Ghastly Gaelic Ghouls

Oh it's that time of year again when the undead crawl the earth! Here are two of Ireland's most ferocious ghouls, which one would you prefer not to meet this Hallowe'en!!!

The Pooka

The Pooka is the Anglicisation of the Old Gaelic word Puca, it refers to the most feared and respected fairy in Celtic folklore. According to legend, the Puca 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 Puca, 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 Puca's share to satisfy the ravenous goblin. Only one man ever managed to tame a puca - Brian Boru, when high King of Ireland, managed to ride a puca until it surrendered to his will. He forced the puca 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 it's bargain and returned to it's old ways. However, in some areas the Puca is spoke about with quite an amount of deference and is treated with more respect than fear. It is stated that if the Puca is treated with respect they can actually turn out to be more beneficial than malevolent.


Snap-Apple Night by Daniel Maclise showing a Halloween party in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. The young children on the right bob for apples. A couple in the center play a variant, which involves retrieving an apple hanging from a string. The couples at left play divination games.

The Banshee

Banshee is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic word bean si (meaning woman of the side or woman of the fairy mounds), it is a female ancestral spirit who forewarns members of certain families about impending death. According to legend, the banshee will wail around the house the night before somebody inside is about to die.

There are only certain families that are believed to have a banshee attached to them - O'Grady, O'Brien, O'Connor, O'Donnell, O'Neill and Kavanagh, although intermarriage has extended this select list.

She generally appears in two different guises, either as a beautiful young woman with long, fair hair or as a hideous hag. They dress in a white or grey cloak and brush their long hair with a silver comb, there is an existing superstition in Ireland that if you see a comb you should not pick it up as it may be a lure used to spirit humans away.

The sound of the banshee, a peculiarly mournful sound like the wind possessing a human tone terrifies people, there have been many instances where everybody in a house was in great health though once the wail was heard somebody would be drowned, or killed suddenly within a week.

There are some locations in Ireland where it is said that the banshee resides and does not leave. One of these is Dunluce Castle on the north Co. Antrim coast, which was the great home of the ruling O'Donnell clan before they were forced to the four corners of the world during the tumultuous Flight of the Earls. According to legend, the banshee remains to lament the scattered clan and get this some of tours like our Self Drive Tour of Historical Ireland bravely enter spooky Dunluce Castle!!

Happy Hallowe'en!!!!



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