Irish Folklore - The Werewolves of Ossory.

And ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ thought she had it bad.

The medieval kingdom of Osraige, anglicised as Ossory, was located in the south-east of Ireland, in what is now part of County Kilkenny and western County Laois. It was controlled by the Osraige tribe, whose name means ‘people of the deer’. The kingdom declined during the Norman invasion in the 12th century.

Despite their name, the Osraige had more of a wolf-like reputation. Their warriors were tough, brave men who were known to go wolfing (raiding) in neighbouring lands. The stories tell of the raiders adopting lupine hairstyles and wearing wolfskin clothes during such excursions, further adding to their victims’ terror, and perhaps creating the bedrock for a famous Irish myth: the Werewolves of Ossory.

Though now extinct, wolves were once a real threat in Ireland. There is even a story of a wolf pack attacking the town of Coleraine in the 17th century. The Irish bred wolfhounds - huge dogs that could reach a man’s shoulder - in order to hunt these beasts, and there are even stories of some Irish warriors taking wolves to war with them. In short, the wolf had a reputation for violence and savagery.

The medieval Irish work Cóir Anmann (Fitness of Names) gave details of a terrifying warrior-werewolf called Laignech Fáelad. He was said to be the ancestor of a tribe of werewolves who were descended from the kings of Ossory. The text says:

He was a man that used to go wolfing, i.e. into wolf-shapes, i.e. into shapes of wolves he used to go, and his offspring used to go after him and they used to kill the herds after the fashion of wolves, so that it is for that that he used to be called Laignech Fáelad, for he was the first of them who went into a wolf-shape.

The Book of Ballymote, written in the 14th century, speaks of this tradition, claiming that "the descendants of the wolf" in Ossory had the power to change themselves and go forth to devour people. It is possible to imagine the fear of those who lived in the realms bordering Ossory, huddled round their fire in their small homes. They might hear a howl on the night wind - was it wolves? Would your wooden door be able to hold them back? Or just perhaps, was it something even worse - something more diabolic and warlike?

Finally, one famous tale is told by Gerald of Wales. In it, a young priest is wandering in southern Ireland when he encounters a dying wolf - who is actually an old woman. She claims that she and her husband came from the kingdom of Ossory, and had been cursed to spend seven years in the form of wolves. Feeling pity for the woman, and at the requested of her distraught husband, he agrees to offer her the last rights.

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Until next time, stay spooky.