Haunted Castles - Ballygally Castle, Ireland

In Ireland, on a cliff, overlooking the sea, sits the newlyhallway.
renovated Castle Ballygally. This beautiful structureAnother of the castle's resident ghosts is Madame
was built in 1625 by James Shaw and featuresNixon. She lived at the castle during the nineteenth
dormer windows, corner turrets and walls that are fivecentury. Her ghost is often seen wandering the halls
feet thick in places. During the last hundred years thewearing a long, silk dress. Madame Nixon is usually
building has undergone extensive upgrades andspotted in one of the turrets.
renovations and is now a four star hotel, with moreOne truly scary ghost that was said to have haunted
than 40 rooms. What the crews who did thethe castle was that of John Shaw. John Shaw was
renovations failed to remove, was all the ghosts thatthe owner of the castle in the late 1780's. He was
inhabit the castle.rumored to have been killed by his brother-in-law, Dr.
The most playful and frequently sighted ghost is thatMcCullough. John was forced to sign a bogus will that
of the Lady Isobel Shaw. The wife of Captain Jameswould leave all his money and property to his sister
Shaw is said to have taken her own life. According toand brother-in law. The doctor then poisoned John and
one version of the story, she was imprisoned in atook possession of the castle. Dr. McCullough soon
tower room because she was unable to produce adiscovered that owning a castle was not all he thought
male heir. Her husband was said to be slowly starvingit would be. According to locals, John's ghost returned
her and rather, than face a slow death she jumped outand haunted the Doctor. The Dr. only lived in the castle
of the castle window. Today, she is known to enjoyfor four years before leaving.
knocking on the doors of hotel guests and thenIf you do decide to stay at this wonderful hotel, be
disappearing. She will not enter the room if uninvitedsure to bring your camera and be prepared to meet
and while she is not often see, many a guest haswith other guests, both of this world and beyond.
answered the late night knocking to find only an empty