Irish Faeries: Abhartach

Irish Faeries: Abhartach

The Abhartach is known by many as The Irish Vampire due to his fondness for the red stuff. However this Derry-based tyrant was, in fact, a dwarf, and probably mythology’s most terrifying result of small-man syndrome.

Abhartach is the Irish word for dwarf. He is short in stature, but aside from that, not much is known of his appearance. Except that when he gained the powers that allowed him to wreak havoc on all of Ireland, he was ‘strangely changed’ in appearance, and had glowing green eyes that could be seen from far away, and a smell that stretched even farther.

Abhartach is said to have possessed magical abilities and used them to take what he wanted from the people of the village of Slaghtaverty. Those who refused would be struck with blight or illness, crushed by stones, or simply found dead in their homes, faces twisted in pain. He was also known to drink the blood of his victims and could only be killed using a sword made of yew and then buried upside down.

According to Bob Curran, a professor of Celtic history and folklore at the University of Ulster, the Abhartach is most likely the influence for Bram Stoker’s Dracula and not Vlad the Impaler. He says that the real Dracula’s castle is located between Garvagh and Dungiven in Northern Ireland.

Growing up, Abhartach was bullied for his size, but managed to ingratiate himself to a local druid who knew a lot about various incantations and spells. One day, Abhartach and the druid went missing along with many scrolls and texts.

When he returned he took revenge on all who wronged him by taking whatever he wanted from them. The people of Slaghtaverty convinced a neighbouring chieftain to deal with Abhartach, some say that this was Fionn mac Cumhaill, and others say it was a man named Catháin.

Either way, the chieftain killed Abhartach and buried him standing up, according to their customs. The next day however, Abhartach returned more powerful than ever, this time demanding a bowl of blood from his victims.

Again, the chieftain killed and buried him, and again he returned more powerful than ever, this time spreading his terror over the whole of Ireland.

The chieftain consulted a druid who told him that he had to kill Abhartach with a sword made of yew and to bury him upside down. After this was done, Abhartach never returned.

The burial place of Abhartach is not lost and is said to be under a hawthorn tree and some stones on a dolmen near the village of Slaghtaverty. In 1997, an attempt was made to clear the land, but a brand new chainsaw malfunctioned three times when trying to cut down the tree. While trying to lift the stone, a steel chain snapped, cutting the hand of one of the workers allowing his blood to soak into the ground.

Source: Babylon Radio by Thomas Cleary

Via Celtic Bard Jeff (FB)