In Southern Ireland, you will find Killua Castle located in Westmeath. At one time, the castle served as the family seat of the Chapman family, who hailed from Leicestershire England. The castle has connections to well-known figures in history.
Killua Castle
During the 16th century, the bloodline greatly benefited from a famous cousin , Sir Walter Raleigh , who made quite the name for himself as an English aristocrat and explorer. It was through Raleigh that the Chapman family was able to possess large plots of land in Ireland.
The remains of the castle today was constructed during the late 18th century, displaying glimpse of Gothic architecture that continued to appear during the Victorian era. The background of Killua Castle is rather interesting as more recently in history, it was the family seat of the legendary T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). The white ghost that haunts the castle is not that of Lawrence, but thought to belong to a land steward that lived during the 18th century. It is said that the ghost roams about the ruins at night.
The steward is believed to have taken advantage of his master by acquiring large sums of money that did not belong to him. The funds did not last long as he spent all of the money on alcohol. He met his end by committing suicide and throwing himself into the lake. Some visitors of the castle believe they have caught sight of ghostly figures moving about the empty windows of the castle walls.
Clonony Castle
Around the start of the 16th century, the McCoughlan clan planned the construction of Clonony Castle for a Southern Ireland home that featured a Norman architecture style. Local limestone was used to build the majority of the castle, which sits on a foundation comprised of limestone bedrock. The end result reached more than 50 feet into the sky and could be seen clearly in many different parts of the region.
The castle was built on a rocky outcrop and was actually inhabited not too long ago when compared to other historical buildings. However, pay a visit to the structure and you will find that is not completely intact. While the North Wall is missing, but remains of flanking towers at the North West, South West and South East corners are still present.
It is the top of the tower that offers the possibility of encountering a ghost of a man who reportedly appears in a hazy glow that will send shivers down your back. Dressed in clothes of the past, the man is said to carry around a skeleton-like build. Witnesses claim to have seen him as they drive on the road located close to the castle.