The Irish Book of Death and Flying Ships
This wonderfully titled book contains entries taken from the ancient Irish Annals which include a ‘Table of cosmical phenomena, epizootics, famines and pestilences in Ireland’. This book confirms my belief that Ireland has always been a terrifying place to live. Here’s a sample
AD 443
A hairy star appeared
AD 690
It rained a shower of blood in Leinster this year. Butter was then turned into lumps of gore and blood, so that it was manifest to all in general. The wolf was heard speaking with a human voice, which was horrific to all.
AD 707
The havoc of cattle again raged. A great cow mortality (Bo-ar-mor) raged a second time
AD 739
Fergus Glut, King of Cobha died; it was he that used to spit out much saliva from his mouth; and this caused his death
AD 782
Flan a wise bishop was put to death by poison
AD 847
Felym MacCriowhayn was overtaken by a great flux of the belly
AD 897
Ireland was destroyed by strange worms - having six feet and two teeth harder than stones- which consumed all that was green in the land. They were at length driven into the sea, and being cast on shore their putrefaction proved fatal to many; so that by famine and plague a third part of the people died.
AD 1018
All kildare was burned by a fire from heaven
Here’s a link if you want to get a copy. I heartily recommend it.
March 13th, 2006 at 10:29 pm
I don’t think that’s true…
March 13th, 2006 at 10:29 pm
A hairy star sounds absolutely vile.
March 13th, 2006 at 10:29 pm
oooh, thank you. This will go nicely on my ‘esoteric, creepy and just plain weirdstuff’ shelf.
March 13th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Yeah, I am now £23 STG poorer… (I also bought the book that Gin Lady commented on… ‘Noisy outlaws, unfriendly blobs…etc’.)
March 13th, 2006 at 10:30 pm
Everything in this book is true. At least I wish it was especially the bit about Kildare.
I think the hairy star is a comet but it conjures such a lovely image. I also love the idea of fellas suffering from a mighty flux of the belly.
I take no responsiblity for other people’s poor impulse control but I think I should be on some kind of commission here.
March 16th, 2006 at 5:26 am
[...] “…a huge horse with a man’s face and horrible bulging eyes…The thing had a horse’s body. But it was the face, leering and hairy and huge which shocked. The animal stretched right across the road and completely blocked the car.” Not as satisfying as the last entry in the odd books category but worthy none the less. [...]