Castle Leap is Ireland's foremost 'haunted place'. The remains of the Gothic stronghold are still inhabited and are currently being renovated. It is a medieval stone castle with a square residential tower and fragments of walls. It stands in a small park.
The castle was probably built in the mid-thirteenth century. Its owner was initially the O'Bannon family, and then it passed into the hands of the O'Carrolls family, famous for their cruelty. It was in their times, in the 16th century, that the events that contributed to the notoriety of the castle took place. One of them is very well documented. In 1532, a great inheritance dispute broke out between two brothers, one of whom was a priest. There were fights and attempts to forcibly seize the property. While one of the brothers was saying Mass in the castle chapel, the other raided the property and killed him in front of the altar. The second of the events is the legend of a girl imprisoned by the O'Carrolls and raped, whose ghost appears on the walls as a red lady. This story was strengthened by finding a human skeleton walled up in a tower.
Currently, the owner of the castle is musician Sean Ryan. As he himself claims, his family suffered many strange accidents in his area, usually ending in the breaking of limbs. The castle has been systematically renovated since 2010. It is not regularly released. However, it is possible to make an appointment with the owner for a visit to the interior.
Attractions inside
