In Irish mythology, the Dullahan is a terrifying headless rider who carries his own severed head under one arm while riding a black horse with flaming eyes. His whip is said to be made from a human spine, and wherever he stops, someone is fated to die. The Dullahan cannot be stopped by locks or gates but fears gold, which can drive him away. His legend has directly influenced the “Headless Horseman” of Halloween lore, and modern sightings of headless horsemen are sometimes tied back to this ancient Celtic figure.