Book Review: True Irish Ghost Stories: Haunted Houses, Banshees, Poltergeists, and Other Supernatural Phenomena by John D. Seymour, Harry L. Neligan

MessageToEagle.com – Whether you believe in ghost, supernatural phenomena and  banshees or not, the book True Irish Ghost Stories: Haunted Houses, Banshees, Poltergeists, and Other Supernatural Phenomena written by John D. Seymour, Harry L. Neligan is a truly entertaining read.

You don’t have to be from Ireland to appreciate the vast collection of spooky stories presented in this unique book.

The book was published in 1914 so the language is informal and slightly old-fashioned, but the stories are still easy to read and as a you can enjoy detailed accounts of ghostly happenings spanning over the last 100 years.

The first three chapters deal with haunted houses in and around Dublin, Conn’s Half and Mogh’s Half. Here we find many remarkable stories. Some are funny, others are slightly frightening.

Poltergeists and banshees, spirit-filled houses, and deathbed scenes pervaded by specters fill this enchanting treasury of tales based on supernatural phenomenon. Compiled from Ireland’s abundant reserve of ghost stories, this richly varied collection of legendary and ancestral phantoms, uncanny forewarnings of death, and a host of other unearthly experiences relies on the memories of ordinary Irish folk scattered throughout the isle.

The collection of entertaining tales was the offspring of a newspaper article in which authors St. John D. Seymour, a Church of England priest, and his colleague, Harry L. Neligan, asked contributors to send in their favorite ghost stories, which many happily did. Classified by geographical area, the simple yet compelling narratives—at once disarming, convincing, and illuminating—provide amazing descriptions of paranormal experiences. An entertaining, authentic glimpse of late nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Ireland and the superstitious natures of its people, True Irish Ghost Stories is a delightful treasury of other-worldly happenings—to be shared by devotees of Irish lore, mystery lovers, and connoisseurs of the paranormal. Read more

 

The next chapters are about poltergeists, haunted places, apparitions after death, banshees and other warning of death. The banshee stories are particularly captivating. A Banshee is a mysterious and fascinating creature we encounter in Irish mythology.

Throughout history and across cultures there are stories and myths of beings that forewarn of human death. In Ireland these frightening beings were known as the Banshees.

The book presents several fascinating Banshee accounts, like for example how a the legendary Irish hero Brian Boru encountered a death messenger who appeared to him the night before decisive Battle of Clontarf and told him about his impending fate.

The last chapters of the book deal with miscellaneous supernormal experiences and ancestral ghosts. If you are interested in the world of the paranormal, these stories are really worth reading.

Most of the accounts have been submitted by newspaper readers throughout Ireland. The book does not offer any scientific explanations, but many of the collected accounts make you think twice. The idea that we could be surrounded by invisible worlds we know very little about is by no means farfetched. Can we with certainty say these invisible worlds that exist next to our own are not inhabited by creatures undetectable to our eyes?

Despite many studies, we still do not know what really happens after death. Can we really dismiss the existence of ghosts? Maybe, or maybe not. It is up the each reader.

Whether the stories are true or not is unknown, but the book is recommended for those who are interested in folklore, paranormal curiosities and supernatural phenomena. Simply read the book with an open-mind and enjoy the mysteries presented.

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