Prosaic explanation of ghost story.
The “Belfast Telegraph” says the “mysterious happenings” at a farmer’s cottage between Omagh and Clogher have been solved. A police officer who visited the scene last week taxed a boy with being the author of all the trouble. The lad confessed, and in an interview described with glee how he “fooled the world.” Seeing the chimney loose, he climbed up and pushed some of the bricks down, causing great commotion amongst those seated around the fire. While sitting apparently half asleep, in the kitchen he threw bricks out the window and at the dresser. His explanation of the other occurrences was equally prosaic.
Waterford Standard, 16th April 1919.
How I fooled the world.
Irish lad’s ghostly pranks.
Special to “People’s Journal.”
The inhabitants of the quiet little village of Eskra, which is situated between Clogher and Omagh, are laughing heartily over what has been written concerning the antics of a supposed “spook.” The frolics of the “ghost” were vividly set forth, it being described how the “spook” threw bricks down from the chimney of a house in which there were supposed to be mysterious tappings. Delph and windows were, according to some versions, smashed up in wanton fashion by the “ghost”, while oats contained in sacks were scattered all over the house. Great excitement was caused by the circulation of the weird story, and great crowds flocked to the scenes.
I joined the throng, and decided to investigate the matter for myself. It did not require the vigilance of a Sherlock Holmes to unravel the “mystery.” On a boy being questioned as to the doings at the “haunted house,” he admitted he was the culprit, and made a clean breast of the whole affair.
He stated that on seeing the chimney loose, the idea entered his head to climb up and by pushing some bricks down, cause excitement amongst the country folks, who have a strong belief in ghosts. Despite the fact that he continued at this work from time to time until no more bricks were left to throw down the chimney, he was never suspected.
He explained how he dislodged the bricks with the aid of a mason’s hammer. He occasionally varied the scheme by smashing the delph, while his relatives were away from home. With regard to the “mysterious” scattering over the house of the oats he said he cut the sacks with a shoemaker’s knife and concealed the oats up his sleeve, dropping them in various places as opportunities arose for doing so.
Then he collected soot, and when no one was looking lifted the lid off the porridge pot and dropped in the soot, which never failed to cause a sensation amongst the inmates of the house. When telling his story, it was evident that the boy enjoyed the prank hugely, as he declared “That was how I fooled the world.”
Dundee People’s Journal, 19th April 1919.
Clogher “ghost” laid.
“Mysterious happenings” caused by boy’s mischief.
“Strange and mysterious happenings” at a farmer’s cottage near Eskra, a village between Omagh and Clogher, which attracted much attention locally, have been satisfactorily explained. About September last the chimney, built of brick, was thrown down in a manner, to the farmer at least, most mysterious, and heaps of small stones were found in his oat crop, seriously interfering with the harvesting.
Within the last few weeks “the evil influence” again began to make its presence felt. Eggs and various articles about the house disappeared; soot found its entrance into porridge pots, even when covered with lids; and, most serious of all, the breast of the chimney, known to country folk as “the brace”, began to tumble down. The bricks of which it was composed were seen by many interested visitors flying through the kitchen, breaking windows and smashing the delph on the dresser. Even the clock and the lamp did not escape attention.
Hosiery and other articles of apparel were cut into holes; meal bags and sacks containing oats were ripped open and the contents scattered on the floor. Once during the temporary absence of the farmer and his wife, delph which was usually stored in a cupboard, was neatly arranged on the table as for a meal, and on another occasion on the floor.
A police officer visited the scene last week, and evidently not being of a psychical turn of mind, taxed a boy with being the author of all the trouble. The lad, perhaps frightened or tired of the game, or both, confessed. In an interview the boy, who was at first somewhat reticent, eventually became communicative, and related with great glee how he “had fooled the world,” as he expressed it. He was evidently pleased with the notoriety his doings have attracted.
The lad, who is at present residing with a neighbour, described how in September, seeing the old chimney loose, he climbed up, and pushed some of the bricks down the chimney, causing great commotion amongst those seated around the kitchen fire. When his uncle and aunt ran to ascertain the cause, he slid down the thatch at the back, and was sitting in the kitchen reading when they re-entered. He repeated the performance until the whole chimney was demonlished, and was never suspected.
He dislodged the lower course of bricks from the breast of the chimney with a mason’s hammer when his relatives, with the exception of the old woman, were at Fivemiletown fair, and while the attention of the neighbours and visitors who were drawn to the place was directed to the broken fireplace he used to throw bricks out of the window, and at the delph on the dresser, while he was sitting, apparently half asleep, in the corner.
With regard to the sacks of meal and oats, he said he cut them with a shoemaker’s knife he had concealed up his sleeve. It was his practice to collect the soot during the day, and while no one was looking he would lift the lid off the porridge pot, and drop it in. His explanation of other occurrences was equally prosaic.
Northern Standard, 19th April 1919.