The Book of the Dun Cow (12th century)

Mermaid in a C14th Welsh manuscript (not the BotDC I'm afraid). CC image NLW.

A monster of the deep was once caught in the nets of the fishermen of Bangor, if we but credit the Leabhar-na-h-Uidhre [the12th century Book of the Dun Cow], which tells the following wild legend:-

"Eochaidh, from whom Lough Neagh derives its name, was drowned in its eruption, together with all his children except Liban, Conaing, and Curnan. Liban was preserved from the waters of Lough Neagh for a full year in her grinan (palace) under the lake. After this, at her own desire, she was changed into a salmon, and continued to traverse the sea till the time of St. Comgall, of Bangor.

It happened that Comgall despatched Beoan, son of Innli, of Teach-Dabeog, to Rome, on a message to Gregory, to receive orders and rule. When the crew of Beoan's curach were at sea they heard the celebration of angels beneath the boat. Liban (mermaid) thereupon addressed them, and stated that she had been three hundred years under the sea, adding that she would proceed westward and meet Beoan that day twelve-months, at Inbher Ollarba (Larne, but perhaps it should have been Inver Ollair, the mouth of the Six-Mile Water at Lough Neagh), whither the saints of Dalaraidhe, with Comgall, were to resort.

Beoan, on his return, related what had occurred, and at the stated time the nets were set, and she was caught in the nets of Fergus, of Milliuc (Meleeg, in the civil parish of Camlin, Co. Antrim), upon which she was brought to land, and crowds came to witness the sight, amongst whom was the chief of Ui Conaing. The right to her being disputed by Comgall, in whose territory - and Fergus, in whose net - and Beoan, in promise to whom she was taken, they prayed for heavenly decision; and next day two wild oxen came down from Carn-Airend (Carnearny); and on their being yoked to the chariot on which she was placed, they bore her to Teach-Dabeoc, where she was baptised by Comgall, with the name Muirgen - i.e. 'born of the sea' - or Muirgelt - i.e. 'traverser of the sea'."

This (from the Dun Cow, but with added suggestions of placenames) is in 'An Historical Account of the Diocese of Down and Connor' by the Rev. James O'Laverty, v2, 1880.

Mermaid abduction

The cover of Yevgeny Zamyatin's A Provincial Tale

A Novel Case of Abduction.

A thief, by some means, got access to the Mermaid, at Mr. Lefevre's exhibition, on the Parade, and whilst Mr. L. was delivering a Lecture on the properties of glass, succeeded in carrying her off; but was detected in passing down stairs, and the fair prize was restored to her home. It is doubted whether the delinquent may not be brought before a very high Tribunal for this offence, as the Maid is stated to be a Ward of Chancery. -- Cork Paper.

Morning Advertiser, 17th January 1824.

I'm not entirely clear about the whole 'ward of chancery' thing, but you can read about it here in Jan Bondeson's book. 
In the same paper on 27th December 1822, they report the entertainments at the Olympic Theatre. "The humourous transformation of a baloon and a salmon into a mermaid, and making it a Ward of Chancery, created the highest mirth."

Mermaid jape.

Hoax. -- Some wags having reported that a mermaid was to be seen at the North-wall yesterday morning, a crowd of persons assembled on the quay. After enduring a smart shower of snow, they had to bear hearty jeers from the by-standers on the approach of the Mermaid - a handsome, round-sterned steamer from Bristol - to take up the position of the Jupiter between Dublin and Glasgow - the latter having been dispatched with troops the evening previous to Liverpool, where she is to be refitted with new boilers, &c. &c. The Duchess of Kent arriving same tide was an additional source of amusement. -- Evening Packet.

In the Wexford Conservative, 22nd May 1839.

A mermaid paddle steamer.

Mermaid at Rossbeigh, Kerry

A Mermaid -- We have it from authority, so respectable as to admit of no doubt, that so rare and extraordinary a phenomenon as a Mermaid has, during the present summer, frequently made its appearance at Rossbeigh in Castlemain Bay. It often rests on a rock, distant about 300 yards from the shore, and has been distinctly seen by thousands of people. The face, neck, breast, and hands, strongly resemble those of a human being; but, in its movements in the water, it has been clearly perceived the body ends in the tail of a fish. It is a solitary creature, unaccompanied by any of its own species, and from the appearance of the breasts, and lower part of the body, it is supposed, by all who have seen it, to be feminine. It was seen to use its hands in washing and rubbing its face. -- Kerry Post.

In the Clonmel Herald, 31st August 1836.



Cynical, possibly slightly racist version: 

A "Rare" Mermaid. --  A Kerry paper assures us that "the rare and extraordinary phenomenon" - a real Mermaid - has recently been exhibiting itself (in a state of nudity) at Rossbeighs, in Castlemain Bay. "It often rests," adds the writer, "on a rock distant three hundred yards from the shore, and has been distinctly seen by thousands of people. The face, neck, breasts, and hands, strongly resemble those of a human being" or no doubt a whale! Our readers are not not to place the most implicit faith in the stories of Kerry people, for they have the rare power of seeing that which is invisible to every body else. It is firmly believed in that enlightened district that a lad named Dick Fitzgerald but a few years since actually contracted with a female "phenomenon" of the same character.

The Scotsman, 14th September 1836.

Rossbeigh. looks alright. CC image Goatoo

The Rossbeigh mermaid pressed into service by the church.

Work for the Kerry Mermaid.
-- A correspondent  informs us - "The mermaid on the bay of Dingle is nothing but a northern seal, being larger and more silvery in its colour than those on this coast, I have seen it repeatedly, probable the creature is weak, which may be the cause of it being so much out of its latitude. Of course the supersitious called it a mermaid, and the priest encouraged the idea, saying it was sent to frighten off the fish from the coast, as a punishment for fishing on Sundays." - Limerick Chronicle

In the Belfast Commercial Chronicle, 5th September 1836.

Did you know the ten commandments aren't even consistent? Image

The Kerry Evening Post also seems to have treated the tale humourously:

 --The Rossbeigh MERMAID presents her compliments to the JACKANAPES of the Tralee Mercury, and requests he will be pleased to accept her best thanks for the kind notice he has, in his last publications, honoured her with on her arrival on those shores. The JACKANAPES and all other APES (particularly the OURANG-OUTANG,) have as grotesque a resemblance to "the human form divine" as the Mermaid herself; she, therefore, requests that in future her scaly tail may be left untouched. The great deficiency in the apish tribes, is however immediately perceptible in the interior of the skull of the jackanapes; its emptiness being proved by the incessant saucy chatter of the animal, its malicious grimace and its attempts to bite its betters, who sometimes tame it by a few sound kicks, though, in general, they look down upon it with utter contempt. Notwithstanding its habitual impertinence, it fawns on and cringes to a beast (not a baboon without a tail, but a kind of WANDEROO, with nearly forty joints to his hinder extremity) bearing a monstrous draggle-tail now trailing in the mire. The poor jackanapes vainly hoping to pick up a few fragments that may fall from the jaws of this voracious beast. The jackanapes is now, we understand about to travel which may mend his manners.

A jackanapes is a tame monkey / a cheeky person. But I'm not sure I'm in on this joke.

Roll up! Mermaid on show in Dublin!

From the Hibernian Journal, 6th December 1775.

The Nobility and Gentry are hereby informed, that there is just arrived, and is to be seen, in a very commodious Room, one Pair of Stairs, at No. 12, on Essex-quay, near Essex-bridge, the AMAZING MERMAID, a Creature very rare, remarkably curious, and of astonishing Structure and Sight; it is the only one of its Kind ever seen in Ireland, or in Europe, since the Archduke of Austria's, which is upwards of 226 Years.

This wonderful Nymph of the Sea, half a Woman from the Head to the lower Part of the Waist, and half a Fish from thence downwards, is three Feet long, and has Fins, Gills, Ears, Arms, Hands, Fingers, Breasts, and Shoulders, and also a contiguous Scale covering the Fish Part.

It is allowed by all that have seen it to be the most beautiful and curious Creature of its Kind in the World. It may be seen by any Person, even by the Women big with Child, without the least Degree of Danger, for he that shews it is prudent and cautious.

-- To be exhibited from Ten in the Morning to Nine at Night. -- Price of Exhibition, One British Shilling.

Any Person desirous to have it exhibited privately at his own House, may have it brought there, on giving timely Notice to the Proprietor.

From Robert Chamber's 'Book of Days'

Mermaid in Wexford

Marvellous mermaid by Erin Perry

From the Dublin Courier, 13th July 1761.

The following extraordinary account we have received from a person of unquestionable veracity in the county of Wexford. -- As a company of gentlemen, seven in number, were lately taking an evening's walk by the sea side in that county, they perceived, at the distance of forty yards, a living creature erect above the water, representing from its breasts the female human species, having a pleasing aspect, of a tawny complexion, long black hair waving on her shoulders agreeable to the motion of the water: and at a small distance further, another creature of like form, supposed to be its consort was observed in the same attitude. The spectators, struck with admiration, were at a loss to determine what these new objects could be except they were Mermaids, whose description by the ancients exactly corresponded with their appearance in every particular. While the gentlemen continued walking for two miles along the shore, these strange beings kept peace [sic] with them.
Pub. Gazetteer.

Renvyle, Galway (1937)

THE HUNGRY MERMAN OF CONNEMARA.
A HARVEST ENCOUNTER REPEATED.
The Irish Times prints the following from its correspondent at Clifden:-
The Renvyle, Connemara, merman has reappeared. Where he spent the winter no one knows, but one thing is certain and that is that he is very hungry. On Friday evening he suddenly broke the surface a few yards astern of a curragh near Fraughbaun Island,  in the mouth of Ballinakill Bay, sniffed the air in a businesslike fashion, and made straight for the boat, using his favourite breast stroke.
The occupants of the curragh, Messrs. Thomas O'Toole and Michael Warde, said that when they first saw him coming towards them they thought he intended to climb aboard, and perhaps hurl them into the sea, so they picked up their oars and took flight. The merman continued to pursue them, but the curragh easily outdistanced him. Encouraged by their superior skill, the men waited until the merman was seen within a few yards of the stern, when Warde picked up a mackerel from the bottom of the boat and threw it to him. The merman snatched the fish eagerly with both hands and disappeared beneath the surface. When he reappeared a few moments later there was no trace of the mackerel. This time, however, he came up alongside the curragh, and O'Toole, fearing that he would catch the side and upset the craft, struck him with an oar, and the merman whined in pain and dived again, while the men lost no time in making for the shore.
The men's description of the monstrosity agrees with that of the two Renvyle fishermen who first encountered him near the same place last harvest. He had the same strawlike shaggy hair and beard, with very red lips and bushy eyebrows. He swam head and shoulders over the surface. He looked like a man of about 50 years of age. His skin seemed fair in front and blue on the back. The men believe that he was hungry, and having scented the fish in the curragh followed them for some.

From The Times, August 26th, 1937.

Renvyle, Connemara by Magnus Manske.

Merman at Portrush, Antrim (1874)

A MERMAN OR A HOAX.

According to a correspondent of the Coleraine Chronicle, the inhabitants of Portrush have been thrown into a state of alarm during the past few weeks by the report than a curious and previous unheard of species of sea monster had been observed in the neighbourhood of the "Blue Pool." It seems that Dr. Shaggleton, a scientific and highly gifted naturalist, and a writer of some repute, was taking a pull in a boat, accompanied by two ladies, when his attention was drawn to this singular and extraordinary creature. Dr. Snaggleton thus describes him: "In form and colour he has much the appearance of an ordinary man; the skin was perfectly white, with the exception of the lower part of the body which appeared to be striped, and of a blue and white colour; there was a great quantity of black hair underneath the chin, and the nose appeared to be prominent and well developed. When I observed him he was standing composedly on the top of a small cliff, with the arms pressed close down to the sides; and suddenly, to my astonishment, he took a sort of side leap into the sea, within 20 feet of our boat. Fearing for the safety of the occupants of our small craft, I quickly pulled out into the open sea, and saw nothing more of him." Dr. Snaggleton believes the creature to belong to a species termed "Submergis Japanarius, or Japanese sea diver," a very common animal on the northern shores of Japan, and is borne out in this opinion by Professor Dobbs, F.R.S., who says that "these extraordinary creatures have been frequently mistaken for human beings, and are usually seen in small shoals near Yokohama; and, from the fact that a few of them have lately been seen proceeding in the direction of the Skerries, we are inclined to believe that there interesting specimens belong to the tribe mentioned by the learned professor; but how or by what means they have wandered to our shores is a problem we are not able to delve. We [???] Dr. Snaggleton intends if possible to procure a [?] and place it in the Belfast Museum.

From the Western Mail, September 12th, 1874.

Comes complete with a Doctor's recommendation and a latin name, no less. But I feel very confused.

The Blue Pool, Portrush (by Anne Burgess)

 

Islandmagee, County Antrim (1814)

A MERMAID CAUGHT, AND ALIVE!
(From the Belfast Chronicle, 1st October.)

Yesterday we recieved the following letter, through the Carrickfergus Post-office. Though we have made some inquiry in town, we have not had time to ascertain the authenticity of the letter, nor what degree of truth there is in this extraordinary account. All we at present know is, that a very respectable man of the name of McCLELLAND, lives, as stated, in island Magee; and the persons who are mentioned as having also seen the Mermaid, are not unknown in Belfast. We, therefore, lay before our readers the letter as it has reached us, and having instituted an inquiry as it has reached us, and having instituted an inquiry into the facts of our case, shall communicate the result in our next:--

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BELFAST CHRONICLE.
SIR- I beg leave to inform you, for the benefit of the curious, that I am happy that I have it in my power to set the public mind at rest, respecting the existence of this wonderful animal, having been so fortunate as to take one yesterday morning, which is now alive, and in my possession-- The mode in which I took it, was as follows: - Yesterday morning, about six o'clock, I went to set my lines on the Turbot-bank, on this place; I had not proceeded a quarter of a mile from the shore, when I saw what I at first thought a seal, appear above water; but, on coming near it, to my great surprize, it looked like a Christian, making motion with its hands and head.

I immediately thought it to be a mermaid, having seen accounts in the Papers of two or three seen in Scotland. I then told the boys in the boat, if they would try and catch it, it would make all their fortunes; but JAMES HILL, and the other two boys, were terribly frightened, and said we should make for the shore, as it might sink the boat. Finding they were cowardly, I called to a large water-dog I had in the boat, and hunted him at it; when the dog was swimming to it, I fired at it a musket loaded with large pellets, which wounded it in the body and tail, and in a little time the dog caught it by the hair and held it, though it often pulled him under the water. The boys seeing this, gathered courage, and we rowed the boat up to it, and with the assistance of a herring net, we surrounded it and the dog, and brought both into the boat - it had lost a great deal of blood, and was weak when we brought it in: it struggled hard and kept a noise like a young child. We had to tie it with ropes.

When we came on shore, I drew up one of the boats and filled her with salt water, into which I put the animal, and in which I keep it. Its wounds are better. It eats fish, but likes herrings better than any other kind. Its hair is above a yard long, and a dark green; red eyes, a flat nose, and a large mouth. It has but three fingers and a thumb on each hand, and they are taper to the point. It is five feet four inches from the crown of the head to the tip of the tail, and like a woman from the haunches up; the skin is nearly white, except the tail, which is the shape and colour of a cod fish.

It has been seen and examined by Mr. NASH and Mr. A.H.COATS, two of the coast officers, who happened to be here this morning, Mr. MURPHY, our Minister, and several others, our neighbours. I will endeavour to keep it alive for a short time, for the benefit of the curious, who are welcome to come and see it.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
WM. McCLELLAND.
Portmuck, Island-Magee, 29th Sept. 1814.



FROM THE BELFAST CHRONICLE.-- By advices from our Correspondent in Larne, we are informed, that the letter sent to us under the signature of "WM. McCLELLAND," is a forgery; no animal having been taken to Island-Magee at all answering the description there given. -- Means are adopted for endeavouring to detect the writer of the letter.

From the Morning Post, October 8th, 1814.



THE MERMAID HOAX

Some facetious wag, desirous of discovering what number of simple fry could be taken in the neighbourhood (Belfast), baited a hook so dextrously on Sunday, the 1st inst., that he succeeded in making a great haul the next day. For this purpose he dressed up a very plausible story respecting a Mermaid having been taken alive and brought on shore at Portmuck, Island Magee, where it was kept in a boat filled with salt-water for the inspection of the curious. Minute particulars were stated, and the names of several respectable persons were given who had seen it. To finish the deception, the letter signed, William McClelland, who stated himself to have been very active in taking this rare fish, assisted by other two persons, and a water-dog.

The circumstances thus detailed were transmitted in a letter addressed to the Editor of the Belfast Chronicle, bearing the Carrickfergus post mark, and was inserted in that paper on the 1st inst.; the Editor, however, very properly stating how he had received it, and leaving the public to judge for themselves. The wag gained his point, the bait was greedily swallowed, and the Mermaid was, even in these gloomy times, the whole subject of conversation through the day. The most fastidious sceptics gave in, and no one accused his neighbour of credulity, for the facts were so distinctly stated, that the veracity of WILLIAM McCLELLAND could not be doubted.

Next morning all was bustle; gigs, coaches, cars, equestrians and pedestrians, thronged the roads for many miles round, so attractive were the charms of his sea nymph. Arrived at the wished-for spot, every one enquired for the Mermaid. The people there looked at their visitors with astonishment, and wondered what they meant. The crowd continuing to increase, "still the wonder grew;" till the dupes of the stratagem becoming ashamed of their credulity, looked on each other with such a vacant stare, as to exhibit the most ludicrous picture imaginable. Each man blushed for himself, vowing the most terrible vengeance on WILLIAM McCLELLAND and the printer's devil. Their penance, however, did not finish here, for those who returned by Carrickfergus had to pass through a long lane of the inhabitants, who cheered them with loud huzzas, preceding their march with a large cod fish  and a horse's tail hung to its back. And so ended the wonderful story of WILLIAM McCLELLAND's Mermaid.

From the Morning Post, October 12th, 1814.


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Mermaid at Runneraw Point, Fahan, County Donegal (1838)

CC image of Fahan Creek by Malcolm Granville.

A MERMAID AND NO MISTAKE.
A very general disbelief in the existence of the mermaid is likely to receive a severe shock from the truth of the following statement:-- A creature, in every respect answering the usual description of the "sea woman," was caught yesterday in the salmon nets at Runneraw Point, near Fahan, county Donegal. She is at present under the protection of a gentleman of that neighbourhood, who has kindly permitted the country people, who are flocking in hundreds about the place, to "see and believe." The members of the Londonderry Natural History Society, we understand, are to proceed to-day, at twelve o'clock, to investigate this extraordinary phenomenon, for the purpose of sending an immediate report of their observations to the British Association, now sitting at Newcastle. We understand that if the novel monster should survive the sudden change in her situation, she will be sent to Viscount Melbourne as a present to the Queen -- if not, the body will be preserved in spirits, and will grace the now forming museum of our local society. A minute description shall be given in our next. -- Derry Standard.

Reprinted in Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, September 16, 1838.

Mermaid at Derrygimla, County Donegal (1819)

Near Errisbeg. CC image by Charles Nelson.

MERMAID.

Naturalists have hitherto doubted of the existence of Mermaids and Mermen; we have it now in our power to set at rest the doubts of sceptics upon this duplex order of animals, one having lately discovered basking upon the rocks of Derrygimla, in Errisbeg (Cunnemara), after the ebbing of the tide.

It was discovered by a female of the lower order, who was then about four months pregnant; she was suddenly startled by a kind of scream, which was followed by the plunging of an animal half female and half fish, her lower extremities having the confirmation of a dolphin. This woman was so terrified as to miscarry, and has never been able to leave her bed since. The tide being out, the animal had some difficulty in reaching the water. THOMAS EVANS, Esq. of Cleggan, just arrived upon the coast in time to witness her last plunges; having gained the water she disappeared for a few moments, but again appeared perfectly composed; Mr. EVANS now had a favourable opportunity of examining this so long doubted genus; - it was about the size of a well-grown child of ten years of age; a bosom prominent as a girl of sixteen; a profusion of long dark brown hair, full dark eyes, hands and arms formed like the human species, with a slight web connecting the upper part of the fingers which were frequently employed throwing back her flowing locks, and running them through her hair. Her movements in the water seemed principally directed by the [?] extremity. For near an hour she remained in apparent tranquility, in view of upwards of 300 persons, until a musket was levelled at her, when having flashed in the pan, she immediately dived, and was not afterwards seen. Mr Evans declares that she did not appear to him to possess the power of speech, for her looks appeared vacant, and there was a [...dent ] want of intelligence. As this is the season of the [?] we are in hopes some of our fishermen may draw her in their nets, as it is extremely probable, at the time she was first discoverered, she was in search of some place to deposit her young. We understand several depositions upon oath as to this animal's appearance are to be made. We are promised to have the description, which we shall be happy to lay before our readers.
- (Galway Advertiser of Saturday).

From the Morning Post, September 25th, 1819.

Mermaid at Termonfechin, Louth (1824)

Termonfeckin beach. CC image by Oliver Dixon.

The following article has appeared in the Drogheda Journal:--

"The declaration of GEORGE HOEY, parish clerk of Termonfechin, in the county of Louth, and of OWEN MAGUIRE and PATRICK TAAFFE of said parish, farmers, states that on Wednesday last, the 18th instant, as they were on the sea-shore, on the lands of MEAGH's farm, in the said parish, about half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, the tide being nearly in, they saw a Mermaid (as they believe from having seen it described in books), of the full human size, swimming in the sea and directing its course towards the river Boyne - that it was only about fifteen perches from them, and that they and several other persons saw it quite plain, and that they could not be mistaken - that its body was remarkably white, with long arms, which it frequently used to drive away the sea-gulls which were hovering over it - that its hair was very dark, and that its tail, which it frequently showed when plunging, was of a dark colour, and shaped like the tail of a fish. The body of the animal, which from the waist upwards was completely of the human form and size, was generally about three feet above the water. They state that they saw it for more than a quarter of an hour, and when they were leaving the place, it was still above the surface of the water.
"GEORGE HOEY.
"OWEN MAGUIRE.
"PAT. TAAFFE."

From the Morning Post, August 31st, 1824.

 

We (Drogheda Journal) questioned the above-mentioned persons on Saturday, relative to the extraordinary appearance of this phenomenon on our coast, and received such satisfactory answers as leaves no doubt on our mind of its identity - Editor.

(reprinted in British Press, 31st August 1824).