Haunted Ireland

A Fast Growing Tourism Interest in Ireland

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog article called “New Church Of Guardian Angels” outlining a new trend amongst the dying Irish Pub culture where several pubs are trying new ways to create income such as having psychic, healing and meditation nights and events, and even fairs.

Now there is a new fast growing tourism culture that is exploring Ireland’s ancestors and “ghosts”.

A couple of days ago I met up with Simon Gold, who is quite a celebrity psychic in Ireland. He knows of the work of my psychic and healing family elders, when they were alive, and was interested in finding out if I am following their footsteps as well as finding out how Celtic Ways tours and vacations may integrate into some of the services he now operates.

About Simon Gold, psychic

Simon Gold of Psychics Ireland now leads quite a network of psychics, astrologers, and angel guides, that practice and are presented through an assortment of venues in many countries in addition to Ireland. The most popular venue in Ireland for these people are the Irish pubs.

It would take another blog article to explain my own pros and cons feelings about this. In short, on the plus side I think its great if this provides revival and some kind of survival for Ireland’s country pubs. On the downside though I am a fan of astrology and divination by calculation as an ancient tradition of analysis and projection I am uneasy about these ancient wisdoms being used to “predict” the future. I would like to write more on this, but lets move on ……..

And Ian Murphy, paranormal researcher

Simon Gold of Psychics Ireland has also teamed up with Ian Murphy, founder of the Paranormal Association Of Ireland to develop tourism options for exploring “haunted sites” of Ireland, due to the numerous enquiries both have received in response to the very popular syndicated haunted house and castle television programs. I also receive such enquiries.

So due to my family’s “psychic” and paranormal work background, my tour stories that commonly relate to the old “changeling” and “sidhe” stories and tradition, and my knowledge and experience of Irish tourism, accommodation and dining overall ……. I have been invited to join in the mix.

Why “Haunted Ireland” may be popular than our main tours

There is no way that “Haunted Ireland” tourism will dominate our leading theme of “A Veil Between Two Worlds” that follows the incarnations (not re-incarnations!) of Brighid and Lugh through visiting sites, sharing traditions, music and stories. However, I can see this as being very complimentary.

If adverts were placed side by side for “Haunted Ireland Tours” and “Brighid or Goddess Tours”, I know that the response for “Haunted Ireland” would be far, far more than for other tours we do.

I lead several tours of people from loving and supportive Christian church communities who I feel have misguided information about pre-Christian faith in Ireland so they arrive here both afraid and curious about it. Going on a “Haunted Ireland” tour may either enhance that fear or dissolve it. Either way the option is popular.

How a merging of tours could lead from fear to peace

Taken alone, I can see “Haunted Ireland” tours being entertaining, revealing and worthy, but unable to bring a traveller into a relationship with the natural changeling spirit of nature, which was the foundation of pre-Christian faith in Ireland. A simple example of the changeling spirit is the wonder of a seed becoming a plant that creates a flower and then a fruit, where the wonder may have been replaced in our mind by structured scientific information of how this happens.

I look forward to working within the network of Simon Gold’s and Ian Murphy’s operations and then guiding participants through an interpretation from fear provoking and spirit conflicting “haunting” to the peaceful wonder of the changeling spirit of nature.

Some of the sites that Simon and Ian would like to include.

Simon and Ian have listed several sites they would like to share with people. As you can expect, many of these sites have grizzly hammer horror stories and experiences linked to them. The most famous must be Leap Castle within Offaly, where several folks have reported experiencing foul odours followed by sightings of grizzly looking beings with human like eyes.

My own favourite are these two sites that to me explain an overall story of the spirit of Ireland.

Fanningstown Castle, Limerick …
Situated in the fertile valley of the river Maigue, in Co. Limerick within a territory of ancient Celtic people called the “Ui Cairbre Aobhdha”.

Charleville Forest Castle, Tullamore, County Offaly…
With frequent stories of luminous balls of ghostly light appearing throughout the castle.

Both Fanningstown and Charleville have several sightings of “druids” in a circle performing a ceremony, and to me this makes a lot of sense, so here’s why.

Why are Ireland’s haunts mainly in castles?

You may also ask “why are all castles in Ireland haunted?”

Every Irish castle seems to have the same history. They all seem to be positioned on ancient sacred places.

Ancient stone age people had the same intelligence as ourselves but without the distractions to fragment their intelligence into so many directions. Their intelligence developed wisdom to identify and align to places on our earth where the life flow of the earth appeared to be most powerful or potent. These may have first been marked with a pile of stones or a single standing stone.

Over milleniums these spaces became used with the aid of stone and wooden structures. Ceremonies and traditions were developed to honour the spirit that maintains our life and provide food and abundance. Faiths and religions followed.

The earlier structures became managed into more ordered and abundant places of both faith and community. The heyday of this must have been the creation of Celtic Christian based monastic sites that evolved naturally, rather than converted from, druid led communities.

Monastic sites did, unfortunately, fall into rivalry that led into protection being established by annexed fortresses manned by soldiers, but eventually the monastic sites became largely fortresses. The fortresses became medieval castles and then the medieval castles were largely replaced or enhanced by larger and sturdier castles between about 1750 and 1900.

Despite the replacement of building structures I cannot vision a replacement of spirit of place. It seems obvious to me that some people entering castles can “tune in” to its entire spirit through time where its ancient “druid” times of ceremony are still very present. For many Christians, Christ left this earth over 2000 years ago, but today is still very present within them so that is another example of spirit of time and place still remaining present.

Who will travel a “Haunted Ireland tour?

Anyone should find place, purpose and meaning from such a tour as well as abundant entertainment.

Such a tour should be wonderful for church community people of any faith because rather than challenging their faith it should provide incredible interpretation to elements of their faith that they may not be sure of.

“Haunted Ireland” tours are still in discussion yet should be active within as soon as 3 months time. Please keep in touch with us if this interests you for this year or beyond.

Write me your interests and dates you expect to be in Ireland by clicking through to my online email utility