High Park Convent in Drumcondra served as a Magdalene Laundry. Magdalene Laundries were institutions where women and girls deemed “promiscuous” — including unmarried mothers, the daughters of unmarried mothers, those considered burdens on their families or the state, survivors of sexual abuse, or those raised in the care of the Church — were sent to live and work. Operating from 1922 to 1996 under the control of Irish nuns, these laundries were often places of harsh conditions, abuse, and, in some cases, death.

High Park Convent was one such laundry. In 1993, when the nuns decided to sell the property to a developer, 155 unmarked graves were discovered on the site. These graves were believed to hold the remains of women and girls who had died while incarcerated at the convent. The bodies were exhumed and cremated, and the building was repurposed for other uses. One section became a hostel for homeless men, while another was converted into affordable housing.

In the years following the closure of the Magdalene Laundry, reports of paranormal activity at High Park Convent became widespread. Security guards and staff claimed to hear disembodied cries and screams from empty rooms, witness doors slamming shut on their own, and experience unexplained banging on the walls. Some reported doors locking and unlocking by themselves, sightings of shadowy figures, and an overwhelming sense of dread and negative energy throughout the building.