26 June 2025

Meet Cuillin, Flora’s Faithful Friend at The Inverness Castle Experience

The team at The Inverness Castle Experience is thrilled to reveal the name of Flora’s adorable four-legged companion in the castle: 'Cuillin', as chosen by Lucy, a Primary 5 pupil from Muirtown Primary School in Inverness.  Over 180 entries were received from primary school children across the Highlands, with several creative variations on the name Cuillin.

Lucy's thoughtful and imaginative entry impressed the judges with its strong Highland connections and heartfelt description of Cuillin’s character. She wrote:

"I think you should name him Cuillin because Cuillin is a really cute name, it is different, a good Scottish name! Plus, Flora MacDonald helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape to Skye and the Cuillins are famous hills on Skye."

The Inverness Castle project is part of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, a joint initiative supported by up to £315m investment from the UK and Scottish governments, The Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the University of the Highlands and Islands, aimed at stimulating sustainable regional economic growth.

Lucy also created a brilliant acrostic poem to sum up what makes the name Cuillin so special:

Cuillin is the cutest dog
Ultimate friend and cuddliest dog
Intelligent and smart
Loving and friendly
Loyal and trustworthy
Ideal name of Flora's pup
Never leaving her side

The name Cuillin links beautifully to both place and language. It comes from the Cuillin mountain range (An Cuiltheann) on the Isle of Skye – a nod to Flora MacDonald’s legendary journey with Bonnie Prince Charlie. It’s also a name with a linguistic twist, too:  In English, Cuillin is pronounced KOOL-in, and the Scottish Gaelic word for puppy, cuilean, is pronounced KOOL-an, making it the perfect name for Flora’s faithful companion.

Cllr Ian Brown, Leader of Inverness City and Area and Co-chair of the Inverness Castle Project Delivery Group, said: "We loved how Lucy’s entry brought together geography, language and character. Cuillin is more than just a name – it’s a symbol of loyalty, culture and the unique spirit of the Highlands."

Michael Golding, Chair of High Life Highland’s Board of Directors, said, “It’s essential to us that young people feel a sense of ownership and connection to The Inverness Castle Experience. Their ideas, creativity and fresh perspectives help bring our stories to life in new ways – and remind us that heritage is something we all shape, not just inherit.”

The Inverness Castle Experience project, opening later this year, will benefit from £30m in investment to support its redevelopment from the Scottish and UK governments, The Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and a range of other partners.