Several Tipperary trails named in list of haunted walks ahead of Halloween

Several Tipperary walking routes have featured in a list of “eight terror trails” published by The Irish Times ahead of Halloween, with local folklore, tales of witchcraft and stories of historic executions among the attractions.

Written by journalist John G O’Dwyer, the Halloween feature highlights spooky places to visit around Ireland, including two walking routes in Tipperary and the story of an 18th-century priest whose fate made him a symbol of resistance to the Penal Laws.

Bay Lough, on the Tipperary-Waterford border, is featured for its association with the legend of Petticoat Loose, a local witch said to have been banished to the lake by a priest.

According to local tradition, the lake is her final resting place, and her ghostly arm is said to rise from the depths to ensnare anyone foolhardy enough to enter the water.

While the legend makes for an eerie tale ahead of Halloween, visitors can explore the area without venturing into the lake itself. The newspaper notes that a resurfaced path of approximately 1km provides access to the scenic corrie lake, including for people using buggies or wheelchairs.

The route lies in the Knockmealdown Mountains, close to the border between Tipperary and Waterford.

The Bianconi Loop Walk in Aherlow also makes the list, with its so-called Hanging Tree providing a darker chapter in the area’s history.

The 4km loop begins at the Christ the King trailhead and takes walkers through natural woodland and along an old road associated with 19th-century transport pioneer Charles Bianconi.

The newspaper describes a sessile oak tree along the route that is nearing the end of its life. Known as the Hanging Tree, it is associated with accounts of executions in the 18th century, when the bodies of people executed for crimes were reportedly left hanging as a warning to others.

The walk offers an opportunity to explore the natural scenery of the Glen of Aherlow while learning about the stories and history attached to the landscape.

The feature also highlights the story of Father Nicholas Sheehy, a Tipperary priest who became a prominent figure in resistance to the Penal Laws during the 18th century.

Sheehy, who opposed tithes paid to the Anglican Church and sympathised with the Whiteboys, a movement that defended tenant farmers, was charged with the murder of an informer named John Bridge.

According to the article, the prosecution was unable to prove that Bridge was even dead, but Sheehy was nevertheless convicted and hanged in Clonmel. Local folklore holds that members of the jury who convicted him subsequently met with unnatural deaths.

His tomb is in Shanrahan Cemetery, and the newspaper notes that the Clogheen Loop Walk passes through the area. The scenic 8km woodland walk begins and ends in Clogheen.

Elsewhere, O’Dwyer’s selection includes Charles Fort in Kinsale, associated with the legend of the White Lady; Dunluce Castle in Co Antrim, where the tragic story of two lovers is said to haunt the ruins; and Kilkenny, where the history of Dame Alice Kyteler and the witchcraft trials of 1324 features in a ghost tour.

The list also includes Belfast’s Crumlin Road Gaol, known for its underground tunnel and former execution facilities.

With Halloween approaching, the selection shines a light on the folklore, historic sites and walking routes that offer visitors a different way to explore Ireland’s past, including some of Tipperary’s own tales of the supernatural.