The Hungry
Location: Frosses (County Donegal) - Roose Bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: During the Great Famine, a pot filled with gruel would be placed on the bridge for passersby to eat. Not everyone who walked along the route survived, and a few of the people who starved to death remain.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2022-07-30
Last updated: 2022-07-30
ID: #14575
The Captain
Location: Gola Roads, Inishinny (County Donegal) - Bunbeg, general area
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: After a particularly fierce storm, the body of a boat's captain known to the locals was discovered on the shoreline. His body was taken back to the mainland, though shortly after he briefly appeared in the hamlet, standing in the doorway of a hut.
Source:
Historical Record, Published Media
First added: 2005-06-09
Last updated: 2005-06-09
ID: #6332
Forbidden Couple
Location: Greencastle (County Donegal) - Northburgh Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Another location haunted by a pair of star crossed lovers. In this story, the daughter of Earl William fell in love with the son of a family rival. The son was locked up in the castle and starved to death, while the daughter died trying to help the boy escape. Both now haunt the site.
Source:
Needs Review
First added: 2022-09-25
Last updated: 2022-09-25
ID: #14661
Lovers reunited after death.
Pair of Lovers
Location: Greencastle (County Donegal) - Site of ruined castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The daughter of Earl William and the son of Sir Walter Burk fell in love; unfortunately, their parents were mortal enemies. When Earl Williams discovered the relationship, he locked the young man in a tower to starve to death. When Williams' daughter tried to help her lover, she was killed. The pair are now united as spectres.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2005-06-08
Last updated: 2005-06-08
ID: #6320
Vanishing Island
Location: Inisbofin (aka Inishbofinne) (County Donegal) - Off coast
Type: Environmental Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Inhabitants of this island spotted another island identical to their own, which vanished a brief time later.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2025-03-22
Last updated: 2025-03-22
ID: #15837
Man in a White Suit
Location: Inver (County Donegal) - Drumbeg House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A ghostly gentleman wearing a white suit supposedly walked around the site. A screaming woman would also occasionally be heard.
Source:
Needs Review
First added: 2022-09-25
Last updated: 2022-09-25
ID: #14658
Running Woman
Location: Inver (County Donegal) - Roads in the area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A phantom woman runs out in front of cars, vanishing with a thud when hit, leaving no dent on the vehicle nor evidence she ever existed.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2022-09-25
Last updated: 2022-09-25
ID: #14657
Voices
Location: Letterkenny (County Donegal) - Private flat, High Road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1992
Further Comments: A blessing had to be performed on this site after occupants experienced strange noises, cold spots, and unidentified voices. Researchers later discovered a building that had previously stood on the site had been used to house the sick.
Source:
Published Media, User Submission
First added: 2023-08-06
Last updated: 2023-08-06
ID: #15032
Adam Grierson
Location: Lifford (County Donegal) - Old Courthouse
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1860s
Further Comments: Francis Bradley was twice put on trial for the murder of Adam Grierson, each time the jury unable to agree a verdict. During the third trial, a priest attempted to summon the ghost of Grierson; as he called for the ghost to come, the sky darkened and the horses outside could be heard to whinny. The judge demanded the priest to cease, and the sky returned to normal. The third jury also failed to reach a verdict. More recently, items are reputed to move around the site and nightwatchmen are wary.
Source:
Published Media, User Submission
First added: 2023-08-06
Last updated: 2023-08-06
ID: #15033
Dancing Fairies
Location: Lough Derg (County Donegal) - Exact location not known
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Mid nineteenth century
Further Comments: A group of children encountered between eight and ten fairies dancing to music. One of the little people charged towards the children, striking one girl with a plant - the children ran home, and the girl who was hit later collapsed, only waking when a priest visited her.
Source:
Historical Record, Published Media
First added: 2011-03-27
Last updated: 2011-03-27
ID: #10237
Rowing Boat
Location: Lough Derg (County Donegal) - Waters of the lough
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late nineteenth century
Further Comments: A phantom rowing boat was said to haunt this body of water, although no crew could ever be seen within. It would be accompanied with music and voices.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2011-03-27
Last updated: 2011-03-27
ID: #12511
Suileach
Location: Lough Swilly (County Donegal) - Waters of the lough
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Sixth century
Further Comments: Suileach was a huge creature with many eyes and spread terror throughout the county. The creature is thought to have been killed by Saint Colum Cuille in the sixth century.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2011-03-27
Last updated: 2011-03-27
ID: #10255
Unknown Creature
Location: Lough Waskel (County Donegal) - Waters of the lough
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 1940s?
Further Comments: A fisherman is said to have caught a strange brown creature covered in creamy blotches here.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2011-03-27
Last updated: 2011-03-27
ID: #10256
Island Village
Location: Maas (County Donegal) - Gweebarra Bay
Type: Environmental Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: When a magically appearing and disappearing island manifested in the bay, inhabitants of Maas could see a village that resembled their own.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2025-03-22
Last updated: 2025-03-22
ID: #15838
Blue Figure
Location: Newtowncunningham (County Donegal) - Sharon Rectory
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twenty-first century
Further Comments: This property featured in several media outlets in 2021 when occupant Emma Louise Tully said she had been physically attacked by ghosts. Tully had also encountered a protective blue misty figure, thought to be Sara Waller who was murdered on the site.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2021-05-06
Last updated: 2021-05-06
ID: #14119
Siobhan Neill
Location: Port Donegal (County Donegal) - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Siobhan, daughter of the clan's leader, was found dead by the river. People claimed she had died while learning to swim, although others said she had been murdered for trying to escape an arranged marriage. Regardless, Siobhan's ghost haunts the area.
Source:
Published Media, User Submission
First added: 2022-09-25
Last updated: 2022-09-25
ID: #14663
The ghostly white lady of County Donegal.
White Woman
Location: Raphoe (County Donegal) - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1875, midnight
Further Comments: After a tall ghostly white woman began to walk the streets at night, it was reported many residents refused to leave their homes after dark.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2020-05-05
Last updated: 2020-05-05
ID: #13746
Length of Life
Location: Raphoe (County Donegal) - Well (no longer present)
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Pre-1911
Further Comments: This well was said to inform people how much longer they had to live. If someone looked into it and the water bubbled and overflowed, they had a long life ahead of them. However, if the water level sank lower, then the end was nigh.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2011-10-30
Last updated: 2011-10-30
ID: #10629
Faceless Woman
Location: St Johnston (County Donegal) - Mongavlin Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1830?
Further Comments: A dark-haired, faceless figure dressed in white would patrol the area and was blamed for the death of a servant after he quit and took his own life.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2022-09-11
Last updated: 2022-09-11
ID: #14604
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