The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-01-27
IRTsH supERsrIrIoNs.
The Death Coach and The Fairy Horse
and Great Black Bird


The tide Of civilization and education
surging over ireland, and in towns and
large villages steam and electricity, mo-
tors and bicycles, libraries and news
papers have dealt deathblow to many
picturesque old customs and romantic
legends, but amid the wide stretches Of
bog In the Wild gens and mountain
passes, and along the stormy Atlantic
coast ancient rites and myths hngeg
No wonder strange superstitions linger
in the scattered hamlets By sea or in the
lonely cabins on the rock islands round
the iron coast, for ON winter nights,
when The mighty surges break thunder
ing against the towering cliffs and the
storm wind walls weirdly through the
hollow caYerns and iyied ruins. waereFthe
deserted FoItresses Of the powerful
chieftains of bygone days look down on
the foaning waves and the cry Of the
gulls and eurlew echoes over rock shores
and across wide Lengths and estuaries,
one might well fancy that the sounds
were the voices Of giants OF wizards
doomed for their sins to wander forever
round this coast, the mournfuI vail Of
the 'banshees Or Of The White Lady Of
the Cliffs famous Munster appara-
tion.
Women and children crouching over
the fire Of driftwood, peat or furze
branches, flaming itfully on the open
hearth, cross themselves as a louder
wall rings through the darkness or
rumbling sound Il heard that to their
ears seems To be the rolling Of the
wheels Of the headIess coach or
death coach, 50 called in the County
Cork Because horses and driver are sup
posed to be headless. The eoaehman i
the DullahaB, that Is, a dark or sui
len person, 4 goblin Of the most malig.
nant disposition.
This paantom Il said to follow
many old Munster families, the vehicle
lumbering heavily up the avenue and
stopping at the front door whenever a
death 4 about to occur in fhe mousse
know numbers Of persons and not by
any means merely uneducated peasants
who are persuaded that they have
heard the rumbling Of the neadless coach
Needless to say, the noise Of q heavy
cart at night along an unfrequented road
III sufficient to terrify superstitious
people into believing that they nave
heard the death coach-they take good
care not b gee it.
Another mucn dreaded separation Is
the Phsoka. or Fairy Horse, very ma.
lieioBs spirit who IS said to appear in
the shape of O beautiful coal black steed
fire darting from his eyes and nostrils.
Occasionally be adopts the form ~ 4
black bull Or goat. and sometimes he up.
pears as an awful compound al several
hack aniinals-Ahdrse. ball. goat ard
arna In his equine form he Is said TO
amuse himself hy enticing solitary
travellers whom he meets after dark in
To mounting him, and as he invariably
looks like q mate cut Of horse such
a. every freshman appreciates. he is
said 10 suceeed very frequently in his
nefarious plan.
The instant the rider Is on his back
the elm steed ,lashes of madly through
stream. lake and bog hole, thieket and
eoppice, hedge and ditch. marsh and
ravine. till the terrified mortal, drenched,
torn and bruised. shrieks for mercy or
perhaps remembers 70 gasp out a prayer,
VI hen, with a furious bound the Ph00ka
fliugg him of. preferably into i muddy
pool or a fsrxe braze, ana darts away.
leaving the unhappy rider 70 pick him
self up. invariably finding that be L
miles out Of his way.
Sudden falls are attributed 70 tais
malignant spirite, and many 8 man who
has lost bis way 81 met with an acct
dent coming home from fair Of funeral
Oh dark night "a convinced far the rest
of Els life that he has been led astray
due to Il vet more potent spirit Dan
gerous rocks and crags are often called I
"Csrrigna phooka@ Crock Of the Phooka) |
just as deep holes or pools in river
OF bog are aPoul-na- Poola 4 beau /
tiful waterfall in Wicklow hears his |
name
Tire ponkeans as he II sometimes !
called, II also said 10 adopt the farm I
81 4 great black bird or hat--the lat
Ter Is greatly feared by the country 4
folks. In the bat form ne Is supposed I
10 lure people into climbing igied walls I
and towers, from which he throws them 4
-an idea which seems TO bear some re-
ation to The vampire stories at eastern I
Europe He i the "poukes 81 Spencer,
and from breaking the necks If the nm Il
wary 10 spelling The blacgberries On
Eve, IN order t. yex the
srchangel, there are few enornities Of !
which he IL not guilty, according to
popular belief.
Puck the household fairy Of En-
slish legend. finds his Irish counterpart
u the Fir Darrig.1 or Red Man.
merry goblin. very similar To the Scotch
,ed cap, or brownie. He Il said To he
iressed IN scarlet-the attire of most 81
lie Irish fairies j. supposed to consist
II a green suit, red shoes. long white
red or black cap. with an
iagle's feather. This little red clad
pirite Is said to he remarkable for the
beauty Of his voice. which ae-
,0rding 10 the now fast disappearing
ace Of story tellers, i like the sound
y the waves. @the music Of angels
y the warbling of birds A sweet voice
: highly esteemed III Erin. where a girl
possessing fi4at excellent thing in
woman IS said to te able 70 coax the
birds off the bushes. New ireland
ieview
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