Colonist Vol XVII issue 2039 22nd February 1876 p4
Photo: Norma Scheibe
The Northern Whig states that a most extraordinary monster was seen a few days ago at Fodera, near Loophead Lighthouse, which is situated on the most western point of the County Clare. It is thus described:—
lts head and neck resemble a horse, and are of a reddish hue; it has short round ears and flowing mane, and from a poll extend two branching horns like that of a stag, underneath which were eyes glaring and protruding. It made directly for the narrator, who was on the side of the steep rock. He at once ran out of reach of the monster, whose approach looked anything but friendly.
It then rose high out of the water and plunged with such force as to cause the water to fly so far and in such quantities as to drench the observer to the skin, he standing 40 feet back from the water at the time. It remained near thirty or forty minutes before disappearing a moment from view, but rearing its huge body partly out of the water, and giving a chance for further observation. It was observed to have the tail of a porpoise and two large fins from the shoulders, and on the breast were two large fatty lumps, which shook with every motion of the extraordinary creature. It then shaped its course westward, still keeping its head and neck well elevated. Its bulk far exceeded that of the largest porpoise ever seen on the coast.
NOTE: Among the archives of theburrenandbeyond.com is a post titled – Sea monster in Galway Bay – from the Perth Sunday Times, 1935. It refers to the shooting of a ‘mysterious sea creature’ at Mutton Island, also in County Clare.
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