A few years ago, a night security guard stationed at Portlaoise Courthouse reported an unnerving sequence of events that left him shaken – and unwilling to ever return to the site again.

At around 1:30 a.m., the building was silent when the guard heard three clear knocks on the front entrance door, followed by a voice calling his name. He immediately went to investigate, but when he opened the door, there was no one outside. The surrounding square was deserted. The experience was especially disturbing because the guard was not local to Portlaoise and knew there were no patrol drivers or colleagues working nearby that night.

Roughly an hour later, more noise came from inside the building – this time from one of the offices. When the guard entered, he found a stack of filing folders scattered across the floor, as though someone had swept them from a desk. Nothing else seemed disturbed. He left the office door open as he stepped back into the corridor, but a moment later felt a sudden chill rise up his back – a freezing sensation that made him turn instinctively. As he did, the office door slammed shut with force, echoing through the empty courthouse. Shaken, the guard decided to spend the remainder of his shift in his car outside the building. He never again accepted a posting at Portlaoise Courthouse.