Spooky Encounter with Large Bloodhound at Goldenbridge Cemetery
Ghost/Paranormal
Wednesday 14th, August 2024
An eerie encounter reported by three local children who were out walking along the Grand Canal tow-path during their summer holidays many years ago. The incident, which took place during broad daylight, left the youngsters shaken and with more questions than answers.
The children, two sisters and their neighbour, had set off from their homes near Ballyfermot with their two Border Collies, as part of their regular routine. The trio, aged between 11 and 12, often spent their summer days exploring the area and, on this occasion, decided to venture further along the canal towards Clondalkin, despite the overgrown path beyond Ballyfermot.
"We usually didn’t go much further because the path got too overgrown, but we decided to keep going this time. We were all big fans of the Famous Five, so we thought we’d go on an adventure", one of the children recounted.
The children described the moment when their dogs, who had been running ahead, suddenly they returned whimpering and unusually protective. "They came running back towards us, crying and stood in front of us as if they were minding us. We didn’t see anyone or hear anything for a minute", the witness continued.
It was then that the children noticed a large black dog emerging from the nearby field or ditch. The animal, described as larger than their own Border Collies, is reported to have had a square head and was holding an animal skull in its mouth. Despite not displaying any overtly threatening behaviour, the dog’s presence had a chilling effect on the group.
"There was something very scary about him", the child said. "Although it didn’t growl or anything, it felt very eerie. We all agreed that it had red eyes, but that bit may have been slight hysteria".
The frightened children fled the scene, running back towards Ballyfermot. Their dogs, who had previously been exploring ahead, remained close by until they had put some distance between themselves and the mysterious dog.
Afterwards, the group rationalised the encounter, assuming the black dog was simply guarding its find. "We figured it was just a dog who’d found a bone and was protecting it in case our dogs decided to take it away".
Several weeks later, however, the children had another encounter with what they believe was the same dog. This time, they were walking in the opposite direction along the canal tow-path, without their own dogs. "We saw the same black dog, and he had the skull with him again", one child explained. "This time he turned and walked away from us, so we followed him".
The dog led them to the locked gates of Goldenbridge Cemetery, slipping through the bars before disappearing from sight. The children, peering through the railings, could find no sign of the dog despite the lack of nearby cover.
The area around Goldenbridge Cemetery has long been the subject of local folklore and ghost stories, but this real-life encounter has left the children and their families puzzled.
It's known that Cuban bloodhounds were housed beneath the Mortuary chapel to protect the cemetery from people looking to desecrate and loot the cemetery.
There is a staircase within the walls of the chapel which would allow the bloodhounds to reach the roof and view the surrounding area, while the cemetery also had high walls in order to reassure those who were burying their loved ones within the cemetery that they would be well protected.
Could this have been an encounter with the ghost of a Cuban bloodhound that were kept at the graveyard to stop body snatchers from desecrating the bodies laid to eternal rest in the cemetery...
The children, two sisters and their neighbour, had set off from their homes near Ballyfermot with their two Border Collies, as part of their regular routine. The trio, aged between 11 and 12, often spent their summer days exploring the area and, on this occasion, decided to venture further along the canal towards Clondalkin, despite the overgrown path beyond Ballyfermot.
"We usually didn’t go much further because the path got too overgrown, but we decided to keep going this time. We were all big fans of the Famous Five, so we thought we’d go on an adventure", one of the children recounted.
The children described the moment when their dogs, who had been running ahead, suddenly they returned whimpering and unusually protective. "They came running back towards us, crying and stood in front of us as if they were minding us. We didn’t see anyone or hear anything for a minute", the witness continued.
It was then that the children noticed a large black dog emerging from the nearby field or ditch. The animal, described as larger than their own Border Collies, is reported to have had a square head and was holding an animal skull in its mouth. Despite not displaying any overtly threatening behaviour, the dog’s presence had a chilling effect on the group.
"There was something very scary about him", the child said. "Although it didn’t growl or anything, it felt very eerie. We all agreed that it had red eyes, but that bit may have been slight hysteria".
The frightened children fled the scene, running back towards Ballyfermot. Their dogs, who had previously been exploring ahead, remained close by until they had put some distance between themselves and the mysterious dog.
Afterwards, the group rationalised the encounter, assuming the black dog was simply guarding its find. "We figured it was just a dog who’d found a bone and was protecting it in case our dogs decided to take it away".
Several weeks later, however, the children had another encounter with what they believe was the same dog. This time, they were walking in the opposite direction along the canal tow-path, without their own dogs. "We saw the same black dog, and he had the skull with him again", one child explained. "This time he turned and walked away from us, so we followed him".
The dog led them to the locked gates of Goldenbridge Cemetery, slipping through the bars before disappearing from sight. The children, peering through the railings, could find no sign of the dog despite the lack of nearby cover.
The area around Goldenbridge Cemetery has long been the subject of local folklore and ghost stories, but this real-life encounter has left the children and their families puzzled.
It's known that Cuban bloodhounds were housed beneath the Mortuary chapel to protect the cemetery from people looking to desecrate and loot the cemetery.
There is a staircase within the walls of the chapel which would allow the bloodhounds to reach the roof and view the surrounding area, while the cemetery also had high walls in order to reassure those who were burying their loved ones within the cemetery that they would be well protected.
Could this have been an encounter with the ghost of a Cuban bloodhound that were kept at the graveyard to stop body snatchers from desecrating the bodies laid to eternal rest in the cemetery...
