In the quiet waters of Ireland’s lakes and rivers lurks a creature far older and more vicious than most of the famous cryptids we know. The Dobhar-chú is half dog, half otter, and entirely relentless. Its most famous attack is recorded on a gravestone, but the death of Grace Connolly is not where this beast’s story began. Join me as we dive into the chilling folklore and historical accounts of Ireland’s water dog.

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Episode resources: (Links to books on Amazon may be affiliate links)

https://amzn.to/4xbujY9 Irish Lake Marvels by John Dunne

https://amzn.to/4hZ1kBN The Beasts That Hide From Man by Karl P.N. Shuker 

https://amzn.to/4q5Gy5u The Otter King: The Search for the Dobhar-chú by Brýn Grover

https://amzn.to/4zceG3N Mystery Animals of Ireland by Gary Cunningham & Ronan Coghlan 

https://amzn.to/4fPZTnZ Wolf-Men and Water Hounds: The Myths, Monsters and Magic of Ireland by Manchán Magan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dobhar-ch%C3%BA

https://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-dobhar-chu-trailing-irelands.html

https://karlshuker.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-dobhar-chu-trailing-irelands_29.html

https://www.sligoheritage.com/archdabharchu.htm

https://www.tonyoneill.org/2017/04/12/glenade-lake-and-the-legend-of-the-dobhar-chu/

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/irelands-hound-dobhar-chu    

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/irish-mythical-monster-dobhar-chu

https://folklorethursday.com/folktales/this-irish-cryptid-casts-otters-in-a-whole-new-light/

https://www.historicmysteries.com/myths-legends/dobhar-chu/38817/

https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/features/the-tale-of-leitrims-own-loch-ness-monster-the-dobhar-chu-8301142

https://www.jstor.org/stable/25510654

On the hottest days of summer, when the sun hangs high over Japan’s rice fields and the air shimmers with heat, a strange white figure sometimes appears in the distance. Tall, slender, and twisting unnaturally, it looks almost like a piece of paper or a cloth caught in an invisible wind. It’s the Kunekune. If you stare at it for too long, you’ll never be the same. In this episode, we explore the figure’s modern origins and discuss its unsettling power.

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In the birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner, uniformed spirits pace the ramparts—and they aren’t alone. In this patriotic July episode, we dive into ghostly accounts, the science-adjacent ideas of residual hauntings, and how the intense emotions of battle may have left lasting imprints on the very stones of Fort McHenry. If you like your history with a side of the supernatural, this episode is for you!Resources on my website - blog post for episode 34

In honor of Father’s Day, this month’s episode explores the haunting phenomenon of dads and grandfathers. Drawing on historical research like Sir William Barrett’s early 20th-century studies on deathbed visions, along with cultural spirit guides and real-life accounts, we examine everything from comforting visitations where deceased fathers figures appear to offer protection or guidance, to warning apparitions that save lives at the final moment, and even vengeful paternal spirits with unfinished business.

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Resources (Note that Amazon links may be Affiliate Links, providing a small commission for the host):

https://amzn.to/4uzcAs5

William Barrett (Barrett, William, Sir, 1844-1925) | The Online Books Page

Frederic W. H. Myers - Wikipedia

https://amzn.to/3S4tSih or Death-bed visions : Barrett, William, Sir, 1844-1925. n 88141849 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Death-bed Visions : William Fletcher Barrett : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Psychopomp - Wikipedia

The Psychopomp Guide - Psychopomps from Around the World

https://amzn.to/3S4tSih

From its ancient origins as an explanation for mysterious nighttime deaths to its modern malevolent nature, the Tokoloshe has been shaping beliefs and leaving its hairy mark on culture for generations. In this episode, we uncover the terrifying legend of southern Africa’s dwarf-like water spirit.

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Western Africa folklore book - https://amzn.to/4t1qJg5

South African legends book - https://amzn.to/4uoHJOG

Episode resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokoloshe

https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2001-11-22-i-didnt-kill-a-baby-i-killed-a-tokoloshe/

https://www.news24.com/tokoloshe-baby-killer-gets-life-20020128

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elifasi_Msomi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Reasonable_Man

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0178860/

https://astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2019/2/16/the-tokoloshe

The Easter Hare of European folklore—today's Easter Bunny—emerges from pagan traditions celebrating spring renewal, fertility, and rebirth. However, this mythical figure has a darker side. In this episode, we take a look at how the legend blends the joyful with the supernatural, with the hare carrying both blessings and a basket full of witchy deeds.

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Resources:

https://mythosanthology.com/puc

https://medium.com/@arras.healing/the-hare-and-the-goddess-the-story-of-a-sacred-animal-5bf8f3c24597

https://thedruidscauldron.net/category/course-sacred-figures

https://www.thefield.co.uk/country-house/hare-mythology-why-we-are-all-mad-for-hares-21624

https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/ancient-roots-of-easter-bunny

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leshy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Familiar

https://storytellingdb.com/monsters-slavic-mythology

https://www.transceltic.com/pan-celtic/importance-of-hare-celtic-belief-and-our-duty-protect-all-wildlife

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koshchei

The Dullahan is one of Ireland’s most chilling figures—a relentless, headless rider who gallops through the night carrying his severed head under his arm, calling out the names of the doomed. Join me as we uncover the origins of this spooky folktale.

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Resources:

https://archive.org/details/fairylegendstrad00crokrich    

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/39752/39752-h/39752-h.htm   

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33887/33887-h/33887-h.htm

https://dorisvsutherland.com/2020/06/19/the-history-of-the-dullahan-in-irish-folklore   

https://dorisvsutherland.com/2020/06/23/more-on-the-dullahan-in-irish-folklore

https://irishmyths.com/2021/09/22/headless-horseman-history

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/how-tales-of-the-headless-horseman-came-from-celtic-mythology-1.4060086

https://theghostinmymachine.com/2025/10/13/encyclopaedia-of-the-impossible-the-dullahan-the-headless-horseman-of-ireland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Dullahan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_coach

Pronunciations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVy7_yFWwVU  

https://forvo.com/word/dullahan

https://www.howtopronounce.com/dullahan.

Morgan le Fay is a timeless enigma born on the pages of Arthurian lore. Yet before she was the modern legend’s evil sorceress, Morgan was a benevolent, shapeshifting healer. Join me on this brisk walk through the mists of Avalon and decide for yourself if Morgan is merely a lovesick character or the embodiment of a real-life enchantress whose pure-hearted magic makes her the perfect subject for this year’s Valentine episode.

LeeDawnaBooks.com

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Episode resources:

Mary Jones Celtic Texts – Vita Merlini

  John Jay Parry translation – public domain – The Vita Merlini

Sacred Texts Archive version: Vita Merlini

Hero of Camelot, English translation – Erec et Enide

Poetry in Translation – Érec and Enide

Mary Jones – Vulgate/Lancelot-Grail Cycle

  Norris J. Lacy's English Translation/Boydell and Brewer – Lancelot-Grail 10 Volumes

Project Gutenberg – public domain: Volume I and Volume II

Le Morte Darthur Norton Critical Edition or Amazon version

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_le_Fay

"The Infamous Sorceress Morgan le Fay of Arthurian Legend" by The Collector (Sep 11, 2025)

 Ancient Origins – Morgan le Fay

Morgan le Fay – Medieval Sources and Modern Novels by Miriam Tosadori (2021 Thesis, University of Padua)  

Before “bacon fixes everything” was a meme - a lifelong politician, a boy scout, and a German spy almost ruined the most perfect food on earth. Tune in to find out how the Hippo Bill of 1910 got into the weeds and sank to the bottom of a Louisiana swamp.

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ALLi - https://allianceindependentauthors.org/?affid=10208

Episode resources:

American Hippopotamus by Jon Mooallem

Smithsonian Magazine – “The Plan to Import Hippopotamuses to the U.S.”

Hippopotamidae - Wikipedia

Hippopotamus amphibius (Hippopotamus)

American Hippo bill - Wikipedia

The Crazy, Ingenious Plan to Bring Hippopotamus Ranching to America | WIRED

7 Problematic Invasive Species in Hawaii (Pictures) - Wildlife Informer

The infamous Elizabeth Bathory is a Hungarian Noblewoman holding a Guinness World Record as the most prolific female serial killer in history. But was she a cold-blooded killer? Or a wealthy widow caught in the crosshairs of a war-torn country? Join me as I attempt to unravel fact from fiction in part two of this dive into the Blood Countess, covering the charges against her, the outcome of a trial she never participated in, and her shockingly quiet end.

Resources:

História hradu - Čachtický hrad

Countess Bathory's case - Elizabeth Báthory: The Blood Countess

The Bloody Countess? | Notes on Hungarian History

Elizabeth Bathory | Biography, Husband, Castle, & Facts | Britannica

Elizabeth Báthory - Wikipedia

Countess Elizabeth Bathory - The Blood Countess — Clandestine Entry — Crime Library

bledsaw.pdf

Béla IV of Hungary - Wikipedia

Palatine of Hungary - Wikipedia

Konrad III Rudy - Wikipedia

Voivode of Transylvania - Wikipedia

Deutsche Biographie - Nádasdy, Pál

Pál (Nádasdy) Nádasdy de Nádasd et Fogaras-Föld (abt.1597-1633) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

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