Ghostly Kildare tale features in new book

KILDARE’S ghostly past has been brought to life, with the publication last week of a new short story collection. Children’s author Kieran Fanning’s latest book Haunted Ireland: an atlas of ghost stories from every county details the country’s extensive history of hauntings.

Kieran had a lot of digging to do, when he stumbled on Lord Gerald Fitzgerald of Kilkea Castle. The wizard earl of Kilkea, who was eaten by his castle cat after transforming himself into a blackbird, is said to haunt the plains of Kildare every seventh year since his death in 1585.

From the book: ‘Legend has it that the earl lies in an enchanted sleep with his men at arms in a cave under the ringfort on the Hill of Mullaghmast, north of Kilkea Castle. He awakes on the seventh day of the seventh month of every seventh year to ride the plains of Kildare on a white horse with silver shoes. When the silver shoes are worn to nothing, the spell will break, and Lord Gerald Fitzgerald will return from the dead to rid Ireland of her enemies. He is next due to appear on the evening of 7 July 2026, and then on 7 July 2033 – perhaps you will see him yourself!’ In Haunted Ireland, Kieran brings the reader on a journey through every county in Ireland in 32 spooky stories. The book features an illustrated map of all story locations so you can carry out your very own ghost tour.