Irish Myths & Legends

Irish culture overflows with myths and legends. If you are curious about all the old Irish stories, this article is for you. Here are the top five legends about Irish culture.

• Leprechauns

Leprechauns are very small creatures of 2 feet. They are stocky and dress in green with a shoemaker apron. Leprechauns are grumpy and drink a lot of Dundeens (their own liquor) and smoke a pipe with a putrid tabaco.

We could say that Leprechauns like to be alone and are quite asocial. Their bad mood make them desagreable. Legend says that they would be born from a human and a spirit, even if Leprechauns are not accepted in neither of the two worlds.

They are excellent shoemakers and impressive bankers. Despite their avidity, they know how to be grateful and won’t hesitate to offer a bottle of their own whiskey. They have two leather purses, one with one shilling and another one with a gold coin for bribe. They keep a big cauldron full of gold. They are wary of humans that could steal their treasure.

They go very fast but if you can catch them never believe what they promise. They can disappear in a second when you blink.

• Banshee

A Banshee is a pasty woman dressed with a long white dress that gives her a ghost appearance. She’s known to announce death. Their screams are so strident that they could run through human souls and make their hair become white. If you want an idea of what their screams sound like it’s a mix of children howl, screams of wild goose, wolves howl and complaints of women giving birth. Legend says that the person who can hear the howls will have a death in their family.

• Finn Mac Cumaill

Finn is a warrior who got the universal knowledge. He spent seven years of his life to catch a salmon which had the universal knowledge. Once he got the salmon, he ate it and got the super power. He is now seen as the guardian of Ireland, a Robin Hood character that fight crimes.

• The Merrow

The Merrow is a gaelic mermaid that announces misfortune. The merrow is a strange creature that lives in deep waters, near wrecks in the oceans. They are vivacious and quarrelsome, female Merrows are known for their impressive beauty whereas men are hideous and terrifying.

They wear a red hat with feathers, called cohuleen druith. According to the legend, they could live in deep waters thanks to this hat and if somebody would take their hat they would have to live on the bank and could turn into a young cow without horns. They predict misfortune, big storms for fishers, death and terrible scourges.

• Dullahan

The Dullahan is a fairy with macabre powers. They can take off their head and can use it to play balls. They often keep their head under their arm. They have incandescent eyes and an awful smile. They usually commute with a horse and use a whip made with human spinal column. They sometime use a cart made with bones and skulls. When they stop their horse, it means that a human has to die, they whisper his name and he dies instantly.