In Ireland, there’s a legend of a fairy that, similar to the banshee, is associated with the calling of Death. However, unlike the banshee, it’s also heralded as a harbinger of death, and whoever is unlucky enough to encounter it will either have blood thrown at them, or be blinded in one eye. It’s a fearsome creature that is said to be horrifying, using human body parts to ride around the countryside. The creature has inspired many books, such as Dullahan: The Haunting at Bordman’s Crossing by Mary Ann Poll, and The Curse of the Dullahan series by Taylor S. Hoch. That creature is known as the Dullahan.

Similar to America’s Headless Horseman, the Dullahan is a headless rider associated with autumn. It rides during festivals and after sunset when the night provokes all manners of supernatural creatures to come out and play. It rides on a black horse and carries its head in its arm. There’s a sinister grin on its face and it can see in the dark. Its flesh is rotting, and it is said to use the spine of a human to whip its horse. Its carriage has many funeral adornments, alongside other macabre creativities. Legend has it that when the Dullahan stops riding someone will die. The Dullahan will call that person’s name, drawing the soul away from that person. This is significant since its speech is very limited. While it’s said that golden objects do stop the Dullahan, this hasn’t been proven, and when the Dullahan is targeting you, there’s very little you can do about it.

In Irish mythology, he’s thought to be a representation of the ancient Celtic god, Crom Dubh. In ancient times, Crom Dubh was revered by Tighermas, king of Ireland, and the King would offer human sacrifices as a means to praise the god. However, when Christianity came into prominence, Crom Dubh was pushed aside. He continues his reign as the Dullahan as if trying to keep himself from not being forgotten.

There are a lot of figures similar to the Dullahan in Europe. For instance, the Grim Reaper in America has a very similar aesthetic to the Dullahan. It’s also been linked to other figures such as Hades in Greece, and the Plague Hague in Norway. Various sightings of the Dullahan have been seen in Germany as well, so for all we know, the Dullahan could encompass a majority of creatures as a way for humanity to cope with Death.

The Dullahan is an embodiment of the unknown, of people’s fears of the dark and of what can’t be seen. Like legends of the Grim Reaper, it could represent what death could look like for many people. However, there were other stories of headless riders in Germany as well, and while the Dullahan has been reduced to little more than a scary villain in a fairytale, keep in mind that the Dullahan has persisted throughout the centuries.