Fans of ghost stories and paranormal apparitions will love it: the Hell Fire Club refers to an old hunting lodge that has burned down… and could potentially be the scene of strange and terrifying events…
Located on Montpelier Hill, a 383-meter-high hill in County Dublin, Ireland. Built in 1728 by William Conolly (the Speaker of the Irish House of Commons), it was once used by a secret brotherhood (known as the Hell Fire Club).
This club, active between 1735 and 1741, indulged in rituals of great darkness (black mass, satanic rites, etc.). These demonic acts later gave the hunting lodge the same name as the brotherhood!
Tremble, you fools! If you, too, like to be frightened, and if ghost stories attract you rather than frighten you away, then the Hell Fire Club is undoubtedly a place to discover!
The hunting lodge is located on a hill, not far from a forest ( Hell Fire Wood) with hiking trails.
The story begins in 1728, when William Conolly decided to build a private hunting lodge, designed to take advantage of the surrounding forest and enjoy hunting parties with his friends.
In its early days, the building was designed in a neo-Paladian style, and spread over 2 floors, with :
After Connoly’s death, the pavilion was abandoned… until 1735, when a mysterious brotherhood decided to meet there to perform satanic rites. The composition of the group is known thanks to a painting by James Worsdale, now on display at the National Gallery of Ireland.
These include :
Most of these meetings took place in Dublin city center, but also in this hunting lodge. They used to sit down and leave an empty chair for the devil.
They drank a strange beverage: scaltheen, a mixture of whisky and hot butter. They worshipped Satan, and engaged in all kinds of ceremonies…
Such was the Club’s reputation in the local history of the country, that many scary stories circulate around the place…
The locals like to tell the story of a stranger who asked for hospitality in the middle of a storm. He was then welcomed by the brotherhood to play cards…
At one point during the game, the stranger should have bent down to pick up a card from under the table… What a surprise when he discovers that one of the players has a cloven hoof instead of a foot (a sign of the Devil!). No sooner does he realize this than the man with the strange foot turns into a fireball and disappears…
Another story has it that Simon Luttrell, a member of the brotherhood, made a pact with the Devil in exchange for repaying his debts. In this agreement, Luttrel agreed to give his soul to the Devil after seven years.
But that was without counting on Luttrell’s ingenuity: when the demon came to collect his due, Luttrell managed to distract him and escape!
The fire that destroyed the premises remains a mystery to this day. It is not known when or why the hunting lodge was destroyed.
But theories abound.
Some believe that the brotherhood itself set fire to the house, in reaction to William Connolly’s son’s refusal to renew the lease.
For others, it was a deliberate act by the club to make the pavilion even more sinister…
In any case, the fire marked the end of the Club’s activities in 1741.
In 1771, the Hell Fire Club was revived for another thirty years. But the brotherhood changed its name to “The Holy Fathers”.
They meet again at Montpelier Hill, and continue the terrifying ceremonies, going so far as to kidnap a farmer’s daughter, before murdering and eating her. The murderer, Whaley, is said to have confessed his wrongdoing… and taken the club down with him.
It’s the end of Hell Fire Club…
Since the 21st century, the building has been maintained by Coillte, who also manage the hillside forestry operations.
The house, now derelict, is a stone edifice pierced by multiple windows, and although badly damaged, it remains standing thanks to its thick stone walls and solid foundations.
The spot can of course be explored, but we don’t recommend venturing inside. The architecture remains weakened by the fire.
Whatever the case, the place is charged with a heavy atmosphere. Whether you believe it or not: the atmosphere inside the building is strange and indescribable.
The perfect place to experience a truly exceptional Irish Halloween!
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