Corkagh House Ghost Stories

The Coach and Horses

Corkagh House

Photo of Corkagh House

Corkagh House

Corkagh House

Photo of Corkagh House

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Near to Corkagh House was Newlands House. This was at one time occupied by Arthur Wolfe (1739-1803), 1st Viscount Kilwarden, or Lord Kilwarden as he was better known, the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. He was a good neighbour of the Finlay family of Corkagh.

During Robert Emmet's Rising of 1803, Colonel John Finlay, hearing of a planned attempt on the life of Lord Kilwarden, sent for him and pleaded with him not to travel into Dublin City.

Lord Kilwarden decided not to listen to this advice, and proceeded as intended accompanied by his daughter, Elizabeth Wolfe, and his nephew Reverend Richard Straubenzie Wolfe. They left the Corkagh Estate by the back entrance, near to the present day St. John's Road, and headed off towards Dublin City for Dublin Castle. Near Thomas Street, their carriage was ambushed by a number of insurgents, and both Lord Kilwarden and his nephew were dragged from their coach and were repeatedly stabbed with pikes.

The Reverend Wolfe died immediately from his wounds but his uncle was still alive when soldiers arrived on the scene. He was brought to a nearby building but died an hour later. His daughter Elizabeth managed to escape unhurt and helped to raise the alarm about what had happened.

After the insurgents ambushed Lord Kilwarden's coach, his terrified horses galloped back the way they had come, and entered Corkagh Estate through the back entrance and out the front drive to Newlands House. Over the years, members of the Finlay family claim to have heard the sounds of a coach and horses rushing through Corkagh Estate: however, neither coach nor horses could ever be seen.

The Phantom Band

During the Easter Rising of 1916, Major Gerald Colley, a brother-in-law of Mrs Edith (née Finlay) Colley of Corkagh, was stationed in Dublin Castle, and his wife lived in Corkagh. On the day before Easter, the Major telephoned his wife to tell her that there was some trouble brewing between the Irish nationalists and the British authorities.

On Easter Monday, the Rising took place, and the Major's wife, along with a friend, went to Belgard Castle to watch the burning bridges in the city of Dublin. Meanwhile, Mrs. Edith Colley, whilst walking with her husband, George P. A. Colley, through Corkage Estate, heard a marching band playing and the sound of tramping feet marching down the Naas Road and through the rear gate of Corkagh.

They hurried back to the house to find the entire staff anxiously gathered at the front of the house. All had heard the band, and they thought that Corkagh was going to be attacked. However the music suddenly stopped and there was nothing to be seen. Despite the large number of people who heard the band, no one saw it.