Video: Private Tour of Leap Castle Reputed to be Ireland’s Most Haunted House

Leap Castle in County Offaly holds the impressive title of one of the most haunted castles in the world. Thousands of ghost hunters prowl its murky corridors every year in order to catch a glimpse of one of its many resident ghosts.

If you’re particularly lucky (or unlucky, depending on your opinion) you might encounter “It”, a rotting ghostly presence the size of a sheep with a decomposing face and a stench of sulphur and death; perhaps you’ll come across the Red Lady, who holds a dagger aloft in her hand; or maybe Emily and Charlotte, two little girls who play in the corridors and sometimes plummet from the battlements in a grisly replay of Emily’s ultimate demise at the age of 11.

One thing you can be certain of is an encounter with Sean Ryan, Leap Castles’ eccentric owner, who will give you a personal tour and fill you in on its fascinating history. It is one of the daily excursions offered by the 10 passenger Shannon Princess, cruising along the River Shannon through Ireland’s spectacular countryside.