In 14th century there was a tribe of werewolves (wolf-men) known as the Laignach Fáelad dwelt somewhere in County Tipperary. Details of them appear in a 12th century manuscript called the Cóir Anmann. Cóir Anmann is a medieval Irish tract whose name means “The Fitness of Names.” The work is a detailed history of the great mythological kings of Ireland.
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| Illustration of Werewolf. (Image credit: worldofdarkness.com) |
They were brutal soldiers who showed no mercy to those who crossed their path. For a steep price, the inhuman beasts would fight a bloody battle for any Celtic King of Ireland and their ferocity and guile was seemingly unsurpassed. They were said to demand payment for their services in the form of flesh from young infants, which they divided and devoured amongst themselves.
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| Illustration of Cóir Anmann. (Image credit: aetherandashes.obsidianportal.com) |
In many Irish tales, the Laignach Fáelad said to be the ancestor of a tribe of werewolves who were related to the kings of Ossory. Ossory was an old kingdom of Ireland, now comprised of Kilkenny and Laois. He and his offspring after him used to go, whenever they pleased, into the shapes of the wolves, and, after the custom of wolves, kill the herds. Wherefore he was called Laignech Fáelad, for he was the first of them to go into a wolf-shape.
The Laignach Fáelad were followers of Crom Cruach, one of the oldest and most bloodthirsty of Irish deities. It is said that these ancient warriors were the most powerful tribe during the reign of King Tigernmas, also known as the "Lord of Death" in Old Irish.
Legend has it that when St Patrick preached to groups about Christianity, Laignach and his followers howled like wolves in protest in order to drown out his voice.
In the 16th century, William Camden, an English historian dismissed the tale of Laignach Fáelad, saying that "the Wolf Men of Tipperary never existed." However, no one has ever proven the tale to be false.
References:
Creatures of Fantasy: "Werewolves" by Cynthia A. Roby
Encyclopedia of the Undead: "A Field Guide to the Creatures That Cannot Rest In Peaces" by DR. Bob Curran
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