Antrim’s most beautiful and haunting tour sites – Dunluce Castle.

Ghost Bus — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 21:13:13 +0000

One of many tragic tales to come out of this country involves one of Antrim’s most beautiful and haunting sites – Dunluce Castle. The castle sits upon a rocky basalt outcrop, 100 feet above the raging iron-grey ocean below. It is widely recognised as being Ireland’s most picturesque castle. However, the beautiful, tranquil ruins of Dunluce have seen their fair share of horror. Hundreds of years ago, as everybody was going about their daily lives in the castle, an entire section of the kitchens broke and fell into the sea below, sending many innocent souls to their deaths on the jagged, unforgiving ocean rocks that awaited them.

This tale however, comes to us from the McQuillan family, who lived in the castle back in the 1500s. Lord McQuillan’s daughter, Maeve who was very strong-willed and independent had fallen in love with an officer in her father’s army. A man called Reginald O’Cahan. Unfortunately, when her father discovered that she had secretly been seeing a lowly officer in his army, her father was furious. This was not a good match for a lord’s daughter and the whole thing had brought shame on the family. As a punishment Lord McQuillan locked Maeve in the North East tower of the castle. However, one evening, Reginald bravely climbed the wall of the tower, risking his life, risking being dashed on the rocky outcrop more than a hundred feet below and was able to rescue Maeve from her confines. Reginald climbed back down the wall of the tower with Maeve on his back and the two of them fled to the nearest beach where they stole a small row boat and hoped to escape Dunluce and their troubles forever. Unfortunately, God was not on their side that evening, as a terrible storm arose. It rolled in so quickly from the North that the two young lovers were too far from shore to start making their way back. The waves picked up their little boat and tossed it further and further towards the rocky outcrop on top of which sat the grey, looming castle. Although both of them struggled against the waves it brought them closer and closer, until a single wave picked both of them up and dashed both their soft bodied onto the sharp, jagged rocks at the foot of the cliff. Both of them were crushed on the rocks that evening. It is said that on stormy nights you can hear Maeve wailing in the northeast tower to this very day and if you look out into the storm you will see her roaming around, still searching for her long lost love.

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The Fairy Fort – A Dublin Ghost Story

geraldine — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:51:25 +0000

The winter nights are drawing in and the heat of the roaring turf fire calls us to sit close and stay warm. We feel safe, we feel comforted but spare a moment’s thought for the lost souls roaming the island of Ireland looking to find their eternal rest. The turf fire spits and crackles, the story begins . .

A rich Dublin merchant renowned for his fiery temper and disdain for others, made his fortunes on the sufferings of others. He acted a as a morally corrupt money lender, preying on the misfortunes of people and swiftly capitalising when they were unable to repay his loans. In the harsh winter of 1826, he found himself the owner of a large plot of fertile land rolling down to the banks of the river Liffey. In one foul and unthinking swoop, he evicted all the tenant farmers and began making plans to build a house for himself. However, a Fairy Fort stood prominently in the place where he wanted his house to sit. Going against every belief about not disturbing the sacred site of the Fairy Fort, he ordered his workers to demolish the Fort. The locals understood the power of the fairy fort and what evil it could manifest, they pleaded with the merchant to change his mind but to no avail. In a furious rage he sent for a team of men to travel from London to do the work, their ship never made shore, all losing their lives in a freak storm.

It took seven years to build the house and many lost their lives in its construction, eventually the merchant moved in with his new bride to Abbeyfield House. A year later a son was born to the couple, but even with his happy arrival nothing could break the sense of foreboding in the house. Exactly one month later, the lady of the house was found dead at the bottom of the staircase, having lost her footing on the steps. In his grief the merchant hung himself from the balcony with a makeshift noose. They were buried side by side.

Their son was raised by his childless aunt and uncle who moved into Abbeyfield House, within one year both the Aunt and her nephew drowned in the gentle waters of the Liffey, drawn into the centre of the river by a pull so strong that no-one can explain it to this day. The Uncle fled in fear sensing the veil of evil that shrouded the place.

Over the years, this haunted house has claimed the lives of almost a dozen inhabitants from unexplained accidents to sudden illness, since 1956 it has remained vacant, with local tales of death and misfortune sealing its empty fate. Fishermen along the river tell of a drag in the river bed close to the house that can steer a boat off its path, walkers have seen a headless figure stand at the entrance to the ruin, ramblers have heard the sad and lonely sobbing of a young child.

Remember as you sit warmly by your fire, think on about the mighty power that those little people have, respect traditions, leave well alone or misfortune may pay you a visit.

Visit our Northside Ghost Walk Dublin Tour for ideas on a truly brilliant night out.

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Antrim’s most beautiful and haunting tour sites – Dunluce Castle.

The Fairy Fort – A Dublin Ghost Story