Abharacht: The Irish Vampire and other Irish Folklore
Sean O'Brien
Abhartach
Irish folklore is rich and interesting, with many creatures and characters that add depth to its fascinating, immersive lore. One aspect of this history that is not as well known as others would be the Abhartach. A brutal, bloodthirsty warlord who ruled through gruesome strategies was believed by the Irish people to be possessed by evil spirits. He was found dead after a rather large fall, to the joy of the terrified Irish townsfolk he oppressed. They buried him standing up, however Abhartach still rose from his grave, and went on a bloody rampage, terrorizing the people who overthrew him. Abhartach was the inspiration for ‘Dracula’, showing the true horror this story possesses.
The Legend Lives On
While the tale of the Abharach may be an old one, remnants of the story are still recognized and feared in Ireland today. The tree that the Abhartach was buried at still remains to this day, and the tree has some common characteristics as the one in the story. Most importantly, there is a giant slab of rock right next to the tree, and in the story this was done to the grave of Abhartach, to ensure that if he rose again, he could not leave his grave.
Dracula
Believe it or not, the Abharacht was actually one of the main inspirations for Bram Stoker's 1897 Dracula. There are many reasons for this, including Stoker spent his childhood growing up in Ireland, and it was very likely he heard this story. He also was very sick as a child, but made a full recovery seven years later, after blood was drained from him. While this is the opposite of what vampires live off of, this may have given him the initial idea. Also, he lived through the famine, where is mother would tell him stories of the 'Living Dead', which could easily be an influence.
The Many Depictions of Abharacht
