AN OLD CASTLE’S SECRET.

Western Star, 20 August 1929, Page 4

AN OLD CASTLE’S SECRET.

APPARITION OF BLACK DOG,

A SUPERSTITION REVIVED

‘Will anything be brought to light about .the ‘Moodey dhoe’ ? Peel folk are asking uneasily in connection with the excavations now being made at Peel Castle. “Moodey dhoe” is Manx for black dog, and Peel Castle for centuries lias been famed —if for, nothing else —for its tradition concerning the apparition of a block dog which is said to haunt the place. When the castle was used as a

soldiers’ residence the black dog was often seen, it is said, and although the soldfers became used to ll s a P" pearance, they never relished the idea of it being there, and always refrained from using strong language in its presence. One night, however, a soldier, while

drunk, amde up his mind to follow the mysterious animal and find out what it really was. He set off after it ” down a dark passage, much to the alarm of his fellow-soldiers. When he returned he was sober and speechless with terror. He died shortly after, without disclosing what had happened.

After that no person was brave enough to go into the passage; it was built up and another way was made. ,The tradition was related to Sir Walter Scott by his brother, who resided in the Isle of Mali, find he immortalised it in “The Lay of the Last Minstrel.”

Superstitious folk about Peel believe that it is as well to let sleeping dogs lie, and they hope that no effort will he made to pry into the secret cf the closed passage .