Irish Faeries

Irish Faeries:

The Merrow

The Irish version of one of the most popular and well-known mythical creatures out there is not quite as evil as similar creatures from other cultures, but also not as harmless and fun-loving as the more child-friendly modern variations. Here’s Irish Mythology’s answer to the mermaid.

Unlike the appearance of mermaids, merrows are not beautiful women with the tail of a fish, instead, they have human legs, allowing them to walk on land and not just flop around by the shore. Unlike humans however, merrows have large, flat feet and webbed fingers which allow them to swim very easily. Although female merrows are described as stunningly beautiful and are highly desired by men on the shore, their male counterparts are not so lucky.

Described as exceptionally hideous sea creatures, merrow men don’t possess any human features, but instead have ‘pig-like’ features and long, pointed teeth.

Unlike the Merrow’s Greek counterparts, the Siren, they don’t seem to exist purely to lure and kill fishermen and sailors. In fact, many stories describe them as friendly and modest creatures. In order to be able to swim through the ocean current, merrows need to wear some special clothing. In Kerry, Cork, and Wexford, they have to wear a small, red cap made of feathers, and in the more northern regions, they wear sealskin cloaks. When they want to come ashore, they have to discard their clothes near the shore.

Due to their extreme beauty many human men want to have them as wives, and this could be achieved by finding and hiding their special clothes. This forces the merrows to become their wives, and they cannot leave until they find the hidden clothes again. After the clothes are found, the urge to return to the sea becomes so great that they abandon their human children forever.

Some legends say that female merrows actually seek out human men for marriage since merrow men are too hideous to marry. Just like sirens, they use their beautiful music to entrance men and drag them beneath the ocean. Although sometimes they mate with human men on the shore.

Author Thomas Crofton Croker’s book Fairy Legends laid the groundwork for the folkloric treatment of the merrow. This book was translated into German by the Brothers Grimm. Croker’s writings were rehashed by writers like W.B Yeats, Thomas Knightly, and John O’Hanlon. This is where the commonly known characteristics of merrows stem from. Where the original myth comes from, we don’t know, but it was likely a myth created to explain the disappearances of young men at sea.

There is a story involving merrows in the Dindshenchas, an early Irish piece of literature describing the origins of place names. The story describes the death of Roth son of Cithang, who was devoured by merrows near the English Channel, and only his thigh bone was left, which washed ashore in Waterford, which was then given the name ‘the port of thigh’, or ‘Port Láirge.’

Irish mythological creatures are truly unique and have served as inspiration for many creatures and characters in fiction for thousands of years. These creatures give an insight into the people, the culture, and the history of Ireland in a way that isn’t really achievable without them. Unfortunately, these insights show us just how dark and full of death and misery Irish history is.

Source: Babylon Radio by Thomas Cleary