Paul Harrison, a ‘Loch Ness Monster researcher’ is said to be on the hunt for ‘personal sightings, photographs or family stories’ concerning Nessie in general, and a copy of the elusive 1930s MacRae film of the beast in particular.
A shroud of doubt and obscurity surrounds this film since F.W. Holiday talked about it in his 1968 book *The Great Orm of Loch Ness*. I haven’t myself read this book, but I have read variations of the tale — Dr. MacRae, a retired doctor residing at Loch Duich had managed to capture the alleged beastie on film, at 100 yards or so.
I recently perused Holiday’s *The Dragon on the Disc* (ISBN 0-8600-7056-5, Norton ISBN: 0393063364), an interesting book, especially the accounts of Lionel Leslie planting 5lb of gelignite in Lough Fadda, Co. Galway in October 1965, in order to raise the beast witnessed by Georgina Carberry.
Of Dragons
*The Dragon on the Disc* seeks to tie human traditions — both historical and prehistoric — of disc and snake motifs together, to show a connection between the UFO and lake monster phenomenon.
Now, while I’m inclined to suggest that this is the case – but on a spectrum that encompasses *other* beliefs, motifs and paranormal goings-on, not unlike the suggestions of John Keel, Holiday seems to get a smidgen too giddy for my liking, and after building up some compelling cases of recurring disc and serpent motifs at ancient sites, seems to fall at the last fence through his own untethered conjecture.
Thus, when I hear that Holiday claims that the MacRae film is “the most sensational wildlife film of all time”, I tend to reserve a considerable degree of doubt.
To un-digress, the MacRae film was allegedly placed in a London bank vault, apparently to avoid ridicule. McRae, a Mr Alastair Dallas and an unnamed third party are apparently the only ones to have ever seen the film, according the Inverness Courier of June 6th 1998. A Colonel Donald Cameron has also been mentioned. More anon, as I shall have to do some scouring of the files.
Assuming that Holiday wasn’t being ‘wound up’ when this tale was related to him by Alastair Dallas, some 30 years after the alleged event, the films are probably rotting away in a vault somewhere, and rest assured, Mr. Harrison isn’t the only one who would like to get a gander at them. Anyway, here’s his address.
Paul Harrison
Nunneley Way,
Markey Harborough,
Leicestershire,
LE16 7EG,
United Kingdom
(Inverness [Scotland] Courier – Monday, June 6th 1998)
More Scottish Apocrypha
More news from Scotland — or more precisely, Gordon Rutter, mycologist extraordinaire, informs us that a new mailing list has been created, ‘specifically for discussion relating to Rosslyn Chapel the Knights Templar’.
To subscribe go to the Rosslyn Templar Yahoo Group. Gordon tells us (for it is he who is the perpetrator) that ‘The list is dedicated to discussion and theorising about Rosslyn Chapel, founded during the 14th century, an intriguing building with many links to the Knights Templar and from there to many other esoteric fields.
Discussion on this list is restricted to things relating to Rosslyn, all aspects of the Knights Templar, and anything relating to these two topics. (Quite a broad remit when you consider that Rosslyn has been given as a repository of everything from the Ark of the Covenant to Jesus’ earthly remains). If you’re familiar with the writings of Baigent, Lincoln, Haisman, Bauval, Hancock, Knight and Lomas or similar authors then that’s what we’re about.’
Where’s Barrabas when you need him?
‘A country without village idiots is not worth living in. Without them there is no way of knowing who are sane.’
– Oliver St. John Gogarty, considering the advantages of living in Dublin over London, *As I Was Going Down Sackville St.* (ISBN: 0862783941)
Just three weeks ago, Blather mentioned a court case where an alleged John the Baptist was tried. This week, Jesus Christ himself was deemed insane and unfit to stand trial for assault, and after claiming that the entire court was in on the deal, was removed from the court has been detained at the pleasure of the Irish taxpayer.
Jesus, a.k.a. David Dunleavy (34), a native of Kilrush Co. Clare, claims to be the victim of an international conspiracy involving the 12 Apostles and MI5.
Pending trials include the self-styled ‘Tooth Fairy’ for alleged Dental Larceny, ‘The Easter Bunny’ for alleged terrorist activities, and ‘Santa Claus’ for alleged surrealist burglaries.
(The Irish Independent, Wednesday, 24th June 1998)
How to get ahead in Dublin
Page 6 of the Irish Times, Friday June 19th 1998 had a curious little sidebar mention of a ‘Skull Found in Phoenix Park’. A passer-by happened upon the skull by the Wellington Monument, and alerted GardaÃ. I wonder if the current archaeological exhumation taking place at nearby Croppy’s Acre — the burial site of rebels executed during 1798 rising — is in anyway related?
Persons wishing to claim are presumably invited to contact the State Pathologist, Dr. John Harbison, at the City Morgue.
A wee hoax
Steven Alan Smith writes from the USA to tell Blather that ‘your Mothman story [My story? – Blather] reminded me of something that happened in my home town (pop. 4000), when I graduated from high school in 1966.
‘One of my classmates pulled off an amazingly successful stunt. Six miles away from my town was Frontnac, a town with 100 or 150 people. A mile away was “Old Frontnac” the original site of the town on the river before they built the railroad. There’s a graveyard there with the monumental gravemarker of a man who was a hero in the American Civil War.
Tony dressed up as a Civil War general and walked around the monument at night. Only one other person was in on it — the first night he brought some people out there who would become the first terrified witnesses. It went on for maybe three or four days and then he came out and exposed himself. [I gather Mr. Smith doesn’t refer to any illegal exhibitionism on the part of his colleague – Blather]
‘What an incredible three or four days. It was the only thing people could talk about. It was truly a good thing he didn’t carry it on any longer because the spooked Frontnac town constable was becoming a dangerous man and might have shot someone.’
Magonia News
From: Mark Pilkington at Magonia. . .
24th June 1998
ETH Bulletin #4
What drives the UFO hoaxers? The ETH fades from view
A Cause For Concern
Flying Saucer Review – The descent into madness
The Concrete Dream
Three flavours of UFO encounter
Virtual Banality
John Rimmer considers the borders of reality
17th June 1998
Angel Hair
John Harney combs the evidence
The Ubatuba Magnesium
UFO wreckage or just a pile of slag?
The Philosophical Double Cross
Eugenia Macer Story investigates right wing channelers, finding clues in some unlikely places
Dave (daev) Walsh
Friday June 26th 1998
