Some time ago, a friend from Galway, Ireland asked me if I was interested in haunted houses and their stories. He claimed to know a real haunted house and offered to show it to me. I agreed. I'm always up for adventure.
My buddy Ben had only recently discovered Moore Hall in County Mayo, which was hidden in the forest. He had been walking with his girlfriend. Both swear stone and leg that they have heard footsteps inside the abandoned building. And the sound of a loudly slamming door. Ben also claims to have heard the conversation from two people who are talking excitedly. Both he and his girlfriend are, however, a hundred percent sure that they were alone in the grounds of the dilapidated mansion.
The Moore Hall once belonged to the writer George Moore, who became famous for his novella "The Lake". Ben said that nobody really liked this George Moore and that he was mostly alone in his mansion. I did not check it. I'm interested in what's going on in this house today.
On the day when we drove there, a heavy gray cloud coat hung over the building, of which only the outer shell stands. Gnarled branches growing out of empty windows looked like reminiscent of skeletonized fingers. Yes, someone could really scare at this place.
The eerie tunnel
Behind the house we discovered a tunnel that led to a wooden lattice. From there you enter the former basement rooms of Moore Hall, a gloomy labyrinth whose floor is covered with rotten leaves and splashing mold. I perceived a very peculiar smell. A mixture of burning smell, decay and flower scent. I have never smelled anything like this before.
As we explored the basement, I suddenly had the feeling of being watched. The others did not feel well either. Daniel, our youngest, even claimed something had touched his shoulders. We looked around intensively but could not find anyone. With goose bumps on our arms we retreated.
Children's laughter
We circled Moore Hall and sat down on the stairs leading to the main entrance. First recover and breathe deeply.
Daniel said that there are certainly other people here. I asked him how he came up with that. After all, we had been there for almost an hour and had not seen any human soul. Daniel asked if we had not heard the children laugh.
Children's laugh? Here? Daniel said he had heard it on the way from the tunnel. We argued violently and did not believe him. But he still insisted on hearing it. At some point we dared to look it up. We made our way back to the tunnel and listened.
Suddenly Ben hissed "Shhh!". And then we all heard it. It was indeed a child's laughter and seemed to be coming from the ground floor. It sounded hollow, like an echo. We got goose bumps again and did not feel well anymore. But in each of us were still remnants of the logical mind that does not recognize spirits and finds a natural explanation for everything. Maybe there were really kids in the building?
We rounded Moore Hall and peered into every window wherever possible. We did not discover anyone. The building was definitely empty.
Retreat
The uneasy feeling did not want to give way, so we decided to go back to the parking lot. Ben stopped again and again and turned to the house. "Call me stupid, but something is watching us. And I believe that it follows us." Wir gingen schneller, wollten nur noch weg von diesem Haus.
It was only when we reached the parking lot, the uncomfortable feeling of us fell off. Each of us heaved a sigh of relief. Ben later told us that from the time we first explored the tunnel, he had the feeling of being observed by something evil. Daniel could not take the child laugh out of his head. I myself had the strange smell in my nose for a long time and share my feelings with Ben. I, too, had the feeling that whatever lives in this place has no good in mind.
I do not expect you to believe what I wrote here. Consider this post just as a nice scary story or as an unusual travelogue about a dilapidated building. But do not get the idea to visit Moore Hall in County Mayo, Ireland. Something or someone might be expecting you there.