Co Wexford
Hook Head Lighthouse
Co Wexford
Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder
Fotos c) by Margit Anna Binder
Not only leprechauns and fairies, which I talked about in another chapter, belong to the mysterious Ireland. There are also lots of spooky stories about ghosts in haunted houses and castles.
Loftus Hall on the Hook Peninsula in Co. Wexford is a good example. The story claims that once upon a time ago an unusual character came to the manor to spend the night there. While the owner was playing cards with the stranger, his daughter looked after the men. The young woman brought in drinks and served them at the table as she noticed that a card had fallen on the floor. She bent down to pick it up and got a fright when she saw that where the man’s foot should be, there was a hoof instead. Her shocked reaction was so obvious and as everyone else in the room realised that the devil has invaded the house, there was a huge panic. Old Nick got furious and disappeared ,raging ,through the roof, leaving a smelly dark smoke trail behind him.
Some locals say that the roof of the house could never be repaired, others say that the former owner’s daughter is still haunting Loftus Hall. There are so many stories about the manor, which is standing isolated on a big field, and if you could see that building on a stormy day, you would get the creeps.
Fact is that the original building was dismantled in the 18th century, but the old stories survived all the time and are transferred to the new building.
A few kilometres from Loftus Hall there is the oldest still working lighthouse in the world. This Lighthouse was built in the 13th century and is known as “Hook Head”. The first people who maintained the Hook Light were monks. In the light tower that houses the light for shipping, and built by the monks, it is said that there is a secret room filled with treasure somewhere in the tower and that room was closed, but nobody ever found proof that this room really existed. Lots of operators say that the lighthouse is haunted. An electrician who I am acquainted with, was stationed there for some months, he told me the same story. He said that the tower could get very spooky at nights. One night he felt an extreme cold breeze in the main hall and as he moved away he heard steps behind him. He suddenly turned around and saw a shadow disappearing into a dark corner. I should add at this point that he had been a guest at the local bar, Jimmy Cullen’s, Templars Inn, some few hours previously.
I personally think that the sound of the sea, the blowing wind and the sound of an old building can play tricks on somebody’s mind, especially at nights and when you are alone., but on the other hand it is also possible that one of the old monks is still walking around there, trying to keep strangers away from the place.
“The Metal Man” in Tramore, in county Waterford is a large metal statue which stands on a high stone pillar 20 metres tall overlooking the beach, pointing out to the sea. He was erected in the 18th century after lots of people lost their lives in that area on stormy nights. People say that when the weather gets very bad you can hear the Metal Man’s voice calling into the wind the following warning words: “Keep out, Keep out, good ships from me, for I am the rock of misery!”
Another tale which relates to this Metal man is that if a maiden hops around the tower on one leg , three times that she will be married within the year. My partner’s unmarried aunt who is 98 has one leg 80 Cm and the other is 22. Wonder where she heard that story??
There are lots of stories like the ones I mentioned and if you are interested to hear more, you just have to ask people in the pubs, you will always find someone who is delighted to give you information. The Irish love to tell stories and you should always listen to their tales with an open mind.
Loftus Hall on the Hook Peninsula in Co. Wexford is a good example. The story claims that once upon a time ago an unusual character came to the manor to spend the night there. While the owner was playing cards with the stranger, his daughter looked after the men. The young woman brought in drinks and served them at the table as she noticed that a card had fallen on the floor. She bent down to pick it up and got a fright when she saw that where the man’s foot should be, there was a hoof instead. Her shocked reaction was so obvious and as everyone else in the room realised that the devil has invaded the house, there was a huge panic. Old Nick got furious and disappeared ,raging ,through the roof, leaving a smelly dark smoke trail behind him.
Some locals say that the roof of the house could never be repaired, others say that the former owner’s daughter is still haunting Loftus Hall. There are so many stories about the manor, which is standing isolated on a big field, and if you could see that building on a stormy day, you would get the creeps.
Fact is that the original building was dismantled in the 18th century, but the old stories survived all the time and are transferred to the new building.
A few kilometres from Loftus Hall there is the oldest still working lighthouse in the world. This Lighthouse was built in the 13th century and is known as “Hook Head”. The first people who maintained the Hook Light were monks. In the light tower that houses the light for shipping, and built by the monks, it is said that there is a secret room filled with treasure somewhere in the tower and that room was closed, but nobody ever found proof that this room really existed. Lots of operators say that the lighthouse is haunted. An electrician who I am acquainted with, was stationed there for some months, he told me the same story. He said that the tower could get very spooky at nights. One night he felt an extreme cold breeze in the main hall and as he moved away he heard steps behind him. He suddenly turned around and saw a shadow disappearing into a dark corner. I should add at this point that he had been a guest at the local bar, Jimmy Cullen’s, Templars Inn, some few hours previously.
I personally think that the sound of the sea, the blowing wind and the sound of an old building can play tricks on somebody’s mind, especially at nights and when you are alone., but on the other hand it is also possible that one of the old monks is still walking around there, trying to keep strangers away from the place.
“The Metal Man” in Tramore, in county Waterford is a large metal statue which stands on a high stone pillar 20 metres tall overlooking the beach, pointing out to the sea. He was erected in the 18th century after lots of people lost their lives in that area on stormy nights. People say that when the weather gets very bad you can hear the Metal Man’s voice calling into the wind the following warning words: “Keep out, Keep out, good ships from me, for I am the rock of misery!”
Another tale which relates to this Metal man is that if a maiden hops around the tower on one leg , three times that she will be married within the year. My partner’s unmarried aunt who is 98 has one leg 80 Cm and the other is 22. Wonder where she heard that story??
There are lots of stories like the ones I mentioned and if you are interested to hear more, you just have to ask people in the pubs, you will always find someone who is delighted to give you information. The Irish love to tell stories and you should always listen to their tales with an open mind.
