Irish Folkore and Fay: The Pooka

 

 

 

 

The pooka (or púca) are  some of the most feared shapshifting  creatures in Irish mythology.  

 

They were believed to bring either good or bad luck to those who see them and were especially feared around times of harvest. As a good or bad harvest could mean the difference between life and death during a hard winter.

They often take the form of a wild dog, with red sulfurous eyes, but could also take the form of a goblin or human with animal features. According to Celtic mythology, they are often written as evil and devilish.

However, there are also tales of them warning humans of accidents or being called on for protection.

 

 A similar fairy entity appears in the mythology of Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Channel Islands.

Often thought of as an animal spirit, some accounts believe it gets its name from Poc, meaning he-goat in Irish. In fact, Pooka is a changeling and can take an animal or human form; like a horse, donkey, cat, dog, bull, young man, or even a voluptuous young woman. The animal Pooka is usually jet black with fiery golden or red eyes. Some associate it with the devil!

 

 

They live deep in the mountains and hillside. Depending on the part of Ireland your in, Pooka was  either helpful or harmful. It's been known to help farmers for example, but it can also wreak havoc in a farm.

Though in general an encounter with y a poika usually seen as a bad oman. 

Poika is know for it's intelligence and deceptive nature and it's ability to lie convincingly to it's target. It is also considered a fertility spirit in some regions since it has the power to create or destroy.  Another one of it's abilities is  human speech, it is a gifted prophesier.

 

 November is the month of Pooka. In Ireland essentially at Halloween,  children went out dressed as pooka and collected treats or played pranks(early truck or treating) but others stayed indoors, fearful of stories they had heard of what Pooka did to children. The Pooka is considered a  bogeyman  in some places throughout Ireland.

 

 This  fay  is also  documented in the classic literature of Ireland and Britain. Irish poet and playwright W. B. Yeats depicts Pooka as an eagle, while Irish novelist and playwright Brian O’Nolan, who wrote under the pseudonym Flann O’Brien, was also so inspired. O’Brien’s masterpiece, At Swim-Two-Birds, features a character called Pooka MacPhillemey, a “member of devil class”. In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Puck is a mischievous and quick-witted sprite responsible for setting many of the play’s events in motion through his magic.

Often appearing as a horse, Pooka sometimes gallops across the countryside knocking down fences and gates and destroying crops. In this form, he likes to take a rider, usually a drunkard, on a wild ride all night and shake him off in the early morning. This person, already heavily inebriated, is also under the spell  and has no recollection of what happened usually. This often accounts for why some people who, having gotten very drunk, report that they have no idea what happened the previous night.

 

 

 The only man to ever successfully ride a Pooka was High King of Ireland and founder of O’Brien dynasty, Brian Boruma Mac Cennetig (941-1014), or more commonly known as Brian Boru. Brian managed to control the magic of the creature by using a special bridle that used three hairs of Pooka’s tail. Brian’s physical prowess meant he was able to stay on its back until it was exhausted Pooka then surrendered to Brian.

 

 

 

The king forced it to agree to two promises. First, it no longer tormented Christian people and ruined their property, and second it would never again attack an Irishman, except those who were drunk or were abroad with evil intent. Although Pooka agreed, it appears to have forgotten its promises over the years. 

There have been hundreds of pooka sightings all over the country throughout the centuries but the most famous story is an animal spirit that gave its name to Poulaphuca (Hole of Pooka) at the boundary of River Liffey between counties Kildare and Wicklow.

 Now a site of a hydroelectric power station, where the river flows through a narrow gorge before plunging 150 feet (46 meters) in three stages. Under the second drop there is a pool, and this is called Hole of Pooka. Irish author Padraig O’Farrell (1932-2004) tells a story which was inspired by the written account of an anonymous Kildare man. The writer also has an interesting postscript at the end:

 

   In November 1813, Kildare Hunt known as Killing Kildares set out. Having indulged in traditional stirrup cup at Tipper crossroads, near Naas, hunt failed to raise a fox until it was approaching Tipperkevin, north of Ballymore Eustace, county Kildare. Here a large fox appeared and led a course towards Liffey. Simultaneously, an un-mounted black horse appeared, that did not belong to any of riders. It was Pooka!
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"The terrain was difficult and fox ran fast, so that near Liffey, only one of members of hunt, a man named Grennan, and horse, who was really Pooka, remained with pack. The gorge was in full spate but hounds were gaining on their quarry and started to pick their way across rocks. Seeing danger, Grennan attempted to recall hounds, but Pooka ahead of them was tempting them onwards. The fox headed for ledge on narrow part of gorge then, seeing Pooka’s red eyes spitting fire, fox jumped. It missed ledge, falling into turbulent waters below. The Pooka easily leaped across gorge, disappearing into woodlands, but pack of hounds hard on scent of fox went headlong into pool.
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 "Looking down, Grennan saw fox and hounds trying desperately to swim to safety through swirling swell; other hounds dashed against rocks were yelping in pain and dying. He wept as most of pack went under. Suddenly his sorrow give way to terror, he heard a diabolical neighing, like an animal laughing – from woods opposite. Grennan knew then it was Pooka."

The writer of the original story describes how in the 1930s, as he stood above the valleys of Liffey and King’s River, a sudden sadness came over him and he wept at the sight of so many humble homes that would soon be submerged forever by Blessington Lakes, created to supply water for a power station at Poulaphuca.

Between 1938 and 1940 seventy-six houses were demolished and bridges at Humphreystown, Baltyboys, and Burgage were blown up before the entire valley was flooded for the hydroelectric power station. A Protestant church, St. Mark’s, built in 1682 was also submerged. To this day there have been many claims of people hearing bells tolling beneath the waters of lakes.

 ...

 

 

 

Fairy Lore, the will o the wisp.

 

Happy October 1st 🎃

The Will o the wisp .ignes fatui or ignis fatuus.

For centuries people have seen odd lights from the swamps or marsh. Though the name may very the most well known term is will o the wisp. Other names, for this phenomena including jack-o'-lantern, friar's lantern, and hinkypunk it is one of the more well know legends throughout Europe. Other names include the Paulding Light in Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Hessdalen light in Norway or the Spooklight in Southwestern Missouri and Northeastern Oklahoma, the Naga fireballs on the Mekong in Thailand, and St. Louis Light in Saskatchewa.

The  Bridgewater Triangle, a swampy area of Massachusetts has local folklore of ghostly orbs of light, and there have been modern observations of these ghost-lights in this area as well.

The fifollet (or feu-follet) of Louisiana derives from the French settler's according to legends the fifollet is a soul sent back from the dead to do God's penance, but instead attacks people for vengeance. While it mostly takes part in harmless mischievous acts, the fifollet sometimes sucked the blood of children. Some legends say that it was the soul of a child who died before baptism.

In Mexico they are believed to be witches that transformed into  lights. Another explanation refers to the lights as indicators to places where gold or hidden treasures are buried which can be found only with the help of children. This version is called luces del dinero (money lights) or luces del tesoro (treasure lights).

....

The light of a will o the wisp is said to mislead travellers by resembling a flickering lamp or lantern.

In literature, will-o'-the-wisp metaphorically refers to a hope or goal that leads one on, but is impossible to reach, or something one finds strange or sinister.

For the most part the Wills-o'-the-wisp is a strange erie light usually seen around a forest, swamp, marsh or even  grave yards often witnessed by travelers.

The most common belief is that these lights are a type  of fairies, ghosts or elemental spirits. Modern explorations for  the light is that it's a natural phenomena most likely some kind of  bioluminescent swamp gas or possibly ball lightning.

Scotland's Deadly Giant Serpent: The Beithir

 

The beithir is a large deadly serpent, possible even a wingless dragon with a poisonous sting.

🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍

It lives in  caves and valleys.


 If a person is stung by the beithir then he must head for the closest  river or loch. If he can reach it before the beithir does then he is cured, but if the monster reaches it first then the victim is doomed. Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed. 

The beithir is considered one of the fuath, a general term for various monsters and spirits associated with water.

 

Fuath (plural fuathan, meaning “hate” in Scottish Gaelic) refers to a type of evil water spirits in Highland Gaelic mythology. These spirits are believed to inhabit the sea, rivers, lakes, and sea lochs of Scotland and Ireland.

In Gaelic folklore, any being that frequently changes its shape is of evil origin. The case of the Fuath confirms such thinking. A Fuath can sometimes be seen, if it chooses to take on a physical appearance. Most fuathan have the power of transforming themselves in many things even angels of light. They use this power to trick their victims but they are generally found out in the long run. Most often, they present themselves as humanoid creatures, with green skin and the mane and tail of a yellow horse.

 

Its the  largest and most deadly kind of serpent", or possibly  a type of land dragon (but without certain typical draconic features like wings or fiery breath). similar to a lindworm (worm meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm, is a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore that traditionally has the shape of a giant serpent monster living deep in the forest lindworm (worm meaning snake), also spelled lindwyrm or lindwurm,  a mythical creature in Northern and Central European folklore in the shape of a giant serpent living in the forest

 

It makes its home in large mountainous caves and (valleys)  and has an extremely  venomous sting. 

 

If a person is stung by the beithir then they need head for the nearest body of water like as a river or loch. If they can reach it before the beithir does then they are cured, but if the creature gets there first then the victim is will die.

 Another cure for the sting is water in which the head of another snake has been placed.

A common belief is that if a normal snake is killed then the head must be separated a proper distance from its body and destroyed. Otherwise, both parts will come together and the snake will return to life as a beithir. 

 

John Gregorson Campbell in 1900 provided an account of the beithir:

The big beast of Scanlastle in Islay was one of this kind. It devoured seven horses on its way to Loch-in-daal. A ship was lying at anchor in the loch at the time, and a line of barrels filled with deadly spikes, and with pieces of flesh laid upon them, was placed from the shore to the ship. Tempted by the flesh, the "loathly worm" made its way out on the barrels and was killed by the spikes and cannon

 

 

                                                                   Loch-in-daal

 

 

John Francis Campbell in 1890 recounted a traditional story about a wicked stepmother who was the wife of an Irish king, and she gave the king's son a magic shirt that was a beithir in disguise. As long as the "great snake" remained coiled about his neck, the prince was under his stepmother's enchantment, but he was eventually freed from the beithir with the help of a wise woman.

This Serpent is most often sighted on summer nights when lightning strikes occurred

Tha e ann an grath na nathrach dhuit.'

'Tha nimh na nathrach aig dhuit.'

'Cho carach ris an nathair nimhe.'

'Cleas na nathrach cur a chraicinn.'

'Cochull nathrach is ole a dh’fheumadh tu.'

He is in the spirit of the serpent towards thee.

The venom of the serpent he has towards thee.

As twistful as the serpent venomous.

The trick of the serpent changing the skin.

The sheath of the serpent badly wouldst thou need    

 

 

 

Tha sinne 'cur mar choran 's mar gheasan ort,

Gu 'n innis thu, co thu fhein na co do mhuinntir ?

'S mise nighean righ na Sorchann,

Sgiath an ainn ;

'S gur h-e 's ainm dha 'm Baoidhre borb ;

'S gu 'n d' thoir e mise leis,

Cia mor bhur treis as an Fheinn.

Cia b' fhada 'n oidhche gu latha,

Cha bu ghna leinn 'bbith gun cheol.

We lay it as a circuit and as spells on thee.

That thou tell us who thou art, or thy people.

I am the daughter of the king of Sorchann,

Shield of armies,

And that his name is Baoidhre borb,*

And that he will take me with him.

Though great our time from the Fane,

Though long be the night to day,

It was not our wont to be without music.     .

Irish Folklore: The Merrow 🧜‍♀️🌊

 

 

 

                                                   🧜‍♀️ The Merrow🍀

Mermaids are a global phenomena, every culture (Or at least the ones nearest the sea) have legends dating back century's from sailors encounters the beach side sighting.s.

 

Today we talk about the Irish Mermaid: The Merrow.

 

 Just like the alluring Sirens of Greek Mythology, The beautiful songs of the Merrow (The females ) was used to entice humans to come  closer.

As far as mermaid tales go these mermaids were mostly kind to humans, however they would sometimes ,  attack sailors or anyone else who startled or threatens them.

The Irish were weary of  them  because of their sometimes violent nature, they could be violent or friendly on a whim…and if angered they  could be Very  dangerous. Tales of violence (such as pulling the arms and legs off of their victims) were not uncommon…

Like most mermaid stories, human men  especially sailors  would see the beautiful female Merrow on the shores or in the sea, and they would fall in love with them, despite the risks…some would try to steal their cohuleen driuth (magic caps, similar to a Selkies pelt), so that they could not go back underwater.

 Many marriages (some less than ideal, given the method of “wooing”) were  arranged between Merrow and human men…

The Merrow who lived with men on the land (by choice or force), would often tire of their new lifestyle.

Over time, they would become tired of life on land and long to return to the sea they once called home,  the lucky ones, who still had their magic caps, would eventually find a way home…

Other female Merrow would sometimes lure men with their enchanting voices and good looks, and then take them under the waves to live amongst them. They would dwell together in a bewitched state, sometimes for years or even decades …

The male Merrow would often abducted sailors and keep  them enslaved beneath the sea!

The females had light green hair, or long, golden hair…they always wore enchanted caps which allowed them to swim far beneath the sea’s surface and to live safely underwater.

Next time your on the Irish shore keep a look out that beautiful bonny lass may be more then she appears 

Fairy Myth: The Clurichaun

                                                        ~~~~~The Clurichaun~~~~~~



The Clurichaun closely related to the Leprechaun  they along with the other wee folk have inhabited Ireland even  before the Celts arrived – around 500 BC.

Other sources suggest that the word Leprechaun may have derived from the Irish versions of “leath mhrogan [shoemaker], still others would say its origins lie in the Irish word luacharma’n [pygmy or pixy].

There are many derivative names for the  Leprechaun  [Irish word leipreachán] – and a definition of this by Patrick Dinneen, for example, is that the Leprechaun is a “pygmy, a pixi, or sprite” and would suggest that the word Leprechaun is a corruption of middle Irish, and attests to the early influences of ecclesiastical Latin. Other sources would suggest that the earliest recorded instance of the word ‘Leaprachaun’ in the English language was in 1604, in  the comedy play ‘The Honest Whore‘ [Part 2] had a scene in it which reads: As for your Irish lubrican that spirit/ whom by preposterous charm thy lust hath rais'd/ in a wrong circle."

Lubrican and Logherymans  are other derivatives of Leprechaun. David Russell McAnally would suggest that the leprechaun is the son of an (evil spirit )and a  (degenerate fairy)  and is not  entirely  good nor completely evil.


The Clurichaun: (Klooreekahn) is said to be a wine loving House Faery.

He looks very similar to the leprechaun and is usually  solitary like him.

 He wears a red hat often made of a plants. He is a cheerful fellow, but short tempered and often
 very drunk.

He usually chooses a home with a wine cellar or a large basement with a reasonable amount of booze in it. He loves wine and will guard it from thieves. He keeps the wine from spoiling and can help it achieve a better taste.


But  if he feels offended by someone or something the Clurichaun will cause your wine to spoil and he will make a mess of your wine cellar or basement. If he feels disrespected enough  he will leave your home  never return and no other will be lured to your home afterwards .


Clurichaun are said to be always drunk, and are very surly. Many tales suggest that they go out at night wreaking havoc on the farmer and on the whole countryside, by tormenting the sheep and the dogs, riding them bareback and causing mayhem.

If clurichaun are mistreated in any way — they will wreak havoc on your home and wine-cellar. Born hypocrites, they are said to steal everything in sight, but if they see a dishonest servant or a human drunkard, they will torment them for there wicked ways.

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 Scholars of folklore, however, disagree as to whether or not the Clurichaun is a distinct species, or a faerie, or if it is in fact  just a VERY drunk Leprechaun .

In the county of Cork, for example, the Clurichaun would appear to have haunted the cellar of a Quaker man  named Mr. Harris. Apparently, the cook would leave a meal for the Clurichaun, and, for this service, the Clurichaun would manage the cellar.

On one particular night , after an exhausting day, the cook only left a small amount of meat and some potatoes. So enraged was the Clurichaun that he marched upstairs and took the bewildered cook out of her bed, dragging her downstairs and beat her. Mr. Harris was so enraged about this that he was determined that he would rid the household of the Clurichaun once and for all.

Having been told that if he moved beyond a running stream, the household would be rid of the Clurichaun, Mr. Harris attempted to do just that by moving all the household furniture and cellar barrels and wines. However, the wily Clurichaun, knowing what was happening, wedged himself into one of the beer barrels and, as Mr. Harris began to move with his wagon-load of goods, he heard a noise. The wily Clurichaun called out, “Here we go, Master! Here we go all together!  “What,” shouted Mr. Harris; “dost thou go also?” – “Yes to be sure, master. Here we go, alt together.” “In that case,” replied Mr. Harris, “let the carts be unloaded, we are just as well where we are.” Mr. Harris died soon afterwards. It is said, however, that the Clurichand still haunts the Harris family.
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In 1963 – John A. Costello, taoiseach from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957, addressed Oireachtas [Ireland’s national Parliament] by delivering a scathing attack on all of the myths regarding Ireland’s tourist industry. “For many years, we have been afflicted with the miserable trivialities of our tourist advertising. Sometimes, it  has descended to the lowest depths, to the caubeen and the shillelagh, not to speak of the leprechaun and the clurichaun. … No more.”



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The 19th century folklorist Nicholas O’Kearney,  in 1855 describes the Clurichaun as “… another being of the same class: He is jolly, red-faced, a drunken little fellow, and was ever found in the cellars of the debauchee, Bacchus-like [Bacchus is a comics character created by Eddie Campbell and based upon the Roman god of wine] astride of the wine butt, with a brimful tankard of wine in his hand, drinking and singing away merrily. Any wine-cellar known to be haunted by this sprite was doomed to bring its owner to speedy ruin.”