Hello, my name is Oisín Ó Dubhshláine and welcome to the second episode of our series on Scary Stories Two. This week we’ll look at the scariest rider in Ireland, the Dulahan.
So, who is the Dulahan? He is a rider who wears only black clothes. He doesn’t have a head on his neck, but he carries it in his hand. It’s also said that his blakc horse has no head either. In one hand, he carries a whip made of a human spine. In the other, he carries his own head, so as to lift it high in the air, to see more people. It’s said that his eyes never stop moving, always searching for the next victim. His awful smile would sit on his face always, stretching from one ear to the other.
The Dulahan is a harbinger of death, like the Banshee. It’s said that the Banshee works in the South of Ireland, and that the Dulahan rides in the North. This may not be true since the stories that we have for you today happen all over the country. When the Dulahan stops on his way, it’s said that this is a sign that someone is about to die. He lifts his head high, looking in every direction, before calling out one name. The owner of this name falls on the spot, dead.
I wouldn’t much like to see the Dulahan but if your eyes ever fall on him, don’t stare for too long. He doesn’t like to be watched, at all. He’d do one of two things if he catches you staring at him. Number one, he would throw a vat of blood in your face. Or, number two, he would blind you by whipping your eyes.
It’s said that there are only two ways to escape this terrifying rider. One way is to throw gold at him. Apparently, he is afraid of gold. Another way, that works on most supernatural creatures, is to cross a river. Rivers have magical properties and because of this, our friend, the Dulahan, cannot cross it.
The Coach of Bowers.
Sometimes, the Dulahan is seen travelling in a coach called the Coach of Bowers. This comes from the Irish term Cóiste Bodhar, which means Deaf Coach. I thought that it was given this name because you cannot hear it, but in any stories about it, people hear the thundering of the horses hooves behind them. Who knows? The Dulahan drives this coach with four horses, instead of riding one. If he stops in front of you, one of two things happen. Number one, if it is not your time to die, a vat of blood is thrown in your face. Number two, if it is your time to die, you are brought inside the coach and you will not return to Ireland again.
Fear of Gold
One night, a man in Galway was walking home. The Dulahan surprised him. The man understood that he would not be able to outrun the Dulahan, as such he searched his pockets. He searched and searched until, A-HA, he found his wedding ring. It was the only thing he had that was made of gold. He threw the ring behind him and he heard a screech. When he turned around, the Dulahan was gone.
Lurganboy
In Lurganboy, County Cavan, the people of the area believed that the Death Coach came only for the Malone Family when one of them was to die. No one ever saw the coach. But they heard it often enough. One night, there was a wake in the Malone House and every ear in the house heard the coach. They all ran to the road but still, they saw nothing.
Timogue
Long ago, there was a wool market in Ballinakill. Two men were coming home to Timogue, close to Stradbally in County Laois. It was a dark and stormy night. They could barely see a thing in front of them. They crossed a graveyard and saw a bright light run up the sky. They heard the rumbling of the horses’ hooves and they fled on their own horses. They looked behind them and saw the coach nearing behind them, getting closer and closer. They even saw the Dulahan’s wicked smile. But they were lucky. They crossed a river that runs from Lugcurren. The Dulahan let out a screech and stopped them.
Conclusion
This was our story on the Dulahan. Join us in a fortnight for our next story.
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