Dearg Due | Blood Drinker of Irish Twilight

The Dearg Due (Irish for "red bloodsucker" or "red thirst") is a female vampiric entity from Irish folklore. The legend tells the tragic tale of a beautiful young woman who rises from her grave seeking vengeance after a life of cruelty and a forced, unhappy marriage. 

The Legend of the Dearg Due

The legend of the Dearg Due, primarily associated with the area of Waterford City, revolves around a woman who, in life, endured immense suffering. 

• Tragic Life: She was deeply in love with a local farm labourer, but her greedy father forced her into an arranged marriage with a wealthy, older, and sadistic clan chieftain in exchange for money and land. Her husband abused her terribly, reportedly taking delight in seeing her blood against her pale skin.
• Death and Return: Overwhelmed by a broken heart and misery, she wasted away and died (some variations suggest she committed suicide). She was buried near what is known as "Strongbow's Tree" in Waterford. One night, she rose from her unconsecrated grave as an undead being to exact revenge on her father and cruel husband, draining their blood until they were dead.
• Vampiric Nature: She is described as a female demon that uses her beauty to seduce men before draining them of their life's blood with a fatal kiss. The legend has been suggested as one of the influences for Bram Stoker's Dracula.
• Stopping the Entity: The only way to prevent the Dearg Due from rising from her grave each year is to place a large cairn (pile of stones) on top of it.