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The Brazen Head: Dublin’s Oldest Pub and Its Restless Rebel

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A rebel and freedom fighter for Irish independence is said to haunt his favorite pub, The Brazen Head in Dublin, where it is said he plotted his fight against the English. 

“For who was he, the uncoffined slain, /That fell in Erin’s injured isle /Because his spirit dared disdain/ To light his country’s funeral pile? remain unpolluted by fame /Till thy foes, by the world and by fortune caressed, /Shall pass like a mist from the light of thy name.”
– Percy Bysshe Shelley after searching for Robert Emmet’s grave in Dublin, believed now to be haunting The Brazen Head

Few places in Dublin carry as much history, or as many whispered ghost stories, as The Brazen Head near the river Liffey. Dating back to 1198 according to some, although some place it closer to 1754 starting as a coaching in. This ancient tavern has served rebels, poets, and outlaws for centuries.

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The old place is a popular place for live music as well as a few ghost stories. Its walls are thick with memory, its corners heavy with shadows, and its reputation as one of Ireland’s most haunted pubs is nearly as strong as its title as the city’s oldest.

Roman Kharkovski/Wikimedia

The Haunted Brazen Head

The most chilling tale tied to The Brazen Head begins in 1803, when Irish rebel Robert Emmet plotted his doomed uprising against British rule, according to the stories, right at this pub. It was here, over tankards of ale, that Emmet and his companions dreamed of freedom and revolution. 

Robert Emmet (born 1778, Dublin—died Sept. 20, 1803, Dublin) was an Irish nationalist leader who inspired the abortive rising of 1803, remembered as a romantic hero of Irish lost causes. He was captured on August 25, tried for treason, and hanged on Sept. 20, 1803.

The rebellion failed swiftly and brutally, and Emmet met his fate on nearby Thomas Street, where he was publicly hanged and then beheaded on the 20th September in 1803. Where he is buried is today unclear, but the legend says that he made his way back to the pub. 

According to legend, the blood from his execution ran down the hill and seeped toward his beloved pub, staining The Brazen Head forever in the memory of Dublin’s folklore.

Image: Addam Hardy

Emmet’s ghost, they say, has never truly left. Patrons claim that late at night, when the chatter has faded and the candles burn low, a spectral figure can be seen lingering in a shadowy corner of the pub. Dressed as if he were still preparing for rebellion, he is said to watch the room with wary eyes, forever on guard for the enemies who condemned him. Some visitors feel the weight of his gaze as they sip their drink, while others report a sudden chill that clings to the air, as though history itself had entered the room.

Yet The Brazen Head’s ghosts are not limited to Emmet alone. With more than 800 years of revelry, rebellion, and ruin within its walls, the pub has been a gathering place for countless souls who may not have fully departed. Whispers float along the stone walls, footsteps echo where no one walks, and the past often feels closer than the present.

For those who dare, a visit to The Brazen Head is not just a chance to raise a glass in Dublin’s oldest pub. It is an invitation to share a drink with history, to sit where rebels once planned their fates, and perhaps to catch a glimpse of a restless spirit still bound to the place he loved.

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References:

The Brazen Head | Haunted Pubs, Dublin, Ireland | Spirited Isle

The Brazen Head – Wikipedia 

Robert Emmet – Wikipedia

Story – Brazen Head 

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The Portobello Bar: Spirits on the Canal

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A lock keeper from the adjacent lock next to The Portobello Bar in Dublin is said to be haunting it. Ever since his mistake cost the lives of someone crossing, he is said to be lingering in the area. 

In the heart of Dublin’s city centre, where the Grand Canal glides quietly past brick façades and timeworn bridges, stands The Portobello Bar that is one of the pubs to put on the checklist for a haunted pub crawl.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland

The Portobello has seen much of Dublin’s turbulent past. Once known as Davy’s, it became an unlikely stronghold during the 1916 Easter Rising. Rebels seized the building for its strategic position near the bridge, using it to fire on British troops attempting to advance from the nearby Portobello Barracks. Gunfire echoed over the canal, and blood was spilled on the cobblestones just outside the pub’s doors. 

The Ghost Haunting the Portobello Bar

At first glance, it looks like any classic Irish pub, warm and inviting with the clink of glasses and low hum of laughter spilling into the night. The Portobello has stood here since 1793, offering shelter and stout to locals and travelers alike. But with its long history, the pub has gathered more than just regular patrons. Some say it still plays host to a guest who never left.

But it is not only the ghosts of war that haunt The Portobello Bar. Locals tell of a restless soul tied to the lock just beside the pub. In the 19th century, it is said that the lock keeper caused the sinking of a horse drawn carriage passing through the canal, either through negligence or in a drunken rage. 

The Ghost of the Lock Keeper

Some say he could not live with the guilt or the shame of being fired from his job and took his own life near the water’s edge. Some even claim that it was no suicide at all, but that his death was under mysterious and suspicious circumstances. 

On still nights, when the music from the bar fades and the ripples on the canal settle, those walking the towpath have claimed to see him. A shadowed figure stands by the lock, silent and watching. His ghost is said to not have the most gentle energy, some even call him rather vengeful. Some even claim to have felt confused and dizzy, almost falling into the cold canal. 

Inside the pub, glasses sometimes clink without cause, doors creak open on their own, and staff report a sudden chill sweeping through the air even when the fire burns high. Patrons have caught their reflection in the window, only to see another figure standing just behind them, vanishing when they turn around.

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References:

Portobello Bar

Top 11 Haunted Dublin Pubs Full Of Spirits! | Spooky Isles

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Glasnevin Cemetery and the Faithful Ghost Dog still Waiting for his Master

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After his master died at sea, the faithful dog was by his master’s grave, day in and day out. After dying of hunger and grief it is said that the Newfoundland dog is still seen, slipping between the graves at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. 

It is hardly surprising that Ireland’s largest burial ground should be haunted. Glasnevin Cemetery, sprawling over 124 acres and holding more than 1.5 million burials, is a city of the dead that overshadows the living Dublin beyond its gates. Founded in 1832 by Daniel O’Connell, it was intended as a place where Catholics could finally bury their dead with dignity. Over the years it has grown into the final resting place of rebels, revolutionaries, poets, politicians, and ordinary citizens whose lives were cut short by famine, war, or disease. A place of history, yes, but also a place where the past refuses to stay buried.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland

By day, Glasnevin Cemetery, or Reilig Ghlas Naíon as it is in Irish, feels like an open-air museum of Irish identity. Visitors trace the names of towering figures such as Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, and Constance Markievicz carved into stone. The O’Connell Tower rises high above the graves, an imposing monument to “The Liberator” himself. But when the sun sets, the solemn dignity of the cemetery changes. The shadows deepen. The endless rows of crosses and crypts begin to look like silent witnesses, and the air grows heavy with the weight of countless unquiet souls.

Glasnevin Cemetery: Originally a monastery established by Saint Mobhi in the sixth century. A settlement grew around the monastery but would see tumultuous times during the Viking Age when Vikings regularly raided the coasts of Ireland. Record shows the settlement was destroyed by Vikings but would later come to be rebuilt and absorbed as part of Dublin city.

The Haunted Glasnevin Cemetery

Among the many legends tied to the cemetery, the most famous is not of a statesman or a rebel, but of a loyal Newfoundland dog. His master, Captain John McNeill Boyd, perished during a daring sea rescue in 1861 at Dun Laoghaire when the ship, The Neptun smashed into the east pier, trying to dock in the storm.

His body was retrieved from the sea many days later, and according to the story, even then, the dog was onboard and refused to leave his master’s side. Boyd was buried at Glasnevin, and the dog lay faithfully beside his grave, refusing to leave until starvation claimed him. Even death did not end his vigil. Witnesses still report seeing the spectral hound pacing near Boyd’s headstone, or padding silently near his statue in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. They say on misty nights you can hear his paws on the gravel and catch the faint glimmer of eyes watching from between the stones.

Read More: Check out more stories of Haunted Cemeteries

The dog is not the only lingering presence. Staff and visitors alike have spoken of unexplained footsteps echoing along the pathways when no one is there. Voices whisper in the stillness, names spoken in the dark. Some claim to see fleeting figures dressed in Victorian mourning clothes vanish behind mausoleums. Others describe the heavy sensation of being watched as if the dead resent the intrusion of the living into their eternal city.

The Resurrectionists of Glasnevin Cemetery

As if ghosts were not enough, Glasnevin has its darker, flesh-and-bone history to contend with. In the 19th century, body-snatching was a thriving trade in Dublin. Known as “resurrectionists,” these grave robbers would dig up freshly buried corpses under cover of night and sell them to medical schools desperate for cadavers to dissect. Glasnevin, vast and new, became a prime hunting ground. Families, terrified that their loved ones might be stolen and sold like contraband, hired guards to keep watch over graves.

Lived Once, Buried Twice: Margorie McCall, who was buried in 1705 in Glasnevin Cemetery. Hours after her funeral, grave robbers exhumed her body and tried to cut off her finger to steal one of her rings. Margorie woke up from the coma-like state and the terrified body snatchers ran off. She was dug up and her husband opened the door he fainted. Margorie lived in Lurgan for years after this. When she finally died, she was once again interred in Shankhill graveyard in Belfast, where to this day her gravestone bears the inscription: “Margorie McCall, Lived Once, Buried Twice.”

So many feared the resurrectionists that Glasnevin Cemetery built high watchtowers and employed night patrols with muskets and dogs. Relatives sometimes slept on top of graves for weeks to protect the bodies until they decayed beyond value to the anatomists. It was a time when the living still fought to keep the dead at rest, but the desecration left a mark. Some whisper that the restless spirits of those disturbed from their graves are still wandering the grounds, denied the peace they were promised.

A Cemetery That Never Sleeps

Glasnevin also bears witness to Ireland’s most tragic chapters. The Great Famine filled mass graves here with thousands, their names lost to history. Cholera victims were buried under hurried earth, and soldiers from wars far beyond Ireland’s shores returned only to find their rest here. Perhaps it is this sheer density of sorrow that gives the place its atmosphere. Some say the ground is too saturated with grief to ever be quiet.

Today, Glasnevin is open to those who dare walk its avenues. You may wander alone among the towering Celtic crosses and ornate angels, or you may join one of the Irish History Tours, where guides speak not only of patriots and poets but of the strange, unsettling stories passed down through generations. They will tell you that the past is not gone in Glasnevin. It lingers, waiting for those who listen closely.

If you find yourself in Dublin, step beyond the gates of Glasnevin Cemetery. But tread carefully. For in this vast necropolis, the boundary between the living and the dead is fragile. And not all the souls here rest quietly.

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References:

Glasnevin Cemetery – Wikipedia

Glasnevin Cemetery | Explore Haunted Ireland

https://www.shamrockgift.com/blog/folklore-friday-glasnevin-cemetery/?srsltid=AfmBOoqcll6cO-yqCN6Xwuj_F0sqxlqmgwP1wbpz1tRBzro6WNmXY9sY

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Iveagh House: The Dying Servant and the Cross in the Window

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It is said a cross shows up in the window of the Iveagh House in Dublin, the former home of the powerful Guinness family. Legend has it’s a haunting that happened after a maid was denied her last rites in the house. 

Along St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin, a garden square and public park in the city, Iveagh House at 80-81 in that bustling street, is a gleaming Georgian mansion that holds centuries of secrets behind its refined white façade. There is also a ghostly mystery said to occur there, seen through the windows every Holy Thursday. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland

Built in 1736, it was once two separate houses before Benjamin Guinness, grandson of the famed Arthur Guinness, merged them into one grand residence in 1862. Today, the stately home serves as the headquarters of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

Iveagh House: Image/Jnestorius

The Legend of the Dying Catholic Maid

The legend tells of a young servant girl who once worked for the Guinness family. When illness struck her, she lay dying in her room upstairs, pleading for a priest to administer her last rites as she was a devout catholic. 

The household, devout Protestants themselves, refused her this last request. Desperate and feverish, the girl clung to her rosary beads, but the story says they were torn from her hands and thrown from the window into the garden below. Her cries faded, and by morning she was gone.

The Cross on Holy Thursday

Not long after her death, the house began to draw attention from the city. On every Holy Thursday from then, a faint yet unmistakable cross appeared on one of the panes of glass in the girl’s room. Crowds were said to have gathered in the street below to witness it, murmuring prayers and tracing the sign with trembling fingers. No matter how many times the window was cleaned or replaced, the cross was said to reappear, glowing faintly against the light.

There are also those claiming it is the spirit of Dermot O’Hurley, the Archbishop of Cashel, who was hanged nearby on the 20th of June, 1584.

To this day, staff working late in Iveagh House sometimes speak of a quiet unease that settles in the upper rooms, as though someone still lingers there in restless faith. The cross may have faded into legend, but the sorrow of the servant girl seems etched into the air of the old Guinness mansion.

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References:

Iveagh House – Wikipedia

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Dearg Due – Ireland’s Vengeful Vampire of Blood and Stone

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For a long time, there have been tales about the Dearg Due, the bloodthirsty vampire of Ireland. But how true is the story about the female vampire though, and has it really been told since ancient times?

Hidden for centuries in the shadowed fields of County Waterford is the chilling legend of the Dearg Due, a ghostly figure born of beauty betrayed and a thirst for vengeance that would refuse to die. But the more you peel away from the legend, the more questions you are left with. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland

The name Dearg Due is said to mean red bloodsucker or the red thirst according to those who tell about the legend. The entity has been described as a female vampiric demon who seduces men before draining and sucking their blood. And together with The Legend of Ireland’s Vampire King Abhartach and the Haunted Giant’s Grave, it’s one of Ireland’s most well known vampire legends. 

The Legend of the Blood Thirsty Dearg Due

Once upon a time, a young woman known for her beauty lived in Ireland. When and where is a bit hazy though. Some say this happened closer to two thousand years ago in pre-christian times. It is said it happened around the area of what is now Waterford City in South-East Ireland. The ancient Celtic name for Waterford was “Cuan na Graí” or “The Harbor of the Sun.” This is the oldest city in Ireland, founded by vikings in the 9th century. 

The County Waterford is based on the historic Gaelic territory of the Déise settled in the 4th and 8th century. But who lived there before that as we can see by the many megalithic tombs and ogham stones in the county? Around two thousand years ago when the story is said to have happened?

Waterford, Ireland

She fell in love with a humble farm labourer and dreamed of a simple life by his side. But her father, greedy and cold, bartered her to a cruel chieftain in exchange for land and wealth and she had no say or choice in the matter.  

At her wedding, she was dressed in red and gold and it was a huge feast. Her marriage, though, was a tragedy and her husband was both cruel and abusive. Some say that she was locked away in her chambers or a tower. Ensnared in misery, she starved herself in despair to escape her cruel fate. Slowly, she just wasted away. 

She was buried near what has been known as Strongbow’s Tree in Waterford, and said to only be visited by her true love who prayed for her return to him. Her husband married a new woman at once, and her father didn’t think about her much in his newfound riches. and in death her grief mutated into something darker. 

When the first anniversary of her burial arrived, she rose from the grave, no longer the gentle maiden, but a crimson spectre who returned to the house of her father and the bed of her husband, touching their lips and stealing breath from their bodies as though it were blood. 

From that hour onwards she haunted the land, drifting through night mists, luring young men with her sorrow-soft beauty only to drain them utterly of life. The stories differ in how long she roamed the land. Some say ten months to a year. Some say she’s still there, lurking in the dark. 

The only safeguard, locals say, was to place heavy stones upon her grave or leave salt at the threshold to keep her from clawing her way out every night to hunt down men for her vengeance. In some versions of the legend, they used her former lover as bait who helped wrap her in blessed twigs to make her rest in her grave designed for her to stay. 

The History Behind the Legend

Now, a powerful story that has made its rounds claiming to be ancient roots. But how old is this story, really? Where is Strongbow’s tree, said to be the place she is buried beneath, supposedly in the ruins of an old churchyard.

Strongbow landed in Ireland on 23 August 1170 and attacked Waterford with a force of some two hundred knights and one thousand other troops. There were rumours that Strongbow’s body was secretly taken from Dublin and re-interred in 1177 to the place where he married the Irish princess Aoife. This is said to have been where the Christ Church Cathedral, Waterford was built, and a tree was planted in his memory.

Strongbow: This was actually a nickname to Richard de Clare (c. 1130[1] – 20 April 1176), the second Earl of Pembroke as well as his father’s nickname. He is known for the Normann invasion of Ireland and is said to have died there after an infection.

Now, this version would mean that the tree was planted long after the story was said to have happened. Another version though, links the two legends better. This claims that Strongbow and Aoife were married on August 25 on the shore of the River Suir beneath a great oak tree that came to be known as “Strongbow’s Oak.” It would make sense that ruins of an old churchyard existed here, but why would a pre-christian woman be buried there?

Now, which oak tree could Strongbow’s Oak be? An interesting point is the Reginald’s Tower in Waterford, built by the Norman invaders. It is said that this was the actual place where they got married. The site is sometimes called Dundory (an Irish word which means “fort of oak”), and hence the tower is occasionally called the Dundory Tower. It is also known as the Ring Tower. It begs the question. Was it a stone tower they ended up building over her grave? 

The Haunted Tower: As an article in the Tipperary Free Press from the 9th of April 1851 says, ‘some of those wiseacres who congregate about the tower, verily believe that it must be the old Dane himself come to visit his old castellated mansion …’ Did the haunted vampire legends actually start and evolve here?

That is of course, that it actually was a woman the locals feared was a vampire and buried under stones. But did she ever exist? It is interesting that this so-called ancient legend is first found in writing in 1924 when Dudley Wright wrote in his book Vampires and Vampirism: 

At Waterford, in Ireland, there is a little graveyard under a ruined church near Strongbow’s Tower. Legend has it that underneath the ground at this spot there lies a beautiful female vampire still ready to kill those she can lure thither by her beauty.

However, when Montague Summers mentioned this vampire in his book The Vampire in Europe from 1928, he also mentioned that this was a legend the locals had never heard about and he spelled her name, dearg-due. Fast forwarding to Anthony Master’s book, The Natural History of the Vampire, he writes: 

In old Ireland there was a traditionally-motivated vampire named the Dearg-due, which means the red blood-sucker. The only way to keep the Dearg-due in its grave was to build a cairn of stones over the top. Another legend claims that there is a female vampire lurking near Waterford. The actual spot is under a ruined church near Strongbow’s tree, and it is to this sinister place that the vampire lures, by her fatal beauty, men with good red blood running in the veins.

The name had suddenly changed and spelled differently. The Strongbow’s Tower was changed into Strongbow’s Tree. But the written foundation for the legend started to be repeated more rapidly. For a full walkthrough of the legend, check out the blog dedicated to debunk theories about the Irish language and history. 

So was the legend about the vampiric woman a made up story after the popularity from Dracula published in 1897 and the Irish connection to Bram Stoker? Or was it perhaps something older, something bloodthirsty only held back by a pile of stones?

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References:

Dearg Due | Myth and Folklore Wiki 

The Dearg Dur – the origin story of the Waterford legend

Who was the Deargh Dué? – waterfordarts.com

The Road to Waterford – Celtic Life International

Dearg-due Archives – Stephen Morris, author 

Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke – Wikipedia

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The Legend of Ireland’s Vampire King Abhartach and the Haunted Giant’s Grave

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In the rural areas of Derry, Northern Ireland, there is a small dolmen grave under a hawthorn tree. It is said to be the grave of the vampire king, Abhartach who is said to still be lusting after blood. 

Ireland’s ancient hills and mossy graveyards are no strangers to ghost stories and restless spirits. Yet among these tales of banshees and fairies lies one of the island’s oldest, darkest legends — the story of Abhartach, a tyrant chieftain whose insatiable thirst for blood refused to end, even in death. 

Thought by some folklorists to be Ireland’s original vampire myth, Abhartach’s grim story predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and may well have been its inspiration.

The Tyrant of Slaghtaverty

According to legend, Abhartach was a cruel and malevolent chieftain who ruled in what is now Slaghtaverty in the parish of Errigal in Derry, Northern Ireland. Although he is remembered as a vampire, the name and description of him is much closer to a dwarf. As the name suggests, he might have been remembered for his height. 

Irish Hero: In some accounts Abhartach is combined with the similarly named Abartach, a figure associated with Fionn mac Cumhaill and pre-christian irish mythology. Fionn mac Cumhaill,[a] often anglicised Finn McCool or MacCool, is a hero in Irish mythology, as well as in later Scottish and Manx folklore. He is the leader of the Fianna bands of young roving hunter-warriors, as well as being a seer and poet. He is said to have a magic thumb that bestows him with great wisdom. He is often depicted hunting with his hounds Bran and Sceólang, and fighting with his spear and sword. In modern retellings it is said the hero was called Cathán or O’Kane.

He is said to have lived in the 5th or 6th century, at a time when the Glenullin area of Ireland was a patchwork of small kingdoms of tribal warlords were the mysterious druids still lived and practiced their magic and when the catholic saints started settling on the emerald island. 

Feared by his own people, he was said to possess dark powers and a fascination with the occult. Through his practice of dark magic, he killed his subjects for fun. His tyrannical ways became so unbearable that local warriors, desperate for relief, conspired to kill him.

In one version of the tale, a neighboring chieftain named Cathán rose up against Abhartach and struck him down, burying him in a standing grave, marked by a solitary stone. Burying in a standing position was a custom at the time for high-ranking chieftains. But peace would not come so easily.

In other versions his first death was through no fault but his own and he died when he was stalking his wife. He was a jealous man and trusted no one. He thought she was having an affair and crept on the ledge outside of the castle to the window outside her bedroom. He slipped and fell to his death and they quickly buried him for the first time. But it would not be his last. 

The Undying Menace

The day after his burial, Abhartach returned — clawing his way out of the earth, demanding blood from his terrified subjects to collect in a bowl for him to consume. In some versions of the legend, his subjects were so afraid of him and submitted to him, making blood sacrifices to him, waiting for someone to save them.

Again, Cathán slew him, and again, Abhartach returned. It was then the people sought counsel from a druid or wise elder who revealed the grim truth: Abhartach was no ordinary man, but one of the neamh-mairbh, the undead. In more modern retellings of the story it was a Christian Saint giving the solution to the undead. 

Druid Forest: There are several hermitages in the area. According to tradition, these were the dwellings of particularly holy men. The most notable is in Gortnamoyagh Forest on the very edge of Glenullin, where local people will still point out the saint’s track, a series of stations near a holy well.

To stop his monstrous resurrection, he could not be buried in consecrated ground. Instead, he must be killed with a sword made of yew wood, buried upside down, and his grave encircled with thorns and heavy stones to prevent his escape.

Cathán followed the instructions, and Abhartach was finally trapped — but local legend holds that his restless spirit still lingers beneath the earth.

The Cursed Grave of Slaghtaverty

According to a lecturer in Celtic history at the University of UIster, Bob Curran, the real castle he lived in an be found between the towns of Garvagh and Dungiven, where a small hill now stands. He says that it was here that the fortress of a 5th or 6th-century chieftain with magical powers called the Abhartach once resided. 

The Slaghtaverty Dolmen: By locals called the Gian’ts grave, associated with the legend of Abhartach, under a solitary hawthorn tree in rural Derry, Northern Ireland. Strange things are said to happen around this grave.

Today, the place believed to be Abhartach’s grave is a modest site known as Slaghtaverty Dolmen or The Giant’s Grave. Nestled in a field near the village of Slaughtaverty in Londonderry in Northern Ireland, it’s marked by an ancient stone surrounded by a ring of Hawthorn trees and undergrowth. It used to be more stones as remnants of an old monument, but these have been removed over time by local farmers for building purposes.

Locals claim the spot is cursed; farmers avoid working the land around it, and strange misfortunes are said to befall those who disturb the grave. Some say on misty nights, you can hear faint whispers, or catch the flicker of a shadow moving between the trees — as though Abhartach himself still walks, searching for blood.

In 1997, attempts were made to clear the land, but, if local tradition is to be believed, workmen who tried to fell the tree found that their brand-new chainsaw stopped for no reason on three occasions. When attempting to lift the great stone, a steel chain suddenly snapped, cutting the hand of one of the labourers and, significantly, allowing blood to soak into the ground.

The Dracula Connection

We first have the legend written down in Patrick Weston Joyce’s The Origin and History of Irish Names and Places from 1870. In modern versions of the lore, the story is said to be solved by an earlier Christian, and not a druid. 

Intriguingly, scholars have speculated that Abhartach’s legend may have inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Stoker, an Irishman born in Dublin, would have likely been familiar with the story of the blood-drinking undead chieftain. While Dracula is commonly associated with Vlad the Impaler and Eastern European folklore, it’s possible that the sinister figure of Abhartach left its own mark on Gothic horror’s most famous vampire.

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References:

Abhartach – Wikipedia 

The Abhartach / Irish Vampire: Terrifying Tale For 2025

Does Abhartach, the vampiric chieftain, still stalk the Derry hills?

Abhartach the Dwarf King | Emerald Isle Irish and Celtic myths, fairy tales and legends

Abhartach – Ireland’s Vampire King – by Siobhán Rodgers 

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Kinnitty Castle and the Christian and Druid Hauntings

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Built in a magical place both for the Christians as well as the druids that once owned the land, the Kinnitty Castle in Ireland houses ghosts that might be older than the castle itself. 

North of the Irish Slieve Bloom Mountains lies Kinnitty Castle, a place where centuries of history have intertwined with tales of ghostly apparitions and supernatural phenomena. This gothic revival castle from the 19th century is steeped in history and mystery that the locals deem as haunted.

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

Even the village of Kinnitty, or Cionn Eitigh as it is in Irish, is steeped in legend. The name is from an old story about the head of a princess buried underneath it. A nearby pyramid was built by the Bernard family who resided in the castle, also giving the place a curious feel.

A History Engraved in Time

Kinnitty Castle’s history dates back to ancient times when the O’Carroll clan first erected a castle at Glinsk around 350 AD. Simultaneously, on the same site, an abbey was founded by St. Finian, a disciple of St. Brendan of Clonfert. These early structures bore witness to centuries of tumultuous events.

In 1209, the original castle fell victim to destruction at the hands of Murtagh O’Brien, only to be rebuilt by the Normans in 1213. Ely O’Carroll later reclaimed it, holding the territory until the arrival of Cromwell and the turbulent times that followed.

Read More: Check out all of the Haunted Castles from around the world

The present Kinnitty Castle took shape in 1630 when William O’Carroll constructed it on the site of the former abbey. Subsequently, during the plantation of Offaly, English forces confiscated the castle in 1641. In 1663, Colonel Thomas Winter was granted these lands by King Charles II in recognition of his military service. The Winter family eventually sold the property to the Bernards of County Carlow in 1764.

Kinnitty Castle: The haunted castle that is standing today is built from the 1600s. But there have been stories about it being haunted for much longer than that.// Source: Larry Goodwin/Flickr

In 1811, Lady Catherine Hutchinson, wife of Colonel Thomas Bernard, enlisted the renowned Pan Brothers to transform the building into a castellated mansion. However, the castle faced a devastating setback in 1922 when it was burned by Republican forces. 

For nearly four decades, the castle served as a Forestry Training Centre until its purchase in 1994, after which it was transformed into a luxurious 37-bedroom hotel, welcoming guests from near and far.

The Hauntings of Kinnitty Castle

Kinnitty Castle is not only a repository of history but also a haven of ghostly legends. Situated in ‘The Haunted Triangle’ of Ireland, which also includes Leap Castle and Charleville Castle. Like the other Irish castles with its haunted legends, Kinnitty Castle has earned a reputation for its spectral residents.

Read More: Check out all of the Haunted Hotels around the world

Many staff and guests are claiming to have heard or seen something paranormal in the castle. Even their Tripadvisor is filled with guests commenting about the strange things that happened during their stay. Guests can hear breathing in their room, shadows are dancing in the corner of their eyes and the TV is changing channels by itself. There is not only one ghost said to haunt the castle, and here is an intro to some of the more talked about.

The Guest of Monk Hugh

One tale that lingers within its walls is that of Monk Hugh or sometimes only referred to as the monk of Kinnitty. During the Norman era, an Augustinian Abbey was established near the castle, and remnants of the abbey still grace the estate, including the famous High Cross and Abbey wall.

Legend has it that Monk Hugh’s spirit roams the castle and the ruins of the Abbey to ensure the preservation of this historical era and safeguard the abbey and castle to this day. Who this ghost was when he was alive is unknown and many different legends have been told. Some say that he took his own life, something unthinkable for a monk seeking salvation.

He has also been seen wandering in the banquet hall and in the Dungeon Bar. People claim his appearance is a tall man dressed in a black robe with a face without any features. He has even said to have been talking to the staff and guests. 

The Ghost of the Little Girl in the Geraldine Room

Also in the attic it is said that a ghost is haunting the castle and there is even a hotel room named after her ghost. Guests staying have talked about hearing little footsteps over the floor and have even seen something that looks like a little girl. She is also talked about looking like a red mist hovering above peoples beds at night.

Sometimes she is laughing, sometimes she is crying. She is often seen with the ghostly woman in white, and people speculate that she may have been a child out of wedlock when the staff and guests start to speculate. 

The Lady in White

No European castle is complete without a Lady in White. Guests and staff have seen her in the same room as the little girl as well as the rooms on the first and second floor. They believe she must be the ghost of Lady Catherine Hutchinson who was behind most of the castle renovations. 

The Circle of Stones

There are also strange stones around 650 acres from the castle. People that have passed claim to have seen strange shadows and little lights they can’t pinpoint were coming from around them. 

A Druid Haunting: Circle of Stones Behind Kinnitty Castle

The stone is perhaps a druid altar from pagan time, and one can only start to speculate about the forces that made the druid build one there. 

This is also one of the things that make Kinnitty Castle a part of the Haunted Triangle of this place, the other two points being Leap Castle and Charleville. These grounds once belonged to the druids and perhaps some of them still linger. 

Whether these tales are rooted in fact or woven from the fabric of folklore, Kinnitty Castle’s haunted reputation adds an air of mystery to its already captivating history. Visitors are invited to explore its storied past and perhaps encounter the echoes of another time, lingering in the corridors of this enchanting Irish castle.

In the end, Kinnitty Castle stands as a testament to Ireland’s rich and complex history, where each stone has witnessed centuries of events, both earthly and otherworldly.

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References:

Kinnitty Castle’s History 

What it’s like to spend a night at one of Ireland’s most haunted castle hotels 

We Spent a Night In a Haunted Castle. Here’s What Happened. | Cool Material 

Kinnitty Castle Hotel: Ireland’s Druids, Demise And Hauntings | Spooky Isles 

Kinnitty Castle – Wikipedia

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The Ghost Returning to Castle Ellen House Again and Again for Eternity

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Once the master of the house was seen returning to Castle Ellen House in Galway by his servants. Thing was, he had already died several hours and miles away. Since then his ghost has often been seen wandering around the estate. 

In the enchanting yet eerie landscape of Galway, Ireland, where ancient stone walls whisper tales of the past and shadows dance under the pale moonlight, stands Castle Ellen House. This magnificent manor, steeped in history and draped in legends, is said to be one of the many haunted sites that dot the Irish countryside. As twilight descends and a chill fills the air, locals recount spine-tingling stories of ghostly apparitions and mysterious happenings that have plagued this historic residence for centuries.

Beneath its stunning facade lies a darker narrative—one filled with sorrowful spirits and restless souls. Visitors often speak of strange noises echoing through its grand halls at night: footsteps when no one is around, soft whispers carried by the wind, and even glimpses of spectral figures roaming its grounds.

Castle Ellen House The House is thought to be haunted by one of the owners who keeps reappearing coming back to his home after he died far from it. //Source

Dating back to 1810, Castle Ellen House was the ambitious creation of the Lambert family and was their family home for generations. The need for more space to accommodate their growing family led them to construct this grand edifice, with remnants of their former castle still nestled within the sprawling 33-acre estate.

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

One of the most intriguing connections to Castle Ellen House is the marriage of Isabella Lambert to Edward Carson. Edward Carson, a prominent lawyer, rose to fame as the legal representative of the Marquis of Queensberry in a notorious libel case against the renowned playwright, Oscar Wilde. He was also heavily involved in the Jack the Ripper case as well as an advocate for British rule in Northern Ireland. 

It is also remembered for the strange haunting of the member of the Lambert family and his ghostly return to Castle Ellen House. 

A Ghostly Encounter at Castle Ellen House

It all started way back in 1892 when the owner of the house, Walter Peter Lambert and a member of the Lambert family, was enjoying breakfast at the Imperial Hotel in Tuam. Far from home, Walter began to choke during his meal and died at the age of 76. 

Back at Castle Ellen House, the maids were unknowingly preparing his room for his return. One of them looked out the window and said to another that the master had returned when she saw him walking towards the house on foot. Little did they realize, Walter had already passed away at the hotel for a couple of hours already. 

When an attempt was made to transport his lifeless body home, two sets of horses inexplicably refused to cross the estate’s boundary. The staff had to carry Walter’s body by hand up the driveway. More than two centuries later, Walter’s ghost is said to revisit his former home, an eternal resident in the house he loved.

Read More: Check out all of the Haunted Castles from around the world

The sightings of the ghostly Walter Lambert is said to be pretty frequent, especially in the later years. In 2020, a paranormal investigation group claimed to have gotten a picture of the ghost. The same claim was made in 2022. 

Preservation and Exploration

In 1974, the current owner took on the monumental task of acquiring Castle Ellen House, slowly but surely restoring the estate to its former grandeur. During the summer months, the property opens its doors to the public for limited hours, with proceeds contributing to ongoing restoration efforts. 

Adventurous souls seeking a truly authentic castle experience can even spend a night in the Walter Lambert room, as it is listed on Airbnb. It is here that guests may have the extraordinary opportunity to cross paths with the spectral figure of Walter Lambert himself.

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References:

History – Castle Ellen House 

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/ghost-hunters-find-proof-19th-22230016

Castle Ellen House | Haunted Galway, Ireland | Spirited Isle 

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The Haunting of the Irish Fetch – the Living Ghost

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The Irish Fetch is a ghost from the underworld, coming as a bad omen to warn the living about an impending death. The ghost is said to take the shape of the person that is going to die. 

Within the rich tapestry of Irish folklore and mythology, the mysterious concept of the “fetch” has captured the imagination of generations. This supernatural phenomenon, deeply rooted in Irish tradition, represents an eerie duality—an apparition or spectral double of a living person that often heralds impending doom and is seen as a deadly omen. The sighting of a fetch is foretelling the imminent passing of its living counterpart.

The Spectral Twin and Bad Omen

A fetch is described as an exact, spectral replica of a living human being. Its appearance is uncannily similar to that of its earthly counterpart, creating an eerie sense of déjà vu for those who encounter it. 

The presence of a fetch is typically seen as a portent of the person it mirrors nearing the end of their life journey. If the person is dying in a fire, the fetch will look burnt. If the person is drowned, it would not be able to breathe. 

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

However, there is an intriguing twist to this belief. According to John and Michael Banim, if the apparition appears in the morning rather than the evening, it is interpreted as a sign of a long and extended life awaiting the individual. This dual nature of the fetch sets it apart as a harbinger of both hope and dread, reminiscent of the Germanic doppelgänger and certain interpretations of the British wraith.

Sometimes the fetch will not be like a mirror of yourself, but sometimes they appear like someone that has just died, just casually walking amongst the living and their loved ones. Although they look like they did in life, they are seemingly very distant and will vanish into the air in the edn. 

The Obscure Origins of the Name

The etymology and origins of the term “fetch” remain shrouded in mystery. While it is often suggested that it may be linked to the verb “fetch,” the true source of this enigmatic word remains elusive. 

The puzzle deepens with the existence of an Old English word, “faecce,” found in the Corpus Glossary and the First Cleopatra Glossary. Although “faecce” is presumed to be a Latin word, it defies classification, as no such Latin term exists. This conundrum led some scholars to propose that “faecce” may actually be an Old Irish word, shedding light on the potential link between Old Irish and Hiberno-English fetch traditions. The ambiguity surrounding this term continues to perplex researchers, and a definitive consensus has yet to be reached.

Fetch-Like Portents in Early Irish Literature

While the fetch may be a unique and intriguing concept, echoes of similar portents of death can be traced back to early Irish literature. These ominous predictions were associated with the Old Irish term “fáith,” denoting a seer or prophetess. 

In legendary tales such as Táin Bó Cuailnge, prophetic visions of impending demise were issued by individuals like Fedelm. Cormac Connloinges witnessed sinister visions in Bruiden Da Choca, including a mysterious woman washing bloodstained chariot wheels. A hag foretold the demise of Conaire in Togail Bruidne Da Derga, while in Cath Maige Tuired, the Mórrigán herself prophesied death. 

These early Irish traditions, steeped in mysticism and foreboding, laid the groundwork for the development of the fetch concept.

The Norse Connection: Fylgja and Vikings in Ireland

To gain a deeper understanding of the Irish fetch, it is essential to explore the Norse influence on Irish tradition. Within Norse mythology, the concept of the “fylgja” emerges—a personal alter ego, often taking the form of an animal, intricately linked to an individual’s fate. 

Unlike the Irish fetch, the fylgja is almost invariably portrayed as female. The prominence of the Vikings in Ireland during this era makes the Norse connection highly relevant. Scholar William Sayers has proposed a fascinating theory—that the term “fetch” may have evolved from the Hiberno-English adaptation of the Old Irish “fáith.”

Another thing that makes them different is that the Fetch, although scary and a bringer of bad news, they don’t really hurt anyone. The Icelandic Fylgja, though, is said to have killed people for vengeance as well as just getting a companion.  

The Mirror Ghost

The Irish fetch remains an enigmatic and captivating facet of Irish folklore, entwined with centuries of tradition and belief. Its duality as a harbinger of life and death, its obscure origins, and its connections to early Irish prophecies and Norse influences have imbued it with a sense of intrigue that continues to captivate those who dare to delve into the supernatural realm. 

While the true origins of the term “fetch” may remain elusive, the phenomenon itself stands as a testament to the enduring power of folklore and the human fascination with the inexplicable.

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References:

The Fetch | Emerald Isle Gods and Monsters 

Fetch (folklore) – Wikipedia 

Why Is The Fetch Seen As A Death Omen in Irish Folklore? 

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The Haunting of Maiden Tower and the Mysterious Lady’s Finger

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As a beacon to guide ships safely to Drogheda port, the Maiden Tower at Mornington Beach bears its own histories. It is said that once a woman threw herself from the tower when she thought that her lover had died in the war. 

Perched upon the southern bank at the River Boyne’s mouth in Ireland, two old structures stand sentinel over the waters—an eerie duo that has borne witness to centuries of maritime history. The Maiden Tower, the 60 ft tower on Mornington Beach. The Tower dates all the way back to the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Lady’s Finger is a solitary stone pillar.

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These two maritime markers served as vital navigational aids for ships venturing into the River Boyne prior to the construction in 1765. The mariners of yore depended on the sight of these structures to safely navigate the river’s winding course.

The Maiden Tower: Looking out from the beach, the tower stands as a beacon for passing ships. There are many legends about this tower, one of them is that it is haunted. On foggy nights, people claim to see a young woman, still waiting for her lover. // Source: Wikimedia

The Waiting Maiden

Amidst the tower’s ancient stones, echoes of folklore and legend resound. One tale tells of a faithful lady who, eagerly awaiting her husband’s return from the war. Before leaving, the woman made her lover promise he would return on a ship with white sails if he lived, and if he did not, the ship would have black sails.

When he finally returned, the sails were black and the woman thought he was dead. Overwhelmed with grief tragically plunged from the tower.Turned out though, that the black sail was either a mistake, or her man had used it to surprise her in a twist.

Lady’s Finger:Wikimedia

When he saw what had happened, he too jumped from the tower to join her in the afterlife.

It is said that ever after, people have seen the ghost of the maiden, standing at the top of the tower, still waiting for the ship to tell that her lover really did survive. 

The Lady’s Finger, a 13ft high obelisk, was said to have been erected in the memory of the tragic maiden that threw herself from the tower. Reportedly the term “Lady’s Finger” was given and the maiden never received a wedding ring.

The Spinning Lady in the Maiden Tower

But amidst the historical accounts and maritime tales, one enigmatic figure remains—a mysterious old woman who, in 1819, took up residence atop the tower. On a Spring morning in 1819 the fishing community of the little village were surprised to see smoke rising from the top of the tower and found the old hermit woman in the tower.

Spinning yarn under a makeshift sail roof, she wove herself into the tapestry of local folklore, earning the moniker ‘the lady of the tower.’ The villagers gave her food daily and looked at her like a holy woman.

As the severe winter of 1821 gripped the land, she left the tower’s solitude to a medical institution, passing away shortly thereafter. She was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave and no one found out who she was.

The Enduring Mystery of the Maiden Tower

Public access to the tower persisted until the mid-1990s, when a metal grill sealed the raised doorway, safeguarding it from vandalism. In 2003, the metal grill was removed, and the tower suffered desecration. To thwart further intrusions, a solid metal door was erected, barring entry.

The Maiden Tower and the Lady’s Finger, steadfast guardians of the River Boyne, continue to cast their spectral presence over the waters, bearing witness to centuries of maritime history and enigmatic tales that linger on the whispering winds of time.

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References:

The Maiden Tower, Mornington 

Mornington, County Meath – Wikipedia 

Maydenhayes Inspiration | The Maiden Tower & The Lady’s Finger