Recap

Celtic Origins, Cyrptids & End Times

Publisher of the online travel journal, Mysterious World, Doug Elwell discussed the Celtic origins of Halloween, fairies and leprechauns. He also touched on his interests in cryptids, fallen angels and End Times prophecy. The word leprechaun means "little people," and these one-foot tall males seen in Ireland were thought to be cast off by fairies, he explained. They were known for playing music, hanging out, living in old ruins or trees, and occasionally stealing-- sometimes they could even kill or attack people if their environments were disturbed, said Elwell. While not seen much today, he classified them as fallen angels or demons.

Our "trick or treat" tradition of Halloween comes from the Celts, where costumes were used to hide recognition, by people who might choose to play a "trick" on those they were calling upon, he detailed.

Elwell spoke about Thunderbirds (also called Piasa), the huge eagle-like birds seen in the United States-- their name is said to come from their wing flapping which sounds like a thunder clap. The birds were alleged to pick up cattle as their prey, bringing them back to their nests-- the size of a "small house." Indian lore has it that they even were able to carry off a killer whale, he recounted.

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Mysterious Ireland

Check out some graphics based on images from Doug Elwell's book, Mysterious World: Ireland.