The History of Mermaids, Sea Spirits & Women

Dive beneath the surface of mermaid lore, tracing their long histories and what they may reveal about wider society. Followed by Q&A.

Why are mermaids, water spirits and sea creatures so often female?

This talk uncovers the deep cultural currents behind mermaid lore: how they reflect society’s fears, desires, and ideas about gender, sexuality, and our relationship with nature. Like the oceans, rivers and lakes they inhabit, mermaids are at once alluring and threatening, monstrous yet divine. Join Dr Deidre Nuttall as she reveals how these timeless beings continue to mesmerise, provoke and illuminate what we think we know about ourselves.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Speaker Bio:

Dr Deirdre Nuttall is a folklorist/ethnologist who works in the fields of oral history, folk religion, and narrative. She has a Master’s in Social Anthropology with a specialisation in the Anthropology of Religion from the University of Durham and a PhD in folklore from University College Dublin with a focus on migratory legends of the supernatural.