Haunted Laois bridge features in new book of ghost stories

THE spine-chilling tale of a haunted bridge in Laois features in a new book of ghost stories from every county in Ireland.

Author and primary school teacher Kieran Fanning was spoiled for choice when he set off to find the scariest sites in Laois, as he began research for ‘Haunted Ireland: an Atlas of Ghost Stories from Every County’.

According to local legend, Castle Durrow is haunted by highwayman Jeremiah Grant and there are reported sightings of ghosts in Ballyfin Demesne, as well as the popular walking spot of Togher Wood near Portlaoise.

When he came up with the concept of having a ghost story from all 32 counties, Kieran found that some counties had far more to offer than others. Laois was undoubtedly in the former category and it took some time to select his spooky favourite.

He said: “In an online thesis, I read about a ghost at Maryborough Convict Prison in Portlaoise. I also found a ghost story called ‘Pickett in the Pier’ and another about the White Lady of Durrow. Castle Durrow is supposed to be haunted by highwayman Jeremiah Grant and there were also reported hauntings in Ballyfin Demesne and Togher Wood.” A haunted bridge in Shanahoe, near Abbeyleix, eventually won out and is featured in the collection published by Gill Books on 3 October. The scary tale is well-known locally and has been handed down through many generations.

Kieran explained: “The one I chose to retell was a short story called The Bacach Rua by Laois poet and writer John Keegan, who was born in Shanahoe in 1918. He heard the story from a group of locals. It concerns a seven-arch limestone bridge that spans the River Nore near Abbeyleix. The bridge is called Poorman’s Bridge and it is supposed to be haunted.” The story tells of how the O’Shea family rescued a one-legged beggarman with a red cap during a storm. The beggar, known as the Bacach Rua, goes down to the nearby ford to beg and earns such good money that he decides to stay longer with the O’Shea family, though he never once offers to pay for his food and keep.

He ends up staying for years, though he never pays his way and the family wonder what he does with all his earnings. When the Bacach Rua dies, they find that he has hidden his fortune in his red cap. The O’Sheas decided to keep the money but they get no luck for it. They are haunted by the Bacach Rua every night, until they decide to give the money to the local priest.

The priest, afraid of being haunted in turn by the red beggarman, gives the money to the treasury of the Queen’s County grand jury in Maryborough, who decide to build a bridge at the ford where the Bacach Rua used to beg.

Around the year 1770, Poorman’s Bridge was built and it still stands today. On a quiet night, people say you can still hear the tap-tap-tap of the Bacach Rua’s ghost crossing the bridge.

A teacher from Navan, Co Meath, Kieran has a master’s degree in children’s literature and a fascination for legendary Irish tales, the spookier the better. His most recent book, Irish Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends, was published by Scholastic.

Beautifully illustrated by Mark Hill, the new book features a map of all the story locations so that people can set off on their own ghost tours. The collection is available in all good bookshops and can be ordered from Gill Books.