St Patrick's Cathedral

Dublin · Ireland · Church

Captain Boyd's Newfoundland howled after the coffin, lay down on the grave and starved. It is still seen beside his statue inside.

In February 1861 one of the worst storms in Irish history struck Dublin Bay. Captain John McNeill Boyd of the Royal Navy went out on the pier at Dún Laoghaire to save shipwrecked sailors and was himself swept into the sea. As the funeral procession moved to St Patrick's, his Newfoundland dog followed at a distance, howling. When the coffin was lowered the dog lay down on the grave and refused to leave it; it would not eat, and it died there. Ever since, the black dog is said to appear inside the cathedral by the memorial statue of its master, and a former dean was among those who saw it. Jonathan Swift and his Stella also lie here, and Swift's figure counts as the cathedral's other permanent guest.

FAQ

Where is St Patrick's Cathedral located?

St Patrick's Cathedral is in Dublin, Ireland.

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