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The Selkies of Colonsay

© Virginia Marin

Selkie legends are ancient mermaid or seal tales prevalent among Celtic people. Since the MacFies have this legend, and I am a MacFie by a certain blood percentage, I and Dubh Sidhe, my alter ego, find the subject titillating. Here is a legend about the Selkies (Seal People) of Colonsay from whom, it is said, that the Clans MacFie, MacKinnon, MacNab, MacGregor, Grant, Macauley and MacQuarrie (who claim to be branches of the oldest gaelic-scots clan, the Clan McAlpin) receive their seal blood...

Many Selkie stories come out of Orkney, Shetland and Roan Inish--areas well known for seals. Colonsay, also among these notable islands, was a great resort of seals and eider duck. There was, in the days of old, and even now among the superstitious, a belief that the spirits of those who drowned at sea had the ability to enjoy a pleasant life in the ocean in the form of seals. When they wished, these selkies could take human form again, either in the deep sea caves, which were the homes of the drowned, or, if a longing for their homeland overcame them, they could, once a moon, swim ashore, drop their seal skins and become mortals again for one night.

Now, Once Upon a Time, a MacPhee of Colonsay was betrothed to a mainland maiden. The ship which was bringing the bride-to-be and her companions to Colonsay for the marriage sunk in a storm and all were lost.

MacPhee, however, would not give up hope. Day and night, night and day, he searched every rock and lonely inlet he visited looking for his lost bride. At last his rowers tired and the men called him mad. He could not persuade them to remain with him. Finding himself alone, he was doomed to a lonely search.

His betrothed was equally unhappy and as soon as she received her seal skin, she swam to Colonsay, sloughed her skin and wandered forlornly on the beach.

One day, on the third moon, he spotted her carrying the seal skin! This is what MacPhee had hoped for. Knowing that by sea law she must search for her skin if lost, and if found, she must return to the sea, he planned to take it as she slept and hide it in a secret place.

As much as he longed to make himself known and comfort her, he kept carefully out of sight until he was able to seize and make off with the skin. Once it was safely hidden, he returned to his drowned bride, wrapped her in his plaid and led her to the safety of his castle where they were married...and lived happily.

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