Why wait for Halloween? Visit most haunted places in Ireland

From old castles to deserted prisons, the scariest spots on the Emerald Isle

• PHOTO GALLERY / See the 10 places where Ireland's scariest ghosts reside / Click here

Ireland has a long and bloody history, which means that naturally, haunted places can be found all over the country.

From castles visited by murdered spirits, to pubs run by friendly ghosts, Ireland is home to an array of specters.

We’ve done our research here at IrishCentral and come up with what we think are the 10 most haunted places in all of the Emerald Isle.

So light a fire, curl up to your computer and get ready to learn all about the Ireland’s scariest ghouls and ghosts.

1. Ross Castle

Lough Sheelin, County Meath

A famous Irish building steeped in history, Ross Castle is known as one of the most haunted places in all of Ireland and even Britain.

Located on the shores of Lough (Lake) Sheelin, the castle was built in 1533 by the Lord of Devon Richard Nugent, a.k.a. the Black Baron.”

The Baron’s tragic daughter Sabina is said to haunt the property today.

Legend has it that in 1536, Sabina met a handsome young man named Orwin, son of an O’Reilly chieftain, on a bridge on the edge of her father’s property.

The two fell in love, but they weren’t considered an appropriate match, with Sabina being English and Orwin being Irish.

So the star-crossed lovers decided to elope, and took a boat out onto Lough Sheelin to escape the people who wouldn’t accept them together.

But the unpredictable lake waters got the best of them when a storm hit and their boat was overturned. Orwin struck his head on the rock beneath the shallow lake and died, while Sabina was rescued.

When Sabina woke up three days later and saw her beloved’s body laid out in the palace chapel, she screamed a blood curdling scream. Soon after she died from shock, and she and Orwin were buried in a mound on the castle grounds.

Sabina now haunts Ross Castle, in search for her lost lover. Her agonizing wail is said to still be heard today around 3 or 4 a.m. in the back right room of the castle.

The Black Baron’s presence has also been reported visitors in the vicinity of the castle on numerous occasions. The Baron is said to roam the grounds as well, grieving for his dead daughter.

 

2. Kilmainham Gaol

Kilmainham, County Dublin

Prisons are famously haunted buildings, and Ireland’s most famous prison is no exception.

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Nster.com