Cas Corach
Encyclopedia
In Irish mythology
, Cas Corach was a hero who helped Caílte mac Rónáin
kill three werewolf
-like creatures, the daughters of Airitech
who would come out of the Cave of Cruachan every year around Samhain
and destroy sheep. The she-wolves liked music, so he aided in their slaying by playing a harp to attract and distract them and by persuading them to change to human form, while Caoilte cast a spear that penetrated all three, thereby killing them.
The Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology states that Cas Corach, (also spelled Cascorrach, Cas Corrach), is a harper of Tuatha Dé Danann
, who played for St. Patrick. He follows Caílte to learn of the patriotic lore of the Ferians, as told in the Alccallam na Senòrach.
It makes no reference to Airitech or his werewolf daughters. Werewolves are not native to Celtic/Irish folklore and mythology and therefore if he killed female wolf-like creatures they would not have been werewolves in a true sense.
Irish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
, Cas Corach was a hero who helped Caílte mac Rónáin
Caílte mac Rónáin
Caílte mac Rónáin was a nephew of Fionn mac Cumhail and a member of the fianna in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. He could run at remarkable speed and communicate with animals, and was a great storyteller...
kill three werewolf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
-like creatures, the daughters of Airitech
Airitech
In Irish mythology, Airitech was a mysterious character whose three daughters were werewolves. They were eventually killed by Cas Corach. The story appears in Agallamh na Seanórach, which is part of the Fenian Cycle....
who would come out of the Cave of Cruachan every year around Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
and destroy sheep. The she-wolves liked music, so he aided in their slaying by playing a harp to attract and distract them and by persuading them to change to human form, while Caoilte cast a spear that penetrated all three, thereby killing them.
The Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology states that Cas Corach, (also spelled Cascorrach, Cas Corrach), is a harper of Tuatha Dé Danann
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
, who played for St. Patrick. He follows Caílte to learn of the patriotic lore of the Ferians, as told in the Alccallam na Senòrach.
It makes no reference to Airitech or his werewolf daughters. Werewolves are not native to Celtic/Irish folklore and mythology and therefore if he killed female wolf-like creatures they would not have been werewolves in a true sense.