So no one guessed correctly. We were at the Hell Fire Club last week! Not that I'd expect anyone to know that considering some of the people in the car had never heard of it. According to very reliable sources (I'm sure) it was built in 1725 on Montpelier hill in the Dublin mountains by the speaker of the Irish parliament William Connolly as a hunting lodge. It was later taken over by the Dublin Hellfire Club, young aristocrats involved in all kinds of debauchery and it's reputation was worsened by the fact that it was supposedly built on the site of a stone age cairn (passage tomb, built 4500-200 bc).
There's a famous story that goes along with the legend of the Hellfire Club about a young man who arrived there one night seeking refuge. A card game ensued amongst the inhabitants and their guest. One of the players dropped a card and upon leaning under the table to retrieve saw that the young man had a cloven hoof in place of a foot. He then disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Spooky right? I remember reading a very similar story when I was younger about a place called Loftus Hall in County Wexford. Nowadays it is mostly a tourist spot and a place for hill walkers to take in the great view of Dublin. Oh and where adolescents go to get up to all sorts of "indecent" activities. You can read more about it here or elsewhere on the web if you care to google it!
Why is there a photo of a child's watering can and a dead bee you ask? Good question!
Hope my scary stories haven't put you off visiting Ireland!
Hope you've had a good start to the week,
Emma x
Hmmm. A club on a hill where young people gathered and engaged in all manner of debauchery. The Hell Fire Club sounds very much like my Shady Dell, Emma, except that the Dell's patrons were anything but aristocratic. I love the photos of you and your gang poking around the place. I also love scary stories and eagerly followed both of your links to the separate articles on Hell Fire and Loftus Hall. That legend about the guest with the cloven hoof is a real grabber, isn't it? It reminds me of an old episode of the Twilight Zone. Thank you for a very interesting post, dear Emma, and have a fabulous week!
ReplyDeleteI was so going to guess that :) Thanks for the blogversary well wished. I am stoked that I met you through this crazy blogland. One day I will visit Ireland and our awesomeness will be combined.
ReplyDeleteThese photos have left me speachless! They are so gorgeous
ReplyDeleteahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh man what a cool place to visit. I wish I wish I could go. it looks so pretty and peaceful. seriously were you guys the only humans (not including fairies or magical creatures) there?
ReplyDeleteThe color contrasts of the green grass, the light brown stone and the beautiful sky works incredibly well... Keep it up :)
ReplyDeleteI love a good getaway! <3 It looks oh-so picturesque!
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Lost in the Haze