How Irish Folklore may have Shaped Bram Stoker's Dracula - Abhartach & Dearg Dubh | Irish Folklore

[@bramblecat]

Video about the Norman invasion of Ireland please 🙏

[@caraosullivan7089]

I read a book a few years ago in which it was suggested that Bram Stoker spent summers with his grandmother near the site where the Abhartach was buried and that he may have known of this story. Is there any native Irish scholarship around that theory? Thanks for this video--a very clear and concise explanation.

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

There's no written references that I have been able to find before the 2000s for the abhartach unfortunately!

[@brandyjean7015]

"And rightly fucking so" Well said!

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

GRMA! 😊

[@brandyjean7015]

@@TheCraftyCailleach yes they do! And apparently folks who use all of the words are verra intelligent, so 😉

[@LughSummerson]

Why is it right?

[@johnrohde5510]

The Dearg Dubh sounds like the Mora of Slavonic folklore; a succuba.

[@lamarabbit]

I see how the 2nd story could have influanced Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmillia, which was written before Dracula. He was also a friend of Stoker.

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Ooh very interesting!

[@Iceageonmars]

I came on this by accident and I wish I hadnt. Nothing in this life scares me more than the D word scares.

[@injunsun]

It's so weird, being a genealogist, and hearing long dead ancestors mentioned as part of History. Since my something like 10 greats grandparents, John Albro and Susan DeVere, were 2nd cousins, once removed, way up my grandma's side, their grand father and great-grandfather were brothers; the 3rd and 4th Earls of Pembroke. That means the 2nd Earl and his wife are my ancestors twice over, but one generation different based on which line leads to them. I had no idea the 2nd Earl futzed with Ireland like that, and then, up my grandfather's side, my line coming from two people born and raised in Dublin, giving my great-grandma, Verna Garrett. I feel no affinity for the things ancestors did that were bad, of course. It's just weird, hearing them called out for it! lol Meanwhile, the content here is lovely. I once wrote a short story about a widow who buried her husband beneath an apple tree she'd planted, which gave her lovely fruit, while she read stories aloud underneath it, and played music, and sang. Decades after she died, as she was murdered, and it unsolved, nobody dared live there, as the fruit for all others had become poisonous. Then, another couple settled in, but the wife died. In mourning, the husband buried her beneath the same tree, weeping at all hours, strumming his guitar, singing, and placing offerings of sweets, pouring out a bit of wine, with his tears. and thereby, the curse upon any who ate the apples was lifted by his showing of true love.

[@authormichellefranklin]

Yay the abhartach! I wonder if the dearg dubh and fear dearg are related.

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

As far as I know they're not related - the Fear Dearg gets his name from his attire (dressed usually in a red coat and sometimes hat) and is more mischievous than vengeful. The Dearg Dubh's name is often given as 'Blood Thirst' but I couldn't find any concrete links or references on that.

[@authormichellefranklin]

@@TheCraftyCailleach magic! Let us know when you find that tree! I'm interested to know if it's really there :D And yes, please a video on the Norman invasion. I want to know about Alice the Vicious!

[@HogandDice]

Did you manage to find any pre-2006 references to Abhartach drinking blood? That's something that's eluded me so far, But I have a lot of diffuclty finding good sources for Northern Ireland.

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Nope, nothing at all! Haven't found either of these on dúchas either...

[@HogandDice]

@@TheCraftyCailleach ah, I was hoping you stumbled on something I missed! You wouldn't find much for the North on Dúchas, the Commission didn't get access to the schools up North and I don't think there's a Northern Ireland equivalent of Dúchas for online research. I've been meaning to head up and see if the Ulster Folk Museum has anything because I don't think their collection has been digitised yet

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

No, but I always hope for stories travelling and being recorded elsewhere! I found a story about Curraghmore up in Sligo when researching for the thesis.

[@HogandDice]

@@TheCraftyCailleach oh nice! Yeah, honestly travelling can be the best way of finding stuff, I really need to do it more

[@raversfantasy]

I just found your channel! I hope you come back because I love your videos 🙂 but understand that life gets busy! 🫶