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I had heard about the beautifully Gothic Duckett’s Grove for many years as it is always mentioned alongside the likes of Leap Castle when the ‘most haunted’ houses and castles of Ireland are listed. Banshee myths aside this really is a spectacular ruin. The Georgian mansion house was built during the 1700s, replacing a smaller house, however the current structure was remodeled in 1830 by an architect named Thomas A Cobden. He heavily gothicised the house with towers, turrets  arches, high stacked chimneys and a portcullis. Grotesque faces decorated the towers and the arches of the windows.

Another beautiful feature near the house is the western gateway and this is well worth a visit because unlike the house it can be easily accessed. William Duckett owned the house up until his death in 1908, not having a male heir the house was left to his widow, she abandoned the property in 1916. During the civil war the house and estate were used as a training camp for the IRA, the house was later destroyed by fire in 1933. A lot of work has gone on in recent years in restoring the interconnecting walled gardens, and they are beautiful to stroll around on a sunny day.

Being a lover of both history and the paranormal I was intrigued to find out more about the haunting and possible banshee links to the house. The Banshee that is believed to be attached to Duckett’s Grove is that of a woman with whom William Duckett was having an affair, she died after a fall from a horse and after her death her mother put a curse on the family and the banshee myth was born. There have been other sitings of mysterious lights, shadows, apparitions and even a phantom horse and carriage, this culminated in a four hour ‘investigation’ on Syfy’s ‘Destination Truth’. These pictures are from a visit I made during April 2012.

GPS: 52.85736, -6.81287