Haunted Castles in Ireland

Visit Haunted Castles In Ireland!

By Patricia McKinney-Lins

Visit a haunted castle in Ireland! Friendly ghosts as well as disturbed spirits have been detected in many Irish castles. You will learn the history behind the haunting and might experience a shiver or two yourself! Castle doors suddenly slam shut. Swift winds tear through guestrooms on otherwise calm nights. Terrifying wails are heard from deep within castles. The reason for these events? Ghosts.

Their spirits have been haunting some castles in Ireland for hundreds of years. If you are brave enough, you might want to visit orstay in one of the real haunted castles in Ireland. Many battles took place in Irish castles over many centuries of struggle for Irish rule. The violence and bloodshed took many lives and created many legends. Some of the castle ghosts were involved in the fighting; others had more personal tragedies. I visited many haunted castles during my most recent castle tour.

Charleville Castle in County Offaly is haunted by the ghost ofits former owner, by druids buried on the grounds, and by a girlwho fell from a high staircase to her death. When I visited,ghost hunters were setting up equipment to detect the spirits.

Clonony Castle is in County Offaly, near the Shannon River. Aghostly figure of a man reportedly patrols one of its towers.

Ballygally Castle is 20 miles from Belfast on the Antrim coastin Northern Ireland. It is a beautiful hotel and is said to haveits own friendly ghost!

Carrickfergus Castle in County Antrim, Northern Ireland is hometo "Buttoncap", the ghost of a young 16th Century soldier.

Huntington Castle in County Carlow is built on the site of a Druids Temple. Spirits of deceased monks, a murdered soldier,and Lady Esmond all haunt this large estate.

Killua Castle, located in County Westmeath, is rumored to have a former employee's ghostly figure stalking the grounds atnight.

Castle Leslie in County Monaghan, Northern Ireland is abeautiful castle haunted by Norman Leslie, slain in World War I.

Gormanston Castle in County Meath was owned by a family forseven centuries. Legend has it that foxes surrounded the castle upon the death of one of the family members.

Kinnitty Castle in Country Offaly is a beautifully restored castle hotel built on land once inhabited by Druids. This castle is haunted by the "Phantom Monk of Kinnitty".

Wilton Castle in County Wexford is said to be home to the ghosts of a former magistrate, a dead actress, and a former castle resident.

Leap Castle in County Offaly is widely regarded as the mosthaunted castle in Ireland. Its bloody past of massacres andmurders has led to the presence of vengeful ghosts andunexplained noises, placing Leap Castle at the top of the listof real haunted castles in Ireland.

Whether or not you believe in ghost stories, it is worth testing your beliefs first hand. You will definitely enjoy a visit to these beautiful and real haunted castles in Ireland.

Copyright 2008, Patricia McKinney-Lins. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Take the worry out of booking your ownspecial trip to the Emerald Isle. Go to the author's website athttp://www.majestic-castles-in-ireland.com/ for Ireland traveladvice. Experience the beautiful landscapes, the stunningcoastlines, the quaint villages, and so much more.

Ghosts of the Tower Of London Pt.1

The Ghosts Of The Tower Of London - Pt1 By Stuart Bazga

Over the coming week, I hope to lead you on a journey of discovery and adventure. Briefly taking a glimpse into a past so horrid. Of haunting tales and ghastly ends that awaited so many of her most famous occupants. Firing your imagination, so that you will delve deeper into her history for yourselves.

During her long and illustrious 900 years, The Tower of London has developed into one of the most haunted places in Britain.She has been home to beheadings and murders, torture and hangings, as well as being a prison to Queens and Nobles alike.

Thomas A. Becket is "the first reported sighting of a ghost at the Tower of London. During the construction on the Inner Curtain Wall in the 13th century, Thomas appeared apparently unhappy about the construction, and it is said he reduced the wall to rubble with a strike of his cross. Henry III’s grandfather was responsible for the death of Thomas Becket, so Henry III wasted no time building a chapel in the Tower of London, naming it for the archbishop. This must have pleased Thomas’ ghost because there were no further interruptions during the construction of the wall.

The Bloody Tower was the scene of the infamous disappearance ofthe two princes; Edward V (12) and Richard Duke of York (10),who are thought to have been murdered in 1483 on the probable command of the Duke of Gloucestershire, who was to be crowned Richard the III.

According to one story, guards in the late 15th century, who were passing the Bloody Tower, spotted the shadows of two small figures gliding down the stairs still wearing the white nightshirts they had on the night they disappeared. They stood silently, hand in hand, before fading back into the stones of the Bloody Tower.

These figures were identified as the ghosts of the two princes.In 1674 workmen found a chest that contained the skeletons of two young children, they were thought to be the remains of the princes, and were given a royal burial not long afterwards. The story of the little princes is still to this day a heart breaking story. They are "among the most poignant ghosts" in the Tower of London.

The most persistent ghost in The Tower of London is the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn. The King, Henry VIII, after learning the baby she carried for nine months was a boy and still born, accused by her of infidelity.

She was taken to TOWER GREEN and was beheaded on May 19, 1536.Queen Anne appears near the Queen’s House, close to the site where her execution was carried out. She can be seen leading a ghostly procession of Lords and Ladies down the aisle of the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula.

She floats down the aisle to her final resting place. Queen Anne is buried under the Chapel’s altar. Her headless body has also been seen walking the corridors of the Tower. Sir Walter Raleigh lived quite comfortable compared to others who were imprisoned within the walls of the Bloody Tower. His"rooms" are still furnished as they were in the 16th century,and can be seen when visiting the Tower today. He was executed by James I, and has been seen looking exactly as he does in his portrait hanging in the Bloody Tower.

I hope you have enjoyed Pt1 to The Ghosts of The Tower ofLondon. In Pt2 we discover what happened to Catherine Howard and Lady Jane Grey as well as the Horrific end to the Countess of Salisbury.

If these tales have brought your imagination back to life andyou want to discover more ghostly and gruesome stories of times past. Then pay a visit to my Haunted Castles page where you can find out about the grisly goings on at Windsor Castle or read about the Heroic tale of the Two Brothers of Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon.

Best wishes and have a great day! Stuart Bazga

About the Author: A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves.http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com/ © 2005 byguide-to-castles-of-europe.com - All rights reserved.

Haunted Havana Ghost Tours

Havana Ghost Tours.

When The Stars Come Out, So Do The Ghosts By Christian Rieger See the Haunts of Old Havana with The Original Havana Ghost Tours, Havana Cuba's first ghost tour. Ghost Guides will introduce guests to the city's "other night life" as they walk through the shadowy, cobblestone streets and narrow lanes of this Grande Dame of the Caribbean. The ghost tour walks amidst the city's most haunted places— the Cathedral, the waterfront, the battlements, the haunts where Hemingway imbibed spirits. Christopher Columbus' bones are said to rest in Havana. Does his restless spirit wander its streets? You shall find out. Havana conjures up many images of its illustrious past —piracy, the Spanish Maine, Hollywood movie stars, the glamor of Café Society and the Mob in the 1940s and 1950s. Its physical heritage is Spanish and its spiritual foundationis with the Indians that came before. This combining isreflected in her full name — San Cristobal de la Habana. It combines San Cristóbal, the city's patron saint, with Habana, aname of mysterious origins that is said to be the name of the daughter of a major chieftain, Habaguanex, who controlled the area. Is it her spirit that gives Havana her grace and beauty?The guides will reveal her story. The Spanish monarchy gave the city the designation "Key to theNew World and defender of the West Indies." A daunting name and responsibility for any political entity. It is here, in late summers, that the Spanish treasure ships gathered from around the Americas to sail as a convoy to the Old World, she was the hub of trade. During this time she suffered regular attacks by buccaneers,pirates, and French corsairs looking for booty, and perhaps some chicas. The first attack and burning of the city was by the French corsair Jacques de Sores. He took the city with only two ships. He plundered the city and murdered 30 elders and blackswho were imprisoned. He left without obtaining the enormous wealth that he was hoping to. Are the spirits of the prisoners still there be moaning their odd fate at the hands of a stranger?Are the ghosts of the Spanish Colonial Guards still riding the streets at night to protect the citizens of this fabled city?You shall find out. But for many Americans it is the 1950s whose image is best known. It was the time before Castro's revolution, a time when the mob nested in Havana. Names like Meyer Lansky, Lucky Lucianoand Santo Trafficante hob-nobed with the Hollywood elite — Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper. Their memories, if not their spirits, still haunt this fabled city.

Great old buildings like the Convent of St Augustin, El Morro Castle, the chapel of the Humilladero, the fountain of Doroteade la Luna in La Chorrera, the Church of the Holy Angel, the hospital of San Lazaro, the monastery of Santa Teresa and the Convent of San Felipe Neri keep her steeped in tradition and rich in spirits. The Ghosts wish to introduce you to the Havana of years gone by— and of the spirit-rich nights of the here and now. Join the Guides and Ghosts in Havana when Congress lifts the ban on American Travel to our sister country to the south —ninety miles from Key West. Muchísimas Gracias, Señoras y Señores, Los Fantasmas de La Vieja Havana About the Author: Christian Rieger has been writing financial and travel articles since 1965.

He has also written sight seeing scripts for New York, Savannah, Key West, San Juan and Fort Lauderdale. http://www.havanaghosttours.com/

Ghost Encounters

Who Else Has Met A 'Ghost'?By Pamela Glynn Who else has received a visitor from the other side? My maternal grandmother’s death was the first one in my family to touch me extremely deeply. ‘Nama’, as I knew her, died just before the birth of my second baby and almost my first regret upon learning of her death was that she would never see this great-grandchild. Some years passed and then a troubled friend asked me to go with her to see a medium. I was reluctant to do this, but went in a spirit of friendship and by request remained in the room while Yvonne was given messages. Unsure whether I was convinced by what was going on, there was still one aspect that struck meas being particularly touching. The medium described a short plump lady with bright blue eyes and white hair who was clutching a bunch of lilies-of-the-valley and said that this lady was with Yvonne constantly as a kind of guardian angel. The interesting thing was that later, when we discussed what had gone on, Yvonne said that everything had made perfect sense …except the description of the white-haired woman, which she didn’t recognize. That evening while we were watching TV my husband asked whether I was wearing a new perfume, since he could smell lilies-of-the valley. I had no time to answer him before I saw – standing between me and the TV, large as life but slightly transparent so that I could actually see the television program through her –my grandmother! She was holding lilies-of-the-valley (her favorite flowers in life: her birthday having been on 31 May, my mother had always managed to gather the last few from the garden for her birthday bouquet) and spoke to me all too clearly.Sounding quite miffed, Nama asked: “Why didn’t you know it was me? I was there in that room and the message was meant for you.” This was such a real encounter that, overcome with emotion, I ran from the room and threw myself on my bed, sobbing. Since then I’ve seen Nama again and have felt strengthened by the knowledge that she is my guardian angel in death, just as she always was in life. It seems to me that the power of love can never die. © P.G. Glynn About the Author: I am a published (hardback) author fascinated by life, time and the nature of death, which I am convinced is a new beginning rather than an end. If you liked this article I think you will enjoy my love story across time, THE PORTRAIT,accessible on http://www.pglynn.co.uk/

Ghosts of the Tower of London Part 2

The Ghosts Of The Tower Of London - Pt. 2 By Stuart Bazga

In this final instalment of The Ghosts of the Tower of London,you will learn about the fate of Catherine Howard and discoverthe treachery behind the death of Lady Jane Grey who was Queen of England for only nine days.

The most grisly execution and thus haunting is that of the 70 year old Countess of Salisbury, the last of the Plantagenets. King Henry VIII had her executed for political reasons. The feisty Countess refused to put her head on the block like a common traitor. When her executioner came after her she ran, but was pursued by him, with his axe in hand hacking at her until he had hewn the Countess to death.

Her ghost has been seen reliving this truly gruesome act. Alsothe shadow of a great axe has been seen falling across the sceneof her murder.

At one time the Tower of London was home to the Royal Menagerie. Lions, leopards, bears, birds, monkeys and anelephant, that was a gift from the King of France, were kept on exhibit. On the stroke of midnight in January of 1815 a sentry saw a bear from this menagerie emerge from a doorway. He lunged at it with his bayonet, it passed right through the apparition.The Sentry was later found unconscious, it is said he died of fright within two months of this encounter.

Something unseen and very frightening is in the Salt Tower.This is one of the most haunted areas of the Tower of London complex. This is a very old section, dogs will not enter this ancient building, and ever since one of the Yeoman Warders was nearly throttled by a force unseen, they will not go in the area after nightfall.

In 1864, a soldier whose post was to guard the Queen’s House atthe Tower of London, saw a apparition so real, that afterignoring the soldiers three challenges, he charged with all his might at the intruder with his bayonet, only to go straight through the figure.

He was found unconscious at his post and was court-martialledfor neglecting his duty. Luckily there were two witnesses who corroborated his story. The soldier was eventually acquitted. Lady Jane Grey is another tragic story of a young life cutshort at the Tower, due to the actions of others the most despicable of who was her own father. She was the granddaughter of Mary (Henry VIII younger sister)and Louis XII of France. The Duke of Northumberland would loseeverything if Henry VIII’s son was to die and Mary, who was Catholic, would become queen.

He and her father arranged her marriage to his son and persuaded her cousin Edward VI to name her his successor in caseof his death instead of his two half-sisters. When Edward VIdied she was crowned Queen of England, but the supporters ofMary overthrew her.

Her own father got scared and in hopes to save his own skin,left the Tower of London and went to Tower Hill to proclaim MaryI, as the Queen of England, Lady Jane never left the tower; she and her husband were immediately imprisoned and sentenced todeath. Queen Mary carried out the execution of Lady Jane’sfather-in-law but set both Jane and her husband free. Her father was involved in a rebellion against Mary I, LadyJane and her husband were again placed in the tower. Lady Janewatched as her husband was taken to Tower Hill where he was beheaded. She saw his body being carried back to the chapel,after which she was taken to Tower Green where she was beheaded.She was only 17 years old.

Lady Jane Grey’s ghost was last seen by two Guardsmen onFebruary 12, 1957, the 403rd anniversary of her execution. Shewas described as a "white shape forming itself on the battlements". Her husband, Guildford Dudley, has been seen in Beauchamp Tower weeping. Catherine Howard escaped from her room in the Tower of London."She ran down the hallway screaming for help and mercy. She was caught and returned to her room." The next day she was beheaded. Her ghost has been seen sill running down the hallway screamingfor help.

Other strange sightings at the Tower of London have been"Phantom funeral carriages" and “A lovely veiled lady that, upon closer look proves to have a black void where her face should be." This concludes the brief insight to the Ghosts of The Tower of London. I hope this has fired your imagination enough so thatyou want to learn more about the Towers most GRUESOME PAST.

If you want to read about more haunting tales then visit my Haunted Castles page, where you can find out about the strange happenings at Windsor Castle or read about the Heroic tale of the two Pomeroy Brothers.

Best Wishes and Have a Great Day

Stuart Bazga

About the Author: A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate andstimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves. http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com/ -All rights reserved.