Malahide Castle in Malahide , Co. Dublin.

With the exception of the period from 1649 to 1660, when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbett, the Talbot family continuously occupied Malahide Castle from the 12th century right up until 1973. The castle, now open to the public, is said to be haunted by a series of ghosts. The magnificent Great Hall, built in 1475, is home to Puck, a negligent 15th-century castle sentry with a fondness for a tipple who fell asleep at his post. Distraught, he hanged himself from the minstrel's gallery. Puck, whose spectre has reportedly materialised in several photographs, was most recently sighted in 1976, when the castle's contents were being auctioned.

Another spectral occupant is Corbett, who was hanged, drawn and quartered for his atrocities during Cromwell's reign of terror. His ghost appears as an armoured soldier, then separates into four pieces. Sir Walter Hussey, killed in battle on his wedding day, wanders the corridors venting his resentment towards his young bride, who later married his rival. Lastly, the shrewish Lady Maud Plunkett has been spotted chasing her hapless husband through the castle.