Throughout Northern Ireland, there are numerous sites that offer a chance to encounter a haunted location or come face-to-face with a scary legend. In this article, you will learn of the haunted main street in Ballymoney, as well as the odd happenings at the Mussenden Temple in Antrim.
In Ballymena, you will encounter the White Gates, which can be found in the Crebilly area. This location has quite a reputation for being haunted. When you ride a little off of Crebilly Road, you will find another road that will bring you to the White Gates. Here, you will encounter a house that is positioned at the end of the lane, which his placed on the other side of the gates. In the past, a horseman took a great deal of money from the people who lived in the house and began to ride towards the gates. When he came upon the gates, guards were waiting for him, holding wire that stretched across the gates. When the man rode through, he was instantly decapitated. When Halloween comes around, some say they have heard the sound of a galloping horse and have spotted a headless horseman riding towards the White Gates.
At the Mussenden Temple, located at Antrim, blood has been encountered on the floor of the library that has been known to disappear within minutes. Another oddity of this site deals with a pentacle that used to be placed on the floor, but was taken away from the National Trust. No explanation was ever given. In Ballymoney, when you reach the main street, you may be able to spot the ghost of George Hutchinsons, who is said to walk the earth on Friday the 13th, Halloween, as well as on the anniversary of his death.
In Belfast, Vicarage Street holds a tale that deals with the ghost of a woman who can be spotted wandering about with a pack of cigarettes and a cup of coffee in her possession. She is said to haunt the streets, coughing in a non-stop manner.
Sion Mills is a location that offers a few spooky tales. There is a cricket field that can be found in the area, where a man lost his life during a match. Some say that he can be seen walking about the field, dressed in full cricket gear, but soon will disappear. At High Sion Road, it is said that the moans of a banshee was heard. A banshee is a female spirit associated with Gaelic folklore, who is supposed to foretell a death in a family by wailing. A man heard the moans, became frightened and felt compelled to hang himself. It is said that the rope can still be found hanging from the tree. At the Old Railroad Bridge, an unknown ghostly figure, as well as the odd howling of a dog can be encountered when you walk of the area tracks.
When you visit the Newtownards War Memorial, located in Newtownards, you may encounter the ghost of a well-dressed man, who is said to date back to the Victorian Era. The man is believed to have lost his life after being beaten and robbed while waiting for a ride home. Additional haunted locations in the area include the Ballyboley Forest in Larne, as well as Olivands Hill, located in Magherafelt.
