Ghostly tales of Romantic Castles of Ireland

There are several haunted castles in Ireland. Some haunted castles can be visited, some offer luxury accommodation and some you would not dare to stay in. Whether or not you're a believer in ghost stories, you have to admit that some of these tales are particularly bone-chilling.

Ballyseede Castle

Just outside Tralee in County Kerry, Ballyseede Castle Hotel’s ghostly legend is deeply interwoven with the story of the rose.

In the 1500s, ownership of the Castle lay with Sir Edward Denny, who rented the property to the Blennerhassetts before they built their home on the site. On Midsummer’s Day, 21st June, a single red rose would be exchanged as ground rent for the Castle.

Many people have independently reported that, at different times of the year, they experience a very strong smell of roses on the main staircase.

The scent is an eerie aromatic announcement that precedes the appearance of the ghost of Ballyseede, Hilda Blennerhassett. She is mostly seen roaming around the upper-floor bedrooms of the Castle and the main staircase.

Patrons who frequent the hotel bar have also recalled catching glimpses of an elderly woman dressed in a black Victorian gown.

Cabra Castle

Cabra Castle in Kingscourt, Co. Cavan, was declared the second-scariest hotel in the world in 2010 by TripAdvisor, and legends about the hotel have been circulating for generations.

In the 1780s, the owners of the Castle had a son who fell in love with a servant girl called Sarah. It was a passionate but secret love which, for the sake of property, could only be pledged silently.

The secret was broken when Sarah became pregnant and her lover’s family ordered that she be killed. Legend has it that she was taken from the servants’ quarters of the Castle and dragged into the forest, where her body was hung over a bridge.

It is said that, in the dead of night, the haunting cries of a baby may still be heard. There are also accounts from those who have felt a presence in the courtyard rooms and near the Hanging Tree in the grounds.

One guest claimed to have encountered a man in an early 20th-century military uniform striding down the corridor. Another heard a horse and carriage pull into the courtyard in the dead of night to deposit a screaming infant at the steps of the Castle.

Markree Castle

In County Sligo, the splendour of Markree Castle is also home to the spirit of a little girl whom the staff call Pippa.

She is very mischievous and often plays tricks on people, locking them in their rooms and causing them to drop trays and other items.

One Christmas, the owners bought Pippa a present, and this stopped her from causing trouble. An American couple who came to Ireland to get married at Markree Castle also brought presents for Pippa. Their wedding went off without a hitch.

One two-year-old Castle guest woke her mother while she was talking. Her mother asked who she was speaking to. The little girl pointed towards the corner and said, “My friend.” There was nobody there—was it Pippa?