From the Scandinavian tradition in the Isle of Man there are a number of 'haf' names which were never used at sea. A priest was a 'black coat'; a cat was a 'scratcher'; a hare was 'fer ny cleayshyn liauyr' - the one with the long ears.

The one that is known very much in current Manx tradition is the R - A - T. Strangely enough, in the country areas, where they were a pest, children used to be paid to see the buggers off, and there was no difficulty about using the word, R - A - T.

However, over the past 50 years, the old fishermen's 'haf' name superstition about that three letter word has taken over, and it's definitely considered not the thing to use it.

'Long tails' is the most common way of referring to them, from the Manx Gaelic, 'fer y famman liauyr' - the one with the long tail.

However, on the north of the Island, in Ramsey, 'ringies' is the most-used word for them.

I don't know what that adds to anything, but it's a very strong thing in modern Manx life.

Shoh slaynt,

Bobby Bob