The story of the Duhallan recounts the adventures of a headless horseman who roams the lands of Ireland in search of victims he wishes to take with him to his death. The tale is one of the most famous in Irish mythology, and over time has become extremely popular.
The “Headless Horseman” has become a key character in the mythologies of many other cultures, as well as in many contemporary horror stories. He is best known for his decapitated appearance, and many stories explain how he lost his head. One such story is that he was a soldier in a previous life and lost his head in battle. ☠️
If you’re a fan of death allegories, welcome to our online store! We share this passion, and the Dullahan’s distinctive appearance naturally caught our eye. Let’s take a closer look at this character’s characteristics, actions and appearance.
To fully immerse yourself in this article, we invite you to take this knight’s shield ring, in the image of Dullahan. Simply click on the image below to discover it. 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
The Headless Horseman
The Dullahan is a headless rider, usually mounted on a black horse, carrying his own head in his right hand or resting it on his mount’s back. He is usually depicted as a man, although some female versions also exist. His mouth is often adorned with a hideous, stupid smile that stretches almost to the ears on either side. His small black eyes move like flies in his skull and can see across the countryside, even on the darkest nights. 💫
The flesh on his head is said to have the appearance and consistency of moldy cheese. The Dullahan uses the spine of a human corpse as a whip, and his carriage is decorated with funerary objects. Candles are placed in his skull to light his way, wheel spokes are made of thigh bone, and the wagon’s upholstery is made from dried or worm-eaten human skin. He wears a long black cloak that floats behind him as he travels across the land.
Why doesn’t the Dullahan have a head?
According to the ancient Celts, the soul resided in the head, and if an enemy was worthy, his head was taken to confer prestige on the warrior who had defeated him. They also said that if the head was tied to a post near their home, it would scream when the enemy approached. Celtic headhunters revered the image of the severed head as a continuing source of spiritual power. 🗡
Mythological creature
Although no one knows for sure the origin of the Dullahan, he is thought to be the incarnation of the Celtic god of fertility, Crom Dubh. He was worshipped by an ancient Irish king named Tighermas. Every year, Tighermas offered human sacrifices to Crom Dubh, with decapitation the common method of killing the victims.
The cult came to an end in the sixth century, when Christianity arrived in Ireland and the ancient sacrificial traditions lost popularity. However, it seems that Crom Dubh was not to be easily forgotten, for it is said that he then took on a physical form: that of the Dullahan, riding his mighty steed and using a human spine as a whip. 🦴
In some parts of Ireland, he doesn’t necessarily ride a horse, but drives a black carriage drawn by six black horses. They move so fast that the friction of their hooves could ignite the hedges lining the road. 🔥 And, no matter how locked they are, all the doors open to let him through.
The Duhallan’s mission
Some stories suggest he travels with a dark purpose: to take other souls with him to the afterlife. He has no wish to “die alone”. No locked door resists his approach. Doors open before him, always letting him in. When he passes through towns and villages after dark, people hide behind their curtains, for if anyone looks him in the eye, he immediately goes blind. 👀
He blinds people by gouging out their eyes with a whip made from a spinal column, or by throwing a basin of blood into their eyes. He can speak only one word during his journey, and often simply quotes the name of the person whose life he wishes to take. Once the Dullahan has uttered this name, that person’s soul is called to death, and it is impossible to defy this call. 💀
He is said to appear after sunset on certain festivals and feast days, warning people to be wary of looking outside after dark.
The dullahan possesses supernatural vision. By holding his severed head aloft, he can see across the countryside for long distances, even on the darkest nights. With this power, he can spy on a dying person’s home, wherever they may be. Those who watch him pass by their window find themselves sprayed with blood and a lash blinds them in one eye. 🩸
Carriage and Black Horses (Cóiste Bodhar)
The Dullahan is not always solely mounted on his horse. With great misfortune, he could be encountered aboard the carriage of death. In Irish folklore, he’s known as Cóiste Bodhar, the silent carriage. It is pulled by six black horses. The horses and carriage move so fast that the bushes along the road catch fire as they pass.
The coach was mainly known in Sligo, Tyrone and other parts of Ulster. Across the sea in Scotland, it was often seen on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, gathering the souls of the departed. In Ireland, in particular, the Death Coach is considered an inescapable symbol of death, as it is believed that once on Earth, it can never leave empty. So once a person’s death has been decided by a higher power, there’s nothing mortals can do to prevent it.
Irish mythology (Gan Ceann)
Legends of the headless horseman originated in Ireland. The Duhallan is also known as Gan Ceann (headless) and carries away the souls of those who are prepared to die. According to the ancient Irish, where the Dullahan stops riding, a person must die. The Dullahan shouts the person’s name, taking away the soul of his victim, and the person dies immediately. ☠️
In the 6th century, when Christianity arrived in Ireland, these sacrificial rituals were condemned and, as Christianity gained in popularity, they ceased altogether. It was then that the story of the Dullahan began to spread, as the Irish believed that Crom Dubh took on this physical form to continue receiving the sacrificial souls he claimed.
Even for the Irish and Celts, this creature embodies absolute darkness. Some believe the Dullahan is descended from the ancient Celtic god, Crom Dubh, the dark, bent man, a god who demanded human sacrifices. Ironically, he was also the god of fertility. He was worshipped in Ireland until the sixth century, when Christianity gained prominence on the island and the practice was discontinued.
The Dullahan in other Cultures
The mythe of the Dullahan has evolved from the human form of Crom Dubh to numerous representations of the headless horseman in different cultures. The Sleepy Hollow legend in America is based on this Irish legend, telling the story of a soldier who lost his head during the American Revolution and rises on Halloween to search for it. It can also be found in many German fairy tales, such as those by the Grimm brothers.
Other German stories tell of a headless horseman blowing a horn to warn hunters not to ride, as death awaits them that day. In modern times, the Dullahan has been popularized as an evil character in many video games and fantasy stories. Thus, the legend of the Dullahan, one of the most represented Irish legends, will live on for many years to come.
The Fear of Gold
The only thing that can frighten the Headless Horseman is precious metal. When it’s thrown in front of him, he can stop abruptly and turn around to flee. ✨ During the period when the Dullahan story was most popular in Ireland, families often had gold in their possession. They were therefore advised to use their gold to frighten him away if he approached their home.
This irrational fear is not really explained. We simply know that it’s the only defense we have against him. Even a small amount is enough to scare him off. It immediately retreats into the depths of darkness when it sees the shiny metal. This mythological story illustrates the phenomenon perfectly:
“A man was walking home one evening. It was getting dark, and suddenly he heard the sound of a horse’s hooves echoing along the road behind him. Looking around, he saw the Dullahan on his evil horse, hurtling towards him with frightening speed. Screaming loudly, he began to run, but the black rider pursued him, catching up again and again. It was obvious that he would have taken him with him to the afterlife had the man not dropped a gold pin from the folds of his shirt on the way. As he rose to his feet, he saw that the Dullahan had fled from his gold coin. So this would be the ultimate protection against this individual.”
Hang on to the Black Rider
We’ve just explored together the characteristics of this allegory of death and just how ingrained this dark character is in Irish culture. Now you know that if you find yourself in Ireland during the Halloween season, to be safe after sunset, you need to avoid looking out of the window and keep some gold handy! 🔥THE MOST POPULAR PRODUCTS🔥
