Deep in the Donegal countryside, between Manorcunningham and Newtowncunningham, stands Sharon Rectory – a house whose history is inseparable from one of the most violent episodes to take place in the region during the late eighteenth century.

Built in 1775, the rectory was home to Rev. Dr John Waller and his wife, Sarah. Waller was regarded as a respected and well-liked figure within his parish, and by all accounts the couple lived a quiet and settled life there. By the 1790s, however, that sense of isolation was beginning to erode as political tensions across Ireland intensified in the lead-up to rebellion.

It was against this backdrop, in March 1797, that events unfolded which would permanently mark the house.

Waller, who had by this point become paralysed and required constant care, was largely removed from the unrest developing beyond his immediate surroundings. His close friend, the Rev. William Hamilton, was far more directly entangled in the political climate of the time. Hamilton was a Fellow of Trinity College, a geologist of some standing, and one of the founding figures of what would later become the Royal Irish Academy. More significantly in the local context, he was known for his loyalty to the Crown and his role as a magistrate – positions which made him a target.

On the night of 2 March, Hamilton attempted to cross Lough Swilly while returning home. According to later accounts, he was warned by local boatmen that conditions had deteriorated and that it would be unsafe to proceed. There is a long-standing belief that this warning was deliberately misleading. Forced to turn back, Hamilton made his way to Sharon Rectory, where he was received without hesitation by the Wallers.

What they could not have known was that he had been followed.

Sometime later that night, an armed group arrived at the house. The precise sequence of events that followed varies depending on the source, but there is broad agreement on the outcome. Some accounts describe the house being surrounded and threats issued to burn it unless Hamilton was surrendered, while others suggest that shots were fired into the building. Inside, the situation quickly descended into panic.

Hamilton is believed to have fled to the cellar, where he attempted to hide. The area around that cellar has since become associated, in later accounts, with a particularly strong sense of unease.

During the confrontation, Sarah Waller was fatally injured. Reports differ as to the exact circumstances – some suggest she was struck while attempting to intervene, others that she was caught while observing events from within the house — but all agree that she died as a result of the violence that night.

What followed Hamilton’s discovery was particularly brutal. It is generally accepted that he was forcibly removed from the house and handed over to the attackers, either directly by those within the household or after his hiding place was revealed. A struggle took place as he was dragged out; one account holds that he attempted to hold onto the banister and that a heated iron was used to force him to release his grip. Once outside, he was beaten and killed.

The wider consequences were immediate. Within days, Dublin Castle imposed martial law and initiated the disarming of Ulster. For Waller himself, the impact was deeply personal. His wife had been killed, his friend murdered, and his home irrevocably altered by the events that had taken place within it.

In the years that followed, the rectory passed through various hands before eventually falling into dereliction. For a considerable period it stood empty, acquiring a local reputation that drew curiosity but little sustained occupation.

That changed in the 1990s, when Vincent and Lisa Tully purchased the property and began restoration work. Although they had been aware of local stories associated with the house, their focus was on returning it to use as a family home for themselves and their daughters, Emma and Victoria.

It was during the early stages of this restoration that the first unusual reports began to emerge. Tradespeople working on the house described a persistent sense of being watched, alongside a general atmosphere that they found difficult to account for. There were also claims of taps activating despite the absence of a connected water supply, and occasional reports of figures being seen within the building. While such accounts were not treated uniformly, they were sufficient to cause some workers to withdraw from the project.

The family nonetheless continued with the restoration and eventually moved into the house.

Not long after, their daughter Emma began describing a recurring experience in her bedroom involving what she referred to as a blue mist. According to her account, this mist would gradually take on a more defined form, which she interpreted as a female figure lacking distinct facial features. She also described the sensation of movement on the bed, as though someone had sat beside her, accompanied at times by a low humming sound. Her younger sister Victoria spoke independently of a female presence, describing what she referred to as an “imaginary friend” with long hair and a white gown.

Over time, similar experiences were reported by the parents, leading the family to associate the figure with what became known as the “Blue Lady,” whom they believed may be connected to Sarah Waller.

One incident which the family has repeatedly highlighted involved a vivid dream experienced by Lisa, in which she saw her daughter in danger near a pond on the property, accompanied by the presence of a woman she associated with Mrs Waller. Interpreting this as a warning, the family subsequently filled in the pond and later expressed the belief that this action may have prevented harm.

Alongside these experiences, however, there were indications of a more unsettling presence within the house. Activity appeared to be particularly concentrated in the library, where sightings of a female figure consistent with earlier descriptions were reported, but also where a distinct sense of heaviness and unease was noted. The family began to describe what they perceived as a second presence – less defined, and markedly more oppressive.

Around the same period, sightings were reported of a large black dog in the vicinity of the property, described as having glowing red eyes and exhibiting behaviour inconsistent with a physical animal, including passing through closed gates. A similar encounter was later described by Emma, whose own dogs reportedly reacted to the presence before it disappeared.

Attention also focused on features of the land itself, including an identified fairy ring, leading to the view within the family that whatever was occurring was not confined to the structure of the house but related to the site more broadly.

As work continued, particularly during the renovation of an adjoining coach house, the reported activity intensified. Accounts include sightings of shadow-like figures moving through rooms and a general increase in the oppressive atmosphere described earlier. One of the more striking experiences reported by Emma involved seeing a distorted reflection of herself in a mirror, an incident which she later described as having a significant psychological impact.

The cumulative effect of these experiences was considerable. Members of the family reported physical symptoms including scratches, bites, and marks appearing without clear cause. While all were affected to some degree, Emma and Victoria were described as the primary focus of the activity.

Over time, various attempts were made to address the situation, including religious blessings and the involvement of paranormal investigators. These interventions, however, were not considered successful in resolving the activity, and in some cases were believed by the family to have intensified it.

A particularly serious incident is reported to have occurred during an investigation in 2019, during which Emma described an intense internal burning sensation, while Lisa was said to have entered an altered state accompanied by changes in voice and demeanour. Witnesses present at the time also described objects moving and the appearance of a dark mist.

In the present day, the family continues to reside at Sharon Rectory, albeit with a significantly more cautious approach to external involvement. Limited access is permitted under controlled conditions, but the events associated with the house remain unresolved.