European Ghosts Ireland

Meet the Faceless Ghost

The ghost of a Spanish minstrel believed to have been shipwrecked off the coast of Ireland and the faceless ghost of Lady Margaret Hardnett, a 17th-century aristocrat renowned for her beauty and erratic behavior, are the residents of the 14th-century tower house at Belvelly Castle in County Cork.

Legend has it that after Margaret turned down a suitor’s advances, Clon Rockenby starved the family until she went insane and destroyed all of the mirrors in the castle. Now her ghostly spirit in the medieval tower searches for reflections of herself in mirrors.

Recently, new private owners have renovated the castle, which can be seen from the Cork Road Bridge on Fota Island.

The White Lady of Kinsale

Legend has it that the White Lady of Kinsale walks the battlements of Charles Fort in County Cork. This star-shaped military stronghold in Kinsale Harbor was where her husband was murdered on their wedding night by her father, Colonel Warrender. Since then, people have reported seeing a ghostly spectral woman in a wedding gown causing chaos throughout the stronghold. Parents who are stationed at the fort have seen her watching their children as they sleep, and soldiers have seen her moving through the walls.

The most terrifying tale is that of a medical officer in 1922, who was pulled from his chamber and hurled down a flight of stairs by a young woman dressed in robes.

The White Lady of Kinsale is still reported to haunt Charles Fort, where sightings of her spectral figure continue to be documented by visitors and locals alike.

The Ghost of Harriet

Volunteers from the community have saved Charlesville Castle in Offaly from complete deterioration. They take visitors around the once magnificent home and tell them about its history.

Here you can meet the ghost of Harriet, the daughter of the third Earl of Charlesville, who died falling down a flight of stairs in 1861. Her ghostly spirit is known to stalk the castle in the night, singing, laughing, and screaming.

The oldest oak tree in Ireland is situated in the estate’s historic oak forests.

Hear the Duckett Grove Banshee

The spooky ruins of Duckett’s Grove estate are situated in Carlow. The area has been visited by paranormal investigators who have photographic evidence of the former owner William Duckett, who owned the estate in 1830.

Hear the Duckett Grove banshee shrieking through the ruins along with the voices of former kitchen servants.

Visitors have heard an organ playing within the ruined walls and a phantom horse and carriage pull up outside of what was once a grand house.

Much of the ruined house is impassable, but the historic walled garden is still open to the public Friday to Sunday, offering audio guides to thrill-seekers looking to brave the grounds alone, as well as free guided tours.

Ruins of the Hellfire Club and Devilish Happenings

Daytime and sunshine bring hikers and families to enjoy picnics on the grass at this beautiful spot atop Montpellier Hill in the Dublin Mountains.

You do not want to hang around after the sun goes down. The abandoned hunting lodge comes to life with the ghostly spirits of its occupants, who were rumored to have experimented with hedonistic behavior and black magic.

Legend has it that one evening these “hellfire” members invited the devil to play cards. He set the club on fire after they found out who he really was, leaving it in its current condition of destruction. Since then, demonic activities have been widespread. People have heard disembodied voices, smelled foul odors, and felt a cold grasp around their necks.

The Lady In Red

With a history of decades of sorrow and tragedy, Leap Castle in Offaly has many resident ghosts. Over the ages, many people have died here, most notably the tortured souls who are alleged to have betrayed the original historical proprietors.

You’ll see two young ghostly girls, Emily and Charlotte, play in the hallways and occasionally fall from the battlement, reenacting Emily’s unexpected and tragic death at the age of 11.

Now imagine wandering through the hallways and encountering the Lady in Red, who carries a dagger.

Visitors can listen to owner Sean Ryan’s terrifying tales of paranormal encounters – from hearing chanting coming from the walls to seeing objects moved in front of his eyes. The brave at heart can search for ghosts in the Bloody Chapel and the Murder Hole Room.

The Ghostly Spirit of Lady Anne

Situated on the windy Hook Peninsula in Wexford, Loftus Hall is a Gothic structure said to have hosted the devil and is among the most haunted mansions in Ireland.

Legend has it that on a stormy night in the 1760s, a stranger knocked on the door and the owners, Charles Tottenham and his wife Anne, invited him into their home. They had been playing cards, and now they all sat down to continue playing. Anne reached down to pick up a fallen card and saw that their visitor had cloven hooves instead of feet. The stranger ran through the roof in a burst of flames as soon as he heard her screams. The mansion is still haunted by Lady Anne, who never fully recovered from this experience.