Dancing Furniture
Weird happenings in the west
(From our own correspondent).
It isn’t often that one hears in these days of a haunted house. When such an event happens, especially in Connacht, where the people are still sufficiently imaginative to feel the stir of the occult, it is sufficient to create a thrill in the locality.
The people of Ballyhaunis, a comfortable market town in County Mayo, can talk of nothing these days only the queer doings out at Spaddagh, a townland barely three miles from the town. Furniture being flung about by invisible hands, turf creeping along the floor to the fire in presence of those sitting around, noises, are some of the manifestations recorded by those courageous enough to “sit-up” in the haunted house.
There was a “forth” at the place, but the people cut away the sloe and other trees in order to make a foundation for a new “subsidy” house erected for a farmer. Nothing happened during the erection of the house. No sooner, however, were the family of Mr Michael Lyons, Spaddagh, in residence in the new home than strange things began to be recorded.
Doors were banged late at night. On going to make inquiry nothing could be seen, but a gust of wind blew up agaainst the person, as if it would set everything in the house rocking and swaying. Then there were knocks from the ceiling and behind the dresser, as if pebbles were being flung against wood.
Neighbours came and sat up with the Lyons’ household. One of these told me that shortly after midnight, in a corner where turf was kept, the turf mould was blown about the floor as if by an invisible wind. The dresser began to move into the middle of the floor, as if dancing. A cake of bread left to cool in the window was flung upon the floor, and began to dance in a circle like a top being beaten by a boy. For some minutes the cake spun around the floor, to the amazement of the watchers. A chair began to dance, likewise, in the direction of the fire. The people put it back in the original position but it rattled its way once more towards the fire.
All the time there were queer sounds coming from the roof, as if pebbles were being flung around. For several night this has gone on. Neighbours report seeing a woman in white coming from the direction of the house and then vanishing. The local clergy have been there, and have advised taking the roof off the place and re-roofing the older house with the material. It seems the only way of finding peace for the harrassed people.
After nightfall there are to be seen large crowds gathering on the road, drawn there by curiosity.
Irish Weekly and Ulster Examiner, 6th March 1937.