The whole estate of Rathfarnham Castle in south Dublin is said to have its ghosts. From the antique ballroom, its icy lakes and roads leading up to it, ghosts are said to linger.
In the suburb of Rathfarnham, this grand Elizabethan castle was built in the late 16th century for Archbishop Adam Loftus, one of Dublin’s most powerful figures and is one of the oldest surviving residences in Ireland.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland
Rathfarnham Castle, or Caisleán Rath Fearnáin, and its sprawling grounds have more than one ghosts said to be haunting it.
The Woman in the Castle Ballroom
The first and most mysterious ghost legend of Rathfarnham Castle is that of the Ballroom ghost. It is a bit unclear when it was supposed to have originated, and who first started telling the story.
The story goes that there were once two suitors fighting for her attention and hand. For whatever reason, they locked her away behind the panelling of the ballroom walls from the 18th century. They would have a duel and the winner would free her and take her hand. But, the two men died in the duel and no one knew the woman was trapped in the ballroom, and would remain so to this day. Now, she is haunting the ballroom, waiting for someone to find her.
The Man Drowned in the Pond and his Dog Haunting it
The most famous legend tied to Rathfarnham Castle tells of a man who drowned in the pond nearby one bitter winter in 1840 or 41. The story was most likely first written down when the book True Irish Ghost Stories, by St. John D. Seymour and Harry L. Neligan came out in 1914.
Visitors had gathered to skate on the frozen water, laughter and music filling the air, when the ice gave way beneath one unlucky skater. His devoted retriever leapt in after him, struggling against the freezing water in a desperate attempt to save its master. Neither survived.
To this day, locals and visitors claim to see a ghostly dog running across the grounds at dusk or hear splashing and faint cries from the pond when the air turns cold. Some even say the phantom hound appears beside lone walkers on the road between the castle gate and Dodder Bridge.
The Murdered Boy from the Lodges
At one of the lodge gates, the spirit of a young boy is said to linger in one of the lodges according to a former lodge keeper. As with most of the Rathfarnham Castle’s legends, it is unsure when and who the legend talks about.
The ghost seen around the lodges is believed to be a tragic victim of murder at the hands of a Romani, long ago. How long ago is not certain though, but it supposedly happened before 1914 when the book about Rathfarnham Castle’s ghostly legends were published. His restless presence is often felt by those who pass through at night, accompanied by the faint sound of sobbing or the soft patter of footsteps following close behind.
The Haunted Rathfarnham Castle
Whether it is the loyal retriever still searching for its master, or the lost child forever bound to the gate where his life was taken, Rathfarnham Castle holds tightly to its ghosts. By daylight, it stands as a proud monument to Dublin’s past and a host for cultural events. But when the sun sets and the wind sighs through the old trees, the estate becomes something else entirely and a haunting presence lingers.
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References:
True Irish Ghost Stories: Chapter V. Haunted Places | Sacred Texts Archive
HAUNTED TALES OF RATHFARNHAM CASTLE DUBLIN IRELAND
Dublin’s Haunted Houses – Bad Bobs
Rathfarnham Castle – Wikipedia
Rathfarnham Castle | Historic Sites & Buildings | Attractions Ireland