Waterford/Wexford/Kilkenny paranormal sites?

MrMagoo

I am trying to find out what are considered the most paranormal or haunted sites in these 3 counties. Any ideas/suggestions welcome.

Also, only if you happen to know, please include if these places or buildings are open to the public or privately owned.

Cheers

stormkeeper

I vaguely recall Loftus Hall being mentioned here... I'd imagine Kilkenny Castle would be somewhat haunted too.

deise_boi

Well, I know Loftus Hall near Hook Head is allegedly haunted. As I am a Redmond I know the story (the building was once owned by the Redmond family).
Heres a link to the background of the building: http://www.wexfordweb.com/Loftus_Hall/index.htm

New_Departure06

Loftus Hall is supposed to be haunted by the Devil himself. A friend told me that in the 30s, they had someone in to repair the ceiling and it collapsed. This is in the room (since locked) where the devil, disguised as a guest, fly through the ceiling in the 1700's, after the daughter of the house, in a card game, bend down to pick up a dropped card and saw his hooves.

A paranormal treasure and perfect for an investigation if/when it eventually gets allowed. I have heard the old woman who used to own it sold it to someone now living in England (is this true), and that noone lives there now.

6th

Ah I'm pulling my hair out at this stage, old castle seems to automatically mean haunted at times here.

The story for Loftus seems to match the same one for the Hellfire Club exactly! ok so Charleville gets alot of attention here but thats based on alot of people having gone there and experienced things.
The Loftus stories are all "a friend of a friend" stories or based on this "legend" of the devil haunting the place?!?
I for one have experienced alot more "hauntings" in everyday circumstances than in old buildings.
I know i sound like i'm ranting but if more people want to experience paranormal happenings they should take steps to improving their awareness of what is around them rather than going to a creepy place - if nothing happens at these "castles" alot of people will lose faith in the paranormal rather than put a bit of effort into it!

I'm sure some people on here will have some great suggestions for sites in the area based on personal experiences or those of people they know.

stevenmu

Just to add to that, and hopefully prompt 6th to rant some more, there's not much point trying to find 'the most haunted' places. Everyone who has heard a rumour that their granny's neighbour's best friend's uncle may have seen something unusual somewhere, will claim that it's the most haunted place in Ireland.

With that said, Ross castle in Killarney is supposedly quite haunted.

edit: actualy wait a second, I think that's a diferent Ross Castle.

6th

stevenmu wrote:

Just to add to that, and hopefully prompt 6th to rant some more, there's not much point trying to find 'the most haunted' places. Everyone who has heard a rumour that their granny's neighbour's best friend's uncle may have seen something unusual somewhere, will claim that it's the most haunted place in Ireland.

With that said, Ross castle in Killarney is supposedly quite haunted.

edit: actualy wait a second, I think that's a diferent Ross Castle.

Yeah i think the Ross you mean is the one in Cavan.

6th

Actually to give the OP all the help we can can I just ask for what reason you want to know? Depending what you are after people may have different answers.

As Stevenmu already said lots of people will claim the most haunted site.

faceman

I posted a story about courtown in wexford last year below:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=298687&referrerid=59211&highlight=courtown

Not really kilkenny or waterford but on the waterford/kilkenny road leaving carlow, isnt that castle/house and the grounds there supposed to be haunted. The famours tale of the gates that could never be locked/closed even after they built a wall around it. I cant remember the full story, anyone else know what Im talking about?

MrMagoo

6th wrote:

Actually to give the OP all the help we can can I just ask for what reason you want to know? Depending what you are after people may have different answers.

As Stevenmu already said lots of people will claim the most haunted site.

Good point. Should have mentioned in the orginal post. Basically, we are just a group of friends who are interested in unusual and paranormal events in all sorts of places (doesn't always have to be castles). We are trying to apply some science to explain odd events where possible, almost in a paranormal psychology way. That said, still love to find places that baffle and remain truly unexplained.

Perhaps if anyone has any personal experiences of why they feel the places they suggest are paranormal rather than the "friend of a friend said the banshee is there" type of thing. For example, if you witnessed strange blue lights hovering over a church, we would want to visit that place with cameras etc and attempt to capture it and explain it (or not!). By no means are we genuine scientists, just an interested bunch of guys.

Thanks to all for the useful information so far. Keep it coming

MrMagoo

faceman wrote:

Not really kilkenny or waterford but on the waterford/kilkenny road leaving carlow, isnt that castle/house and the grounds there supposed to be haunted. The famours tale of the gates that could never be locked/closed even after they built a wall around it. I cant remember the full story, anyone else know what Im talking about?

Is this a very large residence with rounded ends on each side of the house? It's on the left hand side of the road if coming from Carlow toward Waterford?
Have never heard of any stories about this place, but always did look a bit creepy to me. Often feel like someone is watching me intently from the windows of that house as I drive past. Apologies if the owner of said house is reading this - don't mean to scare you. If you are reading this though, please fill us in

solas

would anyone be interested in checking out the kitchens of kilkenny castle? apparantly thats where the cook resides

solas

MrMagoo wrote:

Good point. Should have mentioned in the orginal post. Basically, we are just a group of friends who are interested in unusual and paranormal events in all sorts of places (doesn't always have to be castles). We are trying to apply some science to explain odd events where possible, almost in a paranormal psychology way. That said, still love to find places that baffle and remain truly unexplained.

Perhaps if anyone has any personal experiences of why they feel the places they suggest are paranormal rather than the "friend of a friend said the banshee is there" type of thing. For example, if you witnessed strange blue lights hovering over a church, we would want to visit that place with cameras etc and attempt to capture it and explain it (or not!). By no means are we genuine scientists, just an interested bunch of guys.

Thanks to all for the useful information so far. Keep it coming

lots of places around but many of them not public.
Woodstown has some very weird story's about it and I know some folk who would have a fit rather than go there, from several independant sources. (mad monks and stuff)
A close friend described an experience in the woods at the end of the strand while camping out at the beach one night, she reckons she was chased by some kind of glowing orb that passed through trees and she linked the experience to events that occured at faithlegg house. I'm not sure of the geography of the area but she reckons it's at the back of faithlegg house?
Faithlegg house itself has lot of stories, one room in particular where the husband had locked the wife up in for years and which was finally opened up when renovations began some years back.

[edit]that said, I camped at woodstown when I was in my teens and had a great time no spooks and stuff.

MrMagoo

solas wrote:

would anyone be interested in checking out the kitchens of kilkenny castle? apparantly thats where the cook resides

Surely, but how do we get in? Suppose we could go on the tour and do a runner half way through!!

solas

it was when i was doing a tour there years ago that I had a paranormal encounter lol. I'm sure there would be no harm in just having a quick look. (you can get ten or fifteen minutes in the kitchens if you pushed it.

MrMagoo

In addition to the original post, would like to extend places of interest to Tipperary too, preferably South Tipp.

Speaking of that part of the world, anybody have any odd experiences in Ormonde Castle, Carrick-on-Suir? Have been there a few times and despite the colourful history seems very 'calm'.

solas

anybody have any odd experiences in Ormonde Castle, Carrick-on-Suir?

its been about ten years since i was there and they were only renovating it at the time. Seemed perfectly ok to me. I remember the great hall feeling particularly empty but perhaps that was because there was very little in it at the time

If i recall it was very lifeless. ( I'm not aware of the history, just had a father who liked castles a lot)

stevenmu

solas wrote:

would anyone be interested in checking out the kitchens of kilkenny castle? apparantly thats where the cook resides

Sounds interesting, while you're investigating the kitchen the rest of us can steak out the dining room, see if anything materialises ...


... hopefully nothing too scary ...

MrMagoo wrote:

Speaking of that part of the world, anybody have any odd experiences in Ormonde Castle, Carrick-on-Suir? Have been there a few times and despite the colourful history seems very 'calm'.

If you've been there during the day time espcially as part of tour groups, and this'd go for most places too, I wouldn't expect much. In my own limited experience at least, I think most people wouldn't be in a sensitive enough state of mind in those circumstances to notice anything. I also suspect that many haunted areas need to have some people hanging around in them for a while to 'charge' them up a bit before much will happen.

solas

If you've been there during the day time espcially as part of tour groups, and this'd go for most places too, I wouldn't expect much. In my own limited experience at least, I think most people wouldn't be in a sensitive enough state of mind in those circumstances to notice anything. I also suspect that many haunted areas need to have some people hanging around in them for a while to 'charge' them up a bit before much will happen.

I dunno steve, I'd been to kilkenny castle many times as a child and didn't really expect to have the ear blown off me while standing in the kitchen on a later tour.

If i remember right, the kitchen is right at the end of the tour so I think if you were to go and hang about there while everyone else was dispersing no one would notice.

[maybe she just liked me ]

solas

I used to work for the arts and history dept of waterford corp. and some of the buildings I worked in were just freaky. I spent a year in the archives on high street and there wasn't a day I didn't run up those stairs like a cat with it's tail on fire. I used to hold the keys of it too, if I had them now I'd have ye all in there for a weekend.

I remember discussing it with one of my bosses (who was quite sane) and she said claimed she knew of three seperate incidents involving some of those buildings. Greyfriars, part of the old church which is now a historical centre/gallery was reputed to be haunted, the archives building I was workng in on high street (a 16th century mill store) is just creepy and I had the oppertunity to work in reginalds towere for a couple of days and in comparison to the other buidings I felt very "safe and secure" there, but aware that a lot of history had occured within the walls.

stevenmu

solas wrote:

I dunno steve, I'd been to kilkenny castle many times as a child and didn't really expect to have the ear blown off me while standing in the kitchen on a later tour.

If i remember right, the kitchen is right at the end of the tour so I think if you were to go and hang about there while everyone else was dispersing no one would notice.

[maybe she just liked me ]

Well you're the exception that proves the rule, I'd be genuinely surprised if you went anywhere and *didn't* have a paranormal experience




edit: On topic there's a guy down that end of the country who could probably point ye in the right direction. He runs an msn site at http://groups.msn.com/GHOSTPERSONALS so you could try and get in touch and see if he reccomends anywhere

solas

ah thats just so not true, think i've become too reasonable in my old age. Barely have any paranormal experiences anymore lol.

MrMagoo

solas wrote:

I used to hold the keys of it too, if I had them now I'd have ye all in there for a weekend.

LOL. Sounds like a plan...you still have a mate who'll lend you them? I can see us all getting nabbed by the cops now.
Judge: What were ye doing there?
Us: Ghost hunting...obviously! (tut)

But seriously, thats the info I am looking for. Agree with 6th, it's not always castles, sometimes just a room in a house is even more powerful.

BTW - am new to this board. Do ye arrange gatherings/investigations etc?

solas

But seriously, thats the info I am looking for. Agree with 6th, it's not always castles, sometimes just a room in a house is even more powerful.

BTW - am new to this board. Do ye arrange gatherings/investigations etc?

and unfortunately for ghosthunters most of those scenarios are not exactly open to the public, charleville seem to be the only sure place for an overnight excursion, which fortunately these guys do on a regular basis.

welcome to the forum btw.

6th

Like Solas said we do arrange stuff now and again bt i think we're becoming too reliant on Charleville. I'm looking at alot of new projects at the moment so later in the summer looks good.

As Stevenmu pointed out, check out http://groups.msn.com/GHOSTPERSONALS Donal there should have a fair bit of info for you on the south of ireland.

6th

solas wrote:

ah thats just so not true, think i've become too reasonable in my old age. Barely have any paranormal experiences anymore lol.

Being reasonable doesnt mean you have less experiences, having less experiences might make you feel more reasonable though

New_Departure06

Graveyards might be the best place to find ghosts. Remember that some ghosts are supposed to be "grounded" so they can't or won't move from a place. Remember the Jim Morrison photo in one.

6th

New_Departure06 wrote:

Graveyards might be the best place to find ghosts. Remember that some ghosts are supposed to be "grounded" so they can't or won't move from a place.

Ok lets try this again, lets say the spirit leaves the body at the time of death? A funeral is usually 3 days later, longer in "traumatic" circumstances where an investigation into the death is nessecery. So by the time the body gets to the grave Bobby the Ghost is back at his mums house knocking photos off the fire place.

As i've said asked before if you were dead where would you hang out?

Within some cultural beliefs the spirits holds/comforts and stays with the body for a period of time after death - in some cases to say sorry for the hardship the body was put through in life. This may have something to do with spirits being photographed at their own funerals? Maybe Bobby the Ghost just wants to see wh oturned up?

As for graveyards being haunted? I'm sure some are but just coz theres bodies in the ground that doesnt mean there are spirits in the air. taking a night in a graveyard as an opportunity to "catch" ghosts is probably not the best idea, I mean i'd be creeped out and it would be difficult (not impossible) not to let your mind run wild at times.

I'll say it again so people can hear: Spirits are EVERYWHERE! They occupy the same spaces we do, why wouldnt they? Open yourself up to it, give your psychic development a bit of time and be patient!

this is just my opinion, everyone is entitled to their own

solas

Being reasonable doesnt mean you have less experiences, having less experiences might make you feel more reasonable though

thanks professor. and jesus man, do something with the sig will ya, everytime I click on the page to scroll down I open up your site. nice site an'all, it's just frustrating not being able to avoid opening it up

6th

ok will fix it

my_house

there was the Leinster Paranormal Reseach Society (lprs.org) site but I think that died due to lack of interest.

Someone mentioned a place on the carlow kilkenny road - thats the artist Cope's place - big castle with gates that had to be cemented shut to stop them opening. I have a feeling its probably some kind of magnetic anomoly in the ground that efftecs the gates as they really really are cemented shut. you can see the rough outline of the old avenue leading to the gates but nature has taken over and the front of the building is a big field leading to the road. thinks its in paulstown or somewhere. point is though, the avenue hasnt been used in a century or two, otherwise the avenue wouldnt be a field right now, which means the gates have been cemented for years. I once emailed yer woman asking about the gates (researching local history I was apparently) but she never got back to me.

MrMagoo

6th wrote:

I'm looking at alot of new projects at the moment so later in the summer looks good.

Excellent Assume you will just post the info here and we can sign up if we want to? Or does it work on invite only/private newsletter sort of thing?

Either way...wouldn't mind tagging along.

6th

its not oing to be as open as it has in the past, dont worry it will still be posted here but it wont be a first come first served situation.

Nevyn

I have found that if you are to track cromwells route through wicklow and wexford you will find plenty of cold spots, places were people were slaughtered and buried where they fell.

stevenmu

Thaedydal wrote:

I have found that if you are to track cromwells route through wicklow and wexford you will find plenty of cold spots, places were people were slaughtered and buried where they fell.

That's a really good idea, I'm not great with history but wasn't there one hill in particular in Wexford where there was a huge massacre ?

Oryx

Could that be Vinegar Hill in Enniscorthy?

http://www.iol.ie/~98com/map.htm

Nevyn

That would be Vinegar hill but there are plenty of other spots along the way and many of them have marker stones where the people who died there were buried where they fell.

Vinegar hill was the final route where all the women and children had fled to and then were slaugthered there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vinegar_Hill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cromwellian_conquest_of_Ireland

The old road at Kilmacanogue that Cromwell and his forces took I found to have some very cold and eiree spots along it was well.

stevenmu

Yep, Vinegar Hill is exactly what I was thinking of, thanks for the links.