Tradition: Irish Mythology
Alternative Names: Cathach, Cathach of Inis Cathaig
Category: Dragon
The Myth
Cathach was the youngest of three dragon sisters, Dabran, Farbagh, and Cathach. They were the offspring of the gatekeeper of Hell and an all-devouring sow, and were nursed by the red demon of West Ireland. Cathach made her home on Inis Cathaig, now known as Scattery Island.
Cathach was a monstrous sight, larger than a small island herself. Her enormous back was rounded like an island and covered in scales and shells, while a rough, bristling mane like that of a boar covered the front of her body. Her cavernous mouth contained two rows of sharp teeth, and when she opened it her entrails could be seen within. A cruel eye gleamed from her head. She stood upon two short, thick, hairy legs armed with iron nails that struck sparks from the rocks as she walked. Her belly burned like a furnace, while behind her dragged the tail of a whale, armed with iron claws that carved furrows into the earth. She could move across land and swim through the sea with equal ease, causing the water around her to boil.
Cathach’s sisters eventually met their deaths. Farbagh was slain by Crohan, Sal, and Daltheen, the three sons of Toraliv M’Stairn, while Dabran was killed by Diarmuid O’Duibhne after the three brothers had set her to guard their forts.
When Cathach sensed that her sisters were gone, she erupted into a terrible rage. She ravaged the lands around the Shannon Estuary, from Limerick to the sea, destroying the countryside, sinking ships, and bringing commerce to a standstill for an entire year. When Crohan, Sal, and Daltheen returned and saw the devastation Cathach had caused, they were so overcome with despair that they threw themselves into the sea and died.
Yet Cathach herself was not defeated by warriors or mighty champions. When Saint Senan landed on Inis Cathaig, the dragon prepared to devour him. Instead, the saint calmly made the sign of the cross before her face and commanded her in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost to leave the island and harm no one wherever she went.
Cathach fell silent and obeyed. She left Inis Cathaig, disappeared into the estuary, and travelled to Sliab Collain without harming another person. It was said that if she still lived, she remained obedient to Saint Senan’s command.
Sources
“Cathach.” A Book of Creatures. November 15, 2019. https://abookofcreatures.com/2019/11/15/cathach/