School: Macha na gClaidhe (roll number 16086)
- Location:
- Maughanaclea, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Cathal Ó Macháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0283, Page 465
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- XML School: Macha na gClaidhe
- XML Page 465
- XML “Mermaids”
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- (This townland is inland consequently there are no stories to be had about the sea - except the one given in this page.)The upper part of her body is like a woman & the lower part like a fish with a tail. She come out of water singing to "comb her hair" and wear no clock when doing this."Once a mermaid was seen somewhere near the sea - she used to come out on the rocks every evening. There was always a sprat (small fish) with or near her. The fishermen that saw her were continually trying to catch the sprat because once the sprat is caught it is then quite easy to catch the mermaid.
Well a certain old fisherman caught the sprat and then caught the mermaid. She immediately changed into a beautiful maiden.
He took his mermaid home and married her. All the time of course he kept the sprat hidden. Years passed and they were awfully happy. They had children. The children were very clean - but the mother was cleaner still. She could not bear to see a speck of dirt in the house.
One day she ordered the children to clean the rooms upstairs. They did so and got another sprat which they showed to her. At that time the Fisherman was returning from the sea - he saw the mermaid and the children running past him - but did not know them. When he came home he guessed what had happened and he never saw them afterwards.
- Informant
- J. Barry
- Gender
- Unknown
- Address
- Cousane, Co. Cork
