Along the rugged coastline of Tireragh, where the sea crashes against jagged cliffs and the air is filled with the salt of the Atlantic, there lies a cluster of mysterious rocks known as the Mermaid Rocks. Their sharp, blackened surfaces rise defiantly above the waves, a timeless reminder of a tale deeply woven into the history of the O’Dowd clan.

It is said that in the days of Chieftain Domhnall Ó Dubhda, when the clan ruled over the western seaboard, a young fisherman named Eoin set out to sea at dawn. Eoin was known for his bravery and his skill in navigating the treacherous waters. On this particular morning, a storm rolled in faster than anyone could have predicted. The sky darkened, the waves swelled, and Eoin’s small boat was tossed about like a leaf in the wind. Just as he thought he would be lost to the sea, he saw a figure clinging to a rock amidst the raging storm.

As he drew closer, Eoin realized it was no ordinary woman. Her hair was the color of the seaweed, her eyes glowed like moonlight on water, and her voice—soft and haunting—rose above the din of the storm. She was a mermaid, a creature of legend, trapped by the furious waves. Ignoring his own peril, Eoin threw a rope and, with great effort, pulled her aboard.

Grateful for his courage, the mermaid revealed her name to be Muiréan. She promised Eoin and his clan eternal protection on the seas, saying that her kin would guide their ships through storms and safeguard their ventures. To seal her promise, she asked Eoin to return her to the deep waters where she belonged. With one last haunting melody, Muiréan disappeared beneath the waves.

From that day on, the O’Dowd ships seemed to possess an uncanny luck. Sailors spoke of strange lights in the water guiding them home, and even in the fiercest storms, their vessels would miraculously remain afloat. The Mermaid Rocks, where Muiréan had been found, became a sacred site. Sailors would offer gifts to the sea there, asking for her continued blessing. Even today, the rocks stand as a testament to the enduring bond between the O’Dowds and the mystical sea.