A Spirit Trapped At Achill Island's Valley House Evades The 'Spooked Ireland' Team

In the latest episode of 'Spooked Ireland', available on Discovery+, Vogue Williams and Chris Fleming, alongside Ryan O'Neill and Evelyn Hollow, investigate Valley House Hostel on Ireland's Achill Island. The team's mission was sparked by local accounts and the hostel owner's belief in paranormal presences. "The house that we're going to, the man who owns it thinks that there's a lot of paranormal activity going on," Vogue explained.

The episode begins with Vogue going to meet the owner, Pat Gallagher, to find out more about the hostel's harrowing past. Pat told Vogue that the house was originally built by the Earl of Cavan in the 1850s. He recounted the tragic story of Agnes MacDonald, who managed the property until her death in 1923. Her life was marred by a brutal attack in 1894 by James Lynchehaun, a local man. This vicious assault left Agnes severely disfigured. Pat noted that guests often report mysterious shadows and sensations, particularly in the dining room and bedrooms one and two, hinting at the restless spirits of Agnes and James.

The investigation began with Chris and Ryan conducting an initial sweep. Chris, tapping into his psychic abilities, sensed the presence of both male and female spirits, likely Agnes and James. "I'm getting this woman's voice saying, 'I call this my home. This is my home'," Chris shared, feeling a connection to the spirits' histories. The discovery of impressions on freshly made bed covers in bedroom two further cemented their belief in the presence of these entities.

As the team regrouped and shared what they'd learned and their encounters with the spirits, "We think that there might be two spirits here. There's a woman called Agnes. And there's a man called James," Vogue reported. She added, "Agnes coming in, people would have hated that because she was a landowner, she was British." The team agreed to focus their main investigation on establishing contact with these spirits.

In bedroom two, Chris and Evelyn were using a REM-Pod, a ghost-hunting device that radiates its own electrostatic field. If anything enters this field, the device will alert them by emitting a beeping sound. After initially experiencing a lot of activity via the REM-Pod, its batteries suddenly died. "Oh my god!" Evelyn exclaimed. "Ryan just put fresh batteries in it."

Despite this setback, they felt the presence of multiple spirits, though clear communication remained elusive. "There are so many spirits nearby, but our contact hasn't been as clear as Ryan and Vogue's," Chris observed.

Meanwhile, Vogue and Ryan in bedroom one experienced more direct encounters. Using a Frank's Box, they believed they had made contact with James. "It just keeps saying, 'I'm here,'" Vogue observed, following this up with a question: "What's your name?" To which the Frank's Box replied, "James." This significant moment is the confirmation the investigators had been looking for.

Having failed to contact Agnes, the full team then moved to the barn, theorising that her spirit might be found where she was once attacked. Their efforts seemed to bear fruit when they heard a spirit box voice seemingly affirming their desire to be rid of James.

The episode ends with the overlooking the island, from one of its most northern beaches, where they perform a ritual in the hopes of freeing all the spirits trapped there. Chris felt a sense of peace regarding James but remained uncertain about Agnes's choice to stay or leave. "Agnes eventually spoke to us, although I'm still not sure she's left the island," Chris reflected, acknowledging the complex nature of these spirits' ties to the earthly realm.

'Spooked Ireland' episode eight offered the audience an interesting insight into the ghostly occurrences at the Valley House Hostel, including the historical backdrop of Agnes and James. The episode, as well as the rest of the series so far, is available to watch on Discovery+ now.