MYSTERY CREATURE IN IRISH LAKE

What is this?

At last, a monster from my native land!  The photograph you see above was taken by Joanne White at Cleenagh Lough on the River Shannon, where there has been recent flooding due to rainfall.  Joanne could not identify the creature, even though she had been brought up in the country.

It seems to bear some resemblance to an otter.  Could it be a specimen of the legendary Dobharchú, the huge otter into which cryptozoologist Gary Cunningham has done much research?

Depending on the distance from the photographer, it has a slightly equine look.  Irish folklore is full of lake monsters called the horse-eel or water-horse (each uisce), also known as the péiste.  Could it be one of these?

The whole business has caused much excitement in the locality.  From the fact that Mrs White was unable to identify it, I think we can rule out such explanations as a dog or an ordinary otter.  Since the floods subsided, there have been no further sightings.