Maighdean Mhara /
A Mermaid
A Mermaid
Informant: Julia O’Shea
Age: 67
Address: Drombohilly Lower, Co. Kerry
Collector: Rita O’ Shea, Julia’s granddaughter, as part of The Schools’ Collection, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Date of Recording: 1937/38
Reference:
[Image courtesy of the Irish Seal Sanctuary]
Maighdean Mhara
Is i mBéarla atá an buntéacs.
A Mermaid
The mermaid is one of the deep sea creatures nearly related to the seal. The seal is of a smaller species and lives nearer to the shore. The mermaid’s body and head resemble that of a woman, also her two hands which she sometimes uses as legs, as she has none but a tail like a fish. When seen by mariners in the ocean it denotes a coming storm and they prepare for it, but when convenient to the shore they consider it a bad omen. Years ago, a man who lived in Bere Island used often see a mermaid in the strand combing her beautiful hair. By night he used [to] hear her moaning and caoing [keening] like the banshee.
One day, with other men, he was fishing in the bay. He saw the mermaid not far away. They made for the shore but the waves got furious. Their boat was dashed to pieces on the rocks. The man who saw the mermaid was drowned, the others clung to the rocks and were saved. The strand is called Trá na Muireeg [Trá na Muirí]. The rock is Faill na dTadhg.