The Paranormal Database

The Eloped

Location: Abbey West - Corcomroe Abbey
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 24 December (reoccurring)
Further Comments: Poet Cearbhall O' Dalaigh eloped with Eibhlin Kavanagh, the King of Scotland's daughter, and they tried to marry at midnight on Christmas Eve. The King followed the pair, catching up and murdering the couple in the Abbey, where their ghosts now appear once a year.

Sketch by Franz Marc.

Black Goat

Location: Ballyvaughan - Poulaphuca, area around dolmen
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This goat, though by some to be a fairy being, resides over the tombs in the area. The creature causes anyone who threatens the land to develop a hunchback.

Banshee

Location: Bunratty - Rathlaheen Cottage, near Bunratty Castle
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: 1956
Further Comments: The wails of the banshee were heard within this building just before a death occurred.

Lord Clare and Troops

Location: Carrigaholt - Fields near Carrigaholt Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: The phantoms of Lord Clare and his yellow dragoons were said to have continued their manoeuvres well after their deaths.

Island City

Location: Carrigaholt - Off coast
Type: Environmental Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Witnesses who spotted an enchanted island which briefly manifested off the coast claimed they could see it featured a city.

Lucky

Location: Carrigaholt - Rahona Lodge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1917
Further Comments: This ghost was described as 'lucky' by former owner Charlotte Kean, as it could spend as much time as it liked at her family's summer home.

Robin

Location: Carrigaholt - Road between Carrigaholt and Ross (R487?)
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The phantom hound which haunts the road connecting these two locations was thought to be the ghost of Robin of Ross in animal form.

Maire Rua

Location: Clarecastle - Carnelly House driveway
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Marie was a tough woman who, during her lifetime, received a pardon for two counts of murder. Legend says she was buried in a hollow tree, and as a result her ghost haunts the driveway.

Mrs Stamer

Location: Clarecastle - Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The wife of the first Colonel George Stamer of Carnelly was said to have accidentally dropped her child into the nearby river. Her phantom was said to walk along the banks, looking for the infant.

An old postcard showing the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare.

Missing City

Location: Cliffs of Moher - Sea off the coast
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: One story says that a great city was lost off the coast here, and manifests once every seven years. When seen from the coast, a person had to keep their eyes fixed on the city until they reached it, otherwise it would vanish.

Puca

Location: Clonlara - Bridge (may no longer be standing), two miles south west of village
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late nineteenth century
Further Comments: A dark shadow-like horse was named by some to be a puca, although it would appear no one stayed around long enough to find out for sure.

The ghost was soon banished.

Banished Woman

Location: Clonlara - Canal bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1769
Further Comments: A female ghost appeared and haunted the area around the canal bridge as it was being constructed in the 1760s. The entity was banished by the laying of a slab with her likeness upon it.

Molly Blood

Location: Corofin - Adelphi House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The house may be haunted by the ghostly Molly Blood who died in the nearby lough (known as Molly's Lough). Visitors to the building would hear voices in the empty kitchen, and items would be hidden (and returned, if asked nicely).

Coach and Horse

Location: Corofin - Area around Cragmoher
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century?
Further Comments: A phantom horse and coach were said to have been encountered in this area, although the finer details are unknown.

Warning the Inmates

Location: Corofin - Crossroads near the former workhouse
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Late nineteenth century
Further Comments: Considered strange behaviour for banshees, these Corofin entities would appear close to the workhouse and foretell the death of inmates.

Brocshee

Location: Corofin - Rath Lake
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 1931
Further Comments: Several local farmers reported seeing a giant badger swimming in this lake, and the story made the front page of the local newspaper.

Portent of Doom

Location: Cratloe - Woodland
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: To be followed or escorted by this black hound would result in misfortune soon after the encounter.

Vault Dwellers

Location: Doonmore - Doonmore Castle (ruins by the coast)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The vault beneath this castle was said to be home to the most awful sounds, either caused by the souls of former prisoners or the waves crashing against the rocks.

Donn of the Sandhills

Location: Dough - Close to the site of the old castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Donn was said to be one of the most powerful fairy kings, but he was forgotten about as he lacked a bard to sing his praises.

Man with Dog

Location: Drumcliff - Around the ruins of the round tower
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It was said that this phantom man with his ghostly hound would walk quickly around the area.

Black Dog

Location: Drumcliff (aka Drumcliffe) - Exact location not known
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Once thought to haunt this area, the phantom black hound would appear to be mostly forgotten about.

Old Lady

Location: Ennis - Ballyalla House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Seen standing on the staircase, this little elderly lady sometimes makes an appearance when visitors arrive.

Procession of Monks

Location: Ennis - Clare Abbey and nearby park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Nineteenth century
Further Comments: Thought to be heading towards the abbey, a line of phantom monks would walk slowly through the park. In the abbey itself, a phantom abbot who sinned during life wanders around the ruins whispering prayers.

Strange Staircase

Location: Ennis - Old Ground Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Part of the hotel includes the former town hall which contained a jail, the staircase of which had been reported as haunted. The hotel retains a reputation as being home to some kind of phantom, although exact details are fleeting.

An illustration of ghostly looking men holding long candles.

Corpse Candles

Location: Ennis - Ruins of Killone Abbey Convent
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown, likely to be nineteenth century
Further Comments: Lights which darted around the headstones were once said to haunt these ruins.