Leap Castle a Haunted History

The Castle was constructed around 1250 AD, in Ireland, by the local O'Bannon clan. The O'Bannon's were the secondary ruling clan of the area and were subject's to the chieftains, the O'Carroll's.

There were many struggles for power and domination between the O'Carroll and O'Bannon through the years with the O'Bannon's being tired of their lairds not being good to them. The struggles finally culminated with the O'Carroll's taking possession of the castle from the O'Bannon's; and that started the beginning of troubles for the O'Carroll's. Some say it was from a curse the O'Bannon's laid down after losing possession of the castle that those who tried to live in their home would suffer nothing but misery and death instead.

There is some evidence and a lot of speculation that it was constructed on the same site as a ceremonial ground, some Paranormal Researchers say that is the reason for all the hauntings in the castle. There is very little proof of this though as records have been lost throughout time.

After the death of the Chieftain Mulrooney O'Carroll in 1532, family struggles were constantly plaguing the O'Carroll's over who would lead in their leaders absence. A fierce rivalry for the leadership broke out between two of his sons and it ended with one being murdered.

One of the brothers was a priest; and one day while he was conducting mass for a group of the family (in what is now called the "Bloody Chapel"), his brother came into the room and plunged his sword into the priests chest fatally wounding him. It's reported that the priest died of his wounds while laying across the alter he had just been conducting mass over. It's said that both brothers still roam the halls of the castle looking for the other to settle the score once and for all over who was the rightful leader.

In another part of the Castle there is an oubliette where prisoners of the family would be thrown down to either live out their remaining days or die a horribly painful death; if they were lucky. The oubliette was lined with spikes at the bottom and if you missed them you would live out your days listening to the life and smelling the food of the people who lived in the castle.

While the castle is said to be home to many spirits the worst of the castle spirits is known as The Elemental. Many paranormal researchers have made contact with it and most usually regret it.

The first one to make any documentation or mention about the Elemental was Mildred Darby. She lived in the castle in the late Victorian era, like many people during that time period, it was said that she dabbled in the occult. It is thought that she brought the Elemental out of wherever it came from by her working with the spirits.

She made reference in one of her journals of looking at something below as she stood in the castle late one night when an overwhelming smell of death and sickness surrounded her. She reported that she felt a tapping on her shoulder and when she turned she was met with the sight of a half pig; half man beast with the smell of sulfur about it. She said that it raised itself to her eye's before disappearing.

Researchers who say they run into the creature can come away from the experience with minor injuries or a severe sickness. No one really understands what it is, a beast of of hell or a manifestation of all the spirits in the castle as one seeking revenge on the living.

The castle is privately owned by a family who is trying to restore it to it's former glory. I recommend checking their website out as it has a lot of information about the castle including other ghost stories and you can contact the owner about arranging tours.