In Irish mythology, the dullahan—a headless horseman figure—is traditionally said to fear gold because of iron's association with Celtic magical beliefs and the later conflation with Christian symbolism. However, the most common folklore claim is that dullahans are afraid of iron, not gold. Iron was believed by Celtic peoples to have protective and purifying properties against supernatural beings and fairies. Gold holds different symbolic weight in Irish tradition, often associated with wealth and divinity rather than protection. The confusion may arise because some modern retellings have mixed mythological elements or because gold does appear in various Celtic protective charms and rituals. The dullahan concept itself primarily appears in Irish folklore from the medieval period onward, often described as a harbinger of death who rides a headless horse and carries a jack-o'-lantern or their own head. If dullahans are attributed a fear of gold in specific stories, it likely stems from creative modern interpretations rather than established classical mythology, where iron remains the more prominent protective substance against otherworldly creatures in Irish tradition.