Dullahan
Encyclopedia
The Irish dullahan is a type of unseelie fairie
. It is headless
, usually seen riding a black
horse
and carrying his or her head
under one arm. The head's eyes are massive and constantly dart about like flies, while the mouth is constantly in a hideous grin that touches both sides of the head. The flesh of the head is said to have the color and consistency of moldy cheese. The dullahan's whip is actually a human corpse's spine, and the wagons they sometimes use are made of similarly funereal objects (e.g. candles in skulls to light the way, the spokes of the wheels made from thigh bones, the wagon's covering made from a worm-chewn pall). When the dullahan stops riding, it is where a person is due to die. The dullahan calls out their name, at which point they immediately perish.
There is no way to bar the road against a dullahan—all locks and gates open on their own when it approaches. Also, they do not appreciate being watched while on their errands, throwing a basin of blood on those who dare to do so (often a mark that they are among the next to die), or even lashing out the watchers' eyes with their whips. Nonetheless, they are frightened of gold
, and even a single gold pin can drive a dullahan away. The myth
may have inspired the Headless Horseman
in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
.
Another legendary parallel is the Green Knight
, in the medieval story of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
", who is otherworldly, greenish in color and, after Sir Gawain strikes him, headless. This story has antecedents in the ancient Feast of Bricriu
, with legendary Irish warrior Cú Chulainn
in the role later played by Sir Gawain. See also Celts as head hunters.
games, or the Durahan species of monster in Monster Rancher
.
In the Disney film Darby O'Gill and the Little People
, a dullahan makes an appearance as the coachman of the cóiste bodhar (death coach
). Upon the arrival of the death coach, the dullahan calls out Darby's name and orders him to board the coach. Darby reluctantly complies and is borne into the heavens on the way to the afterlife, but his life is saved by the wily King Brian Connors, who tricks him into wishing a fourth wish, negating previous wishes and causing Darby to be ejected from the coach.
A headless horseman of a ghostly carriage also appears in the 1939
Gainsborough
film Ask a Policeman
, being integral to the plot.
Dullahan is the name of Surplice used by Dullahan Cube, Specter of the Army of God Hades in Masami Kurumada
's Saint Seiya
.
In Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil
, a dullahan appears as a coach driver who is in service to a banshee
, and kills people who hear her scream. He escorts Valkyrie Cain to Nye and also appears to be responsible for keeping Nye in line.
In the Nickelodeon
TV show Hey Arnold!
episode "Headless Cabbie", a character much like the Dullahan is featured in a ghost story Arnold tells, and is also "seen" (or so Arnold and his friends think) in the park as they go to find ice cream.
The Dullahan is also featured in the Fables
comic series as the entity named Mister Dark
In Final Fantasy VI
, the Dullahan was the featured boss in Daryl's Tomb that must be defeated in order for her airship the Falcon to be used by the party.
In Dragon Quest VIII
, the dullahan is a monster released by Rapthorne when he opens the gateway from the World of Darkness. There is also a version called a Dark Dullahan that is a bit weaker. Instead of carrying the head under it's arm it uses it as its shield. It is armed with a spiked mace.
In the Syfy
show Lost Girl
, episode "Where There's A Will, There's a Fae", the main character Bo fights a Dullahan.
Many installments of the Castlevania
game series feature the Dullahan as an enemy.
Dullahan appears as a boss in the Golden Sun games
, The Lost Age
and Dark Dawn.
In the 2010 anime Durarara!!
, Celty Sturluson is a Dullahan that immigrated from Ireland
to Ikebukuro
to search its streets for her stolen head. She wears a black motorcycle rider's suit and a helmet to appear in public, her horse is disguised as a black motorcycle.
A Dullahan is an enemy in the game Shining Force
.
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
. It is headless
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
, usually seen riding a black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
and carrying his or her head
Head
In anatomy, the head of an animal is the rostral part that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth . Some very simple animals may not have a head, but many bilaterally symmetric forms do....
under one arm. The head's eyes are massive and constantly dart about like flies, while the mouth is constantly in a hideous grin that touches both sides of the head. The flesh of the head is said to have the color and consistency of moldy cheese. The dullahan's whip is actually a human corpse's spine, and the wagons they sometimes use are made of similarly funereal objects (e.g. candles in skulls to light the way, the spokes of the wheels made from thigh bones, the wagon's covering made from a worm-chewn pall). When the dullahan stops riding, it is where a person is due to die. The dullahan calls out their name, at which point they immediately perish.
There is no way to bar the road against a dullahan—all locks and gates open on their own when it approaches. Also, they do not appreciate being watched while on their errands, throwing a basin of blood on those who dare to do so (often a mark that they are among the next to die), or even lashing out the watchers' eyes with their whips. Nonetheless, they are frightened of gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, and even a single gold pin can drive a dullahan away. The myth
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
may have inspired the Headless Horseman
Headless Horseman
The headless horseman has been a motif of European folklore since at least the Middle ages.The Headless Horseman is a fictional character who appears in a short story called “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” which is in a collection of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon written by Washington Irving...
in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820...
.
Another legendary parallel is the Green Knight
Green Knight
The Green Knight is a character in the 14th-century Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the related work The Greene Knight. His true name is revealed to be Bercilak de Hautdesert in Sir Gawain, while The Greene Knight names him "Bredbeddle"...
, in the medieval story of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a late 14th-century Middle English alliterative romance outlining an adventure of Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. In the poem, Sir Gawain accepts a challenge from a mysterious warrior who is completely green, from his clothes and hair to his...
", who is otherworldly, greenish in color and, after Sir Gawain strikes him, headless. This story has antecedents in the ancient Feast of Bricriu
Fled Bricrenn
Fled Bricrenn is a story from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Bricriu, an inveterate troublemaker, invites the nobles of the Ulaid to a feast at his new house at Dún Rudraige , where he incites three heroes, Cúchulainn, Conall Cernach, and Lóegaire Búadach, to compete for the "champion's...
, with legendary Irish warrior Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
in the role later played by Sir Gawain. See also Celts as head hunters.
Popular Culture
The dullahan is portrayed in fantasy fiction and video games as a beheaded knight who carries his severed head under one arm while viciously attacking interlopers in the place that is haunted by the dullahan. They also have some magic in their bodies, giving them magical swords or the ability to breathe fire from the severed head. Alternatively, the dullahan may be an animated suit of armor, the best example of which is Dullahan, an optional final boss character in the Golden SunGolden Sun (series)
is a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and produced by Nintendo. Golden Sun follows the story of a group of magically-attuned "adepts" who are charged with preventing the potentially destructive power of alchemy from being released as it was in the...
games, or the Durahan species of monster in Monster Rancher
Monster Rancher
Monster Rancher, known in Japan as , is a series of life simulation role-playing video games created by Tecmo . The series currently consists of fourteen games across different video game platforms, and future titles are planned...
.
In the Disney film Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Darby O'Gill and the Little People
Darby O'Gill and the Little People is a 1959 Walt Disney Productions feature film starring Albert Sharpe, Janet Munro, Sean Connery and Jimmy O'Dea, in a tale about a wily Irishman and his battle of wits with leprechauns. The film was directed by Robert Stevenson and its screenplay written by...
, a dullahan makes an appearance as the coachman of the cóiste bodhar (death coach
Death Coach
The death coach is part of the folklore of north western Europe. It is particularly strong in Ireland but is also found in British and American culture. In Irish folklore, it is known as the Cóiste Bodhar , meaning deaf or silent coach, and it is said that the sight or sound of the coach is the...
). Upon the arrival of the death coach, the dullahan calls out Darby's name and orders him to board the coach. Darby reluctantly complies and is borne into the heavens on the way to the afterlife, but his life is saved by the wily King Brian Connors, who tricks him into wishing a fourth wish, negating previous wishes and causing Darby to be ejected from the coach.
A headless horseman of a ghostly carriage also appears in the 1939
1939 in film
The year 1939 in motion pictures can be justified as being called the most outstanding one ever, when it comes to the high quality and high attendance at the large set of the best films that premiered in the year .- Events :Motion picture historians and film often rate...
Gainsborough
Gainsborough Pictures
Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, London. Gainsborough Studios were active between 1924 and 1951. Built as a power station for the Great Northern & City Railway it...
film Ask a Policeman
Ask A Policeman
Ask a Policeman is a 1939 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel which stars Will Hay, Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt. The title comes from the popular music hall song Ask a Policeman. The Turnbottom Round police force are threatened with dismissal by their Chief Constable and decide to...
, being integral to the plot.
Dullahan is the name of Surplice used by Dullahan Cube, Specter of the Army of God Hades in Masami Kurumada
Masami Kurumada
is a Japanese manga artist and writer, known for specializing in fighting manga featuring bishōnen and/or mahō shōnen. He is famous as the creator/author of popular manga, such as Ring ni Kakero, Fūma no Kojirō, Saint Seiya and B't X. His male protagonists are a reflection of the classical and...
's Saint Seiya
Saint Seiya
, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
.
In Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil
Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil
Skulduggery Pleasant: Mortal Coil is the fifth book in the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy, released on the 1st of September 2010. After some discussion, the final title was confirmed to be "Mortal Coil"...
, a dullahan appears as a coach driver who is in service to a banshee
Banshee
The banshee , from the Irish bean sí is a feminine spirit in Irish mythology, usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld....
, and kills people who hear her scream. He escorts Valkyrie Cain to Nye and also appears to be responsible for keeping Nye in line.
In the Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
TV show Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett for Nickelodeon. The show's premise focuses on a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends...
episode "Headless Cabbie", a character much like the Dullahan is featured in a ghost story Arnold tells, and is also "seen" (or so Arnold and his friends think) in the park as they go to find ice cream.
The Dullahan is also featured in the Fables
Fables (comics)
Fables is a comic book series created by writer Bill Willingham, published by DC Comics's Vertigo imprint beginning in 2002. The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as "Fables" – who have been forced out of their Homelands by "The...
comic series as the entity named Mister Dark
In Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...
, the Dullahan was the featured boss in Daryl's Tomb that must be defeated in order for her airship the Falcon to be used by the party.
In Dragon Quest VIII
Dragon Quest VIII
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, known in Japan as and in PAL regions as Dragon Quest: The Journey of the Cursed King, is a role-playing video game developed by Level-5 and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2...
, the dullahan is a monster released by Rapthorne when he opens the gateway from the World of Darkness. There is also a version called a Dark Dullahan that is a bit weaker. Instead of carrying the head under it's arm it uses it as its shield. It is armed with a spiked mace.
In the Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
show Lost Girl
Lost Girl (TV series)
Lost Girl is a Canadian supernatural crime drama television series that premiered on the Showcase Television network in September 2010. The series is developed and produced by Prodigy Pictures. The series follows the life of a succubus named Bo, played by Anna Silk, as she learns to control her...
, episode "Where There's A Will, There's a Fae", the main character Bo fights a Dullahan.
Many installments of the Castlevania
Castlevania
Castlevania, known as in Japan, is a video game series created and developed by Konami. The series debuted in Japan on September 26, 1986, with the release of for the Family Computer Disk System , followed by an alternate version for the MSX 2 platform on October 30...
game series feature the Dullahan as an enemy.
Dullahan appears as a boss in the Golden Sun games
Golden Sun (series)
is a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and produced by Nintendo. Golden Sun follows the story of a group of magically-attuned "adepts" who are charged with preventing the potentially destructive power of alchemy from being released as it was in the...
, The Lost Age
Golden Sun: The Lost Age
is the second installment of a series of role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and published by Nintendo. The game was released in April 2003 for Nintendo's Game Boy Advance, being a sequel to the Game Boy Advance Golden Sun...
and Dark Dawn.
In the 2010 anime Durarara!!
Durarara!!
, often romanized as DRRR!! in Japan, is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita, with illustrations by Suzuhito Yasuda, that has also been adapted in to a Japanese anime series. As of February 2011, nine volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko...
, Celty Sturluson is a Dullahan that immigrated from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to Ikebukuro
Ikebukuro
is a commercial and entertainment district in Toshima, Tokyo, Japan. Toshima ward offices, Ikebukuro station, and several shops, restaurants, and enormous department stores are located within city limits....
to search its streets for her stolen head. She wears a black motorcycle rider's suit and a helmet to appear in public, her horse is disguised as a black motorcycle.
A Dullahan is an enemy in the game Shining Force
Shining Force
Shining Force, known as in Japan, and otherwise known as Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role-playing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console...
.
See also
- Celtic mythology in popular cultureCeltic mythology in popular cultureCeltic mythology in popular culture is a common feature in books, movies, television shows, and games. Celtic mythology elements appear many times in these popular culture outlets.- Bloody Bones :*Bloody Bones is the Mattel toy Monster in My Pocket #68....
- Durarara!!Durarara!!, often romanized as DRRR!! in Japan, is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita, with illustrations by Suzuhito Yasuda, that has also been adapted in to a Japanese anime series. As of February 2011, nine volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko...
, a Japanese multimedia franchise set in modern Tokyo that features a Dullahan as a main character. - Golden Sun (series)Golden Sun (series)is a series of fantasy role-playing video games developed by Camelot Software Planning and produced by Nintendo. Golden Sun follows the story of a group of magically-attuned "adepts" who are charged with preventing the potentially destructive power of alchemy from being released as it was in the...