The Governess of Leap Castle County Offaly

The Governess, or Nanny, is one of the more frequently encountered spirits at Leap Castle, often seen in the main hall alongside two young girls, believed to be Emily and Charlotte. Interestingly, it seems that visitors to the castle experience more paranormal activity than the current residents. Many guests have reported unexplained sensations—such as being touched or feeling someone brush past them with no one in sight.

One notable incident involved a friend of Sean Ryan, who was having lunch at Leap Castle with another female guest. While seated by the fire in the main hall, both witnessed a striking figure: a proud-looking woman dressed in Victorian clothing, who walked diagonally across the room. After discussing the sighting, the once-skeptical guest admitted that the experience had changed his beliefs about the supernatural. Read more about :

The Governess of Leap Castle County Offaly

Another commonly reported figure is that of an elderly man, often seen sitting quietly by the fire in the main hall. His presence is said to bring a strange sense of calm.

Mildred Darby, a former resident of Leap Castle and noted chronicler of its hauntings, once described a peculiar apparition in vivid detail:

“There is a little old man, dressed in a green cut-away coat, knee breeches, and bright shoe buckles, always clutching a leathern bag. Sometimes he appears with a little old woman with thin, bony hands, wearing long black mitts, an old-fashioned dress, and a large headdress. On occasion, they are accompanied by another elderly man—priest-like in appearance, but with a disturbingly cunning expression. The green-coated man has even been known to try to block people from passing.”

Such vivid encounters continue to fuel the legends surrounding Leap Castle, a place where history and the supernatural seem to walk hand in hand.