‘Haunted’ cottage terrorises rural family

The strange happenings of which we are about to reveal can be compared to a fairytale.

However, regardless of public opinion, it remains a fact that partial destruction has mysteriously descended upon a once-comfortable rural cottage in the townland of Tullynafoyle, in the peaceful parish of Eskra, near Newtownsaville.

A Protestant family named Allen, long-time occupants of the ten-acre farm, are the unfortunate victims. The household includes Mr Thomas Allen, his wife, his elderly mother, and a 13-year-old nephew. They had always enjoyed good relations with their neighbours, and daily life on the farm was uneventful until September last year, when they first encountered what they describe as an ‘invisible visitor’.

The initial disturbances, which terrorised them for several days, ceased after Father McMeel, the parish priest, was called in to assist. The peace lasted until about two weeks ago, when the strange occurrences returned with greater force.

Today, the cottage, especially the kitchen, is in ruins. Nearly every piece of earthenware is smashed, window panes are broken, and clothing has been inexplicably torn. Even the structure of the house itself has been affected; much of the chimney’s brickwork has mysteriously fallen out. Remarkably, the kitchen has borne the brunt of the damage, while the bedroom and outhouses remain untouched.

According to the Allens, bricks have fallen from the chimney one by one over the past fortnight, often bouncing off the floor to strike windows or dishes. Some bricks have even disappeared after falling, adding to the mystery. Stones have reportedly been thrown through the kitchen windows during the day, even though no one was outside at the time. Most of the damage, they claim, has occurred in daylight, with only a few incidents happening after dark.

These occurrences have drawn widespread attention. As news of the strange events spread through Tyrone, crowds have flocked to the scene. On Sunday alone, hundreds visited the cottage, and new arrivals have come daily since.

When our representative visited the site on Wednesday evening, Newtownsaville was buzzing with people from nearby towns such as Fintona, Clogher, and Carrickmore, all eager to discuss the ‘haunted house’. At the cottage, Mr Allen recounted his story to an attentive audience. The man, clearly over 50 and visibly stressed, spoke of the events that had troubled his family.

“In September last year, bricks from the chimney stack began falling down the flue into the fire,” he said. “I replaced them, but they continued to fall. The local clergy were called, and after the parish priest visited, the disturbances stopped for several months. Then, about a fortnight ago, the bricks started to fall from the breast of the chimney.”

Crash to the ground

The house, which is not lofted, saw all of the bricks crash to the ground. Mr Allen explained how, during the day, pebbles have been thrown through the windows, yet no one inside has ever been struck. “Standing on the floor here, stones were thrown through the window. The peculiar thing is, no matter who was on the floor, no one was hit, but some glass articles were broken.”

He went on to describe how the soot from the chimney, which had appeared clean, began falling into the kitchen fire intermittently. “While in bed at night, we have never been disturbed.

This all happens in daylight and before bedtime.”

Mr Allen also spoke of the recent visit by Reverend F Stothers, the local Protestant clergyman, who witnessed some of the phenomena firsthand.

Mr Allen recalled, “He was sitting on a chair near the dresser, and a brick that had fallen from the chimney earlier was lying on the floor.

“While Rev Stothers was reading his prayer book, there was a crash. One of the window panes shattered, and the brick had disappeared.”

Mrs Allen and her husband also showed clothing that had been mysteriously torn, with patches missing. They reported finding stockings, once packed securely in a press, lying on the floor full of holes. Bags of flour, meal, and oats had also been mysteriously ripped, with their contents spilled onto the kitchen floor.

All these bizarre events have continued daily for more than a fortnight. While the Allens remain deeply agitated, they are becoming somewhat accustomed to the disturbances. Mr Allen expressed his attachment to the family home, saying, “I was born and reared here, and I hope I will not have to leave it.”

Mrs Allen echoed his sentiment, saying, “Our house is destroyed, but what could be the cause of it?”

Meanwhile, the elder Mrs Allen, who is hard of hearing, tearfully shared her distress, saying, “My health is down completely with this trouble. I can’t stand it much longer. Why should this happen to us? I never heard anything like it in my life.”

The mystery remains unsolved, and despite the many theories swirling through the parish, no one has yet found an explanation for the strange events that continue to plague the Allen family. For now, Tyrone is left to ponder the inexplicable happenings in Tullynafoyle…