In rural Irish tradition, encountering a red-haired woman first thing in the morning before travel was thought to bring misfortune and bad luck.

Irish Travel Superstition: Red-Haired Women Bring Bad Luck

Details

This superstition from rural Ireland holds that if a traveler encounters a red-haired woman first thing in the morning—especially when beginning a journey—it foreshadows misfortune. The severity of bad luck was seen as especially potent when the encounter was unplanned and occurred before any other positive sign or interaction. Variants of this belief extended to other categories deemed unlucky to meet first thing in the morning, such as cats or dogs. In practical terms, people might delay or cancel travel upon such an encounter, or seek a counter-charm, such as spitting or reciting a prayer. Some would attempt to first meet a man or priest before setting out to counteract the negative omen. These responses were undertaken in earnest and often integrated into the rhythm of daily rural life, particularly among the more superstitious and religious communities.

Historical Context

This belief is rooted in Irish rural folklore, particularly from the 18th and 19th centuries. In traditional Irish culture, omens and signs played a key role in guiding daily activities. The color red, often associated with intensity or danger, imbued red-haired individuals with an aura of unpredictability, further reinforced by cultural storytelling and religious association with purity and temptation. Women specifically were perceived as unpredictable agents of fate, often tied to notions of Eve-like risk in folklore. Travel, especially on foot or by cart in uncertain weather and road conditions, was fraught with symbolic meaning, and pre-journey rituals aimed to avoid misfortune. Celestial observations, like moon prayers, and avoidance omens were common practices used to seek divine protection against tangible dangers like illness, robbery, or death during travel.

Modern Relevance

In modern Ireland and among Irish diaspora communities, this superstition is largely obsolete and may survive only as a folkloric curiosity. However, echoes of the idea remain in jokes, storytelling, or dramatizations about Irish heritage. In rare cases, older individuals in conservative rural areas may still recall or humorously reference the belief. In digital media, superstitions such as this are sometimes revived in forums, social media, or folklore blogs that catalog ‘old wives’ tales’ or explore Celtic spirituality. Red hair still carries symbolic weight in cultural imagination—as evidenced in literature and media—but this is increasingly interpreted through a lens of cultural diversity rather than fear or suspicion. Contemporary scholars and folklorists discuss these beliefs in the context of gender studies and the historical marginalization of certain appearances or identities.

Sources

Glassie, Henry. Irish Folktales. Pantheon Books, 1985.

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