Loftus Hall legend told in new booklet by folklore researcher
THE legend of Loftus Hall is told in a new booklet published by a folklore researcher.
Kerry based historian Janet Murphy heard the story of Loftus Hall at a dinner party recently and was fascinated by it.
Janet said: ‘My son carries out paranormal investigations at various locations in Ireland with GhostEire and I mentioned Loftus Hall to him, and he told me a little more about it having visited last year. I produced the book because I am interested in folklore.’
The booklet is just 12 pages, with a note on Rev Reade, who left a fascinating account of the Tottenhams of Loftus Hall and the hauntings.
It is almost 250 years since the legend about Anne Tottenham playing cards with the devil at Loftus Hall emerged, but the story of her strange encounter with this uninvited guest, persists, in the form of a Murphy’s book called ‘ The Haunting of Loftus Hall: A Folk Tale from Co Wexford’.
Loftus Hall is a 22-bedroom period mansion on Hook Peninsula. The isolated house, which is owned by Aidan Quigley, is set on 60 acres, overlooking a lonely stretch of the South East coast was abandoned over three decades ago.
The mansion numbers among the most haunted buildings in Ireland. ‘ The devil seems also to have played a hand in the affairs of Wexford-born Rev George Reade, who left a detailed account of Anne Tottenham and the disturbances at Loftus Hall. ‘
So spooky is the atmosphere that it comes as no surprise that Loftus Hall was the filming location for this terrifying gothic horror film, ‘ The Lodgers’ which is due out later this year. Murphy’s recent productions include Buarach Bháis The Spancel Of Death: A Folk Tale From Co Mayo; The Seandraoi: Three Folk Tales From Cork and The Magic Salt Mill: A Folk Tale From Dingle. All are available from www.lulu.com.