Haunted Leap Castle County Offaly
Haunted Leap Castle Co Offaly is located 6 miles from Ardmore Country House in Kinnitty Perched on the rolling green landscape of County Offaly, Ireland, Leap Castle is steeped in history, legend, and the supernatural. Leap Castle is often cited as the most haunted castle in Ireland, if not the world. Its dark past of clan rivalries, betrayal, and gruesome deaths has left an indelible mark on its stone walls, giving rise to an aura of mystery that continues to attract visitors and paranormal enthusiasts from around the globe.
The Bloody History of the Haunted Leap Castle County Offaly
Leap Castle Co Offaly Leap Castle (pronounced “Lep” Castle) was originally built by the O’Bannon clan, secondary chieftains under the powerful O’Carrolls of Ely in 1250 AD on the most strategic pass through the Slieve Bloom Mountains to the province of Munster known as Leim Ui Bheannain. The name “Leap” stems from an ancient legend in which two O’Bannon brothers vied for leadership of the clan by leaping from a rocky outcrop near the construction site. The one who survived the jump would claim leadership and the right to oversee the castle’s construction.
Later, the castle passed into the hands of the O’Carroll family, known for their ruthless tactics and internal power struggles. The most infamous of these disputes occurred in the 16th century, in what’s know as the Bloody Chapel. When the chief of the O’Carroll clan died in1532 and left no successor, a dispute arose between his two sons, Thaddeus who was a priest and his brother Teighe, over who would rule. It is reputed that in the midst of celebrating mass Thaddeus was slaughtered by Teighe in what is now known as “The Bloody Chapel”.
During the O’Carroll reign, numerous prisoners and enemies were held, tortured, and executed within the castle walls. In 1599, another deadly deed occurred at Leap Castle. Charles O’Carroll, the last chieftain at Leap, was at war with the Earl of Tyrone and hired the MacMahon clan, from Monaghan as mercenaries. After they had fought for him, O’Carroll held a feast for his mercenaries and plied them with wine and then had them murdered in their sleep.
Later in the 19th Century, when workmen were renovating the castle they uncovered a hidden room behind the altar, with a trap door, underneath which there was a spiked oubliette. Unsuspecting victims would fall through the door to their deaths on the spikes below, those that survived were left to rot and starve to death. When the workmen found the room, they recovered three cartloads of bones. Perhaps these were the bones of the McMahon clan.
Over the centuries, Leap Castle changed hands
Supernatural Events at the Haunted Leap Castle County Offaly
Over the centuries Leap Castle changed hands several times. In the 17th century, it passed to the Darby family through marriage. The Darbys added to the structure and lived there for generations. However, the castle’s haunted reputation continued to grow, especially with Mildred Darby, a writer of gothic fiction who reportedly held séances in the castle. She documented her supernatural encounters and claimed to have seen a terrifying elemental spirit—a small, dark creature with a putrid odor, which many believe guards the site or appears before tragic events. Her accounts, published in the early 1900s, brought the Haunted Leap Castle County Offaly international attention as a place of paranormal activity.
Haunted Home
In 1922, during the Irish Civil War, the castle was looted and burned, leaving it in ruins for decades. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that restoration began under new ownership Sean Ryan, musician, storyteller and owner of Leap Castle welcomes guests to the Haunted Leap Castle County Offaly by appointment. He can be reached on +353 86 8690547.It is best to contact him before you arrive. Leap Castle is usually not open on Sundays.
