A girl of the name of McCarthy was brought into bridewell on Sunday, under circumstances not very usual in this part of the country. She had been playing the ghost in the house of a farmer of the name Buckley, at Ballinlough, in the South Liberties, in whose service she had for some time lived. She commenced her pranks during the absence of Buckley’s wife in Youghal, where she had been spending a few days. Noises were heard in the house at night, and as Buckley was unable to discover the cause, they were of course set down to the account of a ghost. The neighbours, however, put a friendly construction on them, and, gravely announced it as their opinion that they should be taken as an intimation that Mrs Buckley had been long enough from home! For his good wife, therefore, Buckley hied, but the ghost, nothing daunted, continued his gambols after her return, to the annoyance and disquiet of the farmer.
A watch was set, but without success. The priest was consulted. He advised that a light should be in readiness, and struck the instant the noise was heard. The advice was followed – the light was struck, a search commenced, and the servant was detected rattling a poker in an iron pot which she had concealed near her bed. – Taken in the fact, she had no defence, and she was on Sunday escorted into the city by a large concourse of the farmers and others of the vicinity.
Buckley is a “snug” farmer, and had a considerable sum of money in a chest in the house. On this money the girl is said to have set her heart, and to have concerted with some friends outside for the purpose of obtaining it; and we understand she has confessed the object of the experiment which terminated so unsuccessfully was, by inuring Buckley and his wife to the noise, to lull them into a state of unsuspectingness favourable to the removal of the chest. She has been committed for trial. – Cork Constitution.
Clonmel Herald, 5th November 1836.