Ballyseede Castle
Ghost/Paranormal
Saturday 24th, July 2021
Ballyseede castle is located in Tralee, county Kerry, Ireland. The original castle was constructed in 1721 and further extension work to the castle took place in the following years.
The Ballyseede estate which the castle is located on was owned by Sir Edward Denny in the 1500s who rented the castle to the Blennerhassett family and from 1590 up until 1965 after the death of Hilda Blennerhassett the property was in the ownership of the Blennerhassett family.
The castle has a deep connection with the story of the rose. The legend goes that on the feast day of John the Baptist, Midsummer's day on the 21st of June, the payment of a single rose would be exchanged as a ground rent for the castle. Ballyseede castle was known for its rich scented roses.
Patrons of the hotel bar that grew up near the castle have memories of spending time in the orchards robbing apples. While they did this deed they remember catching glimpses of a woman dressed in a black Victorian dress on the upper floors of the castle. When Hilda passed away she was found wearing that same black dress.
Sightings of Hilda's ghost are reported to be preceded by an aroma of roses, almost as a heads up that she'll be here any minute now. Hilda's ghost is reported to be seen mostly on the upper floors of the castle as well as the main staircase and once her presence has been made known she fades away.
Another paranormal experience reported at the castle is that of children being seen in period clothing, these spirits only seem to ever be reported within the castle itself on the upper floors and the main staircase, similar to Hilda but the child spirits have been reported to be seen in the bedrooms as well. The sad part of the child spirits being seen is that they are never playing but reported to be working as if they once worked at the hotel.
One of the more energetic spirits reported in the castle was witnessed by Marine and Rory, the proprietors, being described as a poltergeist. One year when the castle was closed for maintenance work the family moved into the castle as their own home was having work done on it.
On the night in question Rory was awoken at 4am by a noise. Rory went on to hear a bedroom door being slammed with anger. This was followed by what Rory describes as a large in stature and heavyset individual making their way down the stairs from the top of the castle to the front door. Rory's initial thought was of thieves and went to investigate, upon reaching the front door of the castle he found it still locked with no sign of disturbance.
It's been reported that on the 24th of March each year that the ghost of Hilda is said to appear at Ballyseede Castle.
The Ballyseede estate which the castle is located on was owned by Sir Edward Denny in the 1500s who rented the castle to the Blennerhassett family and from 1590 up until 1965 after the death of Hilda Blennerhassett the property was in the ownership of the Blennerhassett family.
The castle has a deep connection with the story of the rose. The legend goes that on the feast day of John the Baptist, Midsummer's day on the 21st of June, the payment of a single rose would be exchanged as a ground rent for the castle. Ballyseede castle was known for its rich scented roses.
Patrons of the hotel bar that grew up near the castle have memories of spending time in the orchards robbing apples. While they did this deed they remember catching glimpses of a woman dressed in a black Victorian dress on the upper floors of the castle. When Hilda passed away she was found wearing that same black dress.
Sightings of Hilda's ghost are reported to be preceded by an aroma of roses, almost as a heads up that she'll be here any minute now. Hilda's ghost is reported to be seen mostly on the upper floors of the castle as well as the main staircase and once her presence has been made known she fades away.
Another paranormal experience reported at the castle is that of children being seen in period clothing, these spirits only seem to ever be reported within the castle itself on the upper floors and the main staircase, similar to Hilda but the child spirits have been reported to be seen in the bedrooms as well. The sad part of the child spirits being seen is that they are never playing but reported to be working as if they once worked at the hotel.
One of the more energetic spirits reported in the castle was witnessed by Marine and Rory, the proprietors, being described as a poltergeist. One year when the castle was closed for maintenance work the family moved into the castle as their own home was having work done on it.
On the night in question Rory was awoken at 4am by a noise. Rory went on to hear a bedroom door being slammed with anger. This was followed by what Rory describes as a large in stature and heavyset individual making their way down the stairs from the top of the castle to the front door. Rory's initial thought was of thieves and went to investigate, upon reaching the front door of the castle he found it still locked with no sign of disturbance.
It's been reported that on the 24th of March each year that the ghost of Hilda is said to appear at Ballyseede Castle.
