Seal bone mistaken for human hand

Bone on Achill beach not human


Anton McNulty

Gardaí have confirmed that a bone found on Dookinella Strand on Achill Island was that of a seal and not of a human as had been rumoured.
Last Wednesday, gardaí received a report that bones had washed up on Dookinella Strand that were similar to a human. Local gardaí with the help of the local coast guard who were on an exercise at the time combed the beach and the item was sent away to be forensically examined.
The activity on the beach and the news of the discovery of a bone on the beach sent the rumour mill in the area into overdrive with some reports saying that a human hand had been found while others said it was a human foot.
However, a Garda spokesperson told The Mayo News that the examination of the bone confirmed that the human was not of the human variety.
“It has been confirmed the bone is that of a seal. Some people had been saying it was a human arm or leg but it belonged to a seal, nothing more nothing less.”