Haunted Ulster: the dark side of Northern Ireland

endpaper- will stick this side to front cover

HAUNTED ULSTER the dark side of Northern Ireland Louise Morgan

A note about the type: All of the content of this book has been researched and written by me (Louise). Unfortunately, this book was written during the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore none of the photographs are mine, they have however been credited throughout and a full list is available at the end of this book. This book is not intended to change your beliefs regarding the supernatural, it is designed to be educational for both locals and tourists wishing to learn about the spooky side of Ulster.

The typeface chosen is Dosis by Edgar Tolentino.

A simple, rounded sans serif, Dosis was designed by Edgar Tolentino, refined and extended by Pablo Impallari, spaced and kerned by Igino Marini IKern. The Dosis family is described by Creative Bloq as: “The lighter weights are minimalist. The bolder weights have more personality�.

HAUNTED ULSTER the dark side of Northern Ireland Louise Morgan

HAUNTED ULSTER

the dark side of Northern Ireland Ulster is a province within Northern Ireland, spreading into the Republic of Ireland, encompassing the major cities of Derry and Belfast. Within each province, there are counties. Some of Ulster’s counties include; County Derry, County Down, County Antrim and County Cavan, County Cavan is located within the Republic of Ireland.

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COUNTY ANTRIM

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54.9690N 1.6107W THE GIANT’S CAUSEWAY The Giant’s Causeway is an iconic landmark in Northern Ireland and is one of the natural wonders of the world. Legend has it that a giant by the name of Finn McCool built the causeway as a walkway to Scotland.

The haunting begins in 1910, when a family travelled to the causeway from Belfast on a day trip. Even in 1910, the causeway was a tourist attraction, so when it was time for a picnic, they moved off the main section, to somewhere less busy. Following the meal, the parents had a nap under the summer sun, while their maid supervised their children, in particular their unruly son. He was highly disobedient and all morning his mother had to warn him of the dangers of going too close to the water’s edge.

All was well until the mother woke up screaming to the maid and her husband, “something has happened”. This was in reference to her son. The maid had seen him a few minutes prior and assured her that he was fine, and was just on the rocks by the waterline. His mother started searching for her son, but despite searching the places he was last seen, he was nowhere to be found. A few days later his remains were discovered a few miles along the coast. It is thought that he fell into the water and drowned.

Shortly after this tragedy, reports came in from people who had seen a boy on the water’s edge. On one occasion a witness asked him if he was lost. As they approached him, they were horrified to find he was soaking wet and deathly pale. Even after more than 100 years, it is not uncommon to witness his apparition on the causeway. It is a tale of caution that nature can be beautiful and wonderful, but also deadly.

Image credited to Discover Northern Ireland.

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FINN MCCOOL Finn McCool, a giant, best known for the legend of building the Giant’s Causeway as a walkway to Scotland to continue a conflict with his nemesis giant, Finn Gaul, responsible for Fingal’s Cave on the Scottish West Coast.

Legend has it that Finn had another conflict with a different giant from the other side of Carlingford Lough. The opposing giant was on the County Down side of the Lough, after a long day of conflict, Finn lay down to rest. Much to Finn’s horror, his opponent had sneaked across the Lough and stole Finn’s sword. Finn woke up in a fit of rage and started to throw stones and boulders across the Lough. One stone, the Cloughmore Stone, weighing more than 50 tonnes was launched across the Lough, striking the other giant’s head, instantly crushing him into the mountain, melting his body. In modern times, the Cloughmore Stone lies near the village of Rostrevor. Modern day legend states that if anyone were to walk around the stone seven times, it will bring them good luck and fortune.

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The Dark Hedges go back to the 18th century, when wealthy landowners planted trees to line their driveway. Since then, the hedges have been used in the TV show ‘Game of Thrones’.

Image credited to The Belfast Telegraph.

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THE DARK HEDGES The Dark Hedges are said to be haunted by the Grey Lady. She is said to appear after dark, wandering through the trees before disappearing. Her true identity has been lost to history, however, local legend says she is the daughter of the wealthy landowners who planted the trees. She is reported to have fallen in love with a stable hand; due to the difference in social class, her family did not approve. Determined to have her happy ever after, she and her lover decided to elope and secretly marry.

They lived in peace for a while within her family home. Her family still did not approve of her relationship; however, she was happy. It is said she fell down the stairs of her family home, dying from her injures. The other rumour states that she was pushed by one of her family members who did not approve of the fact she married someone of a lower class.

Her spirit, always manifesting as a Grey Lady, has been seen many times. A couple, who wish to remain anonymous recall the terrifying experience of encountering her spirit. They were driving along the road and pulled over to change a tyre. While they were doing this, it is thought that the Grey Lady emerged from the mist. She appeared to chase the couple, mainly targeting the husband, chasing him until he fell over. She caught him in her ghostly grasp, giving him the harrowing message that he will die by his 40th birthday. His account of her message is, “when you die you will be mine, 40 isn’t that far away”. Due to this couple wishing to remain anonymous, it is unclear whether her prediction came true.

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54.966N 5.956W GLENARM CASTLE Located 40 miles from Belfast, there has been a castle on the land since 1242. The ghost story originates from the 19th century, where there have been reports of a female ghost.

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Image credited to Historic Houses.

She was witnessed by guests, entering their bedrooms and being in the hallways of the castle.

The lady never appeared to interact with any of the guests as she made her way between bedrooms, leading visitors to believe that she is a residual ghost, with her energy trapped within the castle’s walls. She is described as being very tall, wearing an old fashioned dress and a frilly bonnet on her head.

Other reports have centred around a group of children being seen in the castle’s gardens.

Curious as to where their parents are, staff have approached them. To their horror, these children vanished before their eyes as the members of staff approached them. The origin of these child spirits are unknown and they seem to be playing without knowledge of being dead. Individuals who have not seen these children have witnessed a uniformed man near the porch of the castle, he appears to be in a hurry and does not acknowledge any of the living witnesses. The spirits within the castle do not appear to be intelligent (there are no reports of interacting with the living), they seem to be trapped within a time loop, where they appear to be carrying out routines they would have done in life. It is as if they were trapped in the castle’s walls.

A man by the name of Hector McDonnell grew up in the castle with his mother and she was so afraid of the activity she demanded an exorcism of the whole castle. The only room that was not exorcised was the attic, and to this day, noises and heavy footsteps are still heard from the attic. Very few guests are willing to go in the vicinity of the attic because of the ominous feeling.

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54.9015N 5.8720W BALLYGALLY CASTLE Ballygally Castle was originally built in 1615, as a small homestead.

Shortly after it was extended into a Georgian farmhouse. In modern times Ballygally Castle is now a well-known haunted hotel, one which features their most famous ghost in their promotional brochure.

Ballygally Castle has been known to be haunted for over 400 years, the most famous and well documented ghost is that of Lady Isobella Shaw. She was the wife of Lord James Shaw. Her story begins when she was unable to give James a son, an heir to the castle. Due to this he flew into a fit of rage and locked Isobella up as punishment within one of the top floor rooms.

Isobella did not go down without a fight and made numerous attempts to escape. Sadly, her determination to escape became her undoing because during one escape attempt, she slipped and ultimately fell to her death. This is the way history portrays this story, however, there have been reports that Isobella may have been thrown from the tower by James or one of his henchmen.

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Ever since this tragic event she is known to haunt the castle and is seen as a friendly ghost.

Isobella is also an intelligent spirit, as she is known to interact with guests and make her presence known. Lady Isobella’s ghost is much loved by staff and guests. They have even given her a room dedicated to her memory, ‘The Ghost Room’, located in one of the towers, where it is believed Isobella met her tragic end. There have been endless reports of staff and guests hearing strange noises during the night, as well as witnessing an eerie green mist that appears to bathe the entire castle.

Image credited to Discover Northern Ireland.

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54.7578N 5.7114W CHESTER CASTLE

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Image credited to Postcards Ireland.

The ruins of this castle date back to before the 12th century and can still be seen in the Whitehead region of County Antrim. The Chichester Family resided in the castle during the 16th century, giving Chester Castle its name.

One of the first ghost stories of Chester Castle originates from the 18th century. The story begins when a butler from a nearby mansion fell in love with a maid by the name of Beth, who was employed in the castle. He was absolutely besotted with her, however she did not feel the same way, refusing his marriage proposals. This broke his heart and in a dramatic move he ingested a vial of poison in front of her, collapsing and dying at her feet.

After his burial, strange activity started to manifest within the castle. The butler presented himself to another maid who was collecting water from the well in the castle gardens. Strange noises, including banging and footsteps, are reported, as well as poltergeist activity. This activity frightened staff to the point where they gathered downstairs to investigate the strange goings on. They were just discussing the activity, when suddenly all of their candles blew out and one staff member fainted; after this event there was an attempt to give the butler a proper burial. He ended up being laid to rest on a nearby beach, with boulders covering his grave site.

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54.5166N 6.0347W MOLLY THE FRIENDLY GHOST This story begins in 1980, when a family of five moved into a terraced house on Llewellyn Avenue in Lisburn, County Antrim. These terraces were built in 1906 and were three storeys high. The family were happily settled in for around two weeks before unexplained activity started to occur.

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Image credited to Right Move.

Their 8-year-old daughter reported that there was a nice old lady who lived on the first floor.

Thinking it was her imagination her parents disregarded this report. It wasn’t until a few days later that the family were getting ready to go out when the mother noticed a rip in her skirt.

Changing it and saying to herself “I’ll repair that later”, she left the house, not thinking twice.

Upon returning home, she found her skirt perfectly repaired. Assuming someone came in, fixed her skirt and left without her knowledge, she had no idea it was the nice old lady who her daughter saw on the first floor.

Since that incident, Molly, the nice old lady who manifested for their daughter and also fixed the mother’s skirt continued to make her presence known to the family. Poltergeist activity was reported in the kitchen, including the rattling of cutlery and crockery. The activity took an unexpected frightening turn when in 1983, the couple’s 4th child was born and the mother was alone downstairs. Suddenly, she heard the curtains upstairs start to swoosh, as if someone was pulling them back in the morning. Panicked, she called a neighbour, who checked the house but did not finding anything unexplained. After this scary incident, a voice could be heard saying “I am Molly, I am not here to hurt you”. Molly’s spirit unintentionally scared the mother, feeling remorse for what she had done, Molly tried to make amends with the family.

In December of 1983, the family decided to leave the house. Whilst they were packing up the remainder of their belongings, Molly decided to give them one last message, she proceeded to say “Goodbye I’ll miss you”. It is thought that Molly was a previous homeowner.

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BELFAST

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TRINITY STREET Trinity Street, located in Belfast, close to the city centre has a ghost story, originating in 1931, when a family moved into the house and started to rent out the spare rooms to tenants.

Image credited to Independent Travel Cats.

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Shortly after moving in, the family and their tenants started to experience poltergeist activity.

This activity included doors and windows opening, before slamming shut. The outside coal shed was also reported to be home to some unexplained noises. This activity was attributed to the spirit of a young man who had been seen in all areas of the house, he appeared to be surrounded by a glowing aura.

Out of fear, tenants would tie their bedroom doors shut with cord at night, much to their horror the cords would be broken the following day. The high level of paranormal activity started to attract a large crowd of thrill seekers, wishing to catch a glimpse of the unexplained phenomena. It didn’t take long before the police were called to control the crowd outside the house. The activity has been attributed to the death of a young man, apparently murdered in the basement. Legend has it that his body was buried under the coal shed (now a garden shed, used for storage). Despite all of these reports, the current landlord refuses to allow any excavations on the property, in turn not allowing this vengeful spirit to rest in peace.

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BELVOIR PARK HOSPITAL Located in South Belfast, Belvoir Park is a large expanse of woodland, containing the former Belvoir Park Hospital premises. It was originally a fever hospital in the 1900s, before becoming the centre for radiotherapy in Northern Ireland before closing for good in 2006.

Image credited to Frontline Ulster.

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54.5526N 5.9264W Since the permanent closure of the hospital, security guards are responsible for patrolling the premises, including the old hospital and grounds. They have reported seeing shadow figures within the park. The most disturbing report comes from a security guard working the night shift. He reported seeing figures running through the park, they led him and his colleagues to a stream. They made the harrowing discovery of shrines by the stream, as well as a number of mutilated corpses. The shadow figures were nowhere to be seen, however the security guards on duty were adamant that the shadow figures wanted them to see this disturbing scene.

Image credited to Belfast Live.

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54.6085N 5.9420W CRUMLIN ROAD GAOL Crumlin Road Gaol is located near the city centre of Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital. The gaol was built between 1843 and 1845, and was used as a prison until 1998.

During its 150 year old history of being a prison, it saw approximately 25000 inmates incarcerated within its walls. At least 17 individuals were executed during the prison’s operation and buried within the walls. Those lucky enough to have a burial were dumped in graves only marked by their initials. Their true identities lost to history. The sheer number of violent deaths and executions within Crumlin Road Gaol may account for the paranormal activity.

The gaol is home to many spirits, with reports ranging from hearing voices and noises to the sensation of being touched and feeling sick. Some individuals have even reported spiritual manifestations within the gaol. In the early days of the prison, some of the inmates were children. These children were incarcerated due to petty crime, such as theft of food.

Hotspots of paranormal activity within the prison include the infamous C-Wing. C-Wing is home to the drop-cell where the condemned inmate would be hanged and would hang until he was confirmed dead. One of the men who were hanged was an American man who identified with the Jewish religion. He was executed for a crime he did not commit, despite maintaining his innocence right up to the time he was executed. His spirit is seen within the corridors of C-Wing, still looking to avenge his death.

B-Wing houses the padded cell, where the criminally insane were housed. Visitors have reported feelings of uneasiness, sensations of being pushed, as well as seeing a figure manifest in the doorways. This figure is assumed to be the spirit of a former warden, although his spirit passed over many years ago, he still likes to keep an eye on the prison’s activities.

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Another spirit is that of Paddy Magee, a 13-year-old inmate who committed suicide to avoid being hanged. Whilst he was incarcerated, he reportedly would cry himself to sleep every night. One day when the guards didn’t hear him crying, they went to check on him, only to find him dead in his cell. His cries can still be heard within the prison by visitors. One can only hope that his cries are the residual energy imprinted within the walls and Paddy’s spirit is at peace in the afterlife.

Opposite Crumlin Road Gaol, there is the courthouse. These two buildings are connected by an underground tunnel. The tunnel is a clammy, draughty location. One night, while a group of friends were exploring the tunnel, they experienced the feeling of being watched. One of the individuals also reported hearing a child’s voice saying, “come play with us”. Accompanying this voice was a disembodied arm, the size of a child’s.

Image credited to Visit Belfast.

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54.5864N 5.9423W THE UNION WORKHOUSE The old Union Workhouse is the site of the former Belfast City Hospital. These two locations alone have the potential to manifest some paranormal activity. The buildings are now occupied by medical students studying at Queens University Belfast.

During operations as a workhouse, there was a cruel warden employed. He was notorious for locking patients in the asylum section and beating them until they died. One male inmate was discovered deceased, chained to the floor in the asylum. The inquest into his death could not explain why his body was covered in bruises. His apparition is often seen within the former asylum, wearing rags and appearing in pain. He continued to manifest every time someone in the workhouse died under suspicious circumstances. After many years of patient abuse, the rules were eventually changed to give patients more dignity and respect. The patient wearing rags stopped appearing when the rules changed and no more deaths occurred at the hands of the warden.

The number of beds at the workhouse originally was 600, however in 1869, over 2000 patients were recorded to be staying. Even after the days of the workhouse, when the hospital was in operation as a fever and infectious diseases centre, the population of patients reached 1338. In 1948, after the formation of the NHS, around 45 of the original workhouse inmates were appointed as hospital staff, with three being appointed laboratory assistants. It is thought that they were given nicknames, due to the fact they had no birth records and had been abandoned at the workhouse as orphans. The lack of records and identity of patients means many have been forgotten to history, buried in unmarked graves on the site.

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Patients at the workhouse during the years of operation, Credited to the National Archives.

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54.6167N 5.9241W YORK ROAD OLD TRAIN STATION The old train station was originally built in 1848 and operated until 1992, when the train services were diverted to other stations around the city.

Image credited to disusedstations. org.uk.

During the 1970s, a workman was killed in a botched robbery. His untimely death has caused his spirit to be trapped in the station, where he continues to wander, dazed and confused. His spirit commonly appears at night, in the waiting areas of the station, it appears that he is still waiting for his train.

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THE HAUNTED POLICE STATION The Queen Street police station in Belfast was built in the 1870s, originally as a children’s hospital before becoming police barracks.

In the vicinity of the holding cells, contact has been made with the spirit of a child, possibly from the former hospital that occupied the site. There has also been an encounter with a member of the armed forces who used to patrol the cell area. It is unclear whether this spirit interacts with the living or if he is just carrying out his patrolling duties like he would do when he was living. One of the most ominous rooms in the police station is identified by the black walls, covered in chalk inscriptions. A local paranormal research team carried out an investigation only to be greeted with the order to “get out”. The room is also reputedly haunted by a female detective who used to work in the building. She is not deemed to be a negative spirit, she is just carrying out her duties as an officer to protect and serve the people of Belfast.

Image credited to geograph.ie.

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COUNTY DOWN

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54.0426N 6.0893W THE WHITE LADY OF GREENCASTLE This story begins in the 16th century, when the Lord of Greencastle went on a business trip to Italy and fell in love with a local girl by the name of Jeanne. He was head over heels in love with her, however she did not reciprocate his feelings at first. After numerous attempts to win her over she agreed to marry him.

Image credited to Discover Ulster Scots.

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At first, the happy couple were content in their relationship, however, after a while the Lord of Greencastle started to get bored with his new fiancée. Instead of breaking the engagement off in a civilised way, he tried to flee Italy and return to Northern Ireland without an explanation.

This was his attempt to abandon his fiancée and never face up to his actions. Jeanne soon found out and was understandably dismayed and hurt that her future husband would betray her. Despite all of this, she tried to convince him to stay in Italy, going to great lengths by trying to enter his moving carriage as he fled. The Lord pushed her back, demanding his carriage make a swift exit. This action of the Lord ultimately caused Jeanne’s demise. As she fell back she ended up being trampled by the horses and run over by the carriage, dying from her injuries. Rather than attempting to save his fiancée, he fled the scene, never looking back.

As the Lord retuned to Greencastle, upon approaching the gates, his horses got spooked and refused to go any further. Irritated by this delay, the Lord looked out to examine the scene and to his horror he saw the spirit of his dead fiancée. She was appearing to him in the same way she died, presenting massive head injuries to him. The horses, understandably terrified by this, bolted, Jeanne’s mocking laugh could be heard echoing throughout the castle grounds. The Lord of Greencastle attempted to put this experience behind him, marrying again. However, after his new wife moved into the castle, she died suddenly, due to unexplained causes. Was it Jeanne’s vengeful spirit? After this incident the castle was passed on to new proprietors.

Many years after this incident, one of the maids got engaged to a local man. One night after work they agreed to meet on the castle grounds. Unfortunately, she got held up at work, so he was waiting for her. It got to midnight when a young woman appeared before him, thinking it was his fiancée, he ran to embrace her. It was definitely not his fiancée, as he recoiled in horror when he realised this was Jeanne’s spirit, still manifesting with a gaping wound in her forehead. Due to the numerous reports of Jeanne being seen as a mist-like figure she has been nicknamed the White Lady.

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THE RAHOLP FUNERAL GHOST 200 years ago, a man from the town of Raholp died. His family held his wake and funeral even though they were not sorry to see him go. He was a tyrant, a troublemaker who made their lives miserable.

After the wake, the funeral procession prepared to leave his former home in Raholp, carrying his casket to the cemetery. During the proceedings, guests were horrified to see the deceased man’s face peering down from the upstairs window. He appeared to be laughing at his own funeral. After the initial hysteria calmed down, the horses pulling his casket were too spooked to proceed, so the man ended up being transported by a donkey, ultimately being buried in an unmarked grave.

His wife and daughter lived peacefully for a number of years after his death. One night, they were saying their prayers, like they did every night when they heard a familiar laugh emanate from the walls. Before they had time to react, the face of the old man appeared before them.

This frightening haunting became a nightly occurrence until the women summoned help from a local priest. The local priest brought reinforcements due to the nature of the hauntings and with the work of several priests an exorcism was performed. The spirit of the man was trapped within a bottle, the priests sealed this, before burying it under an old mill wheel. The legend states that his spirit must rest for 100 years.

This period of time has now passed, local people of Raholp have reported seeing a man in the area looking dazed and confused. It is thought that he is looking for his former home.

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Image credited to geograph.ie.

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54.6418N 5.5365W GRACE NEILL’S PUBLIC HOUSE Formerly called the Kings Arms and opened in 1611, the pub was renamed Grace Neill’s in the 20th century after a former landlady. Grace was quite the character, greeting every customer with a kiss on the cheek and smoking her clay pipe as she supervised her pub.

The pub was gifted to Grace as a wedding present from her father and she ran the establishment for many years, making it a popular hangout for her community. Grace sadly died in 1916, aged 98. It is thought that she continued to run her pub in her old age, still greeting customers with a kiss on the cheek and her signature clay pipe.

Although Grace died many years ago, her spirit still lives on in her pub. She is seen at the front bar, tidying the glasses, like she would have done as a landlady. Creaking floorboards on the second floor have also been reported; it is assumed that this is Grace wandering the halls upstairs. In the afterlife, Grace still smokes her pipe as patrons frequently report the aroma, even though smoking has been banned in the pub for many years. Grace is a good spirit, still watching over the pub which was her pride and joy. Customers have nothing to fear.

Image credited to Discover Ulster Scots.

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Image credited to Northern Ireland Ghost Stories.

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THE GHOST OF GILLHALL The Ghost of Gillhall is one of the most famous ghost stories in all of Northern Ireland. This story centres around the Gillhall Estate, located just outside of Dromore in County Down. Built in 1680, the Gillhall estate consisted of a manor, as well as farmland and outbuildings.

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Image credited to lisburn.com.

In the 17th century, the future Lord Tyrone and his cousin Lady Beresford were raised in the manor as orphans. Their tutor taught them to believe that God created the universe, however they were also taught that God left the universe to evolution and natural selection, rather than having strict religious practises. The two orphans believed this and made a pact which states that if any of them were to die the deceased would return from the dead to prove to the other cousin that there was an afterlife.

Many years later, the now grown up Lady Beresford was woken by the ghost of Lord Tyrone.

He informed her he died that day and he felt the need to keep the pact they made as children.

He also provided her with a chilling message, stating she would die on her 47th birthday. To prove to her that this experience was real he grabbed her wrist, permanently scarring the flesh severely. After this encounter Lady Beresford always tied a ribbon around that wrist.

News of Lord Tyrone’s death reached Gillhall. All of the predictions he had made when he manifested as a ghost came true, all except the one regarding Lady Beresford’s death. To celebrate being alive, she threw a large party, inviting old friends, including the vicar who baptised her as a baby. Before attending her party, the vicar checked the church records, to his horror Lady Beresford was only 46, not 47. Despite still being alive, she was very concerned that her cousin’s final prediction had yet to come true.

After her party, Lady Beresford retired to bed. Tragically she died within the hour. During the post mortem, her family removed the ribbon on her wrist, revealing the scarred flesh, a permanent imprint of Lord Tyrone’s ghostly hand. Following her death, the castle changed ownership several times before falling into ruin and disrepair. Sadly in 1969, the remains of the manor were destroyed by a fire. Even though the Gillhall estate has sadly been destroyed, the Ghost of Gillhall still lives on in modern culture.

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GLENDERMOTT ROAD WORKHOUSE Glendermott Road Workhouse started off as a workhouse, but very quickly became home to the destitute, the homeless, and the insane, as well as housing orphans. The most famous ghost story surrounds that of a matron and two unfortunate orphans.

Image credited to Derry Ghosts.

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54.9961N 7.3089W This particular matron was in charge of the workhouse and had very strict rules that everyone must follow. Her idea of punishment, especially for the poor orphans was to lock them in an upstairs cupboard until they learned their lesson. This incident was no different, however it went horrifyingly wrong when the matron got called away as her sister was seriously ill.

She left in such a hurry that she forgot about the two small children she left locked in the cupboard.

As her sister’s health improved she suddenly remembered about the children in the cupboard.

She became frantic to return to the workhouse praying the children were still alive. Her prayers were not answered and she found the children deceased, clinging to each other. This caused the matron to lose any will to live and soon after this incident she committed suicide.

The workhouse is now a hospital and the night shift staff report seeing the spirit of the matron roaming the wards. A nurse who was receiving treatment at the hospital witnessed a woman in white tending her bedside before disappearing into the wall of the room. Is this the matron trying to repent her actions in the afterlife before crossing into the light? It is likely she feels remorse for what she did to those children and she feels she cannot move on until those actions have been forgiven.

Image credited to derryjournal.com.

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COUNTY CAVAN

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Image credited to workhouses.org.uk.

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CLONES WORKHOUSE This story was first reported in 1905 by the Irish Independent. One night, there were two homeless people sleeping in one of the wards of the workhouse while the workhouse was still in operation.

In the middle of the night the two men woke up at the same time to the terrifying sight of an apparition climbing the stairs. Understandably, they were horrified at this and even more so when the figure approached their beds. Rather than disappearing into thin air, the figure started to attempt to pull the beds from underneath these men, whilst also trying to remove their clothes. Their screams attracted the attention of the night porter on duty who came in and unlocked the door to the ward. The homeless men fled the scene in little more than their underwear, however the porter did not question the story, he believed them from the terrified looks in their eyes.

This figure has been seen more than just during that incident. A man reported a figure opening a fold out bed and lying down. Raising this concern with staff the next morning he was assured that there were no visitors or admissions on that particular ward that night.

Panorama credited to workhouses.org.uk.

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CABRA CASTLE HOTEL The hotel dates back to 1760, the current owners, the Crosscadden family have been in possession of the hotel for the past 20 years. It appears that the spirits of the hotel are very selective as to who they choose to show themselves to, with some staff members being unaware the place is even haunted. Those who have witnessed the paranormal activity report it being rather relentless and constant.

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53.9138N 6.7749W Despite some of the members of staff not reporting any activity, there are plenty of guests who do, as well as those who visit just purely because it is haunted. Those who are sensitive to spirits report a static feeling in the grounds, especially around a tree dubbed ‘The Hanging Tree’. The tree has a disturbing history of being used as a location for execution by hanging for many years.

Other visitors have witnessed a man in early 20th century military uniform walking down the corridor, as if he was on his way to an important meeting. Not long after this, another guest reported hearing a phantom horse and carriage pull up to the front of the hotel. This was followed by the disturbing sounds of someone dropping a screaming infant off at the front door. This is something someone may do in the past if they were unable to care for the child themselves, they would drop it on the doorstep of someone wealthy and hope they would look after the child.

Image credited to Authentic Ireland.

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COUNTY ARMAGH

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THE ARGORY Built in 1820, as a country manor, and once home to the MacGeough–Bond family, The Argory overlooks the 320 acre wooded estate, as well as the River Blackwater.

Image credited to Discover Northern Ireland.

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The Argory’s second owner, Captain Ralph MacGeough Bond-Shelton, was buried in The Argory’s grounds in 1916. He had survived the 1852 sinking of HMS Birkenhead, one of the most documented maritime disasters before the Titanic. After his passing, Captain Bond-Shelton was brought back to County Armagh to be buried near his family. It is said he still resides in the manor, keeping an eye on his former home. Although, he is not often seen, there have been reports of footsteps throughout the house. He was a recognised member of society and well known in the maritime industry, due to the fact he introduced the ‘women and children first’ protocol, a protocol which was used on the RMS Titanic.

The onsite coach house is home to preserved graffiti, created by the Second World War soldiers who were stationed there. The Argory is also home to a large historical collection, owned by the National Trust, containing family portraits, antique mahogany furniture, as well as personal possessions. Paranormal activity mainly centres around the residual sounds of the home, for example, shuffling and footsteps. The rich history as a family home, with the retention of the original artefacts, followed by soldiers being stationed here, it is no surprise that there is some residual energy trapped within the stone walls.

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54.2689N 6.4448W

THE SOUTH ARMAGH GHOST TRAIN This ghost train, appears on the train route from Belfast to Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. The testimonies surrounding the ghost train go back to the early 20th century.

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Image credited to the BBC.

One of the first reports is from a member of staff working after hours when there were no trains running. He observed the train go under the bridge, before disappearing completely. He was not the only member of staff to witness this and it is thought that the members of staff who are empaths and sensitives are more likely to experience the ghost train.

The ghost train has been attributed to the most tragic rail disaster in Irish history. In 1889, a train set off from Armagh. It was an excursion organised by the Methodist Church with 1200 passengers. The train was massively overloaded with passengers, the carriages had to be divided to bring passengers up the steep hills. The first carriage started to accelerate up the first hill before stopping and rolling backwards. This crushed the waiting carriage, derailing it and all of the passengers inside.

88 passengers died, including a railway man who died trying to apply the brakes of the train, it ended up failing and he died in the process. This accident was not a singular event. In 1921, three trains were returning from Belfast, the third of which never reached it’s destination due to an explosion, killing everyone on board, including soldiers and 40 horses. The horses were buried in a field nearby.

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COUNTY DERRY

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54.686N 6.656W SPRINGHILL HOUSE

A 17th century plantation house is reported to be haunted by the sad and tormented spirit of a lady, it is reported by visitors that she prefers to interact with children.

This ghost story can be traced back to 1816, when the Lenox-Conyngham family resided at the home. The seriously depressed George committed suicide that same year, leaving his devastated second wife, Olivia, to raise the children alone. She did this, however, she always carried the guilt of being unable to save her husband from his demons, as well as carrying the grief from becoming widowed. Her spirit is said to roam the house, however, she chooses to only manifest to children and young people, rather than targeting older generations. Despite being visibly upset, she is not a vengeful soul, preferring to wander the home or stand quietly on the stairs, watching over proceedings.

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All aspects of Olivia’s ghost appear peaceful, aside from one incident reported during the Second World War, regarding a wooden cot. The original cot that Olivia used for her children.

Soldiers residing at the house during the Second World War would report a strange knocking sound coming from the former nursery. They requested the cot to be removed and put into storage for the duration of their stay. After they did this, the unexplained knocking appeared to stop. At the end of the war, the soldiers departed Springhill House, the cot was returned to the nursery and the phantom knocking started again. It is thought that Olivia’s spirit is attached to the cot, the cot she used to rock her children to sleep in. This action alone would account for a knocking sound.

Panorama credited to The National Trust.

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55.0397N 7.1559W

DERRY CITY AIRPORT Derry City Airport is a commercial airport in Northern Ireland. Over the years, the airport has been witness to many aviation incidents, some of which have been fatal.

Numerous fatalities occurred at the airport during World War II. During this time the airport was occupied by the RAF and many soldiers were stationed there, but also many were killed there in accidents. The spirit of a young soldier has been seen in the kitchen areas of the airport by the hospitality staff.

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THE A1 The A1, connecting Newry to Belfast via County Down is one of the major roads in Northern Ireland.

In the 1970s, a section of the A1 that was single carriageway, was the sight of a paranormal experience. A driver witnessed a young soldier on the side of the road. It appeared that he wanted a lift, so the driver checked his rear view mirror, about to turn around. To his horror and confusion, the soldier had vanished inexplicably.

Another story of a similar nature states that a driver was leaving Belfast, on his way home from work. Suddenly he saw a young woman looking for a lift. Pulling over to pick her up, she silently got in, not a word was spoken by her and it was only a matter of time before the driver felt a cold chill. The driver turned around and to his horror she had vanished! This driver is not the only person to experience the ghost of this phantom hitchhiker. This female entity has been seen and picked up by numerous people, only to disappear in the passenger seat of their car.

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BANSHEES

A banshee, a female ghost is typically associated with Irish folklore. Her manifestation is often a precursor to someone’s death. Over the years, her appearance has evolved from that of an old hag combing her hair to a pale entity with an overwhelming sense of sadness. Her cries are reminiscent of a fox’s scream.

The banshee is often seen washing bloody clothing, it is thought that she washes the clothing of the individual whose death is near. There is an element to folklore that is still used by locals as a warning to anyone who may see a banshee. Never look at her, always look at the ground.

This is because if she recognises your Celtic soul as one of hers she will try to claim it as her own and you are her next victim.

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FINVOLA, DUNGIVEN, COUNTY DERRY Finvola was a member of the O’Cahan clan. The O’Cahan clan was a 17th century family. Finvola, one of the daughters in this clan, fell in love with Angus, of the McDonnel clan, who resided on the west coast of the Scottish Isles.

Finvola’s father, Dermot, agreed to the marriage on one condition. The condition was that in the tragic case Finvola died, her remains were to be returned to Dungiven for burial. In a tragic turn of events, Finvola died soon after moving to the Scottish Isles and a heartbroken Angus could not bear to part with his beloved wife. He ended up burying her on his residence in Scotland. It is assumed this upset Finvola’s spirit, and even worse, the O’Cahan Banshee, Grannie Roe O’Cahan.

Finvola’s brothers were out on a mountain near Dungiven when they heard the wails of their banshee, Grannie Roe, she always cried when a member of their clan had died. Finvola’s brothers knew something was wrong with their sister so they travelled to Scotland. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by a distraught Angus who informed them Finvola had died and he couldn’t part with her remains himself. He requested her brothers take her back to Dungiven for burial as Dermot requested. As soon as Finvola was home and buried, the family banshee Grannie Roe stopped wailing.

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54.8889N 7.0542W

55.293N 6.1956W THE RATHLIN ISLAND BANSHEE, COUNTY ANTRIM On Rathlin Island, County Antrim, a local man by the name of Neil Craig was sent to get the assistance of a local priest because one of his neighbours was very ill.

On the way back to the house of the ailing neighbour, Neil heard a moan. He asked the priest if he heard it too. The priest denied hearing anything, insisting that they carry on to the sick man’s house. Once Neil and the priest arrived at the sick man’s house it was discovered that the man was already dead. After some time with the deceased, the priest went home, requesting Neil escort him. On the way home there were no moaning or wailing sounds, it appears that the banshee’s cries were too late to save the man. Upon returning home and having a few whiskeys, the priest still denied the fact he heard a banshee crying.

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DAYLIGHT WRAITHS A daylight wraith is the appearance of a seemingly living person in spiritual form. This apparition is of an individual who may be overseas or far away from their family. The manifestation of a daylight wraith may signify that the person who presents themselves to their family needs help or has already passed away. A daylight wraith can also get a living person’s attention through poltergeist activity. Poltergeist activity involves the moving of objects, causing unexplained noises, as well as footsteps. The term ‘poltergeist’ is a German word, meaning ‘noisy ghost’.

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THE DAYLIGHT WRAITH OF CAVENKIRK, COUNTY TYRONE A prosperous family in County Tyrone had a son by the name of Robert.

Robert was constantly getting into trouble and it was decided that he should emigrate to Canada to start a fresh life. After emigrating, Robert left his siblings to look after the family farm.

After Robert left, the family appeared to live peacefully for a few years without incident, until Robert’s sister thought she saw her brother in a barn on the farm. She was not the only one to witness Robert, as one of the neighbouring farm owners also thought they saw him in the area. However, they just assumed Robert had returned home and did not think much of it. It wasn’t until Robert’s family received a letter from Canada, stating that he was still in Canada and he was fine, that they began to wonder who they had seen.

Despite having confirmation that Robert was still in Canada, it did not stop his brother being convinced he had seen Robert by some trees on the outskirts of the family property. The apparitions seen were also accompanied by unexplained paranormal activity, including noises, footsteps and objects being moved. There was a general feeling of unease within the home and on the property. It was almost like Robert’s family knew something bad was going to happen.

The paranormal activity went from solely targeting Robert’s siblings to targeting the animals on the farm. The animals started to behave strangely, even lashing out at Robert’s siblings.

The final straw for the family was Robert’s sister seeing him again, but not only did she see him, he ran at her and appeared to try and strangle her. After this incident, the family received the horrifying news that Robert had indeed passed away in Canada, however the cause of his death was not disclosed. After Robert’s death, the paranormal activity intensified to the point where the family were forced to leave. Over time, the old house fell into ruin and was eventually demolished.

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Image credited to geograph.ie.

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FLOATING COFFINS IN ATTICAL, COUNTY DOWN

It is believed that some families in the area of Attical, County Down, have psychic and fortune telling abilities. Being able to see fortunes, also came with the ability to foretell death. This is a burden not everyone would be willing to carry.

One notable family in Attical had this ability, however their abilities involved seeing floating coffins in the night skies above the town. It was believed that the coffins would float and appear to hover above a house. This was believed to foretell a death within that household or to say someone had already died.

One family member reported to see that two coffins started to hover above a neighbours house and then inexplicably stand up vertically. This house had been empty as the inhabitants had emigrated to Australia. A few days later, the tragic news emerged that two of the family members had been killed in a horrifying drowning accident. The accident occurred at the exact same time these coffins were seen tipping upright above the empty house.

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54.1684N 6.1428W

THE MOURNE DOPPELGANGER, COUNTY DOWN

Defined as a spirit double of a living person, seeing a doppelganger is a premonition that the death of that individual is imminent.

In the Mourne area of County Down, a farmer was tending to his fields. Looking across to his house he saw his elderly mother standing on the front porch, finding this strange as his mother was elderly and had poor mobility he put it to the back of his mind, going about his business and making a mental note to ask her about it later.

A few hours later, the farmer was done for the day, so returned home. He asked his mother what she was doing outside, standing on the porch. She was deeply confused, saying she never left the house that day, denying any knowledge of who that woman may have been.

This caused the farmer to get an uneasy feeling that he couldn’t shift, causing him to call a priest in. Despite the priest living locally, by the time he came to perform a blessing the old lady had sadly passed away due to natural causes.

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ABHARTACH THE IRISH VAMPIRE, COUNTY DERRY Many centuries ago it was not uncommon for individuals to partake in rituals that involved the spilling and drinking of blood. Even in the times of the potato famine, blood would have been mixed or drunk raw to provide some vitamins and supplements due to poor diet and malnutrition.

Abhartach, a cruel and deformed chieftain from the 6th century was an evil individual who practised black magic. Rumours say it was Abhartach who influenced Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’, rather than their Transylvanian counterparts. Rather than being a fair and generous chieftain, Abhartach was evil and trusted no one not even his own wife. In fact, he had convinced himself that she was having an affair. He was so determined to catch her in the act he ended up scaling the outside of a building to peek through the window. This ended up being his own undoing as he fell to his death. As all chieftains were buried in those days, he was buried upright.

He was definitely confirmed dead before burial, however he still returned the next day as a blood thirsty monster, demanding blood from his subjects. He believed this would sustain his life as an undead being, or in modern times, he would be labelled a vampire. This did not go down well with other chieftains, especially one by the name of Cathan. Cathan decided to take matters into his own hands, vowing to slay the vampire that was Abhartach. After being slayed, Abhartach was buried again. It is unsurprising that Abhartach’s entity reappeared again, starting a vicious cycle of Cathan slaying him, burying him, then Abhartach rising from the dead yet again.

This caused Cathan to become frustrated with the undead entity, causing him to consult with a holy man, or a priest. This holy man instructed Cathan that in order to slay this vampire, he must use a sword made from a Yew Tree. Once dead, Abhartach must be buried upside down, surrounded by thorns and boulders placed upon the burial site. Cathan did this, in turn stopping Abhartach from rising from the dead again.

Even in modern times, this burial site is still sacred. A tree was planted and has grown over his grave site. Despite being dead for many centuries, locals still avoid the area after dark.

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All of the images in this book have been credited throughout from online sources including: • • • • • • •

Discover Northern Ireland Visit Belfast The BBC Workhouses.org.uk Geograph.ie Derry Journal Derry Ghosts

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