Ross Castle Investigation, 29th August 2009


Following the last investigation here where we appeared to have a lot of activity, a new investigation was set up in a rush. This investigation was to include a medium, a sound expert and historian.

However, the investigation yielded few results. The most we found was a bathroom door handle moving while someone was in there and everyone else was in the living room and an eerie feeling in the hallway and en-suite room.

Although there was little activity, this was interesting in itself. It seems to show how if ghosts exist, they do not perform for us upon demand.

The most interesting thing yielded from this investigation was a set a photos taken in the eerie hallway, which showed a blue-green light anomaly which appeared to move positions in the photos.

Some people believe such light anomalies, or ‘orbs’, are the first instances of energy building up by a spirit attempting to appear.

These pictured were shown to experts who advised me of the natural causes:

“it is likely to be a little lens flare, which is probably caused by the bounced flash in the mirror at the end of the hall and as a result of the angle of your shooting.”

See below for the photos:

Light anomaly on the cupboard

Light anomaly on the floor

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Spirit Animals

I was recently on an on-line forum where a member was questioning the existence of animal ghosts. This got me to thinking about the subject of animal spirits.

I agree with the possibility that the spirits of animals may linger on. We humans are also animals after all, so why should there not be the possibility of animal ghosts too?

My childhood pet was a cat called Sooty. She lived a until a very good age, dying when I was around 15 years old. When she was alive she had a preference for sitting on the back of the sofa near my head. Kind of like a fluffy feline head-warmer. After she passed away I often got a sense that she was sitting in her regular position on the back of the chair, keeping me company. And then I remembered that she was in fact dead! I had this feeling on numerous occasions. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling though. It was quite a peaceful and comforting feeling to have her there.

Dingle and IMy other childhood pet was a cat called Dingle. He was half Persian and half regular moggy. He had a dish face and extra long claws, which used to pick along the carpet noisely as he walked. When Dingle was alive he could be heard picking his way up the stairs and he would often yowl outside my parent’s room or sometimes my room when he wanted a midnight snack or to go outside.  Dingle also lived to a grand old age and died when I was around 18 years old. After Dingle passed away, he could often be heard doing this same routine at night. I certainly heard him picking his way up the stairs with his long claws many times in the dead of night, and both my mother and father heard the same, plus on one occasion his yowl. Even my father who is a total sceptic remarked that it often seemed like Dingle and Sooty were still with us.

Our family have moved away from there now, but I still wonder if Dingle and Sooty are keeping a new family company in the house they loved so much while alive.

Ross Castle Mayhem, Co.Meath, August 2009

Ross by night


Following my vow never to return to Ross Castle after my first visit, here I am again for a paranormal investigation!

This time I brought with me a little amulet containing religious symbols I bought in Jerusalem and I wore a crucifix around my neck. It is amazing how religious an atheist becomes when they are afraid. Anyway, these little protection devices helped me to feel braver in this spooky location.

Before the investigation proper began we had some activity, such as a loud bang from the corridor near the green room. Three of us checked for open windows that could have allowed a breeze to slam a door, but the breeze we felt did not quite seem strong enough to make the heavy doors in this corridor slam. We also heard the doorbell ring twice and upon inspection it was clear that the bell was in fact broken.

After nightfall the investigation began in the tower, starting in the sitting-room there. Two of the group called out and a presence was sensed in the room. It was also agreed that movement had been seen on the stairs. The room also noticeably fluctuated in temperature.

We moved on from this room and continued the investigation in the next bedroom. Here one of us got the impression of a man pacing up and down near the bed, holding his head in his hands in his anxiety. The presence of a female was also felt near the entrance to the bathroom, and several of us believed that we could see a thin white mist or light in that doorway. When I and another person on the bed called out to evoke a response, we felt a chill pass near the bed. Interestingly some of us also saw a form of a cat walking beside the bed.

Next was the top tower room. I sat on the bed and as soon as I sat down I felt something gently stroke my arm. I asked the person nearest to me if they had touched me and they responded in the negative. This unnerved me slightly, but it hardened my resolve to do some calling out in here. Several of us took turns calling out to the spirits, but it seemed that whatever wanted to communicate had taken a bit of a fancy to my voice and was responding well to me. We heard loud knocks on the radiator, when asked to knock on the radiator, banging on the roTower roomof and knocks from outside the door. At one point it appeared that a presence had entered the room and was forming a white mist or light near the wardrobe. I felt it was a female presence. I asked this presence to knock on the wardrobe or do something to make itself known and the girl sitting nearest to the wardrobe was then poked in the arm. Not long after this it was decided we should leave the room as several members were becoming fearful.

After a break we proceeded to the green room and set up a recorder for EVPs. Here we were all laughing and in high spirits, and not much happened. Either because there was nothing present or we simply were not paying good enough attention. However, one of the group did remark that they heard music, like that of a harpsichord. I also sensed that something was watching us with interest from the window.

Following this a few of us went to the large en-suite room. Earlier in the day there had been possible poltergeist activity, as shoes had been moved. However, the session in this room yielded no activity.

Finally it was decided to work in the top tower room again. This time a recorder was set up for EVPs. I was requested to do most of the calling out as whatever wanted to communicate with me had been responding well to my voice. Upon request it seemed there were fast rappings and bangings on the roof and on the radiator. There were also rappings from outside the door. One of the team asked questions for the EVP recording and whatever was present seemed to answer these questions with rhythmic tappings.

For example, it was asked “Did you live in this castle?”

Response: several short raps in fast succession.

“Did you like living in this castle?”

Response: several loud, almost excited, rappings in fast succession

“Would you like us to leave?”

Response: silence

As I was getting a good response I continued asking whatever was there to communicate audibly. At one point there was a growl that we all heard. I, however, thought it was somebody’s stomach rumbling and carried on unaware to be told later that it was not actually anybodies stomach. If I had known it as a growl, I think I would not have been able to carry on due to fear.

We ended the paranormal investigation at around 4am and the rest of the night was used for socialising. During the night, when people were trying to sleep, one of the group heard something tapping on the window and another saw a chair in the living-room move on its own. For my part I felt temperature drops in the green room.

orbsThe following day it was discovered that the person who slept in the tower room had an unusual bruise on his chest and had no recollection of how it got there. Also, a photo taken of the same person in the tower room showed two interesting bright blue orbs to his chest area (see photo.)

All in all this was a very enjoyable investigation, with lots of activity. I also felt much braver than I had during earlier investigations, so I must be building up my constitution. However, I was slightly bemused as to why spirits took a fancy to my voice in particular. It seemed both in Duncannon Fort and here in Ross I got direct responses to my voice. I would like to do more investigations in future, playing a more active role, so I can see if I am in fact sensitive to spirits or able to attract them into communication.

2009-2014 Ghost Catcher UK & Ireland© All rights reserved. All my posts are copyright and if you do wish to refer to them or use anything from them on your site, please ask permission first

Creepy Convent, Co. Cavan, August 2009


In daylight hours we visited an ominous looking abandoned convent in Co. Cavan. This was not so much of an investigation, rather more a walk around to take photos and gain an impression of the place.

We headed to the basement first, which was pitch black. The majority of the basement level felt fine, but one particular corridor and the large room it led to felt particularly unpleasant.  Orbs were to be seen in the corridor, but these could have been due to dust or flying insects. The large room felt very creepy and one of the group remarked that it felt like people had been punished here.

Corridor

We moved on to the upper levels which included the cells of the nuns and a possible boarding school area. Throughout the walk around here we heard loud banging of doors, which was most probably due to the wind. However while descending one particular staircase two of the group believed that they had heard whispering voices. I did not hear anything myself, but I do know I got goosebumps while descending those stairs.

stairs

This location was very interesting and it seems shameful that it is standing there disused. It also appears to be a place which could do with further investigation, particularly on that staircase and in the basement.