The Jervis Shopping Centre opened in 1996. Unless you know the area well, you could be forgiven for thinking when you step through the doors, that this modern, airy complex with well known stores arranged on several levels with an atrium in the centre of it all, couldn’t possibly be haunted. But you would be very wrong!

In 1796, The Charitable Infirmary relocated to Jervis Street from Inn’s Quay. A former mansion house, several amendments were made to the structure to make it more suitable for use as a hospital. The Sisters of Mercy took it over in 1854, and with greater demand for its services, the facility was later redeveloped with a dedicated hospital building opening on the site in 1886. Fast forward 100 years, and preparations were under way to transfer out the remaining services to other hospitals in the area, resulting in in the closure of the Jervis Street Hospital in 1987.

In October 1996, the Jervis Shopping Centre was officially opened on the site of the former hospital. The architects incorporated part of the exterior of the old hospital in the structure of the new shopping centre, and you can see what the old building would have looked like if you walk around to Wolfe Tone Park. But the hospital façade is not the only thing that was carried over. Nearly 200 years of life drama are etched into the fabric of the site, and with multiple changes to the physical layout, some very confused ghosts are now walking the corridors, galleries and stores in this bustling, North Dublin hub.

In 2008, a journalist that had worked at a radio station based in the Jervis complex, opened a discussion about paranormal activity she had encountered in the building, and asking whether anyone else had encountered anything unusual. She shared her experience on a public forum, and this is what she said.

It all began over 10 years ago when the station was known as Radio Ireland. They moved into the building which was formerly a nurses residence, and was attached to Jervis St. Hospital. Several staff swear they saw “something” in the studios and on the stairs. Some were on shift work, others were working normal hours, so it can’t be put down to tiredness.

For my part I heard what seemed to be a woman’s voice humming a lullaby late at night in the corner of the newsroom. I ignored it for a long time, thinking a radio was left on. But when I finally went over the corner to switch it off, I found it hadn’t been on, and the humming stopped. Yet when I walked away, it started again. Oddly enough this wasn’t frightening.

I sent an email around the last week we were there explaining what happened and that I also saw a grey figure descending the stairs. It seems I was not alone – one guy saw the figure passing through the studio walls (remember the studio walls would not have been there in the original building). Someone else heard a cough behind them when they were alone in a studio, and another person saw a chair move by itself.

At least eight people in total witnessed something inexplicable there. Again, no one felt any real fear, possibly because it was a benign entity, but after hearing all those stories I was glad my nights with the newsroom ghost were over!

As word spread that the radio station staff had experienced unusual activity in the building, more and more staff from stores and offices across the centre began to come forward and share their own stories.

The ghost of a nurse dressed in a period uniform has been spotted on more than one occasion. This story was seemingly validated by someone who used to work at the old hospital and who confirmed that it was known to her and her colleagues that the children’s ward was haunted by the ghost of a night nurse, dressed in a long grey dress replete with a nurse’s hat. The story attached to her presence recounted that a child had died in her care and that the nurse was so troubled by this, that her spirit returned to keep watch over the hospital’s younger patients, even though the ward and its patients have long since gone.

A male employee recalled arriving for work early one morning and walking down a corridor towards the toilets, when he encountered a mysterious woman talking quietly to herself. He could see her lips moving but no sound was coming out. Finding this unusual and thinking she needed help, he addressed the stranger, but when she turned to look at him, she quickly faded away.

The sound of a baby crying startled two employees on separate occasions while they were working alone in their locked-up store. The sound of children singing was reported emanating from a deserted stock room in one of the anchor stores, while another employee described having a “horrible” feeling while heading to retrieve stock from another area. They then spotted a ghostly figure standing by a trolley at the top of the stairs.

I used to work in the shopping centre. Anytime we were in the stockroom it was scary as hell. Where the stockroom was used to be the porters area. I’ve heard singing too. The backstairs were awful too. Always felt scared walking down there.

A curious phantom feline was experienced in offices located above a fast food outlet on the corner of Mary Street & Jervis Street. Staff reported feeling the sensation of a cat brushing against them, while others saw the friendly, furry spirit itself. In the same office, a supervisor saw a figure walking through the office, about three foot off the ground.
Others either working at or visiting the Jervis Shopping Centre claimed to have experienced cold spots, heard disembodied voices or footsteps, or witnessed poltergeist activity. The sound of loud breathing and wheezing has also been reported in the basement.

Several workers and visitors claim to have met ghostly figures who appear to be lost. One account of this was shared on social media only recently. Hear his account (in his own words) below. Please note that the clip contains strong language.

It should be noted that the centre is located by Wolfe Tone Park which is also haunted. Click here for details!