Irish Ghost Stories

by Padraic O'Farrell, Kate Shannon (Illustrator)

Unexplained psychic phenomena fascinate people from all walks of life. However, many are afraid, ashamed and embarrassed to come forward for fear of not being taken seriously. Of course, we can't prove that ghosts exist or don't exist. We are in a different realm of consciousness when we talk about ghosts. But however strange or unusual the feelings that people experience, the experiences themselves are none the less real.

Celebrated people have had strange experiences. This book includes those of the actor Micheal MacLiammoir and of playwright and author Hugh Leonard (Jack Keyes Byrne). The Lord of the Dance, Michael Flatley, has acknowledged the presence of a ghost named Isabella in his Castlehyde home near Fermoy, County Cork. Oliver St John Gogarty also believed in ghosts. There are many well-known Irish ghost stories and Padraic O'Farrell tells some of them in this book. He has, however, leaned heavily on the side of lesser-known tales; most of them previously unpublished.

Genres: Fiction, Horror, Ghost Stories, Ireland, Short Stories

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2004

Reviews

[Maria Hill AKA MH Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a valuable collection of retellings of "true" ghost stories and mysterious happenings throughout Ireland. Padraic goes to some effort to give more than one retelling from different sources if it's available. He also sites who, when and where it happened too.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of previously unpublished ghost stories from various periods and counties in Ireland. Sadly, the author didn't live to see the publication of the book.

This reads like a chat with a friend - some of the stories end abruptly, some read more like ramblings and vague memories, others are really detailed and have lots of great imagery. Favourites for me were the ones relating to Longford - I hadn't heard either, despite living here over a decade - and variations of the ones I grew up hearing in my locality about the Pooka and the Banshee. There's a story in here about the infamous Hellfire Club in the Dublin Mountains too, always an interesting if scary subject to read about.

A nice, but not perfect, collection for those who want to know more about some ghostly Irish encounters.

[R.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Κριτική στα Ελληνικά πιο κάτω...

You don't have to believe in ghosts or afterlife to read this kind of stories with some interest. This book contains some quite well-known stories, but some experiences that people reported very recently too.
Not extraordinary, but a decent read to pass the time.

Δεν χρειάζεται να πιστεύει κανείς σε φαντάσματα ή στη μετά θάνατον ζωή για να διαβάσει τα βιβλία αυτού του είδους με κάποιο ενδιαφέρον. Το συγκεκριμένο περιέχει μερικές πολύ γνωστές ιστορίες, τουλάχιστον στην Ιρλανδία, αλλά και μερικές εμπειρίες που άνθρωποι ανέφεραν πολύ πρόσφατα. Εκδόθηκε λίγο μετά το 2000.
Όχι εξαιρετικό, αλλά ένα αξιοπρεπές ανάγνωσμα για να περάσει η ώρα.

[gerard brangan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little gem of a book: it brought me back quite a way to the time when my uncles and aunts conversed around the range in their little kitchen in Summerbank: they told and retold many such 'ghost stories' with what seemed to my childish ears an uncomfortable familiarity and immediacy. Thanks to the author for preserving what would otherwise be lost in the mists of time.

[Marco Sanchez (Dragondarkness30) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I see why people are giving it the rating of 4 stars I loved these stories I just wanted more that's my only reason for the rating Im giving it. I could have read a whole novel full of stories like this. I read the author had since passed away could have been why the book was so short. I'm going to look for more by this author...I really liked this book.

[Samarium Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting stories. The opening story about the Green Lady reminds me of the story of the lady who drowned in the water tank on the roof of the hotel. Some intriguing stories indeed. I recommend the read.

[Vickie Woodard · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT FRIGHTENING

Guess you had to be there.
A nice variety of ghost stories. Amazing to me the stories about servants (never had one) and clergy (aren't they the holy guys? Shouldn't that repel the supernatural?)

[Mary Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting stories but not as spooky as I would have liked.

[Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

picked this up at a library sale for 50 cents, i over payed for it

[Soren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dry and dull. I felt like I was reading a collection of newspaper clippings.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of Irish ghost stories that you can complete in a single sitting. Like I did. Before I go asleep. Not my brightest idea.

[Riley Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, my precious stereotype, that the Irish are good storytellers, is ruined.

More review to come later.

[Mark Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining. Some real gems in this one.

[Dimitri Alexei · Rating 3 out of 5]

author committed to the bit

[Catwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of short, entertaining ghost stories/legends from all over Ireland. Fun read.