Is Lough Gill Distillery Haunted?

Did you know that single malt isn't the only ageing spirit to be found beside Lough Gill? It is said that the house and grounds of Lough Gill Distillery, are haunted by the "White Lady of Hazelwood".

Stories are told by those who walk the shores of Lough Gill are sometimes met by a puzzled ‘Lady’, who stumbles out of the foliage in a white dishevelled dress, asking those who meet her "Where am I?" before vanishing.

As many of you will know historic Hazelwood house, which looms over Lough Gill Distillery, was the seat of the Wynne family for 200 years.

With one exception, the head of the Wynne family bore the forename Owen. The last, Owen VI, died on November 21st, 1910, aged 67, his death bringing to an end a dynasty that had dominated the local area, socially, politically and economically, for almost 200 years.

It is suggested that Stella Fanny, wife of Owen VI and the younger daughter of Sir Robert Gore-Booth, of Lissadell, who died in a horse carriage accident on February 27th, 1887 is who haunts Hazelwood.

Stella Wynne in her phaeton outside Hazelwood House

Stella died following an accident when she was driving her phaeton, (a light four-wheeled carriage drawn by a single horse) on a journey to visit Captain Peel's house in Newtownmanor when all of a sudden her horse bolted as it was making its way downhill which led to one of the wheels coming off her phaeton.

Stella and her companion, a Miss McClintock, were thrown from the carriage leaving Miss McClintock uninjured. However. Stella hit her head against a rock gatepost, leaving her with a fractured skull, dying of her injuries two days later.

As Owen had no male heir, that accident was, in effect, the beginning of the end of the Wynnes of Hazelwood. It's even been suggested Stella's ghost still haunts the House! 

Is it Stella who haunts the grounds, wandering Hazelwood house and route? Who knows.

However, when a Korean company called Saehan bought Hazelwood and its large former Snia factory in the 80s,  rumour has it that they had to abandon many meetings around this time of year.  

Thankfully, these days Hazelwood and its estate are home to far more interesting spirits of the single malt variety. Have a spooky Halloween!