The Moddey Dhoo by David Livesey

The Moddey Dhoo: The Black Dog of Peel Castle

In 1666, Peel Castle on the Isle of Man was still a military fortress after the end of the recent Civil War.

The soldiers who served there lived a hard and frugal life, made more uncomfortable by the appearance of a large black dog with glowing red eyes. It moved silently around the Castle, unnerving the men as they went about their duties.

Where it had come from nobody knew, and when approached, it would move off silently into the shadows. It became known as the ‘phantom hound’ and after an attack on a soldier carrying keys to the duty officer’s quarters, it was decided that in future, two men would carry out this duty. The dog would sink into the guardroom at dusk and lie down in front of the fire while the men were on duty.

They spoke in whispers and were at a loss to know how to get rid of the evil hound, until one fateful night…

Author and Illustrator, David Livesey, lived and worked in Surrey, England as a Key Animator. After a lifetime spent animating on such films as The Yellow Submarine, Snowman and The BFG, he moved to the Isle of Man to live. He wrote and illustrated this book as he felt he would like to capture the magic of the Island’s folklore for future generations to enjoy.