Mermaid Monday: Lough Swilly Mermaid Encounter April 9, 2018
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern , trackback
This is an 1851 report from Lough Swilly, a long sea inlet on the coast of Donegal. This was a very poor area in the nineteenth century.
A correspondent has solemnly assured us that the crew of a boat in Lough Swilly, on the 4th inst. [October], saw, within twenty yards of them, a real mermaid, a fact to which they are ready to swear! Our informant says she turned round look at them, and was about two feet above water. Her hair was hanging down on her neck and shoulders, and her skin was as white the fairest lady’s. How long she remained in view, or what was the nature of her physiognomy, whether plain or beautiful, deponent sayeth not. It is a pity the crew could not catch her, as, in that case, the exhibition of such prodigy would make the fortune of all the fishermen on the shores Lough Swilly (Anon 1851).
We’ve seen the tradition of swearing to mermaids before, though there are no further news reports so the Bibles were apparently not taken up. Other mermaids: drbeachcombing AT gmail DOT com
