Abhartach Magazine, Issue 2: It Came From the Deep

The Abhartach is an early Irish legend and is one of the earliest written accounts of vampirism. The Abhartach is one of the ‘Neamh-Mairbh’; The Celtic Undead. To kill the Abhartach, you must stab it with a sword made from the yew tree and immediately bury the body. The grave must then be surrounded by thorns and a large stone slab placed on top of it. It has long been assumed that Count Dracula, a character created by Irish writer Bram Stoker, was based on Vlad the Impaler. More recent analysis of Stoker’s research notes suggest that there could have been other inspirations behind the character. 

Abhartach Magazine is a gathering of horror enthusiasts, providing a new platform for chilling tales, haunting poetry, grotesque artwork and in-depth reviews of books, games and film. Our aim is to curate a collection of the most terrifying and original content for our readers. 

Within these pages you’ll find: a short story set amidst the murky Louisiana swamps, an eerie tale of river spirits, haunting verses drawn from Japanese folklore, artwork honoring La Llorona, surreal aquatic collages, Maltese folk creatures,an  illustrated essay on the film Cold Skin, a tribute to Milicent Patrick (the visionary behind The Creature from the Black Lagoon) and essays exploring eco-horror, queer identity, and the uncanny beauty of bodies of water — featuring literary examinations of Chlorine by Jade Song and The Gloaming by Kirsty Logan. It Came from the Deep gathers poets, artists, authors and critics from across the world to confront the horrors that lurk beneath. The issue also features an interview with acclaimed horror author Nick Cutter, writer of The Deep and The Troop.

With contributions by Eliza Mai, Christina Rosso, Maddison O’Donnell, Helena Brady, Sheena Patel, Nathan Lunn, Derbhla Leddy, Keri O’Shea, James Calderbank, Dee Allen, Andrew Bruckner, Ken Wynne, Francesca Vaney, AJ Klein, Aaron Lockhart, Church of the Hollow Spider, and Lizzy O’Riordan.

Abhartach Magazine was created by Lauren Gallagher. Lauren graduated from IADT with a B.A. in English Literature, Media and Cultural Studies. While at IADT, she was also the secretary of the IADT Horror Society. As a long time fan of the horror genre, she wanted to create a space for other genre fans; where they could publish their work, regardless of their chosen medium or levels of experience. Her writing has been featured in Apocalypse Confidential, Morbidly Beautiful, Film Ireland, Certified Forgotten, Monstrous Flesh Journal and more. She currently works as a bookshop and museum assistant in Dublin, Ireland.

Self Published
Softcover
52 pages
210 x 150 mm