Muc-sheilch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Muc-sheilch or Muc-sheilche was an alleged freshwater monster of Scotland said to have been seen often in Loch Maree and neighbouring lochs by anglers and others. It is pronounced "Mook Helluch".
Mr Banks of Letterewe tried at great expense to drain Loch-na-Bèiste near Aultbea, in the 1850s, but failed. He also tried to poison it with quicklime. Loch-na-Bèiste is Scottish Gaelic for "loch of the beast", beast often being used for a loch monster in Ireland especially. Seilch would appear to be cognate with selkie; muc generally means a pig, but is also applied to whales as muc-mhara (sea pigs).
It is thought to be a huge eel. Interestingly, this particular theory only seems to have become popular regarding Nessie in the early years of the 21st Century.
This article incorporates text from “Dwelly’s [Scottish] Gaelic Dictionary” (1911)
[edit] See also
 |
This Scotland-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
