Said to be haunted by headless prisoners who tried to capture Dublin Castle, this storied building has shadows lingering in the corners.
Few places in Ireland carry as much history, blood, and shadow as Dublin Castle, or Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath, in the midst of the city. And if we are to believe the rumours, it is also said to house a few ghosts.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Ireland
Built on the site of a Viking fortress and later serving as the seat of British power in Ireland for over 700 years, the castle has seen centuries of political intrigue, imprisonment, executions, and rebellion. With such a dark and turbulent past, you would definitely believe that it could be haunted, but the truth is, that it’s not often that Dublin Castle makes it on the top most haunted castles in Ireland.
The Headless Haunting of Dublin Castle
There are however a few ghost stories here as well though. The most chilling tales speak of the headless spirits of men who tried to storm the fortress long ago. What the battle and time someone tried to storm it is not really mentioned, but there are plenty of battles and sieges that have tried to take control over the castle.
According to this ghost legend, the prisoners of the attack were executed swiftly and without mercy, their remains were buried within the castle grounds. Locals and visitors alike claim that the headless dead have never truly left. Their spectral forms are said to wander the grounds in silence.
The Haunted Upper Yard
The Upper Yard is often spoken of as one of the most unsettling areas here as this was the location of the original medieval castle that stood before a huge fire burned it to the ground in the 1600s. Some visitors have described the uneasy feeling of being watched, while others claim to have glimpsed fleeting apparitions disappearing into the ancient stonework.
There is also a building in the upper yard that is said to be haunted where the original motte-and-bailey castle was. Details are vague about the specific, but some think the haunting is a woman who is mourning her lover she lost in one of the many battles fought on this land.
Other Ghost Stories
One particular haunting experience was told through Spiritedisle’ about a Garda sergeant who was stationed at Dublin Castle in the 1950s. One night the light went out by itself when he was alone in the dormitory. Then he heard something like coal being shoveled into the fire in the kitchen and went to check that he was truly alone. When entering, the room was empty, there was no coal in the fire and the shovel hadn’t moved at all.
Today, Dublin Castle stands as a celebrated historical site and a major tourist attraction. Yet beneath the surface of grandeur and state occasions lingers the weight of all who suffered and died there and are perhaps even haunting it to this day.
Newest Posts
- The Ghostly Guardian of MS Nordstjernen
The MS Nordstjernen spent decades bringing passengers north across the arctic sea, and although the waters can be brought this far north, it always seemed to reach port unharmed. Some think that it could be Ernst, the ship’s ghosts. - The Cabin in the Woods where the Forest Watches Back
The DNT Cabin Flisberget deep in the mystical forest of Finnskogen, bordering Norway and Sweden has a lot of strange tales coming from it. So much so, that it was voted the scariest cabin in the country. - The Haunted Devonshire Park Theatre: The Phantom Violinist of Eastbourne
Could one of the musicians on the Titanic be haunting the Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne, England? Who is the person behind the ghost said to still be playing the violin? - The Lady of Soria Moria Haunting Villa Fridheim
Soria Moria: The Villa Fridheim is often called the Soria Moria castle, a name from Norwegian folktales about the hidden castle where the hero will find the princess. It has also now turned into an expression for expectations about a great place. - Dun Dreach-Fhoula – The Blood-Soaked Castle of the Reeks
Said to be found deep in the mountain range MacGillycuddy’s Reeks in Kerry, Ireland, the ruins of Dun Dreach-Fhoula castle is said to be the home of bloodthirsty fairies of the Otherworld. Question is if it’s an ancient legend or a modern hoax. - The Woman Waiting and Haunting Struten Lighthouse
After being stranded on their little island at Struten Lighthouse in stormy weather with the waves crashing in, a woman succumbed to her illness and has since then been haunting it, still waiting for the help that never came. - The Womanizer of Room 315 Haunting at Sauda Fjordhotel
The once stately Sauda Fjordhotel is said to be haunted by a remorseful colonel, who took his own life when his womanizing ways lost him the love of his life. - The Ghost of the Captain Smith from the Titanic
After the Titanic sank in 1912, people started talking about seeing the ghost of Captain Smith around the world. Even after all these years, his death and afterlife have an air of mystery surrounding it and he has become one of the most well known ghosts from the Titanic tragedy. - The Haunted Legends from Wailua in Hawaii
How big can a haunted area be? Can the whole of Wailua on Kauai Island be haunted? The place certainly seems steeped in tales of Night Marchers and a procession of the dead, making their way down the river to the afterlife. - The Amalanhig: The Undying Hunters of Visayan Folklore
Rising from their graves, the vampiric Amalanhig from the Philippines are after your flesh and blood. But where did these creatures come from? - Doyle’s Pub: The Hangman’s Shadow in Phibsborough
Said to be haunted by the people from the funeral home that used to be next door, the Doyle’s Pub in Dublin is said to have more than living patrons having a drink. - Fredriksten Fortress and the White Lady of Halden
In the bordertown of Sweden of Norway, Fredriksten Fortress has seen more bloodshed than many places. But who is the White Lady said to be haunting it, soaring around the clock tower in the night?
References:
Dublin Castle | Explore Haunted Ireland
The Paranormal Database – Dublin