Irish Ghost Story.
A series of mysterious occurrences is reported to have been taking place in Clones, co Monaghan, during the past week. It is stated that a gentleman died, and that shortly afterwards, articles, especially clothes, about his house commenced to take fire, no cause being discoverable. After much destruction had been wrought, the relatives of the dead man became so alarmed that they moved to another building. The fires, however, have continued, an extraordinary feature about them – according to popular report – being that they cannot be extinguished by ordinary methods, but have to be allowed to burn themselves out.
Nottingham Evening Post, 15th April 1907 (and many other places)
The latest “ghost story” has reference to “a well-known Irish farmer” who is said to “live in the neighbourhood” of Clones, Co. Monaghan, and whose brother died recently. The tale is of the usual character – only a little more imputdent and offensive than some previous inventions concocted by the same performer. Appropriately enough, it appears in the columns of an English paper famous for its partiality towards fiction – especially fiction about Ireland.
When the fictionist’s “customers” find themselves defendants some day in a “thumping” action for libel they will not admire their contributor’s handiwork to such an extent. This denouement will certainly come: and the “ghost” raised then will not be “laid” so easily as the imaginary Ulster “spooks” invented for financial purposes at intervals during the past twelve months.
Irish News and Belfast Morning News, 16th April 1907.
Strange Fire. A Monaghan Mystery.
Our Clones correspondent writes: –
Certain remarkable and mysterious occurrences which have recently taken place in the house of a well-known farmer near Clones at present form the subject of much speculation and discussion in that district. It appears that the farmer’s mother-in-law lived with her brother at a place in this locality. The brother died recently, and soon after his death it is stated that various articles in the house, especially clothing, used to catch fire in a mysterious manner, so that most of the clothing and bedding were destroyed in this way. The circumstances pointed to some unusual agency, and the woman naturally was filled with alarm, and decided to come to reside with her daughter and son-in-law some distance off. No sooner, however, had she taken up residence in the son-in-law’s house, than the mysterious fire began to break out there also, and to do its destructive work in the same manner. The fire, too, resisted all efforts to extinguish it, but disappeared of itself when a certain amount of damage had been done.
The Clones police were apprised of the matter, and are investigating it, but although they have paid several visits to the house, and seen the clothing which had been partially burned, they are as much mystified as to the cause as anybody else. The neighbours all believe the fire has a supernatural origin, but the farmer says that chemical capable of igniting spontaneously has been laid about his house by some evil-disposed person.
Larne Times 20th April 1907.