Sign for the Black Dog
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Sign for the Black Dog by Maigheach-gheal as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk

Image: © Maigheach-gheal Taken: 16 Nov 2009
This sign is interesting because its origin is obscure as it has no heraldic significance. One interesting speculation is that it represents the Devil, who is sometimes called the black dog or supposedly appears as one. Also, interestingly some refer to a hangover or depression as being in the clutches of the black dog. In the 18th century a 'black dog' in slang meant a counterfeit shilling.
