Ghosts Of Ireland. (Page 1)

GHOSTS OF IRELAND

By TONY ELLIS

Index

Fort Kinsale, Kinsale, Co Cork

Portobello Harbour, Rathmines Bridge, Dublin

St Stephens Green, Dublin

118 Summerhill, Dublin

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin

Sutton, Co Dublin

Kilkea Castle, nr Castledermott, Co Kildare

Straffan, Co Kildare

Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny

Granard, Co Longford

Gill House, Portlaw, Co Waterford

Waterford, Co Waterford

Tullamore, Wexford, Co Wexford

Fort Kinsale, Kinsale, Co Cork

Fort Kinsale, built in 1677, is haunted by the ghost of the White Lady, a haunting that is said to have started a short while after the fortress was built.

The fort became the home of Colonel Warrender, a strict disciplinarian. He had a daughter with the unusual name of “Wilful” who married Sir Trevor Ashurst. On their wedding day they were walking along the fort’s battlements when the new Lady Ashurst saw some flowers growing on the rocks beneath. She asked her husband if she might have some of them. Sir Trevor, a bit apprehensive about climbing down the rocks himself, asked a sentry on duty if he would go down for him, the sentry only too pleased to oblige the newly-weds, agreed to do so provided that Sir Trevor stood in for him by taking his place. Sir Trevor agreed, and buttoning on the sentry’s tunic took over the soldier’s guard duty whilst the sentry clambered down to retrieve the flowers for her ladyship.

Time passed and “Wilful” Ashurst began to complain about the chilly night air. Her new husband advised his bride to go inside and wait for him in their apartments, saying that he would join her when the sentry returned with the flowers. Time dragged on and there was still no sign of the returning sentry. Sir Trevor was exhausted by the events of the day and was also a little drunk. He fell asleep.

He was still in a deep sleep when Colonel Warrender made his rounds. Seeing one of his sentries asleep he approached the man, drew his pistol and shot him through the heart. When the body was brought inside for examination Colonel Warrender was horrified to see that he had shot his own son-in-law.

As soon as she learned of the fate of her husband, Lady Ashurst rushed from her apartments in a distraught state and threw herself over the battlements. On learning of the second tragedy Colonel Warrender shot himself the same night.

One summer in 1815, Major Black, a veteran of the Peninsular Wars, was astounded to see a strange lady enter through a doorway and walk upstairs. At first he thought she must have been one of his fellow officers’ wives but there was something distinctively odd about her. He noticed that she wore an old-fashioned white dress. He followed her into a nearby room but found that she had completely disappeared.

On another occasion, two sergeants who served under Major Black, were packing equipment. One of the men had his little daughter with him. The girl wanted to know who the White Lady was who was looking at them and smiling at her. Both men looked up but could see nobody. However the little girl was adamant that she had seen a lady dressed in white, looking down at her. The same White Lady was seen some years later by a children’s nurse standing over the cot of a young child.

In the 1870’s, Captain Marvell Hull and Lieutenant Hartland were walking upstairs when they both saw the White Lady who looked at the officers for a short while before disappearing through a locked door.

In the 1920’s a surgeon at the fort was found lying senseless at the bottom of the stairs leading to his room. When he recovered he said that he had seen the figure of a woman in white, wearing what he described as an old-fashioned wedding dress. A short while afterwards the same figure was seen by a Captain Jervis. He too was found lying senseless at the bottom of the same stairs.

Portobello Harbour, Rathmines Bridge, Dublin

The ghost of a lock-keeper, who drowned himself after being sacked for drunkenness, was blamed for a tragedy that occurred at Portobello Harbour at 9 o’clock on the evening of Saturday, 6th April, 1861.

A horse-drawn bus, driven by Patrick Hardy, had just dropped a passenger on the canal approach when one of the horses started to rear. A brilliant light was seen to rise from the canal water and turn into a human shape. Both horses become uncontrollable with fear and backed the bus through the wooden rails of the bridge. The bus, horses and six passengers inside the bus, plunged into the cold waters and were drowned. The conductor was able to jump clear and the driver was pulled from the water by a passing policeman.

Three years previously a soldier stationed at nearby Portobello Barracks was walking from camp to meet his girlfriend one November evening when he was blinded by a brilliant light that rose from the water. The young soldier panicked, missed his footing and fell into the water, where he drowned. Two people walking by at the time swore that the light rose from the water and took human shape.

St Stephens Green, Dublin

A large old house used to stand at St Stephens Green, with high windows and a massive nail-studded door. It stood empty for a number of years after the death of a foreign lady who is said to have lived a rather secluded life there.

Colonel and Mrs Launey and their family moved into the house in the 1840’s after taking a three year lease. It was several weeks before anything was to happen. One November evening, Colonel Launey being away in London on a business trip and the servants all being out for the evening, Mrs Launey was sitting alone in the drawing room when she heard her children screaming in their bedroom. She stood up at once to go to their aid. As she got into the hallway she saw a dark figure walking up the staircase.

She wondered which of the servants had arrived home early or who had changed their minds and not gone out. She called out, but to her horror, when the figure turned round it was headless. After a moment the dark figure started walking upstairs again, disappearing round a bend in the stairs. Pulling herself together, Mrs Launey, concerned for her children, raced upstairs. The children had seen nothing but had heard a strange noise in their room. Mrs Launey pacified the children and went downstairs again, returning to the drawing room.

Much to her relief the servants returned home early that night and Colonel Launey arrived home the following day from his visit to London. Mrs Launey told her husband about the headless apparition that she had seen but he did not take the matter seriously. However, a few nights later the couple were at dinner when they both heard the sound of a spinet being played in the drawing room. Colonel Launey rushed to investigate but quickly returned. He, too, had seen the ghost.

Several weeks later, Guy Lorrimer, Mrs Launey’s brother, came to spend Christmas with them. He scoffed at the idea of ghosts but the day after his arrival he was in his bedroom getting ready for dinner when he saw a dark figure emerge from under his bed, crawl on all fours towards a cupboard built into the walls and disappear with a loud chuckling laugh. Whilst the figure was crawling along the floor Guy Lorrimer had thrown his boots at it, only to see the boots sail straight through the apparition and hit the wall on the far side. A look inside the cupboard revealed that there was nobody there.

On Christmas Eve the Launeys gave their children, Moira and Molly, a party. After tea they crossed the hall from the dining room to put a few more presents under the tree in the drawing room. On opening the door they were startled to see that the room was illuminated by a weird light and lying on the floor was the body of a woman. The head had been cut off. A tall, swarthy-looking man stood over it, a horn-handled knife in his hand. Standing close to him was a slender foreign-looking girl, dressed in the early 18th century style, with expensive jewellery around her neck.

All the presents that had already been put on the tree by Mrs Launey were scattered on the floor and some were broken. Hanging from the centre of the tree was the decapitated head of a woman, with long black hair and wide-open glassy eyes. There was a scream of laughter and then the vision faded away, leaving the room in pitch darkness.

The Launeys left the house the following day.

118 Summerhill, Dublin

In January 1966, six workmen were demolishing the house when they reported repeatedly seeing a ghost watching them whilst they were going about their work. Three men, on separate occasions, described how they had seen the ghost of a man, described as being tall and wearing a striped shirt or overall without a collar, standing in the one room watching them. The workers became that scared that they refused to work in the house except in broad daylight and when there were two men working together at the same spot.

At the end of the 19th century the house had been owned by a family of coachbuilders and it is thought that the ghost was a member of the family, or one of its old employees, who had come to watch the workmen demolish the old house.

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin

The ghost of a black Newfoundland dog has been seen many times at the Cathedral, sitting at the base of a memorial statue to Captain McNeill Boyd who was lost in February, 1861 whilst attempting to rescue drowning seamen at Dun Laoghaire. The apparition is said to be that of Captain Boyd’s devoted dog which has also been seen many times lying on his master’s grave at nearby Glasnevin Cemetery.

On the night of Saturday 8th February, 1861, the Irish Sea was swept by one of the worst gales of the century. The harbour at Kingstown, now Dun Laoghaire, was littered with debris and the wreckage of battered vessels. Scores of bodies of drowned people were found on the shoreline. Among those who helped to recover the bodies and clear the wreckage was Captain Boyd, in command of the coastguard vessel Ajax.

Three stricken vessels, the Neptune, the Industry and the Mary, were trying to get to the shelter of the harbour. The Neptune and the Industry were to be smashed against the rocks whilst the Mary was wrecked further along the coast at Sandymount. Captain Boyd and some of his men were on the rocks trying to rescue the men from the stricken vessels. Together with three of his men he was swept into the sea by a giant wave. When a lifeboat from the Ajax later went to search for Captain Boyd and the three other men, his faithful Newfoundland dog was in the rescue boat.

When the body of Captain Boyd was finally recovered it was brought ashore and he was given one of the biggest funerals ever seen in Dublin. During the funeral procession his faithful dog walked beside the coffin and followed it to Glasnevin Cemetery where Captain Boyd was interred. When the grave was filled in the dog, so devoted to his master, lay on top and refused to be moved, eventually dying of hunger. Shortly afterwards the memorial statue to Captain Boyd was erected in the Cathedral by the people of Dublin.

One of those who saw the dog many times at the base of the statue in the Cathedral was Dean Wilson, who died in 1950.

Sutton, Co Dublin

In November, 1696, the packet-ship William from Holyhead, bound for Ringsend, Dublin carrying 80 passengers, was battered on the rocks by a strong gale with the loss of all lives except for the captain and galley-boy. The captain, who later gave evidence at a public inquiry, said that lights had been seen in the area around the rocks and thinking that it was safe to guide his ship towards them, had done so and smashed into the rocks. This would suggest that wreckers had been to blame for the disaster, for at that time wreckers were very active in the area, luring ships onto the jagged rocks to seize any cargo and valuables that they could lay their hands on.

The phantom packet-ship has been seen on many occasions since that time and ghostly lanterns have also been seen, still enticing to doom on the rocks.

Kilkea Castle, nr Castledermott, Co Kildare

Now a modern hotel, Kilkea Castle is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Garrett Ogg, otherwise known as “The Wizard Earl”.

Garrett Ogg, the 11th Earl of Kildare, practised magic in the 16th century. On one occasion he is said to have been demonstrating his abilities as a magician to his rather sceptical wife when he told her that he would turn himself into a bird on condition that she showed no fear. If she did, he told her, he would vanish. The Wizard Earl duly turned himself into a bird and his wife was not in the least scared, until a cat came into the room, saw a nice juicy bird and went for it. The Earl’s wife, knowing better than the cat, instantly realised that it was attacking her husband in bird form, screamed and Garrett Ogg disappeared for ever. That is except for every seven years when the Wizard Earl returns to Kilkea Castle, where he visits the room where he was attacked by the cat, before galloping off to Mullaghmast.

Kilkea Castle is also the scene of other psychic disturbances. Bedclothes have been scattered unaccountably around Room 222, which is where the Earl showed off his magical ability to his wife so many years ago with such dramatic results. Footsteps have also been heard coming from the same room. Female voices have been heard on the roof over the bedroom.

There have been no reports of any disturbances since November, 1972.

Straffan, Co Kildare

The ghost of a railway guard, who has been seen walking at night along a stretch of the local railway line carrying a lamp, is thought to be the guard of an express train that broke down on 5th October, 1853 with such terrible results. A luggage train following some distance behind ploughed into the express killing 16 people and injuring another 30.

At the inquiry it was revealed that the rear lamp of the express train had gone out and the guard admitted that he had forgotten to put oil into the lamp before the start of his duty. At that particular point the speed restriction for all railway traffic was 20 mph and the driver of the luggage train admitted that he was travelling at a speed far in excess of that.

It is thought that the spectral guard patrols the line at night with his lamp in atonement for his negligence on that fatal night and to ensure that no similar accident will happen again.

Kilkenny, Co Kilkenny

The ghost of a tall thin woman, hobbling on crutches and wearing a long coat, with long flowing hair, has been seen walking in the vicinity of St John’s Parochial Hall.

In May, 1969 a young nurse and her boyfriend saw the figure whilst they were in a parked car after spending an evening at the local dance. Other people have seen the apparition including a local priest.

Granard, Co Longford

The headless ghost of a British Army officer and his headless horse have been seen at night in various parts of Co Longford. The reports of the sightings are so well-known in the district that people lock themselves in their houses at nightfall and refuse to leave again until daylight the following morning.

Captain Blundell was attached to a cavalry unit in barracks near Granard in the early part of the 18th century. He was very fond of the high life and enjoyed drinking, dancing and gambling. He as also very fond of some of the local women.

One night Captain Blundell attended a military ball in Granard. He was in the best of spirits and having partaken of his usual amount of alcohol he was the life and soul of the party. There was no sign of any problems and yet the following morning, after he had failed to report for duty, an orderly was sent to arouse him only to discover that Captain Blundell’s door was locked from the inside, very unusual for him, and that the windows were barred. When the door was finally forced open the headless body of the officer was found lying on the floor.

At the inquest it was stated that the officer was a happy man and had no financial worries. He certainly had no reason to take his own life. Despite this, however, the jury returned a verdict of suicide although it was never established how a man in such a position could cut off his own head and dispose of it. Many local people, and certainly all his brother officers, did not agree with the verdict.

It was known that Captain Blundell, following his association with some of the local women, had made a number of enemies and could have been murdered by a jealous rival. It was known that one of his associations had been with the daughter of a local landowner who had planned better things for her. It was felt in many quarters that it was this father who had something to do with the tragedy.

Gill House, Portlaw, Co Waterford

Nicola Hamilton and John, Second Earl of Tyrone, were both educated at the same school and had common interests, including the subject of life after death and astrology. They entered into a pact that if there was life beyond the grave the one who died first would let the other know. Lord Tyrone left school and lived the life of a recluse. Nicola Hamilton married Sir Tristram Beresford.

In October, 1693, Sir Tristram and Lady Beresford were visiting Lady Beresford’s sister at Gill House. On the 15th, leaving Lady Beresford asleep, Sir Tristram rose early and went for a walk before breakfast. On his return he found his wife agitated and embarrassed. Both Sir Tristram and Lady MacGill, Lady Beresford’s sister, were very concerned about a possible injury to Lady Beresford’s wrist as she had it covered with a black ribbon. Lady Beresford asked her husband and her sister, together with others present, not to mention her wrist again, adding that she would always be wearing the ribbon in future and would never be seen without it.

A few days later, after breakfast, she asked if any letters had been delivered for her. When asked why she replied that she expected to learn of the death of Lord Tyrone, which she was sure had taken place the previous Tuesday. A short while later a letter was delivered. The letter was from Lord Tyrone’s steward informing her that his master had died in Dublin the previous Tuesday, 14th October, 1693, at 4 pm.

Lord Tyrone had appeared to Lady Beresford soon after his death at the time when Sir Tristram was taking his pre-breakfast walk. His reason for returning was to honour the promise made when they had both been at school together. He had placed his finger on her wrist to prove that he really was there. His touch had left a black mark on the skin and the joint had shrivelled. She had then tied the wrist in a black ribbon to hide the wound. Lord Tyrone had told her that she would bear Sir Tristran a son, would marry for a second time and would die at the age of 47. All these predictions were to come true.

It is interesting to note that as Lady Beresford lay dying she asked her son to remove the black ribbon from her wrist. There indeed was a black mark and the skin surrounding it was shrivelled.

Waterford, Co Waterford

Just before midnight, one Christmas Eve in the middle of the 1850’s, Eli Hayson was disturbed in his sleep by the sound of hurried footsteps running along the waterfront towards his house. Getting up to investigate, peering through the window he saw a figure racing from the river towards his front door. When the figure had almost reached his house three more figures were seen to emerge from the waterfront, apparently chasing the first figure. It was only when the original figure reached the house and started banging on the door pleading to be let in, that he realised that it was Jack, his twin brother, who he thought was in Cork on the vessel Thomas Emery.

Before Eli could get the door open the three other figures, all dressed in sailors’ clothes but appearing to be wearing stags’ heads, grabbed hold of Jack. At that moment the moon disappeared behind a large cloud and by the time that it had reappeared again neither Jack nor the other three figures were to be seen and all was extremely quiet. Realising that he had witnessed a ghostly vision, a very alarmed Eli went back to bed but could not sleep for the remainder of the night.

Three days later Eli’s father received a letter from the captain of the Thomas Emery saying that Jack Hayson had fallen overboard and drowned whilst sleep-walking. At the inquest in Cork, Mr Hayson said that Jack had never walked in his sleep at home, but several members of the crew swore that they had regularly seen him get out of his bed at night and walk the ship, still in a state of sleep. A verdict of “Found drowned” was recorded.

The Hayson family were totally dissatisfied with the result of the inquest and were convinced that the ghostly vision witnessed by Eli suggested that Jack had been the victim of foul play. Inquiries were made about the captain and crew of the Thomas Emery but to no avail. Years passed, Mr and Mrs Hayson died an Eli abandoned all hope of solving the mystery of how his brother had died.

Twenty years later Eli was sitting in the parlour of a small hotel in Cork, where he was well-known, when the landlord told him that there was an old man, Matthew Webster, who had some news for him. Eli was advised not to delay for too long as the old man was in poor health and was not expected to live very long. Eli called upon the old man the same evening.

Matthew Webster told Eli that he had a son, Tom, who had died two months previously. Some years ago, on a Christmas Eve, Tom Webster had been on duty on the quay at Cork. At midnight he was sitting dozing in front of a brazier outside his shed when he was suddenly awakened by the sound of footsteps. He saw three extraordinary figures dressed in sailors’ gear but wearing animal masks walking down the quay back to the schooner Thomas Emery. There was something extremely odd about the three men and Thomas Webster decided to follow them. He had secretly boarded the schooner and hidden himself. A short while later he was disturbed by screams and saw a man about his own age being pursued by the same three men. In the end, to escape the drunken trio, the young man had jumped overboard and subsequently drowned. As none of the other three tried to rescue him Thomas Webster ran from his hiding place but was captured by the three men. At first they wanted to kill him as well but on his oath that he would say nothing about the incident they let him go. He did not know who the men were for they were still wearing their masks.

When asked to tell him the exact date of Thomas Webster’s experience Eli Hayson learned that it was 24th December, the same night that he had seen the figure of his twin brother trying to get into his cottage at Waterford.

Tullamore, Wexford, Co Wexford

In the 1880’s Lord Dufferin, who was later to become British Ambassador to Paris, was on holiday at Tullamore when he saw an apparition that was later to save his life.

One night, at about 2 o’clock in the morning, he woke up suddenly after being startled from a deep sleep. Getting out of bed and going to the window he saw, in the moonlight, a hunchbacked figure on the lawn staggering with the weight of a coffin-shaped object. Lord Dufferin raced downstairs, out onto the lawn, and asked the figure what he was doing, what he was carrying and what he wanted. As the man lifted his head Lord Dufferin saw that he had an extremely ugly-looking face that utterly repelled him. The figure then disappeared before his eyes. The following morning he told his host of his experience but his friend was at a complete loss to explain the strange man. Certainly there had been no reports of a ghost at Tullamore.

A few years later, Lord Dufferin, by this time British Ambassador, was to attend a diplomatic function at the Grand Hotel in Paris. He waited at the lift with his secretary and the hotel manager. Just as they were about to enter the lift Lord Dufferin drew back in horror and flatly refused to enter the cage. The lift operator was the same man he had seen carrying the coffin on the lawn at his friend’s house in Wexford several years previously. The lift doors closed and the cage moved up to the fifth floor. At this point the cable snapped and the cage crashed to the bottom of the shaft, killing all it’s occupants.

The accident was fully investigated but there was nobody who knew who the strange lift operator was.