Stoker had never been to Eastern Europe, to places like Wallachia where his novel takes place. This assumption is not confirmed however, and the Dracula character appears to draw from several sources. In the 12th century, Ireland belonged to England and the fear of creatures “of the walking dead” was common in England.īram stoker was born and raised in Ireland (Unknown Author / Public Domain ) The story of the Abhartach comes from deep Irish folklore, and while it was first recorded in Joyce’s book the story, like all legends, had been around for centuries. The Banshee: Celtic Messengers of DeathĪccording to this version, the Abhartach can only be defeated if the chieftain kills him with a wooden sword, buries the Abhartach upside down, and places a large stone on the grave, which thorns must surround.The Blood Countess of Hungary: Was Elizabeth Báthory a Vampire?.This version also replaces the character of the druid with “an early Christian saint” who describes the Abhartach as the undead or “neamh-mairbh”. According to this legend, the Abhartach was not trapped but would come back from the dead to drink blood. The second version of the Abhartach story is much more gory. This seemed to work, for the cruel Abhartach did not return, but remained trapped beneath the stone. To ensure the Abhartach would not return, a large stone monument (known as a “laght”) was placed over his grave.
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