Brood on top of the Montpelier Hill, overhanging Dublin since centuries, that was first a hunting lodge created by one of the wealthiest men in Ireland, of the Irish House of Parliament, the speaker Conolly hasn’t, stop intriguing.
The single-story building constructed around 1725, with prehistorical cemetery stones, contains lots of secrets. Not only its architecture and localization made of it, a unique piece; it is seen as a haunted house due to suspicious previous activities that happened here. For this, different names had been given to this place, that was first called Mount Pelier; the Shooting Lodge, the Kennel of Conolly’s Folly – referring to its creator – or the Hell Fire Club.
Heavy history
The creepy well-known stories tell/speak about a stranger who, on a stormy night, took refuge in this club and took part in a card game. He disappeared in a ball of flame after a gamer had seen his coven hoof when he bent/bend on the table to take back a card.
This place is also linked with sacrifices. As the story tells, a black cat was found by a priest while members were engaged in its sacrifice. The priest uttered an exorcism in order to extract a demon from the corpse of the cat.
According to another narrative, Simon Luttrell, a member of the club and once sheriff of Dublin had met a pact with the Devil to settling his debts. He had to give up his should within seven years. However, he managed to escape when the Devil came.
This place housed a couple of drinking sessions, black masses as well as animal sacrifices and once the sacrifice of a dwarf. If it can be seen as legends, these stories are to be taken really seriously.
Supernatural phenomenon
All these narratives have to lead to the conclusion that bad spirits inhabit the place. Even if the Wicklow Mountains region offers a variety of pleasant walks in the hoods, it is regarded as one of the most haunted in the country.
I visited the place during the day. A group of twenty people where there as well so I didn’t really feel something, even if I have to admit you don’t feel very secure in these tiny rooms » has confesses Charles, a visitor.
Walkers visiting this iconic old ruins have complained of feeling ‘a tug at jewelry worn around their necks, especially crucifixes’, as reported Jo Linehan, in her article in Loving Dublin.
In a sunny day, the Hell Fire club site offers a wonderful view of Dublin. It is much time for superstitious people to overcome their fears…
