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The Daily Insight

What is the Irish vampire?

Author

Emma Johnson

Updated on May 01, 2026

The vampire concept has been knocking about in Ireland for many millennia, a natural sidekick to the unsettled ghouls of Halloween. In Irish mythology, the aos sí (or sídhe) were a powerful, supernatural race who lived in a parallel universe in which they walked amongst the living.

What did Abhartach do?

Abhartach serves as the antagonist in the 2021 Irish film Boys from County Hell where he is depicted as a tall vampire-like figure who can drain people of their blood just by being within a certain proximity of them and who was famously defeated by the chieftain Ó Catháin.

Who killed Abhartach?

Cathain killed him with the sword, and Abhartach was buried upside-down with a large stone placed on top of his grave to prevent him from escaping in case he did rise again.

Where is Dracula buried in Ireland?

Slaughtaverty
According to Mr Curran, Stoker had an interest in Irish folklore and the character of Dracula was based on a Celtic chieftain called Abhartach, who is buried in the townland of Slaughtaverty between Garvagh and Dungiven in County Londonderry.

Are there vampires in Scotland?

The baobhan sith is a female vampire in the folklore of the Scottish Highlands, though they also share certain characteristics in common with the succubus and fairy. They appear as beautiful women who seduce their victims before attacking them and draining their blood.

Who are the Irish vampires in Twilight?

The Irish Coven is a vampire coven located in Ireland. Its members are Siobhan, Liam, and Maggie, with Siobhan being the leader. Siobhan and Liam were the ones who founded the coven, but Maggie’s talent made her an important element of it. They are not vegetarian, but they are civilized.

What is the meaning of the name Abhartach?

Not to be confused with Abarta, an Irish deity of similar pronunciation.. Abhartach ( pronounced [ˈəuɾˠt̪ˠəx]; Irish for ‘dwarf’), also Avartagh, is an early Irish legend, which was first collected in Patrick Weston Joyce ‘s The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places (1870).

What is AB Abhartach’s grave now called?

Abhartach’s grave is now known as Slaghtaverty Dolmen, and is locally referred to as “The Giant’s Grave”. It comprises a large rock and two smaller rocks under a hawthorn.

Who is AB Abhartach in boys from County Hell?

Abhartach serves as the antagonist in the 2021 Irish Film Boys from County Hell where he is depicted as a tall vampire like figure who can drain people of their blood just by being within a certain proximity of them and who was famously defeated by the chieftain Cathain . ^ a b Joyce, Patrick (1875). The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places.

How do you kill Abhartach?

The hero variously consults an early Christian saint instead of a druid, and is told that Abhartach is one of the neamh-mairbh, or walking dead, and that he can only be restrained by killing him with a sword made of yew wood, burying him upside down, surrounding his grave with thorns, and placing a large stone on top of the grave.