Irish Folklore – The Merrow: Love and Death in the Ocean.
A male Merrow, the harsh environment has not been kind to his complexion…
Ireland’s misty, storm-drenched coastlines stretch for approximately 3,172 kilometres (about 1,970 miles). They consist of towering cliffs, sea-lapped coves, and long stretches of soft, sandy beaches, with many settlements ranging from quaint fishing villages to the larger, bustling port cities of Belfast, Dublin, and Cork.
These ancient coastal areas are home to a very unusual kind of mermaid and merman, known as the Merrow. Now, mermaid stories are told throughout the world - from Cornwall to Jamaica, all the way to Australia. They can be thought of as something of a global phenomenon. So what is it that makes these legendary Irish sea folk different?
At first glance, a Merrow maiden is very typical of the kind of Mermaid found elsewhere: a beautiful woman with long, flowing green locks, which she is often witnessed combing with great care. She has delicate fingers with a slight webbing said to resemble the fine skin between an egg and its shell; and the scaled lower body of a fish, complete with a large, powerful tail that allows her to swim at great speed. Merrows differ from other merfolk because of their magical hat called a cohuleen druith, which allows them to dive beneath the waves. If they lose this cap, they lose the power to return to the water.
Much like the sirens of Greek mythology, the song of a Merrow maiden is said to lure men to her. If she finds a man comely, she might take him as a lover beneath the waves. In some cases, they come ashore, discarding their magic caps and becoming the wives of mortal men. There is a very good reason why a Merrow maid might seek the company of a human male - and that lies in the monstrous nature of the Merrow men.
Male Merrows are described as grotesque: green-skinned, with sharp green teeth and a red, pig-like nose. It is thought to be dangerous to encounter a male Merrow, as they are far more aggressive than the females, and it is believed they embody the malevolent nature of the sea.
The Soul Cages is a story published in Croker’s Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1825–28). In it, a merman captures the souls of drowned sailors and locks them in lobster-pot-like cages at the bottom of the ocean. Though this tale turned out to be an invented piece of fiction, Thomas Keightley, who wrote it, claimed similar folktales were circulated in the counties of Cork and Wicklow.
In 1936, two fishermen - Martin Heanue and Thomas Regan - reported a sighting of a male Merrow. Whilst fishing in a cove in County Galway, they were approached by the hideous creature, whom they described as bearded. He allegedly attempted to seize their currach (a wooden-framed boat covered with canvas or animal hide). No doubt the men thought themselves lucky to have survived the experience.
There was also an allegation that a group of female Merrows were reported in the 1960s in the waters off Kinconly Point, a cape in County Kerry, in the province of Munster in the south-west of Ireland.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I do hope you enjoyed this journey into Irish folklore, you can be sure that there will be more strange tales next week. If you enjoy stories of monstrous entities, baleful ghosts and dark magic, please consider purchasing a copy of my new book Threads of Shadow—the perfect companion as the evenings slowly begin to draw in and the darker seasons comes ever nearer.
Stay Spooky.
Sources
Beachcombing online magazine
Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1825–28), T. C. Croker
Wikipedia
