Artist's rendering of the Dobhar-chú.
Dobhar-chú is a giant carnivorous lake monster that lives in Ireland. Dobhar-chú's other names are Doyarchu, Dobarcu, Dhuragoo, Sea Dog, or Irish-Crocodile.
Behavior[]
Dobhar-chú have been reported for a long time, since ancient Ireland. They are said to be very aggressive to humans and dogs. They were said to attack in groups or pairs. First, one Dobhar-chú will attack. If it fails, then its companions will rush in to attack too. They will follow prey through water and onto land.
Description of appearance[]
Its appearance has been variously described as half dog, half fish, an eel-like creature, a weasel or otter-like creature, and even a dinosaur resembling a waterfowl. The total length is often between 2 and 4 meters.
Sightings[]
Modern day, Dobhar-chú are very rare or maybe even extinct, but it is said that Dobhar-chú can still be found on Achill Island, west of County Mayo. On this island there is a lake, Sraheens Lough. Dobhar-chú are said to live there for now, the first modern sighting noted in 'A Description of West Connaught' (1684), by Roderick O'Flaherty. Another report in 2003 was made by Irish artist Sean Corcoran and his wife of a Dobhar-chú in Omey Island, Connemara. They reportedly saw a giant creature with dark coloring and membranes on the feet to swim. There is, interestingly, an archaeological remnant called the Kinlough Stone, that is the gravestone of a woman who was killed by a Dobhar-chú in the 17th century. Her name was Gráinne. Another grave site is the Glenade Stone, found in Conwall graveyard, where there is a Dobhar-chú figure carved on the gravestone.
Explanations[]
Some have reported that it resembles an otter, but residents of the area say it is unlikely to be a misidentification of an otter because they see otters on a daily basis.
There is a theory that Dobhar-chú are sea lions that have come to a different location than they should have due to factors such as ice floes. There is also a minority opinion in Japan that they are survivors of Coelophysis, but this seems unlikely.
Sources and links for researchers[]
https://www.jstor.org/stable/25510654?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dobhar-ch%C3%BA
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QNFR4xHHIegC&pg=PA11&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://www.slideshare.net/lolica64/the-dobharchu
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/does-prehistoric-otter-explain-dobharch-myth-36306533.html
In Popular Culture[]
- In Pokemon, Vaporeon has multiple traits that are similar to those of a Dobhar-Chu.
Gallery[]
See Also[]
- Ahuitzotl, a cat-like river monster from South American mythology.
- The lake muckross monster, or Muckie, a more traditional lake monster from Lake Muckross in South Ireland with little to no historical references.
- The Loch Ness Monster, arguably the most famous cryptid rivaled only by Sasquatch, is a Scottish lake monster taking a more reptilian form in most depictions.