Abhartach (Ah-BART-tig)
Variations: Murbhheo

The oldest known recorded vampire story in Western Europe comes from ancient Celtic lore and took place in the rural parish of Glenullin, in the town of Slaughtaverty, Ireland (see ALNWICK CASTLE). It is the tale of the merciless tyrant and powerful sorcerer, Abhartach. Traditionally, he is described as being a short man, a dwarf in many tellings, and having a physical deformity.

The story goes that one night Abhartach, a jealous and suspicious man, convinced himself that his wife was being unfaithful to him. Unwilling to confront her directly and wanting to catch her in the act of adultery, he climbed out of a window and crept along the ledge toward his wife’s bedroom. Before he could clear the distance and have a peek into his wife’s room, he slipped and fell to his death. Abhartach’s body was discovered in the morning and the people of the town buried him as if he were a king, standing upright in his grave.