Tales of hauntings and the supernatural are embedded in Irish culture. Their protagonists lurk around the landmarks and establishments they were once connected to. Here’s a list of some of the most haunted places in Dublin for you to visit this Halloween night.
- Captain Boyd‘s grave in St Patrick‘s Cathedral is haunted by the ghost of his dog. In 1861 Boyd drowned while attempting to rescue 135 ships and their crews which were wrecked between Howth and Wicklow during a storm. Buried in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Captain’s dog stayed by his side until he died of starvation. Today the black dog can still be seen lying by the marble tombstone.
- The Hellfire Club once met in a lodge in the Dublin mountains. It was a satanic club founded by the first Earl of Rosse and Grand Master of the Irish Freemasons in 1725. The members of this association dressed as Satan, drank whiskey and butter from cauldrons, partook in acts of cannibalism and sacrificed animals for the devil. There have been reports of shadows and strange men lurking outside the ruins of this old building.
- The Bridge at Portobello Harbour in Rathmines is haunted by the ghost of a lock-keeper, who drowned himself after being sacked for drunkenness. His ghost was blamed for deaths of passengers who toppled into the canal from a horse and cart in April 1861.
- The Shelbourne Hotel hosts the ghost of young Mary Mires, a six year old girl, who visits room 526. Mary lived in this part of the building when it was a private house. It is unknown why her spirit is trapped there but she makes her presence known to guests to this day.
Laura Roddy
Image Credit: Graham McGrath
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