Irish Castle Ghosts
Day 9 of our Ireland Trip
It was nice to have a leisurely morning after my husband and I returned late last night from our day trip to Paris. For longer than one moment, we were able to catch our breath.
At 11:30 a.m. we set off for Trim Castle for our last big outing to end our 9-day Ireland tour.
My sister and husband, as well as his brother and three of his teenage kids came with us. Yesterday, while we were in Paris, our kids went over to the brother’s house for basketball and badminton. I was pleasantly surprised that the kids all wanted to still have a craick (hang out) today.
On the way to Trim Castle, we stopped at Lismullin Conference Center where my sister used to teach. It was originally built in the 1920s, and added onto in 2000.
It was a nice stop to get a glimpse into European decorating style — tasteful and classic. They had furniture that has belonged to families for generations, donated to the cause of bringing warmth and classiness to the interior.
It made me think of my childhood in the Philippines, Saturdays reading at the British Embassy library. The vibe was similar—cozy with an understated elegance.
Afterward, we returned to Trim Castle. This was our second visit, having missed tours the first time. While waiting for our assigned time, we ate dinner. Then it was our turn.
You know, sometimes we kvetch about modern inconveniences. For instance, a fuse blows out on our power strip. Or the dishwasher breaks down.
Back in the 1200s, the owner of this castle, Hugh de Lacy, had graver concerns. He had four additional doors installed in case an attacker breached the front door.
All the rooms and staircases lead to the right, in a clockwise direction, so that his Christian men (left handed people were considered evil then, so were not accepted into a Christian army) could have the upper hand on an attacker.
We had an excellent tour guide. He held an ancient key in his hand and told us that he would have to lock the front door after us once we started going up to the three floors.
“Why?” I asked.
“Do you believe in ghosts?” he said.
I couldn’t tell, by his glimmer of a smile, if he was kidding or not.
He brought us soon after to the first room, the chapel. In the corner, a monk had been reportedly seen by guides and some visitors.
(Upon further reflection, I don’t see what a key has to do with a ghost, but I liked getting scared anyway. I think we were locked up so other tourists don’t try to go in and crash our tour.)
I loved the tight staircases with the trip stairs and the fascinating, albeit gross, details about how they would “steam” their maggot-infested clothes over the sewer vent to poison the vermin. What I loved the most was watching my children’s faces light up. They seemed super-excited to see all this.
To cap off our fun day, we stopped at Bective Abbey. The children played tag, scaled walls, and drove away any spirits that might have been in the premises with their laughter. Meanwhile, my sister and I sat on a rock ledge and chatted.
This family of teens has been a blessing for my kids. A lot of their conversations continued to revolve around comparing how things are in America and Ireland. They were close in age, physically active and playful. A perfect match for our trio.
Over the past nine days, our family had Irish memories to last a lifetime. I wished our stay didn’t have to draw to a close. At the same time, I was looking forward to my next adventure that was slated for the next evening — a trip with my sister and my oldest daughter. Destination: Spain!
Thank you for following our journey through Ireland! Here are Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6 and Day 7. Thank you for reading!
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