The Curse of Dunluce Castle

The tale of Dunluce Castle starts in the 1500s, with the story of Maeve Roe, the only daughter of Lord McQuillan. Maeve was known for her stunning beauty and had many suitors vying for her hand. However, she fell in love with a commoner named Reginald O’Cahan, which wasn’t approved by her father. Maeve’s father arranged her betrothal to a much wealthier suitor, but on the day of the wedding Maeve refused the bridegroom at the altar. Lord McQuillan, in a rage, locked Maeve in the north-eastern tower of the castle. However despite this, Maeve and Reginald managed to elope. Using a makeshift rope, they descended from the tower but in the fury of a winter storm, they crashed against the rocks and met their tragic fate. Ever since, it is said that the spirit of Maeve Roe haunts the tower, lamenting her lost love. People have reported hearing a woman’s soft sobs carried by the wind, particularly on stormy nights. Some have also claimed to see the ghostly figure of a woman in the turret window of the castle tower. The legend of Maeve Roe has become an integral part of local folklore, a tale echoed with every crash of the waves onto the rocky cliffs of Dunluce Castle.

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