Spooky Season

So, since All Hallow’s Eve is almost upon us, I thought it only right I share something a little more in keeping with the spooky season. Now, Halloween’s origins, (derived from the ancient pagan Irish harvest festival of Ochíe Shamhna) can arguably be laid at the entrance of Oweynagat cave (see my earlier blog post on this site), but I’ve decided to take a break from my usual megalithic musing and go with a more gothic haunted house theme instead.

Face your fears, she creeps … if you look long enough

These images were captured on my second visit to one of Ireland’s allegedly most haunted locations, a place which also happens to be a family home, so out of respect for the owner’s privacy, I won’t mention it by name. Yes, the house is open to visitors, and this post may be free publicity for them, but on the other hand they may prefer not to have their home mentioned in unaffiliated blog posts.
In case you’re wondering, it’s not Loftus Hall, or the Hell fire club, both places I’ve also visited. The latter, on the outskirts of my city, I’ve visited several times, a place which comes with its own set of stories, ones I’ll save for another day.

This building, was once one of several midlands strongholds belonging to the historically powerful and bloody O’Carroll clan. And unlike the song, it is not a long way from Tipperary, but like its namesake, the creaks and bumps you might hear there could make you jump … if you know, you know.

A Cold Lonely Place

The image above shows what’s left of the old chapel, a once holy place long since marred by a violent past, now home to a particularly unsettling doll collection.

Casting my mind back to my first visit there, I remember ‘orbs’ showing up in some photos I took. These are small, unexplained spherical objects invisible to the photographer at the time of taking. Sceptics may chalk them off as nothing more than camera light reflecting off dust, but this is just a comforting theory, and in ghost hunter circles, they’re considered a sign of clear and present paranormal activity.

All I know is that the memory of these photographs will forever haunt me, at least until I can find them again and prove I’m not making it up. In the meantime, while I’m tearing through my hard-drive and multiple external storage devices, enjoy the creepy doll photos. They move if you look long enough, especially in your dreams. So, sleep tight, and happy Halloween.

They all do

Hauntingly Lonely