Irish werewolves

 

This is March and almost St Patrick's Day, so I want to bring up the subject of the Irish werewolf legends that I briefly mentioned a couple of times in the past on She Wolf Night. Werewolves of Ossory, a folklore stemming from Medieval times, believes that these are descendants of a mythical king, who became shapeshifting warriors. They thrived until one day Saint Patrick arrived to spread Christianity, and the Ossory werewolves refused. Their punishment was to roam the woods as starving wolves, and fail to return in human form, after some time had lapsed. They hunted on human prey. There are different versions told about the Ossory werewolves HERE at Wikipedia.  

Faoladh and Conroicht are Irish words that basically mean werewolf. It's believed that these werewolves are benign guardian spirits who protect children, the wounded, and the lost.  

Tipperary werewolves, attached to this location in Ireland is the story from Coir Anmann, about a man called Laignach Faelad who could turn into a wolf. His descendants also were wolf shapeshifters who enjoyed the taste of human flesh. They were warriors who behaved like berserkers or Ulfhednar. They were prominent during the reign of Tigernmas, an era found in the mists of legend. More about this HERE at Medium.

It must be mentioned that in 1999 there was a reported sighting of a mysterious wolf seen at the road between Newpoint and Rearcross in Tipperary. The eyewitnesses said this creature had glowing red eyes and appeared to be where a man once stood. Also in 1913 in a quiet lane in Ballymacward, two boys heard growling coming from behind a wall, and they found a strange man with an animal's head. Wolves became extinct in Ireland during the 18th century.

She Wolf Night