Dunluce Castle and the Banshee’s Wail
- Legend: Dunluce Castle is haunted by a banshee, whose cry foretold the 1639 collapse of the kitchen into the sea, killing servants.
- Backstory: The castle, a 16th-century MacDonnell stronghold, has a history of sieges and tragedies. Local lore attributes the banshee to the MacDonnell clan’s turbulent past.
- Location: Dunluce Castle, near Portrush, County Antrim.
Carrickfergus Castle and Buttoncap’s Ghost
- Legend: Carrickfergus Castle is haunted by Buttoncap, a soldier wrongfully executed, whose spirit wanders seeking justice.
- Backstory: Built in 1177, the castle served as a military prison, fostering tales of unjust deaths. Oral traditions link Buttoncap’s ghost to 18th-century executions.
- Location: Carrickfergus Castle, Carrickfergus, County Antrim.
Ballygally Castle and Lady Isobel Shaw
- Legend: Ballygally Castle is haunted by Lady Isobel Shaw, locked in a tower by her husband, whose ghost knocks on doors and roams the halls.
- Backstory: The 17th-century castle was home to the Shaw family. Lady Isobel’s tragic death, possibly by falling or starvation, fuels the haunting tale.
- Location: Ballygally Castle, Ballygally, County Antrim.
Gracehill House and the Grey Lady
- Legend: Gracehill House is haunted by the Grey Lady, a spectral figure seen in the gardens, believed to be a former resident mourning a lost child.
- Backstory: The 18th-century Moravian settlement of Gracehill has a history of community tragedies. Local stories tie the Grey Lady to early settlers’ hardships.
- Location: Gracehill House, Gracehill, near Ballymena, County Antrim.
Crumlin Road Gaol and Phantom Footsteps
- Legend: Crumlin Road Gaol is haunted by executed prisoners, with footsteps and cries heard in the execution chamber and C-wing.
- Backstory: Operating from 1845 to 1996, the gaol saw numerous executions. Reports of paranormal activity stem from its grim history of incarceration.
- Location: Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast, County Antrim.
Belfast Castle and the White Lady
- Legend: Belfast Castle is haunted by a White Lady, seen drifting through the gardens, believed to be a former resident who died of heartbreak.
- Backstory: Built in 1870 for the Donegall family, the castle replaced an earlier structure with a history of romantic tragedies. Local tales link her to 19th-century dramas.
- Location: Belfast Castle, Cave Hill, Belfast, County Antrim.
Antrim Castle and Ethel the Ghost
- Legend: Antrim Castle’s ruins are haunted by Ethel, a maid killed in a 1922 fire, whose spirit is seen near the old stables.
- Backstory: The castle, home to the Massereene family, burned down in 1922. Ethel’s story emerged from accounts of the fire’s casualties among staff.
- Location: Antrim Castle Gardens, Antrim town, County Antrim.
Portrush Town Hall and the Drowned Fisherman
- Legend: Portrush Town Hall is haunted by a drowned fisherman, whose wet footsteps and moans are heard in the corridors.
- Backstory: Portrush’s fishing community faced frequent sea tragedies in the 19th century. The ghost is linked to a fisherman lost in a storm, per local lore.
- Location: Portrush Town Hall, Portrush, County Antrim.
Lough Neagh and the Spectral Boatman
- Legend: Lough Neagh’s shores are haunted by a spectral boatman, seen rowing a ghostly boat, believed to be a fisherman lost in a storm.
- Backstory: The lough’s history of drownings fuels maritime ghost stories. Dúchas.ie mentions tales of ghostly figures tied to Antrim’s fishing communities.
- Location: Lough Neagh, near Toome, County Antrim.
Glenarm Castle and the Headless Horseman
- Legend: Glenarm Castle’s grounds are haunted by a headless horseman, believed to be a MacDonnell warrior beheaded in battle, riding at night.
- Backstory: The 17th-century castle was a MacDonnell seat during clan conflicts. The horseman’s tale reflects the area’s violent history, per local tradition.
- Location: Glenarm Castle, Glenarm, County Antrim.
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Haunted
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