Near Dungarvan in County Waterford, local tradition holds that Dunnore House is affected by a long-standing curse or pattern of misfortune said to pass from one generation to the next. According to stories shared in the area, the property has gained a reputation for bringing bad luck to those who come into close contact with it.

One of the most common claims concerns vehicles that pass the house at night or are left parked nearby. Locals say these vehicles have been known to break down without obvious cause, sometimes refusing to start again until they have been moved away from the site. Others speak of unexplained mechanical failures occurring only in the vicinity of the house, adding to its reputation as an unlucky place.

The house is also said to be difficult to live in. In local accounts, new occupants rarely remain for long, with residents reportedly moving out shortly after taking up occupancy. This is attributed not to any structural fault in the building, but to the supposed influence of the curse itself, which is believed to bring persistent trouble or discomfort to those who stay there.

There are no historical records confirming the origin of such a curse, nor is there documented evidence linking the house to any specific event that might explain the belief. The story survives as local oral folklore, reflecting a broader Irish tradition in which certain houses or families are thought to be marked by inherited misfortune.