If you are seeking respite from modern life and wish to brush shoulders with ghostly characters in an authentic castle, the 17th-century Castle Leslie Estate in Monaghan may be just the place for you.

The hotel is peppered with crackling fires, antique furniture, and personal artifacts from many generations of the Leslie family. The 21 bedrooms offer a mix of subtle and striking décor, each with private facilities, including one with a throne toilet and another with Ireland’s first fully plumbed bath.

The Leslie family arrived at Glaslough in 1665, when Bishop John Leslie — “The Fighting Bishop” — purchased the lands using a reward granted by King Charles II for his loyalty during the English Civil War. Their first residence stood nearby, but it was Sir John Leslie, a later descendant, who transformed the estate into the grand landmark known today.

In the early 1870s, he commissioned the celebrated Belfast architectural firm Lanyon, Lynn & Lanyon to design a Scots-Baronial mansion. The result is the dramatic, turreted house that still rises over the Monaghan countryside — all gables, carved stonework, and Victorian confidence.

The estate’s history darkened when Sir John’s brother Charles died, leaving Sir John and his wife, Lady Constance, to continue alone. She poured her energy into finishing the interiors and shaping the house into a true family seat. Though the couple spent long stretches in London society, Glaslough remained their emotional home — and many believe some of its former residents never entirely left.

The Leslies were known for their interest in the mystical. Lady Constance had a fascination with dream interpretation and spiritual matters, while her grandson Sir Shane Leslie — writer, diplomat, and cousin of Winston Churchill — frequently explored religion and the supernatural. Even in recent years, the late Sir Jack Leslie spoke fondly and matter-of-factly about the estate’s ghosts, regarding them simply as long-standing members of the household.

That belief is supported by some striking accounts.

Lady Constance

On the day of Lady Constance’s death in 1925, several servants claimed to see her walking the castle grounds. Eighteen years later, as Lady Leonie Leslie lay dying in the Mauve Room, she reported speaking to an elderly woman who disappeared moments later. After Leonie’s passing, her nurse recognised the figure in one of the dining-room portraits — Lady Constance.

Many say her spirit still lingers.

Captain Norman Leslie

One of the estate’s most famous hauntings involves Captain Norman Leslie, killed in France in October 1914. Around the time of his death, family and staff saw him strolling along the terrace at Glaslough. They were relieved — until a telegram arrived confirming he had fallen at the front.

Weeks later, Lady Marjorie Leslie awoke in the Red Room to find Norman’s apparition leafing calmly through a drawer of papers. When she spoke to him, he smiled, turned, and faded away.

Guests who stay in the Red Room today often report soft footsteps, the rustle of unseen pages, or a hushed “Shhh,” as though Norman still keeps quiet watch. One traveller claimed to wake to a man reading in the corner of the room. Others joke — or insist — that the bed sometimes “levitates,” though what they were doing at the time is anyone’s guess.

Other Sightings

One staff member working in the basement recounted a brief conversation with an elderly grey-haired man who vanished mid-sentence — another of the castle’s unregistered residents, perhaps.