The Paranormal Database

Centaur

Location: Isle of Coll - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1890
Further Comments: A letter in the Oban Telegraph and West Highland Chronicle referred to islanders being worried by a phantom horse which had human attributes.

White Haired Woman

Location: Isle of Coll - Old Breacacha Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: The Glaistig which lived in the castle would help make ready the property for visitors, although had a reputation for mistreating strangers on the site. Visitors who left their rooms at night would be unable to find their way back to bed.

Cries

Location: Isle of Coll - Reefs east of island
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: 1870
Further Comments: Crying could be heard emerging from the reefs off the coast. Later in the year, two fishermen vanished without trace in same vicinity, leading speculation that the cries had been a harbinger of their deaths.

Brownie

Location: Isle of Insh - General area
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A brownie took a liking to the MacDougalls and, in return for a small amount of warm milk which is left for him in a hollow in a cave, would keep an eye on the cattle which grazed on the island. If his gift were neglected, a cow would be found stranded (or dead) on one of the rocky outcrops.

Black Cat

Location: Isle of Mull - Area around Loch na Keal
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 1978 and continuing for rest of twentieth century
Further Comments: The first alien big cat was reported close to Loch na Keal, where it would remain (fleetingly spotted) over the next twenty years.

Ewen of the Small Head

Location: Isle of Mull - Duart Castle
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Prior to a death in the MacLean family
Further Comments: This decapitated figure on horseback is seen as a member of the family who killed him lies dying.

A witch summoning a storm, from The Devil in Britain and America, 1896.

Doideag

Location: Isle of Mull - Exact location not known
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Circa 1588
Further Comments: Doideag, witch of Mull, is said to have summoned the storms which destroyed the Spanish Armada.

An old illustration showing the Island of Mull.

How do they Smell?

Location: Isle of Mull - General area
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The little people on this island are renowned for only having one nostril.

Terror of Mull

Location: Isle of Mull - General area
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A fearsome dragon terrorised the island until a hero appeared and killed the beast with the inventive use of barrels with big spikes attached to them. This story and the dragon tale told of Islay are strikingly similar.

Glaistig

Location: Isle of Mull - Ross of Mull
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: The Glaistig that haunted this area became quite active. The entity would hound a fisherman by asking for spare fish, taunt a farmer by claiming a cow had escaped, and take the form of a white horse to cause other mischief.

An old woodcut of a tall sea monster.

Snakelike Beast

Location: Isle of Mull - Sea east of the island, and other nearby areas
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Circa 1808, and 1873
Further Comments: This creature, when first observed, possessed no fins, and was estimated to be twenty five metres in length. When seen again almost sixty years later, its speed was estimated to be around 15 kph, and was seen by several independent parties.

Fairy Hill

Location: Isle of Mull - Small hill near Duart Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It was said that if any milk was spilt close to the hill, the fairies reap the benefit.

The Bald Girl has Slept

Location: Isle of Ulva - Ardnacallich (a home of the Macquaries)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Glaistig of this island could be heard crying out 'The bald girl has slept! The bald girl has slept!'.

Crying

Location: Kennavarra Hill - General area
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: 1866
Further Comments: Crying could be heard from around the hill, although the source remained unknown. Four years later a ship struck a rock offshore. While the crew survived, the skipper drowned, caught in the current that passed the hill - the death said to have been foretold by the cries many years previous.

Elfin Hound

Location: Kennavarra, Tiree - General area
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Stormy nights
Further Comments: A large black fairy hound would walk the sandbanks during storms, the creature's howl carrying in the wind. The same area was also home to bean-nighe, who could be heard scrubbing the clothing of those soon to die.

Paws the Size of Hands

Location: Kennavarra, Tiree - Grassy sandy area close to a hill
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A man walking along the links changed direction after spotting a huge dog asleep on a sand dune. Returning to the place the following day, the man found the dog's pawprints in the sand, each the size of his hand.

Fairy Music

Location: Kennavarra, Tiree - Kennavarra Hill
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two children, a sister and brother, were hunting for birds in the snow. Music that emerged from deep underground terrified the pair; they ran home, the girl losing her shoes in her haste to escape.

Sailor

Location: Kenovay, Tiree - Churchyard
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Washed up from parts unknown, this mysterious sailor was buried locally, and is still seen in the area. The story goes on to say that in addition, the ghost was seen several times in the months prior to the discovery of his body, vanishing if approached.

Midnight Visitors

Location: Kenovay, Tiree - Farm
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A witness watched as a group of fairies entered this farmhouse at midnight. The fairies silently glided around a room and left again.

Changeling

Location: Kerrera - Gylen Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A fairy changeling took up residence in Gylen Castle, escaping into the sea when identified by an Irish visitor.

Bodach Beag Chill-a-Chreunain

Location: Kilchrenan - High road to Nant Woods
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Late nineteenth century
Further Comments: A fairy-like being, the Bodach Beag Chill-a-Chreunain took the form of a little man surrounded by shadow.

Headless Monk

Location: Kilchrenan - Road between village and Ardanaiseig, stone by the road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It is idly speculated that this ghostly monk may have been sacrificed on this old stone by pagans.

An old postcard showing Kilchurn Castle.

Voice Pleading for Help

Location: Kilchurn - Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century, and 10 April 2010
Further Comments: A pathetic little voice has been heard begging for assistance on this site. In 2010 visitors to the castle heard people walking above them across the floorboards in the turret, although when they reached the top, they were alone.

Slain Creature

Location: Kilmoluaig (aka Kilmoluag), Tiree - Loch Bhasabol and farm (no longer standing)
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A water horse which took the form of a man was killed by the brothers of a woman who it tried to court.

Burning Peat

Location: Kilmoluaig (aka Kilmoluag), Tiree - Unidentified house
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Mid/late nineteenth century
Further Comments: Dirty, sandy water trickled from the roof, while burning peat was found among the bedclothes and pebbles in bowls of milk. Invisible hands were also blamed when linen moved from room to room, articles of furniture moved without being touched, and stones flew about the house. When the family moved away, the entity followed. The activity ceased after a money problem was resolved.