Elsewhere in the castle, you’ll find the Red Lady, who is seen wandering the castle in a red gown, holding a knife. Allegedly, she was held hostage by the O’Carroll family, some of whom raped her repeatedly. When she delivered a baby, the O’Carrolls killed it, and the Red Lady was inconsolable. She wanders the castle nightly, hoping to find the men who killed her child.

Lording over all the eternal residents of Leap Castle is the Elemental. The origin of this sinister presence is shrouded in mystery—some believe it was conjured by Druids or summoned by an invading party, while others claim it's the troubled spirit of a former castle inhabitant. Regardless of its origin, it's easy to understand why the Elemental is so memorable: those unlucky enough to encounter it describe a rotting human-like figure, reeking of putrefying flesh.

Related: The Ghosts of Sauer Castle

A new clan took over the castle in the 17th century, with another violent transition, to say the least. An O’Carroll daughter fell in love with an English prisoner, Darby, and she would sneak him food while they plotted a way to run away together and get married. When she let him out, Darby fought an O’Carroll son in the stairwell and killed him. The O’Carroll daughter became the only heiress to the castle, meaning that the English Darby would inherit the castle too.

Although the couple soon owned Leap Castle outright, Darby began to lose his grip on sanity. He began to obsessively focus on his money, going so far as to hide it throughout the castle. He then forgot where he had hidden it and was unable to stop searching for the money that he wanted so desperately. His ghost is said to be seen around the castle, still looking for his riches.

The Violent, Bloody History of Ireland’s Leap Castle

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