The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

LEGENDARY ECCENTRIC

LIVING ON GROSSE ILE IN A RAMSHACKLE VICTORIAN-ERA HOUSE IS
A CHARACTER KNOWN
TO ALMOST EVERY PERSON WHO HAS ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL IN THE
DOWNRIVER AREA DURING THE LAST 25 YEARS. DIN ROONEY IS AN OLD
SENILE IRISHMAN WHO LIVES ALONE IN THE KITCHEN OF HIS HUGE HOME
AND FILLS THE REST OF THE ROOMS WITH OLD NEWSPAPERS. UNTIL A FEW
YEARS AGO, HE WELCOMED ALL VISTORS--USUALLY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
AND SPUN MANY STORIES FOR THEM. HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO SAID THAT HE
CARRIED A GUN AND THAT HIS HOME HAD BEEN A BOOTLEGGING HEADQUARTERS
IN PROHIBITION DAYS. HE WAS SOMETIMES SEEN ROAMING OVER HIS VAST
GROUNDS LATE AT NIGHT WITH A LANTERN EERILY LIGHTING HIS FACE.
EVENTUALLY, THE POLICE STOPPED YOUNGSTERS FROM VISITING DIN.
HE HAS APPARENTLY BEEN THE TALK OF THIS AREA FOR YEARS, FOR A NUN
TEACHING AT ST. PATRICK'S SCHOOL IN WYANDOTTE RECALLS VISITING DIN
WHEN SHE WAS A STUDENT IN TRENTON, MICHIGAN. WITH A GROUP OF
FRIENDS I ONCE VENTURED AS FAR AS THE GATE OF DIN ROONEY'S GHOSTLY
ESTATE BEFORE LOSING NERVE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1958