The Dungarvon Whooper – Summary

The Dungarvon Whooper – Summary

“The Dungarvon Whooper” is a famous Canadian ghost story from New Brunswick, often told as part of local folklore. It takes place in the late 19th century near the Dungarvon River, where a young cook was employed at a lumber camp.

The story goes that the cook, a hard-working young man, joined a logging crew in the Dungarvon woods. He carried all his savings in a money belt around his waist. One day, when the other woodsmen went out to work, only the cook and the foreman stayed behind at camp. When the crew returned, they found the cook dead under mysterious circumstances—his money belt missing. The foreman claimed the cook had died suddenly, and the men buried him hastily in the forest.

That night, terrifying whooping and wailing cries echoed through the woods—so chilling that the men fled the camp, believing the cook’s ghost was crying for justice. The unearthly sounds continued to be heard in the area for years, especially near the Dungarvon River, earning the spirit the name “The Dungarvon Whooper.”

Later, a priest was brought to bless the site, and the noises were said to stop—but the legend endured as a symbol of murder, guilt, and the haunting power of injustice.