Ghosts of the Spanish fleet trapped in Staad Abbey

Ghosts of the Spanish fleet trapped in Staad Abbey
3 July 2024 J.W.H
ghosts

After the Spanish Armada went up in flames in the North Sea, some of the soldiers sought refuge at Staad Abbey in Sligo, Ireland. However, many of them met a horrific fate.

In the rugged embrace of County Sligo’s Atlantic coast, history and the supernatural collide at the enigmatic Staad Abbey. This weathered relic from the early Middle Ages, now a haunting ruin, whispers tales of pilgrimage, tragedy and apparitions that linger in the depths of time.

The name “Staad” comes from the Gaelic language and means “stop”. In antique times the abbey served as a key waypoint for weary pilgrims on their way to the nearby island of Inishmurray. Staad Abbey is an early monastic site from the behind schedule 5th or early 6th century, reputedly founded by a monk, St. Molaise. The ruins of the senior abbey can be found at Agharrow, County Sligo, just on the cliff above the beach.

Staad Abbey can also be called a seaside shelter where tourists can stay before taking a boat to Inishmurray.

Ghosts of Spanish soldiers

While the abbey’s history is steeped in the essence of spiritual seekers, it is also shrouded in a more sinister narrative. Local legends tell of the restless spirits of executed Spanish soldiers who now call the ruined abbey home.

City Abbey: Today, only a few rubble stones remain of this antique monument.// Source: Irish Post

They arrived aboard a ship of the Spanish Armada in 1588, which sailed along the coast of Ireland after sailing around northern Scotland.

Spanish fleet

The Spanish Armada was a massive naval force of some 130 ships, over 8,000 sailors, and some 18,000 soldiers, with some 40 warships among them. The Spanish plan was for this enormous fleet, known as the “Great and Most Fortunate Navy,” to sail from Lisbon. The combined forces would then cross the English Channel to launch a land offensive on London.

In May 1588, the Spanish Armada sailed from Lisbon. The English, desperate to prevent this, devised a plan involving fireships. At midnight on August 8, they set fire to eight empty ships and allowed them to drift towards the Spanish fleet off the Calais Roads. This caused panic among the Armada, forcing it to flee to the open sea.

Spanish Armada: The Defeat of the Spanish Armada, a history painting by Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg (1796)

The Armada, now struggling with bad weather, was moved to the North Sea, preventing it from meeting Parma's army. With supplies running low and disease spreading, the Duke of Medina-Sidonia decided to return to Spain via Scotland and Ireland. On the return journey, the Armada was ravaged by sea storms, resulting in the loss of some 60 of its 130 ships and some 15,000 lives.

The treacherous Atlantic Ocean claimed many ships, but one of the most infamous tragedies occurred in 1588 when the Spanish Armada was defeated off Streedagh Beach, near Staad Abbey. Over 1,000 souls perished in the relentless storm, and among the survivors despair was mixed with hope.

Spanish soldier at Staad Abbey

Sadly, the survivors of the failed Armada expedition found no refuge but instead met a grim fate. Against the backdrop of the British occupation of Ireland, Spanish soldiers, considered enemies of the kingdom, were captured and subjected to ruthless judgment.

One of the survivors was Francisco de Cuellar. Several months after surviving the sinking of the Spanish ship La Lavia on Streedagh Beach, Francisco de Cuellar sought refuge at Staad Abbey in 1588. Upon arrival, he found the church partially burned and saw twelve Spaniards hanging from beams. He also came across hundreds of dead soldiers on the nearby beaches.

De Cuellar stayed at Staad Abbey for several weeks before fleeing again. There is some doubt as to whether he actually visited Staad Abbey or another medieval church nearby, probably Ahamlish Church, just north of Streedagh, where ships of the Spanish Armada sank.

Sinking haunted ruins

It is said that the devastation of Staad Abbey is not restricted to its crumbling stones and windswept arches. Visitors have reported an eerie, bone-chilling icy that hangs in the air.

Shadows dance on the walls, seeming to float over the antique stones, evoking memories of the unfortunate Spanish soldiers who died in these lonely ruins.

As you stand amidst the somber ruins of Staad Abbey, slowly eroded, whispers of the past beckon, inviting contemplation of pilgrim journeys, tragic shipwrecks, and the spirits that may still dwell among the timeless stones. Soon it may be too behind schedule, as the abbey itself is on the verge of collapse, drawing closer to the cliffs with every storm.

Bibliography:

City Abbey

County Sligo: 5 Haunted Places to Visit | Spooky Isles

Medieval Sligo church that once housed remains of Spanish fleet comes dangerously close to falling off cliff | The Irish Post

The Spanish Armada – Defeat and Definition

Francisco de Cuellar – Wikipedia

Image Source: Pixabay.com

  • J.W.H

    About John:

    John Williams is a Reincarnationist paranormal Intuitive freelance writer...he is living proof of reincarnation existence, through his personal exploration, he has confirmed its authenticity through visits to the very lands where these events transpired.

    Through guided meditation/s using hemi-sync technology he has managed to recollect 3 previous lives to his own, that go back to the Mid to Late 19th century.

    JWH - "You are the GODS! - Inclusion of the Eternal Light of Love and you shall never die”.

    “Death is Just the Beginning of Life”