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County Kerry Ghosts, Folklore and Paranormal Places

Funeral Procession

Location: Ballyferriter - Graveyard
Type: Other
Date / Time: Likely nineteenth century
Further Comments: After a non-local man was buried in this graveyard, the ghosts of his ancestors were seen walking slowly towards his grave.

Danish Captain

Location: Ballyheigue - Ballyheigue Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s
Further Comments: This ghost was once a well-treated prisoner in the castle, who died trying to protect the building from a large scale robbery.

Rumoured Entity

Location: Barrow - Barrow House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1990s
Further Comments: Prior to renovation, the site had a reputation as being home to a ghost, although the exact details are not known and it is now said the phantom is quiet.

Humming Train

Location: Beaufort - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: February 2012
Further Comments: A sound likened to that of a train has been said to wake locals in the early hours of the morning, even though the closest rail tracks are 15 kilometres away. The humming sound has been reported to be so loud that houses vibrate.


A gold covered snake-like creature.

The Kerry Carabuncle

Location: Brandon - Mount Brandon - Lough Veagh and/or Lough Geal
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This lake is home to a mythical snake-like beast which is covered in jewels and gold. The monster is said only to appear once every seven years.

Dying Cattle

Location: Brosna - Former croft at Knockeencreen (currently a cattle shed?)
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Early twentieth century?
Further Comments: A man whose cattle were dying mysteriously was informed by a passing gypsy that his home was blocking a fairy path, and by leaving the doors open at night, the fairies could pass happily pass through. The man did so, and the deaths stopped.

Earless Dog

Location: Clashmealcon - Area around Brown's Castle
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ghostly, earless dog that haunted this area was supposed to emerge from the castle's moat at night before wandering off to hunt rabbits.

Death Coach

Location: Derrymore - Derrymore House
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Late nineteenth century
Further Comments: As the owner of the house lay dying, the other family members around his bed heard a horse drawn coach pull up outside the house. Believing it to be the doctor, they rushed downstairs, but nothing could be seen on the gravel driveway. The owner died soon after.

Warning

Location: Derrynane (aka Darrynane) - Off the coast
Type: Other
Date / Time: Likely 1870
Further Comments: A fishing vessel crewed by eleven men sank on shallow rocks, the accident killing two. Some of the survivors claimed they had heard a disembodied voice warning them not to embark, and then just before the accident, they heard laughter and other noises, but could not see anything in the darkness of night.

Cow Protectors

Location: Dingle - Fairy fort just outside of town
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Farmer Hanafin left a cow unmilked on his land to ensure the local fairies could feed their children. When Hanafin fell into financial difficulty and the bailiffs tried to take his cattle as payment, the fairies fought back; the bailiffs were almost killed by an unseen force, and the cattle ran back to pasture.

Crying Banshee

Location: Dingle - John Street
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A family named Hussey were filled with dread when they heard the wailing of the banshee outside their home. However, the banshee stopped crying and told them that she would never warn 'hoarding traders' of impending death. Sure enough, the following day the family discovered another man by the name of Hussey in the town had died.

Screams of Spanish Soldiers

Location: Dun an Oir - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 01 October (reoccurring)
Further Comments: Over eight hundred Spanish soldiers landed here in 1580, overrunning an English garrison. Spanish reinforcements failed to come, however, and their victory was short lived when more English troops arrived. The Spaniards surrendered, but most were immediately put to death by the enraged English. Their death throes echo around the area on the anniversary of their defeat.

Sheriff

Location: Fenit Island - Barrow Round Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ruins of this castle were reputedly home to the ghost of a former Kerry sheriff.

Ghost Whisperer

Location: Kenmare - Dromquinna Manor
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1997
Further Comments: Owner Mike Robertson made the local press after he offered a reward of 50k to anyone who could tame the three ghosts which haunted his property, thought to a one woman and two men. The ghosts were blamed for the strange sounds which were heard after dark.

Mermaid?

Location: Kilconly Point - Sea
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 1960-1962
Further Comments: A mermaid which was spotted several times in this area was described as a 'normal' woman, leading one to conclude that maybe she was..?

Gwendolyn Herbert

Location: Killarney - Cahernane House Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Gwendolyn, the daughter of the first owner of the property, is said to remain here and has been spotted on the main staircase.

Staircase Lurker

Location: Killarney - Coolclogher House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Mid twentieth century?
Further Comments: The phantom said to have been heard on the staircase would appear to have been banished after a Mass was performed on the site.

Vanishing Girl

Location: Killarney - Derrycunnihy Church and surrounding area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A variation on the vanishing hitchhiker story has the ghostly white woman supposed to haunt this church sometimes appear in the back seat of passing cars. The stories say she died in an accident close to the church while cycling home.

French Girl

Location: Killarney - Governor's Rock
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2012
Further Comments: The GhostEire team recorded an EVP that they identified as a girl speaking French.

Sarah Reynolds

Location: Killarney - Killegy Cemetery
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A former servant at Muckross House, it is said that Sarah died in mysterious circumstances after entering a relationship with the owner of the property.

Donal

Location: Killarney - Lake Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Donal McCarthy Mor founded the nearby Muckross Abbey but has now wandered away and frequents the hotel bar. The site is also reputed to be haunted by a young woman or girl in nineteenth century clothing.


The phantom horse and rider emerge from the lake.

O'Donoghue

Location: Killarney - Lough Leane
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 01 May (O'Donoghue, every 7 years) (reoccurring), others on misty nights
Further Comments: A warrior by the name of O'Donoghue is said to emerge from the waters of the lake on the back of a white horse once every seven years. Another story has an unidentified figure walking a hound appear on misty nights.

Robed Figure

Location: Killarney - Old Kilbeggan Distillery
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 2007?
Further Comments: Several people are reported to have seen a robed figure walking around the site, leading to speculation the distillery is haunted by a monk. One of the original owners of the property, constructed in the mid-eighteenth century, was also said to have remained here.

Pale Eel-Thing

Location: Killarney - Upper Lake
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 16 September 2009
Further Comments: Cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes and his wife spotted a nine-foot (2.74 metre) long, pale eel-like creature swimming in these waters.

Bess Stokes

Location: Killorglin - Ard na Sidhe Country House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1934
Further Comments: Bess Stokes was said to take the form of an older lady in grey, and haunt the gate close to the cottage that she had built.

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