The Paranormal Database

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.

The ghost of Lady Grace.

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.

An old woodcut of a man standing within a magic circle summoning a demon.

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.

Short Man

Location: Rathfarnham - Killakee House restaurant (closed September 2020)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: While the owners of the restaurant said they had not encountered anything otherworldly, one said that some customers experienced a 'bad feeling' in one particular location. Another witness claimed to have seen a ghostly short man with kyphosis standing at the back of a room.

Voices

Location: Rathfarnham - Marlay House (aka The Grange)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1970s
Further Comments: A former owner of the house would manifest in and around the house. Strange sounds and disembodied voices could be heard, particularly in the old music room.

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.

A phantom ship passes lights on the shoreline.

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.