The Dobhar-chú (; ), or King Otter, is a creature of

Irish folklore Irish folklore ( ga, béaloideas) refers to the folktales, balladry, music, dance, and so forth, ultimately, all of folk culture. Irish folklore, when mentioned to many people, conjures up images of banshees, fairies, leprechauns and people gat ...

. It resembles both a

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

and an

otter Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...

, though it sometimes is described as half dog, half fish. It lives in

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

and has

fur Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...

with protective properties.There are little to no written records of the Dobhar-Chú since its legend has relied heavily on oral storytelling and tradition.

Description

Physical description of the Dobhar-Chú resembles an otter but said to be about five times as large (perhaps 10–15 feet), with white pelt, black ear tips and a black cross on its back. Though, due to the murky waters it is said to reside in, its pelt may be portrayed as darker.

Etymology

is one of a number of

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

words for 'otter'. The modern Irish word for 'water' is ''uisce'' (see

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden cask ...

), although ''dobhar'' is also (rarely) used. ''Dobhar'' is a much older form and cognates are found in other

Celtic languages The Celtic languages ( usually , but sometimes ) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic. They form a branch of the Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward ...

(e.g. Welsh ''dŵr'' or ''dwfr,'' Cornish ''Dowrgi'' 'waterhound/otter' ). ''Cú'' is 'hound' in Irish (see for example '' Cúchulainn'', 'Culainn's

hound A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey. Description Hounds can be contrasted with gun dogs that assist hunters by identifying prey and/or recovering shot quarry. The hound breeds were the first hunting dogs. ...

'). The Dobhar-chú is also known as the ''dobarcu'', and anglicised as ''doyarchu'', ''dhuragoo'', ''dorraghow'' or ''anchu''.

Headstone

A headstone, found in Conwall cemetery in Glenade,

County Leitrim County Leitrim ( ; gle, Contae Liatroma) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Connacht and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the ...

, depicts the ''Dobhar-chú'' and is related to a tale of an attack on a local woman by the creature. The stone is claimed to be the headstone of a grave of a woman killed by the Dobhar-chú in the 17th century. The monument is a recumbent flag of sandstone about 4 ft. 6ins. by 1 ft. 10 ins. It shows a recumbent animal having body and legs like those of a dog with the characteristic depth of rib and strength of thigh. The tail, long and curved, shows a definite tuft. The rear of the haunch, and still more the tail, are in exceptionally low relief, apparently due to the loss of a thin flake from the face of the slab. So far the description is canine. The lettering, and carving are in relief.

Legend

In 1772, Grace McGloighlin, locally known as Grace Connolly(her maiden name), lived in the townland of Creevelea at the north-west corner of

Glenade Lough Glenade Lough (), locally known as Glenade Lake, is a freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It is located in north County Leitrim in the Glenade Valley. Geography Glenade Lough is situated between the Dartry Mountains to the west and the ...

. One morning she went down to the lough

ake Ake (or Aké in Spanish orthography) is an archaeological site of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It's located in the municipality of Tixkokob, in the Mexican state of Yucatán; 40 km (25 mi) east of Mérida, Yucatán. The name ...

to wash some clothes. Some accounts say that her husband, Terrence, rushed to the shore after hearing her scream whilst others say that he went down after she failed to return that evening. Both accounts say Mr. McGloighlin rushed down only to find her mutilated body with the Dobhar-Chú sleeping on top of her. Terrence runs home and grabs a dagger before returning to kill the Dobhar-Chú. As the beast died it let out a whistling yell to its mate, who soon rose from the lough. The second beast chased him from the lough, and after a long and bloody battle, which some accounts say he did not face alone, he killed the second Dobhar-Chú.

References

Aos Sí Fairies Fantasy creatures Irish folklore Irish legendary creatures Mythological dogs Otters Tuatha Dé Danann Cryptids {{Celt-myth-stub

Description

Etymology

Headstone

Legend

See also

References