Dobbins Inn

Maud Elizabeth Dobbin (or Dobbins) is the spectre here - she was said to have had an affair with a soldier at Carrickfergus Castle using a secret underground tunnel. However, her husband found out about this and murdered her and then decapitated her lover. Her spectre alarms visitors by stroking their faces as they sleep; she has also been seen running from the reception to the fireplace, where the tunnel is to be found. There are also unconfirmed stories that her husband Hugh has also been seen as has the soldier. Dark shadows, a "black mass" in the reception, the sensation of breath on the face, chairs moving, doors opening and closing by themselves and people being hit by objects in empty rooms has also been reported. One startled visitor woke to see a lady sitting at a table attending to her hair and as she watched, the vision faded - and in the morning, she realised that her room had neither a chair nor table, only a blank wall.The chef had his apron strings tugged and claimed that pots and pans moved by themselves in the kitchen.

Link: Northern Ireland World

Link: Belfast Live