Ghostly goings on in Ireland's Blue Book Grand Manors
Castle Leslie Estate - Co.Monaghan
In 1914 Norman Leslie was killed on the battlefield of France but weeks after his death he was seen by Lady Marjorie Leslie beside the chest of drawers in the famous Red Room.
He appeared as if in a cloud of light, reading through some of his letters, as if he was searching for one in particular. Lady Marjorie sat up in bed with a start, and said, `Why Norman - what are you doing here?' He simply turned to her and smiled, then faded away. So did the light.
Castle Durrow - Co.Laois
Barberstown Castle - Co.Kildare
Nicholas Barby built the Castle towards the end of
the 13th Century on the land which was originally owned by the Great Norman
family the Fitzgeralds.The story goes that for over 700 years people have come
to Barberstown Castle, to be both protected and entertained within its walls.
You can take a step back in time and watch the story of Barberstown
Castle come alive, hosted by none other than Nicholas Barby.
Medieval banquets are truly haunting
with spooky music, wonderful costumes and an authentic insight into
local history, teamed with our glowing reputation for good food.
Entertain your guests in the privacy of the original Castle Keep (1288)
or in the Elizabethan Room and watch history come alive through
Storytelling, Music and Dance.
Rathmullan House - Co.Donegal
Perhaps George Knox, born around 1660, had an
uneventful life, but his son Andrew – grandfather of the first owner of
Rathmullan House - was caught up in one of the most sensational events of the
next century. The tale of ‘Half-Hanged MacNaghten’ is still dusted down
regularly today.
Andrew, a long-serving MP for Donegal,
married Honoria Tomkins and they lived in the Priory in Rathmullan before moving
to Derry around the mid-1700s when she inherited Prehen House. Andrew gave
hospitality at Prehen to an old friend down on his luck, the celebrated gambler
and bon viveur John MacNaghten. However, the relationship turned sour when
MacNaghten wanted Andrew’s young daughter Mary-Anne to be his wife. After
various twists and turns, the entire affair ended in tragedy in 1761 when
MacNaghten ambushed the Knox family carriage on its way to Dublin, and
Mary-Anne was killed.
MacNaghten was sentenced to death, despite having
considerable public sympathy, but at the gallows in Strabane the rope broke
three times. This entitled him to escape execution, but he said he didn’t want
to be known as ‘Half-Hanged McNaghten’ and died at the fourth attempt. Of
course, ‘Half-Hanged MacNaghten’ is what he’s been called ever since.
The oldest tablet in the
church in Rathmullan commemorates the death of Andrew Knox in 1774 and also the
loss of his only daughter Mary-Anne – ‘Mariana filia obiit November 1761’.
Andrew and Honoria had one
other child, George. It was George’s son Andrew, nephew of the ill-fated
Mary-Anne, who built Rathmullan House (perhaps it was to have an escape from
the ghost of MacNaghten, which was naturally said to haunt Prehen House).
http://www.irelands-blue-book.ie/houses.html/rathmullan
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