The legend of Hy-Brasil is one of the most fascinating and mysterious tales in Celtic and maritime folklore. It describes a phantom island said to appear off the west coast of Ireland, often shrouded in mist and only visible once every seven years before vanishing again.
Hy-Brasil (sometimes spelled Hy-Breasal, Brasail O’Brasil, Brazil, or Brasil) appears on old maps dating back to the 14th century (with the oldest known map from 1325), often as a circular island with a river running through its center from east to west. It was rumored to be a place of great wealth, knowledge, and supernatural wonders. Many believed it to be a paradise inhabited by advanced beings or ancient gods. According to myth, this island is cloaked in mist and only becomes visible for one day every seven years.
Hy-Brasil and Captain John Nesbit
Captain John Nisbet claimed to have visited the island in 1674. He stated that he and his shipmates entered a deep fog and their ship landed on a beach in shallow waters. They described the land as fertile and populated by mysterious black rabbits, which were said to be much larger than normal. When they got off the ship to explore, they were greeted by a wise magician. He told them he lived in a large stone castle by himself and had enchanted the island so nobody could see it. Somehow the spell was now broken. The wizard then gifted them gold and silver and sent them on their way.
In a different version, the crew disembarked the ship to explore and came across an old castle that seemed to be completely uninhabited. After going to sleep that night, they woke up to giant black rabbits alongside a wise man coming towards them. This wizard was a very ancient gentleman and had ten bareheaded men following him. He invited the explorers to the castle, threw a feast and told them his ancestors were the princes of the island. Apparently the wizard and his men had been tyrannically shut up in the castle. By knocking on the door, the captain broke the spell. The wise man then gifted them gold and silver.
A third slightly different version states that Captain Nisbet found the castle, entered it and found everything covered in dust. They encountered three old menacing men leaning on staffs that spoke an ancient language. Captain Nesbit and his men fled the island and watched it sink. In this version there were no giant black rabbits so personally I don’t care for this one, lol.
Whatever version of Captain Nisbet’s story is “true”, apparently a follow up expedition was led by captain Alexander Johnson who also claimed to have found Hy-Brasil, confirming Nisbet’s findings.
The Giant Black Rabbits
One of the more eerie, albeit interesting to me, elements of the legend is the tale of enormous black rabbits that supposedly roamed Hy-Brasil. Unlike normal rabbits, these creatures were said to be unnaturally large, almost the size of dogs or even bigger. Some versions of the story claim they were guardians of the island, perhaps enchanted or supernatural beings rather than ordinary animals. These rabbits might represent the mystical nature of the island—part of its dreamlike, otherworldly atmosphere.
Today there are several known extremely large breeds of rabbits from the Flemish Giant to the Continental Giant. They come in a variety of colors so could the giant black rabbits of Hy-Brasil be one of these breeds?
Map Appearances
The island is said to appear once every 7 years. In the case Of Captain Nisbet and his crew, by continually adding 7 years to 1325, it actually places him a year off of that theory. Could it be the map from 1325 was drawn based on a 1324 voyage making the dates work correctly?
Early Map Appearances (1325–1800s)
- Angelino Dulcert (1325) – One of the earliest maps to show Bracile west of Ireland.
- Pizzigano Map (1375) – Marked as Insula de Brasil, confirming its place in medieval navigation.
- Ortelius Map (1570) & Mercator Map (1595) – Show Hy-Brasil as a circular island split by a central river.
- Last Map Appearance (1865) – It continued to appear on some charts until the 19th century, long after most other phantom islands had been removed.
Other Sightings of Hy-Brasil
There have been other prior “sightings” of Hy-Brasil as well. In the 11th century a monk was purported as saying he visited Hy-Brasil and then it sank as he departed.
In the 1480’s several expeditions left Bristol, England in search of Hy-Brasil. A letter penned by John Cabot, in 1487 (an Italian explorer sailing for England), reports seeing a large, unknown island west of Ireland. Some speculate this may have been Newfoundland, but at the time, it was thought to be Hy-Brasil.
A sea captain named Captain J. Haslett claimed he saw Hy-Brasil rise out of the ocean while sailing near the Aran Islands. However, as they got closer, the island faded into the mist and disappeared. This is one of the last recorded traditional sightings.
The last report was in 1872 by T.J. Westropp who claimed to have brought his whole family with him. None of these other claims mentioned the giant black rabbits.
In this 1980’s modern twist, RAF pilot Alan Godfrey, known for his UFO sighting in Todmorden, England, claimed he received telepathic coordinates from an unknown source. The coordinates led directly to where Hy-Brasil was once marked on old maps. Some UFO researchers suggest that Hy-Brasil could have been an advanced lost civilization or even an alien base. Around the same time US Air Force Sergeant Jim Penniston reported receiving binary code messages in his mind after touching a UFO in the Rendlesham Forest in England. The code was deciphered later and the coordinates pointed to where Hy-Brasil was marked on medieval maps.
Final Thoughts…
There are theories that Hy-Brasil may have been a real place, possibly inspired by submerged lands or misidentified islands like Rockall or the Aran Islands. Some speculate it could be a remnant of an ancient civilization swallowed by the sea, similar to Atlantis. Whether real or purely mythological, Hy-Brasil continues to capture the imagination of inspiring writers, artists, explorers, historians, and supernatural enthusiasts. The idea of an island that appears only under special circumstances, inhabited by giant mystical black rabbits, adds an eerie and magical touch to the legend. Hopefully one day this elusive island will reappear so we can all see these giant black rabbits! If you like this legend, read about the Moon Rabbit!
Sources:
- Smith, Cynthia “Hy-Brasil: The Supernatural Island” June 3, 2020 Library Of Congress Blogs
- Wikipedia “Brasil (Mythical Island)”
- Hill, Bryan “Hy-Brasil: The Legendary Phantom Island of Ireland” March 13, 2019 Ancient Origins
