Tradition: Irish Mythology
Alternative Names: Avartagh
Category: Dwarf
The Myth
Abhartach was a dwarf and a powerful magician who became a cruel and terrifying tyrant. He lived in the region of what is now County Londonderry, where he committed terrible acts against the people until a neighboring chieftain finally confronted and killed him. Abhartach was buried standing upright in the ground, but his death did not end his reign of terror.
The following day, Abhartach returned from his grave, more powerful and more vicious than before. The chieftain killed him a second time and buried him upright again, but once more the dwarf escaped from the grave and returned to spread fear throughout the countryside. Desperate to find a way to destroy him permanently, the chieftain sought the advice of a druid. The druid revealed how Abhartach’s magical power could finally be overcome.
The chieftain killed the dwarf for a third time and buried him in the same place, but this time Abhartach was placed upside down, with his head beneath the earth. This finally subdued his supernatural power, and he never returned to trouble the living again. A stone monument was raised over his grave, and the place where he was buried remained associated with the terrifying dwarf and his legend.
Sources
“Abhartach.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 4, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhartach