Introduction

There are many stories that capture the imagination and are passed down through the years and none more so than those involving the supernatural. The tale of the Cooneen ghost, though over 100 years old, still has the power to captivate and intrigue.

The story, which has been retold for many generations on both sides of the Atlantic and has even been dramatized on radio, still has the power to rouse strong emotions today.

Michael and Bridget Murphy

The events took place in the townland of Cornarooslan near Brookeborough in County Fermanagh. The name comes from the Irish ‘Corr na Ruslan‘ meaning ‘round hill of the moor’. It was a largely agricultural area.

On Saturday 14th January 1888 Michael Murphy and Bridget Corrigan were married in the local Catholic church by parish priest Fr James McKenna.

Michael was 27, the son of Francis Murphy a farmer. Bridget was from Glennoo near Fivemiletown in County Tyrone. Her parents were Hugh Corrigan and Bridget (nee Beggan). She is recorded as being aged 18, but from her birth records (born 12th March 1872) she may only have been 16. Bridget also came from a farming backround.

The couple settled down on a farm near the hamlet of Cooneen. It was a fairly large property at over 30 acres. Their first child, named Michael after his father, was born on 7th November 1888. Over the following years, six more children were born to Bridget and Michael – James (1890), Anne (1892), Mary (1895), Teresa (1898), Bridget (1901) and Catherine (1904).

In 1901 the rural 1-storey Murphy home was described as having stone walls, a thatched roof and 6 front windows. The cottage contained 5 rooms and there were 4 outbuildings. By 1911 these had increased to 6 – a stable, a cow house, a calf house, a piggery, a fowl house and a barn.

The Death of Michael

However, on 7th November 1907 things took a tragic turn when Michael (senior) was involved in an accident and received a fatal head injury. His death certificate records him as 51, though newspapers report him as a lot older.

Bridget was pregnant at the time and her final child Jane Anne, was born just a few weeks later on 17th December 1907. Bridget, in her late 30’s and with a large family to feed, now had to take on the running of the farm.

The Haunting Begins

It is said that shortly after Michael Murphy’s death strange happenings began to occur at the family home. At first it was merely the noise of someone knocking at the front door. When the door was opened there was no-one there. Given the relative isolation of the homestead this was odd in itself. Then the noises became more frequent with a heavy knocking on the door and rapping on the windows.

Above the living quarters was a loft for storing hay. This could only be reached by a stone staircase on the outside of the house. The family began to hear the loud tread of someone walking about in the roof space overhead. Again investigations showed no-one was there.

Bridget shared her concerns with her neighbours, many of whom came to the house and heard the strange noises for themselves. But no-one could offer an explanation.

However, the family’s troubles were only beginning. Suddenly plates and dishes would be seen rising off the wooden table and hurling themselves against the walls. Pots and pans lifted off their hooks and were thrown around the room. The cast-iron bedstead even rose several inches off the floor before dropping back down. Music and singing could be heard and shadowy shapes appeared on the walls.

Naturally the family were terrified out of their minds. Bridget contacted the local priest Fr Eugene Coyle of Maguiresbridge for advice. The priest visited the Murphy home and he too witnessed the paranormal activity. News even reached the ears of the nationalist politician Cahir Healy who lived in Fermanagh. He too called at the Cooneen house and attested to the unexplained happenings.

Exorcism

Fr Coyle contacted Bishop Owens and was given permission to conduct an exorcism. This was a very rare occurrence in Ireland and only performed in extreme circumstances.

During the exorcism the activities of the ghost became even more violent. Plates and cups went flying around the room as if caught in a whirlwind. The sheets were torn off the beds and it is said a terrible groaning noise could be heard. Fr Coyle and the family must have been stricken with fear!

Unfortunately, the strange occurrences continued unabated. Fr Coyle preformed a second exorcism but it had little effect on the ghostly and terrifying happenings.

Poltergeist

In 1911, Bridget now aged 41, was still living in the cottage with her seven children. The census states that 8 children were born with 1 living, but this appears to be a misunderstanding on the part of the enumerator. Only one of Bridget’s children is absent from the family home, the eldest Michael. Perhaps it was a case that 1 child had died, although I cannot find a death record for Michael. As he would have been around 23 at the time there is also the possibility that he was married or working away from home. The oldest child living at Cooneen was James aged 21 and the youngest Jane Anne aged only 3.

The activities of the Cooneen ghost, have led to it being classified as a poltergeist. This is a German word meaning ‘noise-making ghost’. This type of spirit is said to be responsible for physical disturbances such as throwing objects about and causing loud noises, such as were experienced in the Murphy home.

It is interesting to note that these ‘noisy spirits’ have been recorded in many cultures world-wide and over many centuries.

Often a poltergeist is thought to be linked to emotional stress, particularly in adolescents, usually teenage girls. When the poltergeist activities began after the death of their father in 1907, Anne Murphy was aged 15, Mary Murphy 13 and Teresa Murphy 10.

Rumoured Causes of the Haunting

As time passed rumours began to spread that the Murphy family must have somehow brought this trouble on themselves. Attention focused on young James.

Some allegations (that persist to this day) claim that he discovered an ancient occult text. Had he developed an interest in Satanism? Had he tried to summon demons? I suppose it is understandable, though not particularly sympathetic, that neighbours would try to explain the situation by blaming someone. Otherwise such terrible events could happen to any one of them!

A New Life

The ostracization proved too much for the Murphys. Despite all the hard work they had put into the farm, the years of torment had taken their toll. In 1913 Bridget Murphy and her children left Ireland and embarked on a new life in America.

However, their escape was short lived. Within days of leaving the shore fellow passengers were complaining of the continual rapping and strange sounds emanating from the Murphy’s cabin. It seemed the ghost had followed the family on board!

The captain remonstrated with Bridget, dismissing her claims of supernatural activity. We cannot begin to imagine her desperation and despair.

Even in their new home in the USA the poltergeist made its presence felt though gradually over the years the strange phenomena decreased. Eventually the Murphys were able to live in peace. Sadly, one daughter, not surprisingly, was left traumatised and was committed to a mental institution, where she lived out her days.

The Cooneen Ghost House

The stories and rumours still clung to the old house in County Fermanagh. The house was left abandoned. Over the years nature took over. The trees crowded closer and brambles and ivy covered the infamous cottage, hiding it from view.

In the 1990’s a proposal was made by the Cooneen Community Development Association to exploit the tourist potential of the Ghost House. It was thought the cottage’s spooky reputation could attract visitors to area and bring in revenue. The suggestion was rejected however, by locals and clergy. The old fears of resurrecting an evil spirit rising to the surface. Ancient superstition, or perhaps wisdom (?), battling and winning over modern scepticism.

In 2016 the Northern Ireland Forestry Service began clearing the woods around the notorious cottage. For the first time in generations the old building saw the light of day. Curious visitors brave its reputation to experience its alleged ghostly atmosphere, though not many call at night! The Ghost House exists alone and abandoned, and as many claim, still haunted…..

---

Help Us Find New Readers

Belfast Entries is hobby website produced entirely by a retired husband & wife featuring articles on our shared history, memories and entertaining stories of our past. The stories are free to all. If you like our posts please help us to grow our readership by sharing the posts. A growing readership would be very much appreciated.

---

---

If you enjoy Belfast Entries please consider a small donation

If you wish to To help us meet website creation/ maintenance costs please click the coffee cup below to learn how to make a small donation. Please note that every contribution is valued and that we will acknowledge your contribution below (forename only or “Anonymous” if you prefer).

Donations this month 3

Thank you Damian

Thank you Sinead

Thank you R. Meharg

We had 2 donation last month.

---

---

---

Copyright Notice

Belfast Entries posts & photos are our intellectual property and copyrighted to us. Where we use photos that do not belong to us, it is because we believe them to be in the public domain or shared under a Creative Commons licence with appropriate attribution. None of our content or images can be used without our consent. Note that a link to our Copyright & Takedown notice is included in the website footer on all pages.