The Headless Horseman of Lakey’s Creek

Lakey's Creek

This ghost story is one of the oldest told in the state of Illinois. It is so popular and has been told so often it is firmly entrenched in Southern Illinois folklore. Like many ghost stories, it is part fact, and part legend.

Lakey's Creek is in
Hamilton County

Lakey’s Creek, as it has been known since before the 1830s is where this story takes place. It was named “in tribute” for the man who died near it and supposedly haunts it. 

Today this creek is 1.5 miles east of McLeansboro.

In Illinois history, there was a man by the name of Joel Lakely who decided to settle near a shallow part of this creek. 

It was here that travelers could ford the water with ease. Lakey being a sociable man, liked the fact that most travelers in the area passed right by his new home.

Unfortunately, his son-in-law murdered him before he could complete his cabin. One morning his body was found propped against a tree. His head had been chopped off, with the same ax he had been using to cut down trees for his new home.

His body and head were buried near his unfinished cabin. This part of the story is true, but the son-in-law's name and motive are lost to history.

It was not long after his death, that travelers who forded this shallow area of the creek began to report a strange sight.

A typical witness report states that people would hear heavy horse hooves, behind them as they went to cross the creek. But when they turned to see who followed them, there was no evidence of another rider or horse.

Other witnesses experienced something more startling. They heard horse hooves, but when they turned, they saw a large black horse with a headless rider atop. They stated this strange apparition seemed to pursue them--at least until they reached the creek.

These accounts mention that this headless rider was always seen downstream from where the witnesses were. This was on the same side of the creek near where Lakey was murdered. 

This rider and his horse would not follow them across the stream but instead would turn back and go downstream.

This part of the legend is often used to enhance the story--for an old belief is ghosts cannot cross water.

Stories of sightings of this headless horseman have endured for over 200 years. This apparition is still seen today. 

The old ford along Lakey’s Creek has been abandoned for years--a modern bridge crosses the creek today. It is on this bridge where travelers report seeing this headless horseman.

Many of these witnesses are tourists who come to enjoy the area’s natural beauty. Most of them do not know the story behind this haunting.

Irish Headless Horseman: The Dullahan

A friend of my family told me this story when I was a pre-teen, thinking back I was probably too young to hear it—for I had several vivid nightmares afterward.

He asked me what picture I got in my mind when I thought of fairies. I think I told him “Tinker Bell” or Cinderella’s “Fairy Godmother.” He told me, “Well this story is about a fairy but not that kind.”

I remember this grabbed my attention. This is the story he told me:

In Ireland, hundreds of years ago, there was a king by the name of Tighermas. Tighermas believed in a pagan god by the name of Crom Dubh. His belief in this God led him to sacrifice humans every year—by decapitating them—to appease or keep Crom Dubh happy.

This practice continued until the Christians gained a stronghold in Ireland at which point human sacrifice was no longer allowed. Resenting this, it is said Crom Dubh took on a human form so he would not be forgotten. To this day he is considered the most terrifying of all the Irish Unseelie fairies.

Confused about the use of the term “fairy,” I asked why a fairy was scary.

So the friend stopped and explained patiently, this fairy was a supernatural spirit and a malicious and evil one at that.

He is known as Gan Ceann. (In old Gaelic Ceann means head, and Gan means without.) But most people call him the dullahan—the dark man.

He is a fearsome spirit who rides a massive black horse—he is only seen at night—but it is best not to see him—but I am getting ahead of myself. He is headless * but he keeps his head near, he either carries it under his arm or thrusts it high in his outstretched hand as he rides his horse.

His head is rotted and moldy in appearance, it has dark eyes that dart back and forth constantly and it’s mouth sneers from ear to ear. The horse the dullahan rides is heard thundering down the road leaving a trace of burnt grass behind—most will not look at this horse—but the few who have and survived say fiery flames shoot from its nostrils.

Keep in mind there are not many people who have seen the dullahan for everyone is warned not to look upon this dark man as he passes by—for it is believed if they do it ensures a person’s demise.

This horseman is clothed in dark robes and carries a whip made from a human’s spine, it is said he barely utters a word except for a name. This is another reason why he is dreaded for the person, this dark spirit names as he stops is doomed for he claims their soul.

The friend paused here and I asked, “You mean he kills them.”

Yes, he steals their soul—and the person drops dead. There is no warning except for the pounding of his horses’ hooves on the road as he approaches—and when he stops he calls out their name—family members or friends who try to help this person find that the dullahan splashes blood on them or whips out their left eye which marks them as one of his next victims. 

“So there is no defense against him?”

There is one, and it was discovered by accident. A man from Galway walking to a friend’s house late one night heard the sound of a horse’s hooves pounding behind him. He turned to see the spirit and his black steed charging ever closer. He shouted and made a run for it—but as most know a mere mortal man cannot get away from this dark fairy. And this man had looked upon him…

The dullahan gained on him and the poor man knew this was the end but in the next moment his coin pouch worked its way open and one gold coin fell to the ground. All of a sudden there was a loud roar and a rushing of air above him as he turned to look he found the dullahan was gone.

“So the coin saved him?”

It was made of gold—and that was what saved him. It seems the dullahan has an irrational fear of gold—even a small amount will frighten him off. So each October during the Irish New Year, Samhain, which brings the beginning of the Celtic winter, every Irishman, carries gold and looks out—or actually looks away to avoid the dullahan.

* It is said that this tale, The Dullahan, most likely inspired Washington Irving to write The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  For his parents were Scots and Scotland just like Ireland has versions of The Dullahan—the headless horseman.