Discover five of the most haunted locations in Lismore, County Waterford, where echoes of history and the supernatural linger around every corner, according to ANN MASSEY McELROY
Lismore in County Waterford is one of Ireland’s most beautiful heritage towns, but beneath its charming façade and historic splendour lies a darker truth.
The town is soaked in centuries of human struggle, faith and fear – echoes that still resonate through its streets, ruins and landmarks.
For those brave enough to follow me through its haunted corners, here are my five ghostly hotspots in the shadows of the River Blackwater.
Lismore Heritage Centre – The Old Courthouse and Jail
Now a thriving hub for history and culture, Lismore Heritage Centre once served as a courthouse and jail.
Irish Paranormal Investigations was the first team to conduct a full-scale investigation here, and the results were chilling.
Disembodied voices in empty rooms, doors slamming of their own accord, and our REM pods lit up as if unseen hands were reaching out to make contact.
Staff speak of shadowy figures descending staircases, items flying from shelves in the shop, and the unnerving sense of being constantly observed.
During one event, a female voice echoed through the auditorium in the middle of a screening, silencing the audience in stunned disbelief and making them run out.
The building may have been reimagined, but the spirits of justice and injustice remain firmly embedded in its walls.
St Carthage’s Old Hospital/Workhouse
The old hospital and former workhouse was a place of healing and heartbreak in equal measure.
It has seen more than its share of suffering and loss. The very fabric of the stonework seems saturated with the energy of those who lived and died within.
During investigations, participants experienced unexplained footsteps pacing empty corridors and even faint cries drifting from long-disused wards.
Stories from former staff tell of equipment switching on by itself and spectral patients appearing at the foot of beds, only to vanish when approached.
While the building is abandoned, the Men’s Shed remains on site, as does the new St Carthage’s nursing home and mortuary.
Remnants of the old Fever Hospital and the Fever and Famine burial grounds add to the tragedy of the landscape, reaching out from the depths of the earth beneath your feet.
Lismore Castle and Gardens
Dominating the town, Lismore Castle has borne witness to centuries of triumphs and tragedies.
Though its interiors remain private, the castle exudes an energy that is impossible to ignore.
Legends abound of spectral figures crossing battlements at twilight and of voices whispering on the night air.
The discovery of the medieval Book of Lismore and the Lismore Crozier within a walled-up doorway only adds to the castle’s aura of hidden secrets.
Visitors strolling the gardens have reported shadowy forms drifting along the terraces and the sense of unseen eyes watching from high windows.
The castle does not merely overlook the town; it looms as its spectral guardian.
Ballysaggartmore Towers and Lady Louisa’s Walk
A short stroll from the town centre lies one of Lismore’s most atmospheric locations—Ballysaggartmore Towers, a striking Gothic gate lodge and bridge leading into the woodlands of Lady Louisa’s Walk.
By day it is picturesque. However, by dusk it transforms into something far more unsettling.
Walkers have reported phantom footsteps on the bridge, lights flickering in the empty lodge windows, and the eerie sound of children laughing and weeping among the woodland.
Here, the supernatural feels entwined with the natural world.
The whispers of the River Blackwater, the rustle of the trees and the echoes of lives long past combine to blur the line between the living and the dead.
The Shadowed Alleyways and Old Burial Grounds
To complete the trail, leave behind the landmarks and wander the narrow alleyways and ancient graveyards scattered through Lismore.
In the fading light, the town’s monastic origins come alive.
Locals whisper of the shades of monks gliding through laneways, vanishing into stone walls.
Among the gravestones, strange mists have been seen rising, and ghostly orbs flit between the markers as though souls still wander, reluctant to rest.
It is here, in the quiet shadows of forgotten corners, that the true haunted heart of Lismore beats strongest.
Walking the Haunted Trail
Start at the Heritage Centre, where the old courthouse awakens with the energy of the past.
Move to the edge of the old hospital, then climb toward the castle grounds before venturing into the wooded mystery of the Towers.
End in the alleyways and graveyards, where centuries of history press close and the veil feels thinnest.
As you walk this historic and ethereal trail, listen—really listen.
In Lismore, the past is never far away, and the spirits are waiting to share their stories with you.
To keep up to date with events historical and spooky in Lismore, go to: https://www.discoverlismore.com/
Have you experienced the Haunted Trail of Lismore? Share your story in the comments below!
