Black Headed Sea Monster

 

Beisht Kione [the sea beast with the black head].

The Isle of Man is a self-governing British Crown dependency situated in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. A sea-monster is thought to reside off the south coast of the Isle of Man, and it is said to be feared  by all who sailed the coast.The Beisht KioneYn as it's called which means 'the beast with the black head,' in Manx . They dreaded to see it raise it's head above the waves. Described as a serpentine creature like a giant legless crocodile. Folklore says it will snatch children who stray too close to the edge of the cliffs.

It makes its home in the sea-caves  near Spanish Head at the southern tip of the Isle of Man. The few who have seen it say it has a head like that of a large horse, and it can be heard roaring by fishermen off Spanish Head. Some say it is the soul of a man killed by pirates in order to protect their treasure hidden in the headland’s caves. Nobody has attempted to claim that treasure.

To placate the Beisht and bring on good luck, rum is left in the cave at Spanish Head. Fishermen heading out to sea would throw a glassful of rum overboard in hopes that the Beisht will grant them a bountiful catch.

Around the waters of Ireland sea monsters have been reported in the past.

A sea monster spotted several times during the nineteenth century near the coast of County Clare Ireland was reported to have a head like a horse, a mane of seaweed, and a large body which was hidden under the water.The Irish Times  newspaper reported that a ‘monster’ was the subject of various reported sightings in the 19th-century, including one in 1850 when it was seen, improbably, “sunning itself near the Clare coast off Kilkee”.

In 1850, the Limerick Chronicle reported: “In September it was reported that a sea monster had been sighted near Bishop’s Island, and this was regarded by the superstitious as a certain ill omen. In the following week a Miss Evans, a visitor, disappeared after having been seen walking towards the cliffs.”

That there is a history of strange sightings in an area is always of interest. Some more recent reports would be of even more interest.If anyone knows of any ,please comment.