Carlow related ghost stories and legends

iamhunted

For the last KCLR 96fms The UnExplained show this week, we'd like to talk about local Carlow ghost stories - personal ones especailly.

If you have anything you'd like to mention, stick it in here and we'll give you a shout out on Thursday night

niall3r

There is always the weedy stories, those are always good for a scare.

In all seriousness, the youth centre on green lane is meant to be haunted from when it was a TB clinic or something like that.

iamhunted

i had heard that before alright, though ive never heard anything specific about it. Must give mr purcel the historian a shout to see if he has anything about the place

aynon

im pretty sure homebase have a ghost. i was walking around it there for the last couple of nights, stuff coming off the shelf by itself, or the "help" button being pressed, when noone is near it. not scary, just annoying tho.

byhookorbycrook

castle is haunted.

iamhunted

ive often heard of carlow castle being haunted by winos but not much else :pac:

For the record, The UnExplained has finished its six week stint on KCLR. At least KCLR can say it hosted irelands first dedicated paranormal show on commercial radio. podcasts are up on http://www.radiocrackle.com

road_high

Isn't there some story of Shankill castle in Paulstown where the gates would always be open at the end of the driveway regardless of the gardener locking them, or something to that effect

KateF

Yes, I've heard that. Something about a woman putting a curse on the grounds hundreds of years ago. Forget the full story. But the gates never close, I think they were even cemented shut once or something and they just bend and won't join

iamhunted

we covered Shankill on the last UnExplained show. its on podcast at http://www.radiocrackle.com .

purplekitty

the superquinn shopping center is supposed to be the most haunted place in carlow.

i was behind the scenes when they were filming it in March, kind of like "most haunted meets... i dunno, something kinda crappy and irish".

DANNY22XX

purplekitty wrote: »

the superquinn shopping center is supposed to be the most haunted place in carlow.

i was behind the scenes when they were filming it in March, kind of like "most haunted meets... i dunno, something kinda crappy and irish".

hahahahaha we will look out for that one,,,,lol:D

iamhunted

whats was it for? TV?

Super-Rush

why is the 'Haunted Hill' called the Haunted Hill?

iamhunted

ive never heard of the haunted hill - is that in carlow?

Super-Rush

You know the hill leading up to the turn off for Tinryland on the Wexford road? I've always heard it called 'The Haunted Hill' I feel a bit embarrassed now because i never asked why.

tombull82

same as the bann ri(i think thats the correct name) woods in leighlin. They are supposed to be haunted also or so i believe. I cant remember if its supposed to be a young woman or the ban se.

iamhunted

ive heard stories of the top flat in the tower flats at graigue lights being haunted. trying to find out more presently.

Super-Rush

I've been trying to find out info on The Haunted Hill but no one seems to know why its called that. I'm going to try and contact Willie White from the Nationalist and see does he know.

iamhunted

mick purcell as well might be a man to contact. I used to have his number but since i got a new phone, ive misplaced it.

Stevecw

From todays Nationalist:

Fright night for teen as he sees ‘ghost’ in cinema
Last Updated Nov 2009
by Brendan Lawrence

A TEENAGER ran screaming from Carlow Cineplex after he claimed a ghost appeared in the seat next to him. The lad had been sitting with two friends in screen three, when the mysterious figure of an old man wearing a hat suddenly materialised beside him.

The terrified teen was met by Derek Delaney from The Swan, who had just left the new Michael Jackson film at around 11pm. The youth, who Derek described as “absolutely terrified”, was standing in the foyer of the cinema looking - as Derek described it - “completely shook”.

“I was looking at the chap and I was saying to myself, ‘What’s your man on?’ He was really white and he had got some fright, whatever had happened to him. He was about 15 or 16,” added Derek.

Derek then recalls the young man summoning a passing staff member and telling him what had happened. “He told the member of staff that he had been sitting in screen three with a couple of his friends when, out of nowhere, the figure of an old man wearing a hat appeared beside him. He said that they were the only lads on that row. He was really scared - I’ve never seen the chap in my life before, but he was terrified.

“The staff member then pulled him over towards me and told him not to be saying that when people were coming down the stairs. He also told him that it wasn’t the first time that people had said that, and that some of the female staff were too scared to go in there,” added Derek. Carlow’s own ghostbuster, Cormac Strain from Leinster Paranormal, who has carried out investigations in neighbouring Carlow Shopping Centre, taking readings and staying overnight there, says that in the past he has made recordings that he just can’t explain.

“We have got recordings from that centre that just don’t make sense,” said Cormac. “It wouldn’t be completely unreasonable to think that there might be something going on. Upstairs in the centre, people have reported that they have felt watched and paranoid. Now, there are huge aerials on top of the roof that send out huge amounts of electromagnetic waves, and when the brain is hit with that it does cause paranoia and fear. But elsewhere we found no reason for things that were happening. “We recorded in a room - there were three of us in the room - and we never heard anything. When we played back the tape, we heard laughing. I can’t explain that,” added Cormac.

When contacted by The Nationalist, the management of the cinema had no comment to make about the alleged ghostly capers within their walls.

http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/tabId/511/itemId/6819/Fright-night-for-teen-as-he-sees-ghost-in-cinema.aspx

iamhunted

jeeze, that cormac strain fella. ghost hunter indeed!

I did hear he was an absolute genius though that fella.

DANNY22XX

Yep he gets everywere alright,,,lol

Intresting story all the same and i only heard today thats not the first report about screen 3

iamhunted

I heard about it before today, but I think its too near halloween to be taken seriously

Circlian

The Tower in Graigue I believe you refer to was built by Rowan McCombe:

http://www.igp-web.com/carlow/Rowan_McCombe.htm

pinkfloyd34

the old cattle mart where fairgreen is now was supposed to be haunted and the railway track going up to the burrin river at the back of the eire og, i think there was a 3 cornered field there or something like that or a fairy fort, i wouldnt mess with one of them, and superquinn, i know someone who worked there and heard noises when no-one was there at night, spooky or what

SIX PACK

I'll tell ye a good 1 McFit gym on barrack st Has a leak in the shower room since mick turned the former bowling alley into a Gym it doesn't matter what tiler comes in the leak always comes back. A fella poisoned himself with rat bait 3 yrs ago and died in the shower room while the place was been renovated. So the owner reckons this guys spirit still Lingers in the building(probably trapped). because things do be moved around etc when he opens each morning...

iamhunted

@ pinkfloyd34 - Ive heard stories about superquinn as well, but it's hard to say as all Ive heard is kinda hearsay.

@ SIX PACK - thats interesting. I bet it's not paranormal though. Probably havent worked out where the leak is originating from.

SIX PACK

Well if your team would be interested in doing a a Siance like they do on Most Haunted im sure the Owner would welcome it, because he has spent thousands trying to fix the leak in mens shower room he has even had to construct a new 1 in a different location + their is another guy who comes into the gym who has very high Physhic Abilities who picked up on the spirit also.

iamhunted

check your PM. I did mention though, we don't take it for granted anywhere is haunted as we'd really need to experience whats going on firsthand or pick up enough interesting info from an investigation to even think about the idea. You'd be surprised how many ghosts can be bad plumbing.

Circlian

The Burrin car track is said to be haunted.

Before the 80's residential areas were built in the Closh/Askea area, the land was agricultural from JKL onwards out the Wexford Road. The fields of three framers joined on a corner marked by the old pump (still there) at the top of Staplestown Road at Closh near Askea BNS/GNS. During the 80's/90's the car track (which was really a muddy/dirt lane for tractors) ran from the Burrin river bank up towards John Sweeney Park, down through the field that separated John Sweeney Park from Dereen Heights (where the Irish school stands I believe) and down the side of Askea Lawns, which was at this section a tree lined corridor, and then in the time it was all farm land, the car track turned right, between Askea Lawns and Mount Leinster Park and followed out towards the Tullow Road.

Many many years ago, (decades or centuries ago, it's not clear), it is said that a wanderer was seen on the river bank by a farmer from the other side of the river. It is not clear if the farmer gave the man fair warning to leave, as he was tresspassing, but it is said that the farmer shot this man who fell to the ground. It is said that the man dragged himself all the way down the car track towards to get tto the main road, but didn't make it to the turn past Askea Lawns. He died there on the track.

During the 90's 11 of the 64 houses in Askea Lawns were noted with the County Council of having complaints about hauntings. A couple of the homes in that residential area were tormented by a dark shadowy figure that walked through walls and was often seen in the hallways and landings.

Some of the local teenagers at the time did experiment with the Ouija boards, but whether this channelled the spirit of the man who was killed there or opened a doorway to the otherside and enticed another entity, nobody knows.

The Presentation College is built on what seems to be a mound and is often said by kids that it was because it was built on a famine pit. Whether there is any truth on this or not, the care taker there during the 90's, Paddy Farrell, was said to have admitted to seeing spirits inside the school building itself.

Also, the section of the rail bridge that overlooks the Staplestown road is also the familiar grounds of a womanly figure that looks down upon the road at dusk/nightfall.

iamhunted

thats interesting - thanks for that.

iamhunted

During the 90's 11 of the 64 houses in Askea Lawns

Can you per chance tell me where you got that info from as I'd like to look into that .... ?

foundry

I think the barricks is haunted.

I was sitting there recently and out of the corner of my eye i seen the outline of an old lady.
She was hunched over with a walking stick and she had a bun in her hair, i thought to myself she was a bit old to be in here and when i looked left no1 was there..

Obviously the barricks buliding has a lot of history but I don't think this old lady woulda been up to much harm!

Any1 kno anythin paranormal with the barricks?

iamhunted

Circlian wrote: »

During the 90's 11 of the 64 houses in Askea Lawns were noted with the County Council of having complaints about hauntings.

Unfortunately the council dispute this. They say that they dont have anything on record plus they got me in touch with one of the carpenters who used to do repairs in Askea Lawns at the time who assured me if such things had happened, he would have heard of it.

iamhunted

foundry wrote: »

I think the barricks is haunted.

I was sitting there recently and out of the corner of my eye i seen the outline of an old lady.
She was hunched over with a walking stick and she had a bun in her hair, i thought to myself she was a bit old to be in here and when i looked left no1 was there..

Obviously the barricks buliding has a lot of history but I don't think this old lady woulda been up to much harm!

Any1 kno anythin paranormal with the barricks?

A lot of people report seeing things out of the corner of their eyes (in general), but really, you can misinterpret things big time that way.

foundry

thanx for that i am....

maccored

Leinster Paranormal are always on the lookout for any apparent paranormal activity in Carlow - if you come across anything, let us know in here .....

Alex Swan

Is Ducketts Grove haunted, I was out there recently and heard a high pitched voice and the only way I can describe it is that it was a cry of despair,sorrow or pain. Very loud and only started as I entered the grounds of the castle

byhookorbycrook

The stable yard of the dowager house -Russellstown is most certainly haunted, by a groom.

maccored

@ byhookorbycrook - do you have any more info on that? Where is the place exactly?

@ Alex Swan - I havent heard anything definitive about ducketts grove being haunted, but many assume it is as its an old building (I dont get that line of thinking myself)

maccored

any info on Russellstown appreciated - I cant find anything on it

krustydoyle

Id love to go along on 1 of these investigations with that paranormal team...

maccored

we dont do a massive amount of investigations a year - maybe about 5 or 6 and most are private. We don't really go down the 'lets visit a haunted castle' route. We might do an investigation around Carlow if we can organise one and we may well bring a few non team members with us. (Ive heard so many firsthand reports about Scraggs but the management arent interested in having us in there).

Theres an idea - if anyone can give us some decent leads, then we'll bring them along. We're interested in debunking as much as anything - for example we visited Shankil Castle on the Kilkenny road and worked out exactly why the gates are cemented shut etc etc. Nothing to do with ghosts.

Mister Man

Jesus theres a huge list of storys about Carlow Shopping Center. My father worked there for ages when I was younger. He has told me a load of storys about it over the years about when they where locking up and other storys he heard from people

The two that come to mind right away are:

The last person to be hund (A Women, I forget her name, Im sure my dad knows it if i asked) He was hung for steeling a loaf of breed I believe, and with her last words she cursed the building. The curse was that, When all four (theres four right?) hourses mouths close (The ones outside) fully the building will fall down. Currently there is three fully closes, and one is left open.

The other story is one he saw himself,
He was locking up late one night with someone else. They had jsut turned off the lights from all the room/Offices whatever else are up above the shops, and as they where about to lock it up they saw one was still one. They decided to leave it and just turn it off in the morning, but when they came in the next morning (First in, only two with keys i believe at the time) The place where the window was had been covered over with bricks, even today you can see the outline of where the window was....

I Can't remember any others, but im sure if i asked he would give me a list of storys....

maccored

thats one place we've been in manys a time. some of it we can debunk - cafe le monde for example has a few pretty big mobile masts on top which cause a lot of electromagnetic interference in the attic. Makes people feel edgy etc etc.

We did record a laugh where Seasons gym used to be. Wasnt one of us and no-one heard it at the time. Outside of that though, there doesnt seem to be much going on. Oh aye, we recorded a door slam when we were there with KCLR one night. Heard that same sound once or twice before when we'd been there but couldnt locate it in the centre.

maccored

Mister Man wrote: »

The other story is one he saw himself,
He was locking up late one night with someone else. They had jsut turned off the lights from all the room/Offices whatever else are up above the shops, and as they where about to lock it up they saw one was still one. They decided to leave it and just turn it off in the morning, but when they came in the next morning (First in, only two with keys i believe at the time) The place where the window was had been covered over with bricks, even today you can see the outline of where the window was....

Now that is strange as a female member of staff of one of the shops told us much the same story word for word, but she claimed she was on her own ...

Mister Man

maccored wrote: »

Now that is strange as a female member of staff of one of the shops told us much the same story word for word, but she claimed she was on her own ...

Odd....Well my father did security so him, and at least one other would be defo 100% be the last person out of there every night. She wouldn't be aloud in there on her own. Maybe they where up stairs in the security rest room place as they opened the door for when people leave (Locked so people don't come walking in) So maybe see saw the light when she was the last one leaving, until they took a last look around? I believe theres two windows that are covered up now, maybe even three. I remember looking for them

Ill ask him about this story and a few others later tonight see what he has to say

**EDIT** I Believe its agasinst the law to have one one person on there own in a shop/building like the shopping center **EDIT**

maccored

I dont want to give away the name of the place in question, but the lady said she was locking up her shop and heading out.

What interests me though is could this be two seperate occasions which means the same phenomena happened twice. Any idea when you dad was working there?

Mister Man

Hmmm.... Could be anywhere between 7-10 Years ago at this stage....

maccored

I got the info off the other people concerned - long story but theres a premises in there that closed later than the rest and one night a week they closed up instead of security. It was on one of these nights that four of the staff seen the same light. Any chance you can find out even the year this happened ? It'd be interesting if these were two completely seperate occurances.

Mister Man

Forgot to ask him tonight, ill ask tomorrow see what he says (As to when it was and other storys)