Loftus Hall, long reputed to be “Ireland’s most haunted house,” has been sold for €3 million, paving the way for a new chapter in the storied history of one of the country’s most famous mansions.
The 27.68-hectare coastal estate, perched dramatically on the Hook Peninsula in County Wexford, has been purchased by Patrick McDermott, an investor and accountant from County Meath with a background in beef farming.
McDermott acquired the historic property seven months after it was placed on the market by Oakmount, the property development company owned by Paddy McKillen Jr. According to The Irish Times, the new owner plans to complete the restoration work begun by the previous proprietors and transform Loftus Hall into a 22-bedroom luxury hotel, featuring fine dining rooms and guest lounges.
“Our goal is to restore the grandeur of Loftus Hall while preserving its unique atmosphere and history,” Mr McDermott is reported to have said. “It deserves to be enjoyed, not feared.”
Originally built between 1870 and 1871 on the site of Redmond Hall — which dates back to 1350 — the current three-story, nine-bay mansion spans over 2,000 square metres. The site’s lineage traces back to the Redmond family, who constructed the original hall during the time of the Black Death.
The existing Loftus Hall was later rebuilt and renovated extensively between 1872 and 1879 by the Loftus family in anticipation of a planned visit by Queen Victoria. However, the royal visit never took place, leaving the family burdened by enormous debts. The last surviving Loftus family member died in 1890, and the bankrupt estate was subsequently sold.
Over the decades that followed, the house took on many roles: a home for Benedictine nuns, a girls’ school run by the Sisters of Providence, and even the Loftus Hall Hotel, which closed in the early 1900s.
In 2011, the estate was purchased by the Quigley family, who began an extensive programme of structural repairs and regeneration, stabilising the building, restoring the walled gardens, and securing the courtyard. Their work ensured that Loftus Hall — long in danger of decay — would be preserved for future generations.
Yet it is the haunting legend associated with the hall that has most captured the public imagination. According to local folklore, one stormy night in the late 18th century, a mysterious stranger arrived at Loftus Hall on horseback and was welcomed inside by the Tottenham family, who lived there at the time.
The young Lady Anne Tottenham is said to have become entranced by the visitor. One evening, as the family played cards, Lady Anne dropped a card and bent to retrieve it — only to discover the stranger had cloven hooves instead of feet.
“With a burst of fire and smoke, the stranger vanished through the ceiling, leaving behind a hole said to have never fully closed,” the legend recounts.
Traumatised, Lady Anne was allegedly confined to the Tapestry Room, where she died years later. Servants and visitors have since reported “seeing her ghost wander the halls, her presence chilling even the bravest souls.”
This chilling tale earned Loftus Hall its enduring reputation as “Ireland’s most haunted house,” drawing tourists, ghost hunters, and paranormal enthusiasts from around the world.
Despite its ghostly reputation, Loftus Hall’s new owner is focused firmly on restoration and reinvention. The planned redevelopment will see the estate reborn as a luxury boutique hotel, merging heritage tourism with high-end hospitality.
Local tourism officials have welcomed the purchase, noting that a revived Loftus Hall could become a major attraction for the southeast, complementing the nearby Hook Lighthouse, one of the world’s oldest operational beacons.
“Loftus Hall has always inspired fascination and fear in equal measure,” said one local historian. “Now, it has the chance to inspire admiration once again.”
With its haunting legends, grand architecture, and new lease on life, Loftus Hall is poised to begin a new chapter — one that may finally balance its ghostly past with a prosperous future.
