Ireland’s most haunted buildings property records from our archives

To celebrate Halloween, this blog will examine property records relating to some of Ireland’s most haunted locations. It showcases the information that can be discovered about their spooky origins within Tailte Éireann archives.

Loftus Hall, Co Wexford 

Loftus Hall, Co. Wexford

According to legend, one stormy night a stranger approached Loftus Hall on horseback and was invited in by the Tottenham family who were living there at the time. While playing cards with the stranger, the young Lady Anne Tottenham dropped a card and while bending down to retrieve it, she caught a glimpse of the stranger under the table - he had cloven hoofs instead of feet! With that, the stranger shot through the roof. Lady Anne never recovered from her ordeal and was locked in the tapestry room where she died years later. Servants and family members reported seeing her ghost wander the house at night. The hole in the roof where the stranger, believed to be the devil, shot through could never be repaired.

The first castle was built in the 12th century by Raymond Le Gros on the Hook Peninsula. It was replaced in 1350 and became known as Redmond Hall. In the mid 1600’s the Loftus family were granted extensive lands in Co. Wexford and soon made Redmond Hall, later Loftus Hall, their principal seat. An inscription ‘Henry Loftus of Loftus Hall Esq 1680’ can be seen at Postersgate, a townland close to Loftus Hall. The Loftus family were later granted the title of Marquis of Ely. Between 1872 to 1884 the 4th Marquis refurbished the house to what it is known today.

Registry of Deeds Memorial 85-94-59194

The earliest record we have identified relating to Loftus Hall among our archives is a memorial in the Registry of Deeds for a deed of Lease and Release dated the 3 and 4 August 1736. The Lease is between Nicholas Loftus, the elder, of Loftus Hall and his eldest son and heir Nicholas Loftus, the younger, of the one part and Lieutenant General Owen Wynne and Robert Savage of the other part. The Release part of the deed is in Quinquepartite meaning it is divided between five parties and relates to the intended marriage between Nicholas the younger and Mary Hume.  Many lands are noted as part of the Lease and Release including Loftus Hall and Lighthouse in Co Wexford.

Valuation map of Loftus Hall 1895

While there are many property transactions recorded for the Loftus family, and the later Earls or Marquis of Ely, searching the Registry of Deeds records to locate further memorials relating to Loftus Hall specifically has been unfruitful. However valuation records help us trace the ownership of Loftus Hall and much of the surrounding townland in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, and up to the present day. It remained with Marquis’ of Ely until the mid-1900’s when other names are recorded as occupiers and Immediate Lessors, and became a hotel in the 1990s.

Valuation Manuscript record of Loftus Hall 1855-1860

Valuation Manuscript record of Loftus Hall 1913-1938

Leamaneh Castle, Co Clare

Leamaneh Castle

The Tower house of Leamaneh Castle was built between c.1480-1490.  Part of the tower house was demolished and replaced by a four storey manor house around 1648 by Conor O’Brien and his wife Máire Mhathuna also known as Máire Rua O’Brien or Red Mary. Red Mary’s third husband was John Cooper, who was a Cromwellian Officer. It was believed she strategically married him to ensure the castle and lands remained with her family. The castle did pass to her son, Sir Donough O’Brien, before falling into ruin by the end of the 18th century. 

Many legends surround ‘Red Mary’, including marrying 25 more times each lasting a year and a day before divorcing. It is alleged that she would hang servants who displeased her, victimised trespassers and denied rights of way through her land. With so many ongoing feuds, it’s reputed that ‘Red Mary’ came to a very bad end. Her red-haired ghost is said to appear in two different places Druid’s Altar near Clare Castle, and Leamaneh Castle.

Máire Rua O’Brien of Leamaneh Castle

We have identified two interesting memorials in the Registry of Deeds on the manor house or castle with over 130 years between them and shows a variation in the spelling of Leamaneh.

Registry of Deeds Memorial 68-106-47214

The earliest memorial dates from 11 November 1730 between Edward O’Brien Baronet and Christopher O’Brien of Newhale in Co. Clare.  The memorial relates to a deed of lease and provides details of the various external buildings and grounds in use ‘all the barns stables and other out houses with the orchard garden, groves, meadows and paddock and the green fronting said houses’. It also records information about the previous tenants and yearly rent noting that the lands ‘were lately enjoyed by Charles Creagh and his servant Daniel McNamara and now by Lucius Wilson for and during the lives of Edward, Richard and Michael Wilson sons of the said Lucius Wilson at the yearly rent of £15’.

Registry of Deeds Memorial 1866-015-066

The second memorial is a Deed Poll registered on 22nd May 1866. It recites a settlement dated 20th February 1837 relating to the marriage between Lucius O’Brien, now Baron Inchiquin of Dromoland and Mary Fitzgerald. It includes a reference to ‘All that and those many lands including the Castle and lands of Lemeneagh situated in the Barony of Inchiquin Co Clare’. The interesting aspect of this record is that it provides the name of Baron Inchiquin’s children and details of different marriage settlements for his younger children from a sum of £20,000. The eldest son and heir would inherit his estate and title.

Valuation Manuscript record Of Leamaneh Castle 1855-1859

This valuation record of Leamaneh North from 1855-1859 shows that the occupier of castle lands is Michael Kenance and Lord Inchiquin is the Immediate Lessor.

Leap Castle, Co Offaly

Leap Castle, Co. Offaly

The main keep was built between the 13th and 15th centuries for the O’Bannon Clan who served the ruling O’Carroll’s. Later the castle was passed by marriage to the Darby family. In 1889 Jonathan Charles Darby married Mildred Dill, who was very interested in the supernatural and was an author of gothic novels. Mildred was known to hold séances in the castle which were said to have awakened spirits within the castle.

Valuation Manuscript record of Leap Castle 1892-1896

Valuation Map of Leap Castle 1895

Here we see the Valuation record from the timeframe 1892 to 1896 for Leap which records Jonathan C Darby as the occupier of area 1A identified in the 1895 map of the area. 

Registry of Deeds Memorial 1889-052-003

Just a few years earlier, a deed dated 6th November 1889 was registered at the Registry of Deeds.

The deed was a Grant of Rent Charge (similar to an annuity) between Jonathan Charles Darby of Leap Castle, Mildred Henrietta Gordon Dill, John Frederick and Robert Charles Gordon Dill surgeons on the intended marriage between Jonathan and Mildred. The memorial recites that Mildred shall receive during her life a yearly rent charge of £350 and that on Jonathan’s death, she should have the right to reside in and have use of the mansion house or castle known as Leap Castle, the outhouses, gardens and of the furniture and household effects. The property would pass to a son of this intended marriage when he reached the age of 21 years and if no such son should attain such age, Mildred would retain the right to reside in the house for her whole life.

Image Credits:

Loftus Hall image by irpix.de

Leamaneh Castle Image - By Tony Webster - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31527013

Máire Rua O’Brien of Leamaneh Castle  Image - By Unknown author - Dromoland Castle, Public Domain,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88859319

Leap Castle, Co. Offaly - by Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0,https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52013343