Leading Scots UFO and paranormal expert set for talk on 'disappearing monsters' - from vampires to werewolves and kelpies
Leading UFO and paranormal expert Ron Halliday is to deliver a talk on Scotland's 'disappearing monsters' this week. We take a look at some of Scotland's revered mythical creatures - including vampires, werewolves and the kelpies.
One of Scotland's leading UFO and paranormal experts is to deliver a talk on the country's 'disappearing monsters'.
Ron Halliday has penned several books on a variety of topics – including UFOs, Scotland's 'X-files' and alien spirits.
Now the author will deliver a talk at Glasgow's Queen Margaret Union on the subject of Scotland's mythical creatures at the annual UFO and Paranormal conference later this month.
Ahead of the appearance, Ron, from Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, said: 'At one time, the people of Scotland lived their lives in fear of fearsome beasts – vampires, dragons, werewolves and kelpies among others. So where have they all gone?
'These days we feel threatened by alien beings, loch monsters, Dogmen, Bigfoot, and yetis. So why the change in our idea of monsters?
'I'd suggest that they are a product of our collective imagination. Creations which become real beasts because we believe in their existence.'
The talk will take place on Saturday, June 14.
Back in June 2017, Ron delivered a talk at the conference on 'famous Scots and the supernatural' – based on his book of the same name.
At that talk, he discussed the influence of the supernatural on famous figures, including inventor of the TV John Logie Baird and Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald.
In March 2021, he took part in a TV documentary to be shown in America on Scottish UFO encounters.
Speaking at that time, Ron said: 'The programme is intended initially for the USA and I'm delighted that many amazing UFO incidents from our area and beyond will be broadcast to an American audience.
'The fact that Scotland is recognised across the world as a UFO hotspot has encouraged the production of what will be a fascinating documentary.'
As Ron gets set to deliver his talk on the country's 'disappearing monsters', here are just a few believed to have existed in Scottish folklore.
The Gorbals Vampire
In 1954, a group of children claimed to have encountered a vampire in the Southern Necropolis. The kids, aged between four and 14, spoke of a menacing seven-foot-high figure with iron teeth that had attacked and killed two young boys. The news spread rapidly, leading to a wave of fear and hysteria in the community.
On the evening of September 23, 1954, Glasgow police were alerted to a disturbance at the cemetery. When they arrived they were amazed to find several hundred children, armed with wooden stakes, knives and home-made tomahawks, on the hunt for a vampire. Many had their dogs.
On this occasion, a local headmaster was summoned to the cemetery to scold the children into submission. Nevertheless, the kids returned for the next two nights, intent on finding and killing the Gorbals vampire.
As the legend unfolded, it became apparent that the children had misinterpreted the situation. In reality, the so-called 'vampire' was an abandoned and dilapidated old tomb that the children had mistaken for a creature. The iron railings around it were perceived as teeth, fuelling the imaginative narrative.
The Wulver
In Scots folklore, the Wulver – a humanoid-wolf hybrid creature – was believed to roam Shetland. A far cry from the traditional tale of werewolves – the Wulver was said not to be aggressive, provided it was left in peace.
Tales of Wulvers leaving fish on the windowsills of poor families captured the imagination. However, unlike werewolves, the Wulver was said not to be a shape-shifter and was never a human from the start.
Kelpie
The kelpie – or water kelpie – was said to be a mythical shape-shifting spirit inhabiting Scotland's lochs.
Legends of the shape-shifting water-horses grew, with depictions detailing a grey or white horse-like creature, able to morph into human form. Some accounts even said that the kelpie retained its hooves when appearing in human form, leading to its association with the Christian idea of Satan as alluded to by Robert Burns in his 1786 poem 'Address to the Devil'.
It was said that the kelpie – similar to mythical werewolf – could be killed by being shot with a silver bullet.
The lore grew so much, that today the only traces left of the mythical creatures are the 100-feet high steel sculptures that tower over the M9 motorway between Falkirk and Grangemouth.
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