Black cats have long been burdened by superstition. Most of Western Europe and North America still cling to the antiquated, Puritanical belief that black cats are bad luck. But is this the case for all cultures? Hardly! In fact, in Ireland, quite the opposite is true. And, since everyone’s gonna be Irish come March 17th, what better way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day than with some neat-o kitty info?
When I was 17 I took a trip to Ireland. I stayed there for a week or two and spent most of my time soaking up the greenery and the solitude. And the rain. It really wouldn’t be much of a hyperbole to say that it rained pretty much every single day, so much so that I forgot what it was like to not have to try to peel my frozen wet jeans off of my gross, clammy legs every night, only to squeeze into them the next morning. But in any case, the bucolic scenery was enough to make up for my ill-advised fashion choices.
Now, I should probably interject here and state that I’ve made kind of a habit out of finding stray cats, particularly black stray cats, wherever I go, and this occasion was no exception. Perhaps I share some mystical lineage to Snow White or maybe I was a witch of considerable power in some past life but almost everywhere I go, I can manage to summon a little kitty companion. It’s, like, the one gift I have in this life and honestly, it’s been the thing I need most to keep me functioning. Kitty-summoning. Sweet, sweet kitty summoning.
So of course, while I was on a tour, I came upon a delightful little soot ball baby who was even friendly enough to let me pick her up and give her face snuggies. I spotted her from afar, stoically gazing at the small crowd that had congregated around some headstones of particular historical interest. She followed me around all day until it was time to leave. She was very calm and tolerant, and even resigned to let me carry her around so that I could show her things and avoid eye contact with strangers (HA!) while I browsed the small outdoor market. When I put her down, she would rub up against my leg and purr, probably vying for some food and/or more attention. If I could have fit a whole entire cat into my suitcase and have her fly home with me, I undoubtedly would have done so. I didn’t really think much else of this encounter after it happened (besides the cat-smuggling fantasy) until I learned about the legend of the Lucky Black Bog Cat.
The Bog Cat is a mysterious creature who is said to have prowled around the shores of Lough Neagh, feasting on whatever was around; little bugs, small animals and the like. Cunning, swift, and particularly large in size, this bog baby is rumored to bring great wealth and happiness to those lucky enough to run into it – a stark contrast to the antediluvian and, quite frankly, offensive notions we carry of black cathood in this culture today. Not much else is known about the legend or how it emerged, but almost every gift shop in Ireland sells a little Black Bog Cat ornament or charm meant to harness some of that luck for those who would purchase it. Of course, I bought one for myself, to remember Ireland and the wee baby soot sprite I came across on my adventure. My sincere wish is to travel back to Ireland to see what other magical black cats are lurking around the bogs, markets, and headstones, waiting for offerings of treats and snuggles in exchange for a lifetime of good luck.
So, while you’re slurping down your 15th pint of Guinness at Molly Maguire’s this Saint Patrick’s Day and getting into all sorts of potentially regrettable messiness, why not make a toast to the Black Bog Cat? Maybe you’ll get lucky and run into a black kitty yourself next time you’re sober! You know, whenever that’ll be.
Saved as a favorite, I really like your site!
Thanks so much Astrid!!
Hello Diomira,
I was searching the internet for some history behind the black bog cat and discovered your article.
My wife and I have a black British shorthair that has orange eyes. Some of our friends aren’t really into having cats as pets, but for some reason or another, they like ours. He definitely has a unique personality that seems to draw people to him.
We named him Merlin. 🙂
Anyways, we just got back from travelling to Ireland for 12 nights. We started off in Kilkenny and stayed just off the medieval mile at Butler House Hotel. Definitely worth a night if you ever go to this part of Ireland.
So the following morning we drove to the end of the medieval mile and stopped at a site called St Canice Cathedral and Tower. As soon as we arrived, we stepped on to the historical grounds and began walking towards to the front of the Cathedral to purchase the tower tickets. It was at this time that a black cat came running out of the open church doors and stopped right next to my wife. My wife began petting her and talking to her as if she was our cat back at home. After a few minutes, the cat got up and walked away towards the cemetery gates and disappeared….I’m serious. The strangest thing was that there was a tour taking place and we were with friends from Canada, other then my wife and I, no one turned their heads toward the cat when he she quickly exited the entrance. It definitely got our attention.
It wasn’t until we were inside the church when we saw the black bog cat figurine for sale.
For the entire trip, we only had rain for the morning of our 9 day. The weather was perfect and started to rain after boarding the plane yesterday.
Definitely some luck was had for our trip and the perfect weather.
Thank you for your article.
Shane Tennant
Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada
Wowzahs, Shane! That is a truly awesome story. Cats are very mysterious creatures indeed. Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so glad you got a little bit of luck from your little four-legged friend! I would definitely love to go back to Ireland some day, and maybe catch a glimpse of a lucky wee beastie.
Cheers!! 🙂
I was in Ireland several years ago. A friend and I were staying at a bed and breakfast close to the cliffs of Moher. I was waiting for my friend to get ready to go down to breakfast. I gazed out the window over the landscape consisting of marshy land and scrub vegetation. I spotted a large black cat. I was amazed because it was the largest cat I’d ever seen. It appeared to be a domestic black cat as big as a medium size dog. I called to my friend to come take a look, but before she could get to the window the cat disappeared into the brush. I asked the proprietor if she had a black cat or if she had seen one around the property. She had not. Later that day in the gift shop at the cliffs of Moher I saw the black bog cat souvenir and read the story on the back. It left me wondering that’s for sure.