| Wicklow Gaol |
Steve, Patty and Peg went to Ireland for vacation.
During their trip they stumbled upon "Wicklow Gaol". They had no idea what
it was so they decided to stop and find out.
Wicklow Gaol is a historic jail built in 1702. Many
prisoners during the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland were sent here to await
sentencing. Wicklow Gaol was not separated into men, women, and children.
Everyone was together. You can imagine how many crimes happened inside its
walls. Steven, Patty and Peg decided to take a guided tour.
Patty and Peg instantly got a "feeling" about the place.
They both felt very cold when they entered the first cell. The tour guide,
dressed in an 18th century jailer's outfit, gave them a brief history of
the Gaol and then let wonder about by themselves. There are 12 to 14 cells
on each of the three floors and a yard where the prisoners could work outside.
The cells are very small. Each cell had either a display or an audio recording
about the famous history about that particular cell and/or the cellmate.
Patty took a picture of Cell #12. She felt very cold
and as if she needed to take the picture. (This is the picture without the
orb). She also felt somehow drawn to this cell passing over several other
cells. Steve came up and asked Patty if she had gone into Cell #12, she said
no. Just then Patty took another picture. (This is the picture with the orb).
On the 2nd floor Steve got a "feeling" from Cell
#22. They took pictures without anything to report. The 3rd floor is set
up like an old ship. This is how the prisoners were transported to penal
colonies in Australia. Peg was taking pictures on the 3rd floor while talking
to a man that was in the Captain's cabin. He was part of the tour and you
could ask him questions about the ship and how the prisoners were treated
on the ship. Peg said, "Maybe there is an orb around him?" The man asked
them what an orb is, so Patty explained it to him basically saying that it
is a ball of energy that possibly represents a spirit or ghost. Patty showed
him an orb in a picture she had just taken. He instantly said, "That's of
Cell #12". (Please note that Patty didn't say what cell was nor is the cell
number shown in the picture. Also, some of the cells did have the same set
up.)
Patty asked how did he know. He said, "I know that it
is Cell #12 because of the happenings that go on in that cell. There are
many stories I can tell you. During the restoration of the Gaol, when the
cement was being laid in Cell #22, child size footprints appeared overnight
in the center of the cell. They were so deep, the only way they could have
appeared is if someone had fallen from the ceiling and made them. There were
no footsteps leading to or from the cell." By this time, the man had come
out of his "character" and was speaking very emotionally. "Now, about Cell#12,"
he said, "Croppy Biddy was the resident there for only 6 months, but has
made a lasting impression. She roamed the Gaol freely because she had money
to pay off the jailers. Croppy Biddy is said to still roam within the Gaol
walls."
The man went on to tell us these were only 2 of the
"hauntings" that go on in the Gaol. He also said the workers would leave
at night with everything locked. When they returned in the morning, they
found the doors of the cells opened, impressions in the cement they had just
laid, and the storyboards were all mixed up in the wrong cells. Patty and
Peg were fascinated with these stories. Patty is researching these findings
and will keep you updated. This was definitely one experience Peg, Patty
and Steven won't soon forget.
Account written by PIRA members Steve and Patty, with guest member Peg