Ghosts in Irish Houses

Book excerpt: 22 Folk Tales from Ireland retold and illustrated by the author. One of Irish-American writer James Reynolds’ best works is this lively compilation of Irish ghost stories that reflects the rich Celtic imagination. First published in 1947, this compilation draws from his personal collection of over 200 tales, ranging from the tenth to the twentieth centuries, these 22 yarns are a mix of the eerie, the terrifying, and the madly comic. In “The Bloody Stones of Kerrigan’s Keep,” vengeful spirits from a centuries-old massacre terrorize all who come close to their fortress grave. In “The Headless Rider of Castle Sheela,” the ghost of a beheaded horseman continues to haunt his castle every Christmas day. You’ll meet the demonic harpies of “The Ghostly Catch,” the giddy spirits of the fashionable O’Haggerty twins, and the gluttonous ghost of Jason Bannott. Other tales include “The Weeping Wall,” “The Bridal Barge of Aran Roe,” “Mrs. O’Moyne and the Fatal Slap,” and more. Enhanced by Reynolds’ illustrations of Irish houses and their residents—both ghostly and human—this anthology is a treasure to savor.