Springhill House was constructed in the 17th-century and was home to ten generations of the Lenox-Conyngham family. Today, the house and gardens are under the care of the National Trust, and visitors can now explore the beautifully preserved house, still adorned with its art and original furnishings.

While there a few ghostly tales attached to this fine house, the principal story arises from a family tragedy.

George Lenox-Conyngham was away from home, serving in the Irish Volunteers under Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, when he received word that his children had contracted smallpox. Like any good father, he became agitated and wanted to return home to be with them. As he was leaving, he encountered Stewart and believed that he would understand his plight as the two were friends and he had been made aware of the illness at home.

But his trust was misplaced.

Shortly after George returned home, his initial hope for his children’s recovery was torn apart when one of his daughters died. The grieving father then received the further devastating news that Robert Stewart had reported him for desertion and that he was to face a court martial. He subsequently resigned from his post. The death of a child, the betrayal by a friend, and his humiliation in the eyes of his peers, saw a strong, proud man succumbing to a great depression. He struggled to continue, buoyed by the love and support of his wife and children, but this was not enough. On the 20th of November 1816, he took a pistol and retired to his room with the intention of taking his own life. Olivia sensed that something was very, very wrong and ran to the chamber, only to witness her husband pulling the trigger. He died two days later.

As an aside, his former friend, Robert Stewart, once encountered a mysterious “Radiant Boy” while staying at the barracks in Ballyshannon and would take his own life in 1822. You can read about that here.

Some say Olivia’s ghost is seen to this day, dashing towards the blue room in the misguided hope that she could intervene and save her husband, but most witnesses say she is walking calmly through the house or is spotted standing on the staircase. Taking the form of a tall, grey lady, this kindly soul is said to be particularly fond of children and they are considered most likely to see her. When the nursery was still in use, Olivia’s ghost was said to appear on occasion, checking on the children and making sure all was well. During the second world war when US soldiers were staying at Springhill House, the cot in the nursery was said to rock, causing a knocking sound. The soldiers asked for the cot to be removed, and the knocking stopped.

In the late nineteenth century, a guest was asleep in the blue room and was awakened by the sound of anxious murmuring. Although half asleep, she recalled seeing a door opening and someone walking in to address and calm the anxious group. The room then became silent once more and the guest managed to fall asleep. The next morning, she noted that there was no doorway in the wall where she saw the figure entering during the night. She was confused and mentioned it to her host, who informed her that there had indeed been a door there, but that it had been blocked up many years ago. In more recent times, the sound of people talking has been heard emanating from the same room, but when investigated, the room is empty.

A curator who moved into the property in 2002 with her family, once recounted experiences that she, her husband and colleagues had at the property during her tenure. Not long after she took up the post, she heard the sound of a child crying. Her own daughter was poorly with chickenpox at the time and was resting in one of the bedrooms, so she duly went to check that all was well. As she climbed the stairs, she felt something brushing her arm – whatever it was, felt like fabric. She looked down and around her, but she was alone and there was no evidence of a cobweb or an insect of any description. When she reached the room where her daughter was resting, she found her sound asleep and the child made no reference to any upset when she woke up.

While the curator never actually saw anything herself, her husband did – but he was quite matter of fact about it. On one occasion, he recalled standing in the lobby and was in the middle of a telephone conversation with a friend, when he noticed a tall woman in dark, period attire and with her hair tied in a bun, walking towards the gun room. On another occasion, the same figure passed him on the landing, again while he was on the phone. There was only one living woman on the property each time, and she was in her office. His third encounter with the spirit would come when the family were leaving to go on holiday. As he turned to lock the door, the mysterious woman (presumed to be Olivia) was standing on the stairs looking directly at him.

While most of the encounters at Springhill House have been of a benevolent nature, some have felt a little more disconcerting. The curator’s husband had an office on the first floor and he often heard heavy footsteps charging towards the room he was in. The heavy door would then open by itself, but it was never closed by the impolite spirit. Interestingly, this was also witnessed by the author Sheila St. Clair during her visit, and she also happened to see either a chair or a child’s cot rocking in another room. A member of staff happened to open the door on one occasion as the footsteps approached, and was met by a rush of air. She checked for a draught, but all doors and windows were firmly shut. A blessing was later carried out to deal with this particular aspect of the haunting and I believe this was put to rest.

Witnesses have also spoken of a presence in an office at the back of the building and of a distinct feeling that they are not alone.