County Dublin Ghosts, Folklore and Paranormal Places
Shadows
Location: Dublin - The Dublin Hellfire Club
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Though not officially used for many years, visitors to the site at night report dancing shadows in and around the former hunting lodge.
Lady Reid
Location: Dublin - Town house in Fitzwilliam Square
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This phantom woman has terrorised many visitors to the house who have tried to spend the night in the guest bedroom.
Corney
Location: Dublin - Unknown house near St Stephen's Green
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late nineteenth / early twentieth century
Further Comments: Most of Corney's antics resembled classic poltergeist activity (hiding crockery and cutlery, pinching people as they lay in bed), though he did manifest to a young boy who described him as a naked old man. The haunting became so well known locally that the owners had a very hard time trying to sell the house.
Gammon
Location: Dublin - Widow Gammons Hill, Monkstown
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The widow Gammon is said to have informed Cromwell's men that monks were hiding in this area. After her death, the widow's ghost returned to the area, one witness claiming that the phantom had touched his neck, leaving a burn.
Shadowy Coaches
Location: Dublin Mountains - Montpelier Hill - ruins of the Hell Fire Club
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Founded in the 1730s, the Hell Fire Club quickly became notorious for its black antics. The former meeting ground is said to be haunted by some of these dark deeds, and by phantom horse and coaches which rush past the building, containing the souls of former Hell Fire Club members.
Lady Grace
Location: Dun Laoghaire - Boley manor house (since demolished and replaced by Rory O'Connor Park)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Likely circa early twentieth century, and May 1977
Further Comments: Lady Grace was said to haunt this house, walking with a limp while wearing black clothing and a bonnet. Towards the end of the haunting, the phantom took to knocking on doors and telling one witness 'you are not to sleep here tonight'. The phantom may have made a brief reappearance in 1977; when the last tree from the manor was cut down, a phantom voice was heard in the neighbourhood, calling for help before breaking into song.
Rent Avoidance
Location: Dun Laoghaire - Unnamed house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: January 1888
Further Comments: A case heard by the Recorder of Dublin involved a landlord suing a tenant for non-payment of six months' rent. The tenant claimed he had seen a young woman with a glowing halo walking around the property at night. The landlord was awarded rent covering three months. As an aside, the Recorder of Dublin commented he was surprised that a ghost story would be discussed in court in the nineteenth century.
White Rat
Location: Howth - Howth Castle
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This ghostly albino rat appears whenever misfortune or evil threatens the House of St Lawrence, while an oak which stands outside is said to lose a branch before the death of the head of the family. The castle is also haunted by phantom footsteps.
Black Cat of Killakee
Location: Killakee - General area, including the Arts Centre
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1970s
Further Comments: The Arts Centre found itself haunted by a violent manifestation during the 1970s, which destroyed rooms which the owners securely padlocked up. A short spectral man was seen to transform into a black cat before vanishing, leading to speculation that the building was haunted by a demon once summoned by the nearby Hell Fire Club.
Blazing Eyed Dog
Location: Malahide - Feltrim Hill
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A large black hound with burning red eyes was said to lurk in this area. A phantom grey horse is also reported, as is an old woman laden down with a bundle of faggots, drifting towards the Holy Well.
Puck
Location: Malahide - Malahide Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1976 (Puck), June 2010 (other)
Further Comments: A small man, Puck only stands 120 centimetres tall and possesses a long matted beard. He is said to have been a watchman who fell asleep and failed to see approaching enemy soldiers, so took his own life out of shame. A group of friends who visited the site in June 2010 reported seeing a mannequin's eyes move and a lid of a laundry basket lift itself up.
Evil Face
Location: Malahide - Old school hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: A cleric who would occasionally sleep her instead of travelling home to Dublin awoke one night to see two hands open the curtains and an evil looking face appear between them, before the drapes were closed again. The cleric leapt out of bed and searched the room but could find no one.
Heavy Breathing
Location: Naul - Westownhouse
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: The ghost of a poacher shot on the site is still said to haunt the ruins of this building. Two visitors to the site reported feeling heavy breathing behind them, though they could see no one.
Faceless Nun
Location: Pearse - St Brigids area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1976
Further Comments: Eric Cuthbert, while walking his dog, encountered a figure dressed in a 'robe' with its back turned to him. As he approached, Cuthbert realised that the robe was a habit. The figure turned around, revealing that it was faceless - Cuthbert ran home.
Cloaked Man
Location: Porterstown - Old schoolhouse (may no longer be standing)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This former school building is reputed to be haunted by a figure dressed in a cloak.
Little Boy
Location: Rathfarnham - Rathfarnham Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Frequenting the gate house area, this young lad is thought to have been murdered in the area. The castle is also haunted by a dog, which gave his life trying to save his master who had fallen into an ice covered pond.
Boss Croker
Location: Sandyford - Glencairn House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Mid twentieth century?
Further Comments: Having invested a great deal of money into his Irish residence, horse racing millionaire 'Boss' Croker would appear to continue to keep an eye on his former estate from beyond the grave. His spectral form has been watched by former workers and friends drifting around the garden and a handful of rooms.
William
Location: Sutton - Coastline
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ship William was lured onto the rocks by wreakers operating in the area, 78 people dying as the ship was torn to pieces on the rocks. The phantom ship still passes by the coastline, while on land, strange lights dance around.
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