How we bust the ghost of Ashtown Castle.
Gerry Minihane dabbles in the spirit world.
I went in search of paranormal, equipped only with natural scepticism and ghost buster Sandra Ramdhanie. The call had come from Ashtown Castle. The castle is in the Phoenix Park beside a new OPW interpretative centre and restaurant. The problem started when brother and sister Brendan and Enda Mary Flynn took over the restaurant less than a month ago.
According to Enda there were plenty of “gremlins in the works.” There were electrical storms, with switches going on and off and nothing working properly. Electricians and workmen were called in but all to no avail. Then things began to go missing. Simple things like knives, peelers and the like and these items could not be found anywhere even though the restaurant was searched from top to bottom. There were also “cold spots” – places on the floor which were constantly cold and even the heat of the last few weeks made no difference.
Brendan and Enda’s parents regularly help out in the coffee shop and Enda’s mother had several feelings of a presence but when she turned around there would be no one there. The Flynn family were divided over the events. Enda firmly believed that something was very amiss while Brendan was a complete sceptic. The mother and father did not know what to think.
Then there was the most dramatic event so far, the sighting of the “white man.” Also seen by a small child, this entity approached Enda while she was alone in the kitchen one day. He was tall and male and had a white “aura” or “veil.” He was heavy set, clean shaven and dressed in robes. Enda was at the end of her tether and so in desperation contacted Sandra Ramdhanie, psychic, psychologist, parapsychologist and psychic investigator. As I arrived at the castle and OPW centre it was blisteringly sunny and I was already dying from the heat, so what chance did the actual dead stand? While Sandra discussed things with the family in the restaurant itself I strolled over to the castle to get a closer look. It is really a tower house with four rooms stacked on each other connected by a stone spiral staircase. In 1641 John O’Connell owned it. The residents have also included the Duke of Ormond, and several keepers of the park. In the 18th century the casatle became part of a new building, Ashtown Lodge, later the residence of the Papal Nuncio. The castle itself was incorporated into the Lodge but not demolished. And when in recent years the Lodge was taken down the tower house was again brought into view.
Gazing through the windows into the murky dark I found all sorts of theories jumping around my head. But I was brought back to earth by Sandra appearing beside me with an OPW guide and a key to the tower. Sandra began by sprinkling a mixture of salt and herbs around the steps to “cleanse” the area and make sure no other spirits move in when the present one moves out. She also lit candles and incense and placed charged quartz crystals to “blast out positive energy.” Everyone visiting the centre that afternoon seemed quite bemused and / or fascinated by the whole thing.
While the OPW guides struggled to hold people’s attention to their tours visitors stared at the sight of a 6ft. 6 male holding a dictaphone, chasing around a 5ft. woman, dressed head to toe in black, up and down the stairway of the tower. Ramdhanie “tuned into” all the buildings, the castle, restuarant, and a house behind the OPW centre. “Tuning in” involves placing a part of the body, forehead, hands or spine, on some part of the building and… well after that I don’t quite know but it looked intense. Sandra’s opinion after all her work was that “the white man” was a druid and that Ashtown Castle was the scene of much druidic activity in ancient times. This druid was re-incarnated as the first or second owner of the castle.
The afternoon was pronounced 100% successful by Ramdhanie who is positive that the spirit has moved on. Another ghost buster mission accomplished. And I never got to see him.
Evening Herald (Dublin), 14th July 1995.