Check out eight of Northern Ireland’s top graveyard tours and ghostly tourism experiences you might want to try this autumn.
5. Friends of Derry City Cemetery
Prepare yourself for an eerie journey with the Friends of Derry City Cemetery tours, where history comes to life in spine-tingling ways. This chilling tour takes you back to the 19th century when the cemetery gates first creaked open, and it doesn’t stop there as it drags you through the dark passages of time right up to the present day. As you delve into the shadows, you’ll encounter the resting places of souls marked by the tragic echoes of history, including victims of harrowing events like Bloody Sunday, the haunting spectre of the 1981 Hunger Strikes, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the two World Wars.
For more information, go to discovernorthernireland.com/friends-of-derry-city-cemetery Photo: discovernorthernireland.com
6. Death, Tragedy & Betrayal: The Darker Side of Clifton Street Cemetery
Unearthed in 1797 as the ‘New Burying Ground’, Clifton Street Cemetery harbours secrets that are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine. ‘Death, Tragedy & Betrayal’ is your guide to the eerie underbelling of the cemetery’s past. Journey through the chilling tales of its early years, plagued by infamous body snatchers and the desperate measures taken to bring their gruesome trade to an end. Delve into the stories of murder victims, hangings, and other tragedies that echo through the ages.
For more information, go to visitbelfast.com/death-tragedy-betrayal-the-darker-side-of-clifton-street-cemetery Photo: visitbelfast.com
7. Friar’s Bush Cemetery Tour
Deep within the eerie embrace of Friar’s Bush Graveyard, which is whispered to be the oldest Christian burial ground in Belfast, lies a dark secret - an unmarked mass grave, a silent testament to the ravages of Belfast’s cholera epidemics, where countless souls found their tragic end. While the cemetery no longer welcomes new arrivals, it remains an esteemed historic relic. As you pass through the archway of the gothic gate lodge masterminded by the Marquis of Dongall in 1828, keep your eyes peeled for an ominous plaque; a haunting memento presented by the Irish government in 1995, proclaiming Friar’s Bush as the official famine site of Belfast.
For more information, go to belfastcity.gov.uk/friar-s-bush Photo: discovernorthernireland.com
8. Trial of the ‘Islandmagee Witches’
Carrickfergus Museum in collaboration with Ulster University’s Dr. Helen Jackson, Dr. Victoria McCollum, and Dr. Andrew Sneddon, has brought the chilling story of Northern Ireland’s last witch trial. Accused of witchcraft against Mary Dunbar, eight women faced a year of imprisonment and public pillorying under the Irish 1586 Witchcraft Act. The interactive exhibition includes a VR experience, animation, a graphic novel, and a choice-driven video game that will immerse you in the world of the accused witches - an experience that’s guaranteed to be bewitching.
For more information, go to midandeastantrim.gov.uk/trial-of-the-islandmagee-witches Photo: unsplash