An Mhurúch /
The Mermaid
The Mermaid
Informant: Bean Mhic Gabhann
Age: Unknown
Address: Illauncaum, Co. Kerry
Collector: Máire Ní Ghearailt, as part of The Schools’ Collection, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Date of Recording: 1937/38
Reference:
[Image courtesy of the Irish Seal Sanctuary]
An Mhurúch
Maighdean mhara a thugtar ar an murúch leis. Leathbhean agus leath-iasc atá inti. Tá cónaí uirthi sa bhfarraige agus tagann sí aníos ar charraigeacha istoíche. Bíonn an rón ar na carraigeacha freisin agus é ag gol. Deireann an mhaighdean mhara; “Tadhg atá im’ lorg,” agus téann sí go dtí an áit ina mbíonn an rón. Bíonn brat ar an maighdean mhara.
Bhí fear ina chónaí ins na Macairí darb ainm dó Ághásach agus chonaic sé an mhurúch. Thug sé leis isteach ón bhfarraige í agus bhain sé a cochall draíochta di agus rug sé leis abhaile í. Chaith sé an caipín draíochta siar i lochta agus phós sé an mhaighdean mhara. Bhí triúr leanbh acu agus mhaireadar seacht mbliana i bhfochair a chéile. Pé rud a bhí an fear á lorg i gcionn na seacht mblian’ san lochta tháinig sé trasna den chaipín, chaith sé anuas den lochta é. Nuair chonaic an mhaighdean mhara é do gháir sí agus b’in é an chéad uair do gháir sí ar feadh na seacht mbliana roimhe sin. Chuaigh an fear amach i mbun a ghnó féin. Chuir an bhean an caipín draíochta i gcoimeád [agus] an fhad is a bhí an fear amuigh do nígh agus do ghlan sí í féin agus an triúr leanbh. Ghaibh sí an doras amach agus ní fhaca éinne í ó shin i leith.
The Mermaid
The mermaid is also known as the maighdean mhara. The mermaid is half-woman, half-fish. She lives in the sea, and she comes up to the rocks at night-time. The seal cries on the rocks as well. The mermaid says; “Tadhg is looking for me,” and she goes to the place where the seal tends to be. The mermaid wears a cloak.
A man by the name of Ághasach once lived in Magherees and he saw the mermaid. He took her with him from the sea and he took her magic hood from her and he took her home. He threw the magic cap back into the loft and he married the mermaid. They had three children and they lived seven years together. Whatever the man was looking for in the loft seven years later, he came across the cap and he threw it down from the loft. When the mermaid saw it she laughed and that was the first time she had laughed all those seven years previous. The man went out about his own business. The woman put the magic cap somewhere safe, and as the husband was out, she cleaned and washed herself and the three children. Out she went, out of the door then and nobody ever saw her again after that.