The Lively Ghosts Of Ireland

Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle, a land of history and mystery, beauty and enchantment. But there's much more to this jewel of the North Atlantic than meets the eye. Hans Holzer is a renowned ghost hunter who has traveled the world trailing the elusive spirits of souls anxious to be sent beyond the Veil. Here he recounts his fascinating journey across this island in search of its soul...and its spirits. There is an 18th-century swordsman who defends the hidden treasure of Ballyheigue Castle, a proud house now gutted by fire; Princess Orloff, originally known as Angelica Parrott, who returned home to haunt a jealous sister; Lilith, a young inhabitant of eerie Skryne Castle, who was strangled with foxglove fronds in 1740; Mary Masters, a young girl who refuses to forget her horrible death and continues to haunt Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel; the ghost at Number 118 Summerhill, Dublin who sends workmen into a panic; and many more.

22 Folk Tales from Ireland retold and illustrated by the author. One of Irish-American writer James Reynolds’ best works is this lively compilation of Irish ghost stories that reflects the rich Celtic imagination. First published in 1947, this compilation draws from his personal collection of over 200 tales, ranging from the tenth to the twentieth centuries, these 22 yarns are a mix of the eerie, the terrifying, and the madly comic. In “The Bloody Stones of Kerrigan’s Keep,” vengeful spirits from a centuries-old massacre terrorize all who come close to their fortress grave. In “The Headless Rider of Castle Sheela,” the ghost of a beheaded horseman continues to haunt his castle every Christmas day. You’ll meet the demonic harpies of “The Ghostly Catch,” the giddy spirits of the fashionable O’Haggerty twins, and the gluttonous ghost of Jason Bannott. Other tales include “The Weeping Wall,” “The Bridal Barge of Aran Roe,” “Mrs. O’Moyne and the Fatal Slap,” and more. Enhanced by Reynolds’ illustrations of Irish houses and their residents—both ghostly and human—this anthology is a treasure to savor.

Irish Ghost Stories contains stories that tell of spooky goings-on in almost every part of the country. They include the tales of the Wizard Earl of Kildare, the Scanlan Lights of Limerick, Buttoncap of Antrim, Maynooth College's haunted room, Loftus Hall in Wexford, and an account of how the poet Francis Ledwidge appeared to an old friend in County Meath. The country of Ireland is full of old castles with secret rooms, and while some of the stories are obvious figments of lively imaginations, there are other tales that cannot be easily explained away.

Ranging from the 10th to the 20th centuries, these ghostly tales mix the eerie, the terrifying, and the madly comic. Features 22 short stories enhanced by the author's 30 illustrations.