ireland’s 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.
7. Kelpie – Celtic Sea Monster
The kelpie can take on multiple shapes, but usually it appears in the form of a horse.
The kelpie lures people into the water, drowns them, and takes them to their lair.
Beware of the Kelpie, if you come across a horse with a mane dripping with water or a beautiful ‘human’ - check to make sure they don’t have seaweed in their hair, or risk being taken beneath the loch and eaten.
8. Caorthannach - The Devil’s Mother
Caorthannach (pronounced queer-hawn-nock), the Celtic fire-spitter was believed to be the devil’s mother.
A demon who was fought by St. Patrick when he banished the serpents and demons out of Ireland.
But one monster managed to escape – Caorthannach, the fire-spitter.
Patrick fought the demon long and hard and was finally able to banish her from The Emerald Isle.
But beware, some say she is just hiding, biding her time until she makes her presence known again.
9. Leanan Sidhe – Deadly Celtic Faerie
Leanan Sidhe (pronounced "Lah-nan Shee-uh.") is a different kind of vampire.
This Faerie is a beautiful muse who is said to give inspiration to poets and musicians. But encounter this muse and you’ll pay for your success with your life.
When this muse lover leaves her prey, they become so depressed they die. She brings them back to her lair and drains their blood into a large cauldron which is the source of her never ending beauty.
You might want to watch out where you find your inspiration, or suffer the consequences.
10. Questing Beast – Celtic Hybrid Monster
The Questing Beast is a monster with the head of a snake, the body of a leopard, the backside of a lion, and the hooves of a deer.
The beast’s constant cry sounds like 30 dogs barking.
The Questing Beast was hunted down by many a knight, and in Celtic myth was chased by King Pellinore, an Arthurian character.
Well, there you have it. My top ten scariest Celtic Monsters.
If you'd like to read a novel steeped in Celtic mythology, be sure to check out, Protect Her.
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