The Abaidh – Irish Mythological Boar of the Otherworld

“From mist and forest I come, tusks shining, heart aflame.”

In the deep mythic forests of Ireland, where mortal paths fade into the realms of the sídhe, there roams a creature both feared and revered: the Abaidh, the enchanted boar of the Otherworld. Its name is old, its origins ancient, and its presence marks the meeting of courage and fate.

The Boar in Irish Myth

In Irish mythology, the boar (Old Irish: torc or mucc) is no mere animal. It is a creature of trial, a beast that tests the hero’s worth. Many tales tell of such boars emerging from the mists of the Otherworld, sent as omens, punishments, or gifts from the gods.

The Abaidh’s spirit appears throughout the old stories — from the tragic hunt of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, slain by a boar foretold in prophecy, to the hunts of Finn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna, whose courage was measured in pursuit of beasts both mortal and divine.

In some tellings, the boar was born from the sídhe — an emissary of the Otherworld’s will. Its tusks glinted like moonlit iron, its bristles glowed like embers, and wherever it walked, the ground itself was scorched. It was said that to eat its flesh could heal wounds, restore strength, or grant hidden wisdom — but only if one’s heart was pure. For those found wanting, the gift became a curse.

Symbol of Sovereignty and Trial

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