A terrible murder shocked the tiny village of Barna in Ireland. Since then, Spiorad na mBarna, or Moll O'Shaughnessy, as the murderer was called, has haunted this place.
Every corner of Ireland holds its spooky secrets, and in the countryside near Newcastle West, County Limerick, lies one of the most chilling tales – the legend of Spiorada na mBarna, which means the Ghost of the Barna in Irish or the Old Barn.
This haunting story has its origins in the delayed 19th century, and the real woman behind the legend of the ghost that is said to still haunt the Barna is a woman named Moll O'Shaughnessy.
Moll O'Shaughnessy The Murderer
Even in current times, Barna remains a tiny community where everyone knows everyone, but in the delayed 19th century it was even more so. Therefore, the shocking and brutal murders committed by Moll O'Shaughnessy sent a wave of shock throughout the area.
Moll was seen as a good-natured, peaceful and kind mother and wife, well-liked in the community. That was until, in a fit of uncontrollable rage, she mercilessly murdered her husband and their teenage child. Showing that we may never truly know a person and what they are capable of. There was no answer as to why she did this, and the villagers certainly didn't give her much time to explain their actions.
The villagers were shocked, and the community's reaction to her heinous actions was equally gruesome – they sentenced her to a gruesome death by rolling her in a barrel filled with edged and rusty nails down a hill, according to some legends.
Another version says that she was caught red-handed and hanged. The third version of the legend says that she died of natural causes and was condemned to walk this earth forever as penance for her crimes.
The restless spirits of Spiorad on mBarna
For years after her execution, the inhabitants of Barna claimed to have encountered the ghost of Spiorad na mBarna in various forms. Sometimes she appeared as a crying woman, other times as an furious greyhound, spreading terror in the area.
It is said that when Spiorad na mBarna haunted the village as a hound, it tormented farmers during the harvest. It was said that when she appeared in her human form, she attempted to mount the horses of men roaming the area after obscure.
Her reign of fear ended in another murder when an unfortunate rider rode under the Old Barna bridge and emerged lifeless on the other side – the victim was the bloodthirsty Spiorad na mBarna.
Seeking Redemption:
As their community was terrorized, distraught locals called on a holy man from the nearby parish of Athea to exorcise the malevolent spirit that was preventing the locals from surviving.
According to legend, he imposed penance on Moll's restless soul, and she apparently had to do it “emptying the Red Sea with a thimble full of holes”whatever that means.
Although this act seemed to quell her murderous rage, the memory of Spiorada na mBarna still lingers in the West Limerick region. Many claim to have encountered her ghost, and the eerie details of her hauntings continue to captivate and baffle.
The face in the stone of the venerable bridge in Barna
Perhaps the most terrifying detail of this spooky legend is carved in stone – literally. The Old Barna Bridge, which still stands today, bears the image of a face – a face captured forever in a scream of terror.
Moreover, numerous witnesses confirm that this amazing face moves on the stones of the bridge. It may appear in the upper right stone, lower down, or even on the opposite side of the bridge. Passersby often stop to count the stones and point out the ghostly face they believe is carved on Spiorad na mBarna.
As you walk in the shadow of the Old Barna Bridge, the feeling of being watched can send shivers down your spine, creating a chilling tale of a restless spirit that will stay with you long after obscure.
Reference:
Haunted Ireland: The terrifying tale of Spiorada Na mBarna | Ireland Post
Stara Barna | Haunted Limerick, Ireland | Ghost Island
Image Source: Pixabay.com
