Jeepers creepers! We thought Leap Castle was just an ordinary castle, but we had the most haunted night ever! Here’s everything you need to know.
I used to join ghost tours during Halloween, and I would end up wishing that I could at least feel a bit eerie during the tour. And when I heard about Leap Castle, I honestly thought it was just one of those Halloween activities.
But upon seeing the driveway, the greenery, and the entrance door, I know this experience is going to be a lot different. True enough, months later, I could still think about the stories before bedtime—or even when I’m in the shower!
So if you think you’re brave enough to visit one of the scariest castles in the world, continue reading this guide to see what’s in store for you.
Leap Castle: An Overview
Leap Castle, located in County Offaly, Ireland, is known as one of the most haunted castles in the world. This castle houses numerous dungeons and deathly trapdoors that can instantly send an eerie feeling to anyone seeing them.
While the castle was built during the Iron Age, it’s clear history dates back to the 16th century, when the O’Bannon clan took over. At this time, they used to call the castle Leim Ui Bhanain or Leap of the O’Bannons.
The name came from the well-known legend that the O’Bannon brothers had to jump off the rocks to decide who would take over. The survivor then becomes chief of the entire place.
However, the O’Bannons were just secondary to the real powerful clan—the O’Carrolls.
When the O’Carrolls took over the Leap Castle, rival massacres and killings started. It was believed that their dinner guests and soldiers were killed by kinsmen longing for power.
In 1649, the castle was given to Jonathon Darby. It served as a payment for these services during the battles in Ireland. However, in 1922, the castle was burned down during the Irish Civil War.
Since then, the castle remained abandoned until Peter Bartlett, an Australian descendant of the O’Bannon clan bought it in 1974. He decided to restore the castle until he died in 1989.
Sean and Anne Ryan decided to buy the castle during the early 1990s. At present, they continue to restore the spaces to welcome visitors to this haunted space.
How to Get to Leap Castle
You can get to Leap Castle by car, taxi, or public transportation such as bus and train.
The distance from Dublin to Leap Castle is around 133.5 kilometers, so you should expect about an hour and a half drive to your destination. No need to worry about parking as the castle has its car park—you can even park near the drive-in gate.
If you don’t want to worry about driving and parking, you can just conveniently ride a taxi. The area’s not secluded so you can easily get a ride going home too.
Meanwhile, for those of you who want to maximize public transportation, you can either take the bus or the train.
You can take a train or a regional bus service to Birr or Roscrea. However, you still need to ride a taxi from either station to get to the castle.
The Best Time to Go to Leap Castle
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The best time to visit this castle actually depends on what you want to see and experience.
During spring (March to May), you’ll see that their gardens are lush and flowers are blooming. If you would love to take photos of their courtyard after exploring the castle interiors, then you should consider visiting during this season.
If you want to visit when the weather’s a bit warmer with longer daylight hours, and maybe if you don’t want to be spooked out too much, then visit during the summer months (June to August).
However, you need to manage your expectations as this is the peak season.
For those who are down for some eerie tours, you should visit the castle from September to November. Watch out as the owners host paranormal tours during Halloween.
Meanwhile, if you prefer the cold weather (not sure though if it’s still the air that’s making you feel cold), then you should time your visit during winter (December to February).
Aside from the various seasons, you should also consider the time that you’re visiting the place. While mornings are commonly popular to those who want to capture the castle with some natural light, the true eerie tour sets in during the night.
It’s worth noting, however, that Leap Castle is privately owned. It’s always best to call the owners ahead to check if the place is open to the public.
Things to See and Do in Leap Castle
1. Explore Various Sections in the Castle
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People who visit the castle love exploring all the rooms that are available for viewing.
Though the other sections of the house are already being renovated for private use, some of the rooms located on the upper floors are still in ruins, adding to the eerie feeling of the entire place.
These are the rooms that you can still explore when you visit the castle:
- The Bloody Chapel: This chamber has its dark and chilling tales, and has been marked as one of the most haunted areas in the castle. It was believed to be the site of the murder within the O’Carroll family during their rule.
According to the tales, one brother killed his other brother to take over some power. He also killed a priest during mass, hence the name The Bloody Chapel.
The mystery doesn’t end there. Just located below the chapel is one of the eerie dungeons, a place where the O’Carrolls would kill prisoners and their enemies.
While renovating the place, the workers found human remains that proved the horrific murders inside the room.
- Great Hall: This castle isn’t just about the horrors of the past, it will let you admire the medieval architecture that showcased the power of the family who took over during those times.
Here, you can appreciate the castle’s high ceilings, large halls, stone walls, and chandeliers. While almost everything in the castle looked old and worn out, you can still imagine how the families lived in grandeur.
- Priest’s House: There’s a section in the castle where priests are believed to reside back in the day.
It was also reported that some visitors would hear creepy noises. Some would even report about ghost sightings, including the uncomfortable feeling that someone’s watching over them while they’re in the place.
Some of the visitors, including the owner, believe that the eerie encounters could be the spirits of the priests who were murdered in the room.
2. Hear Haunted Stories
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Several haunted stories revolve around this castle. Here are some of the haunted stories that you can hear while going around the place:
- The Governess & the Old Man: Some people claim to see the governess (or the nanny) with two girls, roaming around the main hall.
A few visitors would even claim being touched by these spirits. In fact, one of the friends of the owner was having lunch inside the castle, when both he and another female visitor saw a lady wearing a Victorian attire cross the main hall.
Meanwhile, some guests also saw an old man sitting near the fireplace in the main hall.
- Emily & Charlotte: Remember the two girls mentioned previously? Those two were believed to be the spirits of Emily and Charlotte.
Emily was around the age of 11 or 12, while Charlotte was around 6 or 7 years old. Some guests would claim seeing these two girls playing in the main hall, or going up and down the stairwell.
Some would say the girls lived in the castle during the 1600s and could be from the last generation of the O’Carrolls or the first generation of the Darbys.
Emily fell from the castle’s southeastern battlements. Some people have mentioned seeing a silhouette of a girl falling off from the castle and disappearing just before it hits the ground.
Some visitors also mentioned hearing a child screaming—even the owners confirmed this!
On the other hand, some visitors saw another girl with a deformed right leg, one that looked totally turned backward. It was believed to be Charlotte who might be running after Emily.
- The Murdered Woman: Some guests would claim to see a woman wearing few clothes with a red cloth draped over her face. Here’s the most scary part: she would scream twice before and then suddenly disappears!
- The Red Lady: During the time of the Darbys, they would tell stories about seeing a tall woman wearing a red dress.
She was also seen carrying a dagger in her hand, raised as if she was about to strike someone. Some guests who reported to have encountered her in the castle claimed to feel a cold sensation through their hearts.
This Red Lady was believed to be one of the captured women by the O’Carrolls. She was raped, and a baby was born out of it.
It was reported that an O’Carroll killed the baby since they couldn’t afford to raise one. Because of this, the woman decided to end her life using the same blade that killed her child.
3. Join Paranormal Experts
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If the stories aren’t enough to prove to you that this castle is really spooky, then you should join paranormal experts as they explore the halls and the haunted rooms inside the castle.
These paranormal experts would turn their devices as they monitor energies and frequencies inside the room. They also would normally carry devices that can record sound waves and voices.
4. Chat with Sean Ryan, the Owner
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You can also chat with the friendly owner of Leap Castle, Sean Ryan. He’s a talented musician who purchased the castle during the early 1990s.
Since then, his family has been doing renovations and restorations to preserve the rich history of the place.
Once you meet him, you’ll instantly feel the warm welcome. He will also grace you with all the horrific stories about the castle.
Even better, this passionate owner would tell all stories in full detail, making your tour truly worth it. Additionally, he would also share his and his family’s eerie encounters in the castle, which reflects the tales’ authenticity.
5. Eat at Mimosa Bar de Tapas
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Website: http://www.mimosawinebar.com/
Address: College St, Carlow
Contact Details: +353 59 917 0888
Operating Hours: Wednesday – Saturday: 5:00 PM – 11:30 PM; Sunday: 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
If you need to fuel up before or after your tour at Leap Castle, you’ll definitely enjoy the comforting dishes at Mimosa Bar de Tapas.
Here, you can order crowd-favorite meals such as falafel, tempura prawn salads, and the chicken liver pate with toasted ciabatta.
Once you’re inside, you’ll instantly feel the cozy space, which we think is a perfect way to shake off all the eerie things you encountered or heard at Leap Castle.
And if you wish to have a more calming spot at this restaurant, you can choose to be seated at the garden.
Stay at Kinnity Castle Hotel
Media credit: @kinnittycastleireland
Website: http://www.kinnittycastlehotel.com/
Address: Castle Hotel, Castletown And Glinsk, Kinnitty, Co. Offaly, R42 CY50
Contact Details: +353 57 913 7318
For those of you who are looking for a place to stay near the Leap Castle then you should book a room at Kinnitty Castle Hotel. This castle hotel also has its historical charm that dates back to 1209.
In this Belfast hotel, you can stay comfortably in old-world designed rooms, complete with high ceilings and Victorian period designs.
Nonetheless, you can still enjoy the modern amenities such as the gym and spa.
If you’re looking for other outdoor activities, you’ll love that there’s a tennis court in the hotel, and a nearby Birr Golf Club too.
There’s also a traditional pub inside, perfect if you want to have an authentic Irish beer.