Water bull landing on the shore of Loch Quoich

Water bull landing on the shore of Loch Quoich

ID: PC_GLENGARRY_KELPIE_01 DESCRIPTION: A water bull landing on the shore of Loch Quoich, as imagined by the Victorian illustrator Richard Doyle (1824 – 1883). Doyle worked for Punch magazine for a number of years and was a visitor to Edward ‘Bear’ Ellice’s estate at Glenquoich in 1859. Katherine ‘Janie’ Ellice hosted his visit, and he later presented her with an illustrated diary of his visit to the islands of Rona and Skye. The water bull (tarbh-uisge in Gaelic) is said to be similar to the kelpie or water horse in its amphibious and shapeshifting abilities, but is generally more benign. It is said to mate with ordinary cattle, producing offspring that are identifiable only by their small ears, and, because they bring bad luck should be killed at birth by any method other than drowning. Belief in the creature persisted in some areas into the 19th century, and people around Loch Rannoch and Loch Awe are said to have tied a sheep to an oak tree in an (unsuccessful) attempt to entice one out of the water. On Skye, dog carcases were apparently used with the same outcome. PLACENAME: Loch Quoich DISTRICT: Lochaber OLD COUNTY/PARISH: INVERNESS: Kilmonivaig CREATOR (AV): Richard "Dickie" Doyle SOURCE: Glengarry Heritage Centre COLLECTION: Glengarry Heritage Centre Asset ID: 49257 KEYWORDS: