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Trinity College: The Ghostly Scholars Who Never Left

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Haunted by its former Fellows, Trinity College in Dublin is said to be filled with eerie spirits where even the bell tolls after dark when the shadows take over campus. 

Trinity College Dublin is the oldest surviving university in Ireland, founded in 1592. If we are to believe the rumors, the college is also notorious for its haunted ghost stories and is said to be one of Dublin’s most haunted landmarks. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland

Its alumni include many great names, and some of them are more fitting to study at a haunted college than others. Most notably Bram Stoker, the creator of Dracula, who studied here from 1866 to 1870. But who were the students and staff said to linger even after The Campanile bells rang for the last time?

The Haunted Trinity College

The most infamous haunting is tied to Edward Ford, a former lecturer and Fellow whose stern temperament made him deeply unpopular with the undergraduates as he had a habit of interfering with student matters, being harsh and disciplinarian. He was also very young, being around 28 when he died and is still seen by people around campus. 

On March 7th in 1734, after a night of heavy drinking, a group of drunken students decided to teach him a lesson after he had scolded them after they had trashed the rooms of Ford’s colleagues, Hugh Graffan. They entered the Front Gate wearing all white, beating up the porter who was stationed there. 

They wanted first to break his windows, but Ford saw them and shot at them with a pistol and injured one from his bedroom window. Now it all escalated and they came back outside of his room at House 25 in the Rubrics with firearms themselves. 

They fired shots into his rooms at the Rubrics, the oldest surviving building in the college. Ford had been urged to stay in his bed, but he went to the window in his night dress and confronted the students. Two shots struck Ford in the head and body, mortally wounding him. Although a surgeon was called, he died two hours after being shot, deeply in pain. On his deathbed, he refused to reveal the names of his killers, instead uttering the chilling words: “I do not know, but God forgive them, I do.”

The matter was investigated and four students were accused, but they were all acquitted as most of the witnesses had been drinking and were unable to identify them and had contradictory stories. Although they were acquitted by the court, the Board had all of them expelled from the college. 

Ford Haunting the Rubrics Building

Forgiveness didn’t seem to bring him peace however. Since then, Ford’s spirit has been seen wandering the side of the Rubrics at dusk, dressed in his scholar’s powdered wig, gown, and knee breeches. 

Students and staff alike have reported catching sight of a figure gliding silently past the red-brick façade, strolling down to Botany Bay before his form vanishes into the shadows before anyone can draw closer. His presence is not vengeful however, although his murderers went without any punishment at all, and went on to have great careers, even after being expelled.

The Legend of The Campanile Bells

The Campanile in Front Square is an iconic landmark of College and was built in 1853 and although there are no ghosts haunting it per se, it certainly has a haunting superstition lingering over it. 

Legend has it that if a student walks underneath the Campanile as the bell tolls within the tower, they will fail all of their exams. 

Today, the bells are automated, but still, people claim they ring at completely random times and the students avoid it just in case. Some say that there is a way to avoid failing though by touching the foot of former Provost George Salmon’s statue before the bell stops ringing. Salmon is by the way known for promising that no woman would ever study in Trinity.

The Ghost of George Francis Fitzgerald

Another ghost of a former staff member at Trinity College said to haunt the campus is that of George Francis Fitzgerald. He was an Irish theoretical physicist in the 1800s and was working as a tutor at the college. He is mostly known for the Fitzgerald-Lorentz contraction, a theory of the relativity of space to speed. This would become important for Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity. 

Fitzgerald died in 1901 at the young age of 41, after he became ill with stomach problems. Many attribute his illness and death to overwork. 

Students now believe that the ghost of Fitzgerald haunts the Physical Laboratory, now known as the Fitzgerald laboratory even though he never stepped foot in the building when he was alive. The Physical Laboratory was built in 1905, four years after Fitzgerald’s death.

The Ghost of Thomas Meredith

Another mathematician said to haunt the halls is the ghost of Thomas Meredith who was a mathematician and a Fellow at Trinity College. He is said to glide across the grass outside the Provost’s House before disappearing when reaching Challoner’s Corner. 

There are also those claiming to have seen a ghost standing in the nave of the College Chapel after evensong in the mid 19th century. This ghost however is much more mysterious and not as widely talked about. 

Archbishop Narcissus Marsh was the Provost of Trinity College during the 1670s and is also one of the ghosts said to haunt the campus. First and foremost he is said to haunt the Marsh’s library right by the college campus, searching for a lost note between the pages of the books. Read more: The Haunting in Marsh’s Library in Dublin. He is however also reported to have been seen haunting the college campus.

The Ghosts of the Victims of Body Snatching

As many universities in the 18th and 19th century, Trinity College’s medical departments relied heavily on the dead bodies sold to them by body snatchers. Before the Anatomy Act of 1832, only criminals could be used legally for anatomical study. But the market for fresh corpses was higher than dead criminals, so many in medical academia turned to illegal means. A lucrative business once, people dug up freshly buried bodies to sell to the university who dissected them and studied them in the Anatomy Theatres. 

In 1999, close to the Eavan Boland Library, construction workers uncovered remains of at least 20 people that had been buried in shallow graves to cover up the crimes of those buying these corpses.  Their bones all showed signs of dissection and careless disposal. This was also the case close to Trinity’s old anatomy theatres at the E3 Learning Foundry where they found skeletons dating back as far as 1711. 

Even to this day, staff and students claim to have experienced ghostly activity in the School of Medicine. Shadows and disembodied footsteps after nightfall are said to have made at least one night shift worker refuse to come back. 

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References:

The Rubrics – Wikipedia

Dark Stories in Dublin /2

Old Trinity: Murder and sprees in rooms

The secret spirits and superstitions of Trinity

Trinity College | Explore Haunted Ireland 

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The Ghostly Tales of Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

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Plenty of students trying to study in the Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa claim to have encountered the ghost said to wander down the aisles of the library after dark. Who is the ghost wearing the pink muumuu and what does she seek?

On the campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Hamilton Library is a haven for students seeking knowledge, solace, and a quiet place to study. However, beneath its scholarly exterior, this library holds more than just books and academic resources. For years, it has been the epicenter of chilling encounters, with custodians, students, and staff alike reporting eerie experiences that suggest the library is haunted by spirits that refuse to leave.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Tucked away on the flagship campus of the University of Hawaii in the Manoa Valley, Hamilton Library’s reputation as a haunted hotspot is well-known among those who frequent its halls, particularly in the late hours. Many students, burning the midnight oil during exam season, have claimed to hear disembodied whispers and the soft rustling of pages in the empty aisles, as if unseen hands were leafing through the books. Some have even reported feeling a sudden drop in temperature, a cold breath on their necks, or the sensation of being watched, only to find the aisle deserted when they turn around.

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The Woman in the Pink Muumuu

Among the most spine-chilling stories to emerge from Hamilton Library is the tale of the young woman in the pink muumuu. This apparition has been seen by several custodians over the years, always in the same location: the mauka wing of the first floor. The woman, dressed in a traditional Hawaiian muumuu, is described as having a serene yet sorrowful expression, as she silently wanders the aisles.

First Floor: Source

One custodian recounted a particularly eerie encounter with the pink muumuu-clad ghost. While mopping the floors late at night, he glanced up and saw her standing at the end of the aisle, her figure partially obscured by the shadows. Believing her to be a lost student, he approached to offer assistance, but as he neared, she simply vanished into thin air, leaving him alone with the mop bucket and his racing heart. After that night, the custodian refused to work alone in the mauka wing again.

Other Haunted Spots at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Although one of the more well known haunted spots on campus, it’s certainly not the only one. Hale Mokihana Dormitory is known for its eerie ghost stories, particularly concerning its ninth floor, which is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of a former student who tragically took his own life in the 1980s or early 90s. Numerous reports describe a ghostly figure resembling a young man, seen wandering the halls and often accompanied by sudden temperature drops and mysterious sounds.

Read the whole story: The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa: The Ghost of the Ninth Floor of Hale Mokihana

Some students have had unnerving encounters, claiming to see a dark figure at the foot of their bed stating, “This is my room. I died here.” While the university hasn’t officially confirmed the suicide, the legend persists, leading to varying accounts about which specific room or area is most haunted, with room 406 frequently mentioned.

Ghostly Residue in Hamilton Library

What could be the cause of these paranormal phenomena? Some speculate that the library was built on land with a tumultuous past, possibly disturbed burial grounds or sites of ancient Hawaiian rituals. Others believe the spirits are tied to the books themselves—perhaps the remnants of those who devoted their lives to the pursuit of knowledge and now refuse to leave their beloved sanctuary.

Students and staff have come to accept these hauntings as part of Hamilton Library’s unique atmosphere. Some are even comforted by the idea that they share the library with these restless spirits, who seem to be as committed to the pursuit of learning as the living. However, for those who have encountered the ghostly woman in the pink muumuu or heard the eerie footsteps in the dead of night, the library’s haunted reputation is all too real.

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Elche’s Historic and Haunted Library

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In the old town of Elche there is an old library that is said to be haunted. Securitas have claimed to have witness an entire procession of ghost monks wandering through the halls that once used to be a Franciscan Monastery.

The Historic and Haunted Library of Elche has a long and storied history. Originally established as a convent of Franciscan friars in the 16th century, it later served as a charity hospital before being converted into a library in the 18th century. This transformation laid the foundation for the library’s reputation as a place of both knowledge and mystery.

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Spain

The library’s location within the historic city center of Elche adds to its significance. Elche itself is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, and the library stands as a testament to the city’s commitment to preserving its past. 

The Historic and Haunted Library of Elche is no stranger to tales of paranormal activity. Over the years, numerous stories have circulated about ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena within its walls. One of the most enduring legends is that of the spirit of the monks who once inhabited the library.

According to local folklore, the ghost of a friar roams the library at night, his presence felt by those who dare to venture into the dimly lit corridors. Visitors have reported hearing soft footsteps and murmured prayers, as if the spirit of the friar is still carrying out his duties even in death. Some have even claimed to have seen the apparition of a hooded figure, silently gliding through the shelves, disappearing into thin air.

Haunted Encounters in the Library

One such encounter of the paranormal involved a group of security guards who were stationed at the library during the night shift. They reported strange noises, cold drafts, and flickering lights that seemed to have no logical explanation. Some even claimed to have seen shadowy figures darting in and out of the corners of their vision, and even an entire monastic procession. 

On this particular night in the early 1990s, they were making their rounds as usual when one of them heard the sound of chains being dragged on the ground from the courtyard. Later that night, around 3 o’clock, he heard the same again inside of the library. When he went to check, he found piles of books stacked on the table, without anyone having gone inside. He tried to ignore it and went back to work. But then the specter of a ghost monk appeared and he fled from the library, running as fast as he could and spent the rest of the night in his car with his weapon ready, scared to death. 

The case reached the press, but the staff of the library was asked to not talk about ghosts and phantoms in the library. Their work was to offer the service of books, not ghost stories. What could it be?

Sure, there are many things that could explain strange things happening in an old building like the library. According to a staff member at the time, it was apparently a rat infestation in the air-went, making strange rattling and scratching sounds. The books could be a prank or just something the security guard forgot about. The wind can also create mystical sounds. But a whole procession of monks?

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LOS FANTASMAS DE LA BIBLIOTECA DE ELCHE
Los fantasmas de la Biblioteca de Elche

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The Haunting in Marsh’s Library in Dublin

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Haunting the Marsh’s Library in Dublin is the Archbishop, who is still rummaging through the books on the shelves, in search for a letter that never reached him in his lifetime.

Marsh’s Library is a sanctuary of knowledge, revered as Ireland’s oldest free public library right behind Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The building is one of the few in Dublin that is still used for its original purpose, and even today you can see the cages they used to lock readers inside to stop them from stealing the precious books. 

Books in Cages: Books once was much more expensive than today, and to prevent theft, the library had these cages for people to sit in and read. It now has over 25,000 rare texts and 300 manuscripts in its collection. Nearly all of these can be accessed online.

Over the years, many famous literary figures like Jonathan Swift, James Joyce, and Bram Stoker have used this library to research their works. 

Bram Stoker, the literary genius behind the iconic 1897 Gothic novel “Dracula,” found inspiration within the library’s walls according to local lore as he spent much of his time in Dublin. As he delved into its literary treasures, he may have unknowingly drawn from the ethereal aura that enveloped Marsh’s Library.

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

While its shelves bear the weight of countless times, they also harbor a more spectral presence—the ghost of Archbishop Narcissus Marsh that is said to haunt the library.

Born in 1638 and passing away in 1713, Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, the founder of Marsh’s Library in 1707, left an indelible mark on Dublin’s literary heritage. Yet, even in death, his story took a mysterious turn.

A Niece’s Elopement

Narcissus Marsh, Archbishop of Armagh

The eerie tale begins with the Archbishop’s young niece, whom he had lovingly raised. She fell in love and secretly married the curate of Chapelizod village when she was 19 years old. Instead of telling her uncle, she decided to elope and run away with him. 

Incidentally the Chapelizod Village within Dublin has more than one tragic love story. The etymology of the village indicates an association with Princess Iseult or Isolde from the Arthurian legend of Tristan and Isolde that suffered their own Romeo and Juliette ending. The village derives its name from a chapel consecrated in her honor.

The niece decided to leave behind a cryptic note, concealed within one of the library’s countless volumes where she explained it all and asked her uncle for forgiveness. But she hid the note too well and the Archbishop never found it, something that drove him back from the afterlife in search for the answers he never got.  

The Restless Search in Marsh’s Library

It is said that Archbishop Marsh’s ghost roams the hallowed halls of his beloved library to this very day. His spectral presence is eternally on the hunt for that elusive note, rummaging through the books. In death, as in life, he searches for answers and perhaps a way to reconcile with the past.

It is also said that walking from the first gallery to the second one, you can feel the temperature drop, even on the hottest of days. 

The Ghost of Jonathan Swift

The Archbishop is not the only resident of the Marsh’s Library as a ghost though. Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels for instance is also said to pay the library a haunted visit once in a while as well. 

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Both he and his girlfriend, Stella, are buried next door in the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Esther Johnson as her real name was, could also been his secret wife and is rumoured to have married died some years before him. After she died in 1728, he made death mask of her and him and asked to be buried next to her.

Over a century later they were dug up again and it was hugely controversial. William Wilde who was the father of poet Oscar Wilde joined a team to exhume the bodies for examination in 1835. 

They made casts of both Swift’s and Stella’s skulls as part of the study. Although it was seen as a very unchristian thing to do, the library preserved the skull and the one belonging to Stella is in one of the cages at the back of the library. 

It is said that Swift comes to visit the Marsh’s Library to see Stella, as his skull is still in the cathedral. 

Dublin’s Haunted Treasure

As the moon cast an ethereal glow through the stained glass windows, Archbishop Narcissus Marsh continued his restless search within the hallowed halls of Marsh’s Library. For centuries, he had combed through the shelves, hoping to find the elusive letter from his niece that had evaded him in life and death.

And so, Marsh’s Library remained a sanctuary of knowledge, where the living and the departed coexisted. A place where history, literature, and the supernatural converged, forever preserving the legacy of Dublin’s haunted treasure in the heart of the city.

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Supernatural Dublin – Marsh’s Library