Ballygally Castle is located near the bay of the same name. Impressive though it is, this 17th-century building was built with defense in mind; the walls are five feet thick, and loopholes for guns were included in the architecture. The castle also has a stream running through it, so that fresh water was guaranteed if the building should fall under siege. As a matter of fact, it was besieged, in 1641, but without success.
For almost two centuries, the castle was owned by the Shaw family. One unfortunate member was Lady Isobel Shaw, who committed the "sin" of giving birth to a baby girl. Her husband, enraged that the baby was not a boy, locked mother and daughter in the bedroom with the intent of starving both of them. In despair, Lady Isobel threw herself from the window, thus preventing a much longer death - but the baby, left alone in the room, did indeed starve.
Mother and daughter still haunt the premises. Lady Isobel knocks on doors throughout the castle, and the baby cries until someone opens the door to what was once their room. When the door is opened, the cries abruptly cease. One room, known as the "Ghost Room", is not used as a guest room. On one occasion, a guest sleeping beneath this room was awakened by the small hand of a child pressing against his back. The man had children of his own, but they were nowhere near the hotel. As he came fully awake, he heard the sound of a child laughing and running around the room, but saw nothing. He was so frightened that he ran from the room clad only in his boxers.
No comments:
Post a Comment