03x05 - A Haunting in Ireland

[bunniefuu]

Narrator: in this world,
there is real evil

In the darkest shadows

And in the most ordinary places.

These are the true stories
of the innocent

And the unimaginable.

In ireland,

An ordinary family
is suddenly plagued

By frightening phenomena
they cannot explain.

Terrifying encounters become
more frequent and dangerous

As a tormented spirit
feeds off their fears.

With nowhere to turn,

They gamble
on a spiritual healer,

Who uncovers supernatural wounds
that prayers alone cannot heal.

Between the world we see
and the things we fear...

There are doors.

When they are opened,

Nightmares...become reality.

-- Captions by vitac --
www.vitac.com

Captions paid for by
discovery communications, inc.

Along the western shores
of ireland

Lies the ancient port city
of galway,

Where the river corrib
empties into the galway bay.

It is a place of legends
and mystery,

Where sometimes
you can still hear

The faint whispers
of lost souls.

For nearly 30 years,

The fahey family has lived
in a government-subsidized home

In galway.

During the week,

Jackie fahey is a bus driver
for special-needs children.

His wife, esther,
works as a cook

At a nearby childcare center.

Esther: we were just
an ordinary family.

We just lived our life
and were quite happy.

Narrator: in 1996,
their daughter, martha,

Gives birth to a baby girl --
sara louise.

Esther: when sara louise
came to our home,

Everything seemed to be
so wonderful,

And we could look after her
and care for her.

Narrator: jackie is immediately
captivated by his granddaughter.

...if you'd like
to take a rest.

It's all right. Thanks.

Everyone in the house just
wanted to hold her and hug her.

Narrator:
jackie's son, michael,

Also lives in the house
with his fiancée, anne.

Michael: so, when sara louise
came into the house,

It was like a new beginning
for the family.

Myself and my girlfriend were in
the process of getting married,

And I had started
my own business.

It looked like
a very, very bright future.

[ Hammering ]

Narrator: a few months
after sara louise's birth,

The neighbors begin renovating.

[ Sara louise crying ]

[ Hammering continues ]

[ Crying continues ]

There, there.
Everything is gonna be fine.

[ Exhales sharply ]

Mike, I need your help!

What's the matter here?

Uncle mike is here.
He's gonna fix everything.

Could you move her crib
across the room?

It's gonna be all right.

Narrator:
a few days later...

[ Sniffs ]

There was a smell.

It was like rotting meat
or rotting flesh.

Maybe a rat died somewhere
under the floorboards.

Or the drains were bad.

What are you doing?

There's an awful
smell here.

[ Sniffs ]

Oh, god, you're right!

I told you.

Where is it coming from?

That's what I'm trying
to figure out.

It smelled like death,

Dirty, fleshy smell,
like something died.

I thought it was coming
from over here.

But now there's nothing.

And the smell was sort of
moving around the house.

[ Sniffs ]

Ohh, it's back here now.

Oh, it's like
it keeps shifting.

Maybe it's the pipes.

I'll call the landlord.

[ Coughs ]

Narrator:
the next morning...

Do you get it now?

The smell of rotten meat.

Look, we don't
smell anything.

How can you not
smell that?

Look, we're already here.

We'll check the pipes

And all the drains
outside.

Jackie:
that's it, then?

That's all
you're going to do?

The problem is not
in your pipes.

This fella thinks we're nuts,
pure nuts, a loony-bin job.

We were really going crazy.

"What is it?
Where is it coming from?"

Narrator:
a few weeks later,

The smell vanishes
as suddenly as it appeared.

[ Baby crying loudly ]

[ Groans ]

[ Crying continues ]

Why doesn't martha
take care of her baby?

[ Crying stops ]

She stopped crying.
She must've gotten up.

[ Crying resumes ]

All right.
Give me a moment.

I'll be back.

[ Crying grows louder ]

[ Crying continues ]

I said, "well,
there's something really strange

And weird going on here."

[ Crying continues ]

[ Door closes ]

I thought you went to go
take care of the baby.

I did.

Then why is she
still crying?

She isn't.

She's not crying.

Well, something is crying.

[ Gasps, groans ]

I felt like somebody
was pushing on my chest.

Michael!

What's the matter?

I couldn't speak,
couldn't breathe.

[ Gasps, coughs ]

Michael,
are you all right?

[ Panting ] I am now.

[ Crying continues ]

I believe in one god,
the father almighty.

I believe in the creator
of heaven and earth.

Michael: as we prayed,
the crying was getting worse.

Both: the lord, jesus christ.

Getting louder and louder,

As if we were physically
hurting the spirit.

[ Praying indistinctly,
baby crying loudly ]

[ Crying stops ]

"What is going on here?"

So, we stopped praying,

And the crying
just wasn't there anymore.

Have you seen
sara's bottles?

Aren't they
in the cabinet?

I put them away meself.

Somebody must have moved them.

Well, help us hunt.

Did you hear a baby
crying last night?

No. Sara louise was quiet
last night, wasn't she?

Jackie: mike was very --
very withdrawn.

It wasn't the michael I knew.

There was a baby crying,
but it wasn't sara louise.

What are you
talking about?

The neighbors don't have
any babies.

I think there's something
in the house.

I think it may have hidden
the bottles, too.

A ghost?
[ Chuckles ]

Don't even be fooling
about that.

I didn't really believe him.

I didn't believe anything
like that,

You know, life after death.

It's absurd.

Had too many pints
at the pub, huh?

No, I heard it, too.

There's no ghost,
I tell you.

Now, help us hunt!

If there's a ghost here,
give us a sign!

There you go.

There's no ghost.

Now, get dressed
before you're late for work.

Michael:
he kind of passed it off.

Narrator: a week later,

Jackie and martha
bring sara louise home

From a doctor's appointment.

[ Music box playing ]

[ Music box continues playing ]

Michael? Anne?

They're at work, dad.

It must be them
playing a trick on us.

Something just going on
that I couldn't explain,

But I was afraid to say it,
you know?

Anne?

Michael:
it was like a bright orb.

It just dissipated
and then disappeared.

[ Baby crying ]

I don't think we actually
slept that night whatsoever.

I tell you, it was brighter
than a thousand candles,

And then it just faded away
until it slowly disappeared.

Could've been a car.

I see headlights every night.
This was far brighter.

I tell you,
we have a ghost in the house.

Don't you be saying that.

He kept telling me.
He said, "it is true.

It is true."

I was very upset.

Do you swear you didn't put
those toys in a circle?

I never touched them.

That's when I realized

We had something going on
in the house,

Something not normal.

...we should ask a priest
for help.

He won't believe us.

We'll put a tape recorder
in the baby's room.

Capture the sound
of the ghost crying.

We'll try it tonight.

Ah, I forgot the tapes.

They're downstairs.

I'm sorry, dad.

[ Shattering ]

What on earth was that?!

What's wrong?

What happened?
I heard a noise.

How did it get smashed
like that?

Something must have
thrown it.

And hard, too.

There was a crash,
and then the boys,

They went upstairs,
and I don't know what it is.

[ Both screaming ]

Esther: the curtains was pulled
with vengeance.

I was very frightened.

Jackie!

What was that?

Jackie!

Jackie:
that moment of fear...

They were opening and closing
by themselves!

...pure fear in our eyes.

Everyone,
out of the house -- now!

[ Sobbing ]

Here.

Have a seat.

Narrator: the family takes
shelter with their neighbors,

Who have been close friends
for years.

You're more than welcome
to stay the night.

Thanks.
That would be grand.

Esther: our neighbors
was very good.

They had to make beds
and put us on the floor.

Jackie: our neighbor
were wonderful.

What do you really think
is going on?

Couldn't do enough to help us.

First thing in the morning,
I'll call the church.

Narrator:
a few days later...

Priest: in the name
of the father...

...a local parish priest
comes to bless the house.

The grace and peace
of god, our father,

And the lord jesus christ
be with you.

Together:
and also with you.

Lord, we have sinned
against you.

Jackie: sara louise was
quite happy in my arms.

[ Baby crying ]

Lord, show us your mercy.

Father, do you hear that?

You hear that crying?

[ Crying grows louder ]

Well, surely
you hear that.

May almighty god
have mercy on us,

Forgive us our sins,

And bring us
to everlasting life.

The more prayers he was saying,

The more the ghost baby
screamed and screamed.

In other words, "get out.
Don't want you here."

I knew he heard it.

I could tell he was petrified.

All saints of heaven,
come to our aid.

Esther: I couldn't keep
from shaking.

That's how scared I was.

...for the deliverance
of our brothers and sisters

Who are enslaved
by the evil one.

Narrator: jackie asks the priest
to bless sara louise's room.

What's wrong?

The crib is against
the door.

That's impossible.

See, father, I told you.
There's something in this house.

Well, maybe one of you
did it.

We couldn't have put the crib
up against the door.

How would we get out?

After you, father.

Lord god of heaven and earth,

Bless this house
and all who inhabit it.

Fill them with the light
of christ,

That their concerns for others
may reflect your love.

We ask through christ,
our lord, amen.

That's all. It's done.
I'll be going now.

Jackie: the priest couldn't wait
to get out of the house.

Packed his bag and out the door.

[ Door opens, closes ]

Narrator: the faheys are hopeful
the priest's blessing

Will quiet the restless spirit
in their house.

Just to be safe, that night
the family sleeps together.

[ Creaking ]

[ Baby crying ]

And this jug just came right up
in front of me, tilted...

Michael: dad?

Uhh!

Jackie: and I remember turning,

Falling down the stairs...

[ Breathing heavily ]

Dad, can you hear me?

...and then coming to,
to my senses,

Out in front of the house.

What happened?

You saw a ghost.

It's very hard to describe
what it feels like

When something comes
into your house to invade it.

It was awful, really.

Jackie: I don't think
any of us

Should go back
to that house tonight.

Narrator: again the family takes
refuge with their neighbors.

My sister has got room.
We could all go down.

But it's a 4-hour drive.

I mean, I wish I could.

Jackie, I need to get out
of the house.

I need rest, and I don't know
what else to do.

All right, we'll go back
and pack our suitcases.

You stay here.

I'll fetch you.

I'll go with you.

Thank you.

Thanks so much.

Narrator: jackie arranges
for he and esther

To stay with his sister
for the weekend.

Jackie: I felt really scared

Leaving my daughter and my son
and grandchild behind us.

I wish you were
all coming down.

I don't feel good
about you staying.

We got jobs
to get to, dad.

Martha?

We'll be fine, dad.

It's never done anything
to me or the baby.

She was thinking, "well,
I'm gonna try and block it out

And pretend nothing
is happening,"

For the sake of her child.

We'll be fine, dad.
I'll take care of them.

We'll be back
in a couple of days.

We were frightened,
leaving the kids,

But we just had to get away.

Narrator: the next day,
with her parents out of town

And michael and anne at work,

Martha is alone in the house
with sara louise.

[ Baby crying ]

Martha runs to the neighbor
for help.

I'm right behind you!

[ Crying continues ]

Hurry. Please.

Oh, my baby!

Are you okay?

Oh. Mama's here.

Thank you!

Narrator: that night,

Michael and anne
return home from work.

Is that from martha?

Aye. She and the baby are over
at the neighbor's.

I'll go fetch them.

Do you want me
to go with you?

No, no.
Just stay here.

[ Creaking, wind howling ]

Is somebody there?

[ Baby crying ]

[ Screams ]

Michael, we have to get away
from the house!

The baby, the picture!
We have to go!

It flew across the room!

Maybe it just fell.
No!

No, I'm not imagining it!

I'm not going back
in that house, either,

Not after
what happened to me!

Michael, your parents said
we could come with them.

Let's go, please, michael!

All right, all right.
Get in the car.

Michael, I need
the baby carrier

And a dozen or so diapers
from her room.

All right.

[ Dial tone ]

Narrator: michael decides
to let his parents know

That they're leaving the house.

[ Indistinct voice speaking ]

It was like they didn't want
me to phone.

Ah!

God.

The phone was melted.

I was petrified.

It felt like someone was
actually pushing me away.

"Just go. Go now. Leave."

Martha?

Narrator:
after a few days away,

The fahey family reluctantly
returns to their house.

Let's take a look.

Esther: oh, my god.

[ Door closes ]

Guess we'll need a new frame.

It was like someone came in
and ransacked the place,

But there was nothing missing.

Come on, everyone,
let's put things right.

Jackie: we felt invaded.

Somebody had just moved in,
taken over my house.

I wanted my house back.

[ Sobs softly ]

I used to love this house.

We had nowhere to turn.

Now I don't want
to live here anymore.

Come on, love,
don't lose heart.

We're going to beat
this thing.

We've got to do something.
Like what?

The family was just literally
falling apart at the seams.

Where do we get help?

Call a radio program
or maybe the papers.

They'll make fun!
Maybe!

But someone might hear our story
and come and help.

Michael is right.

This is our home.

We're not going to just
let it push us out.

Esther:
we had to confront this.

You're right.

It wasn't going to put us
out of our own home

After being there for 30 years.

Narrator: a dublin radio station

Airs an interview
with the faheys.

The interview prompts a local
newspaper to send a reporter

To spend the night
in the ghost house.

You must be the reporter.

That I am.
Fiona tanner.

Please, come in.

We felt a bit happy
that, okay,

Somebody out there
had listened to us.

Michael.
Fiona tanner.

Glad to meet you.

And I'm esther.

Jackie:
the room is yours.

Just make sure you write
that we're looking for someone

To help fix this problem.

Jackie: she said,
"I don't believe in ghosts,

"Don't believe in this,
in that,

But can I stay anyway?"

I said, "fine."

Michael: we knew when something
was gonna happen

Because the house
would grow cold.

Colder in here
by the minute.

Excuse me?

Do you mind if I use your
kitchen table to write my story?

Go right ahead.

Aren't you going
to write your story

After you stay all night?

I thought
I'd get started now

Since it doesn't look like
anything is going to happen.

Cold, isn't it?

[ Glass shatters ]

Michael: bits of porcelain
everywhere on the carpet.

There was tiny, minute pieces

That had spread
all over the place.

Tanner:
don't touch anything.

I need a photograph.

Jackie: I felt relieved
that someone believed us,

That we were not going crazy.

[ Camera shutter clicks ]

According to the fahey family,

The galway ghost seems
determined to drive them out.

Narrator: the newspaper's
eyewitness account

Piques the interest of reporters
from all over europe.

The family is appealing
for help.

The story is dubbed
"the galway ghost."

I'm claudia o'rourke,
reporting from galway.

There they are.

Michael: we were splashed
in every paper in ireland,

And we were on nearly
every radio station.

It was just this major,
big media expl*si*n.

Would you care to comment
on rumors

That you want galway council
to find you a new home?

Esther: I thought people
were talking, whispering.

"They're the people
that's crazy."

Sir, we heard reports
of paranormal activity

In your house.

Listen,
we didn't ask for this.

But, sir, what about the --
we heard --

Is there a baby involved?

I was very frightened

Nobody would be able
to do anything for us

Or get rid of
what was in the house.

Narrator: several days later,
a reporter calls jackie,

Recommending the services
of someone

He thinks can help his family.

Sandra ramdhanie is
a renowned parapsychologist

And healer with degrees
in psychology and metaphysics.

I was reluctantly drawn
out of the world of science

And psychology into the world
of the paranormal.

Studying psychology helped me
know more about the human mind.

So if I go into a house

Where people think
paranormal activity is going on,

It enables me to find
where the person is coming from,

Whether it's a nervous problem

As opposed to
a spirit-activity problem.

She's here.

Narrator: jackie is hopeful that
sandra can help his family.

Sandra? Welcome.

I was very, very skeptical.

I didn't believe in psychics,
to be honest.

Maybe this lady
might be the one.

Pleased to meet you, too.

This is me son, mike.

Oh, hello, mike.

As soon as she walked in,
you got this warm feeling

Like you knew her
for a hundred years.

Martha.
Hello, martha.

So nice to see you.

My first task really was
to put the family at ease.

I was very worried about martha

And esther

And just tried to bond with them
a little bit

And let them get to know me.

...completely with what
you're going through.

Esther was terribly,
terribly drained.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you
so very much.

My goodness.

What a beautiful
little baby.

Esther: sara louise
didn't appear to be affected

In a bad way.

We knew we had found someone
that would --

That was going to do something
good for us.

Ramdhanie: I asked them
to bring me to the room

Where they felt the most
activity happened,

Which was sara louise's
bedroom upstairs.

I placed my hands
against the walls

To get an idea of what
sort of energy is there,

What type of spirit
you're dealing with.

Has there been recent
construction here?

No, we haven't
done anything.

Wait, don't you
remember, dad?

They were doing construction
next door

On the other side
of the wall.

We had to move sara's crib.

You're right.

There was construction...

Just before
all this began.

It freaked me out
when she was able to tell me

That the neighbors
were doing construction.

Could I stay here alone
for a while?

If I meditate,
I might get something.

[ Door closes ]

When I'm trying to pick up
psychic information,

It's almost like
I'm listening really hard,

Trying to invite the spirits
of the place to communicate.

The first thing I noticed
was a smell,

Like from smoke.

I opened my eyes...

[ Girl screaming ]

...and I'm in this completely
different room.

Ramdhanie: I closed my eyes.

[ Girl wailing ]

A young girl was giving birth.

Her father --

I felt he was her father --

Looked very upset, sad.

There was a shadowy man
in the background.

He seemed to be very,
very stern, maybe angry.

[ Woman sobbing ]

[ Baby crying ]

The young mother was reaching
forward, screaming,

Screaming for her baby...

Woman: please, no!

Ramdhanie: ...as he smothered
the child and k*lled it.

[ Woman screaming ]

[ Knock on door ]

[ Exhales ]

Oh, my god.

I thought you might
like a cup of tea.

If you don't mind,

I think I'll come down and take
tea with you and the family.

Oh. Aye.

I believe the baby
was born out of wedlock,

And from shame,
the father of the girl

And father of the baby
had it k*lled.

How horrible.

How could anybody
do such a thing?

Now, what has that got to do
with our house?

Well, the spirit baby
isn't haunting your house.

It's haunting the land.

I think the construction
disturbed the baby's spirit.

And then you've recently
had a baby.

I think the spirit baby
wants to get close to you,

Wants to be mothered
by you.

Narrator: sandra explains

That she will attempt
a healing ceremony

To help the ghost move on
and find peace.

The first thing I need
is for someone

To take sara
out of the house.

I wanted the child
safely out of the way

Just in case things started
flying around the place.

No, no, not you, martha.

I need you here to help me
get rid of the ghost.

The missus and I will take sara
for a stroll.

That's a good girl.

Will this work?

That will be perfect.
Right there. Thank you.

Now, if I could have you
all join hands.

Just close your eyes...

And breathe deep,
cleansing breaths.

Breathe in.

[ Inhales ]

Breathe out.

[ Exhales ]

Slowly.

Just concentrate
on your breathing.

Now imagine the spirit baby
in the bassinet.

See him
with your mind's eye.

Just keep concentrating.

Focus.
Listen to my voice.

That's right.

Now picture the spirit baby
in the bassinet

And send all of your energy
to this baby

To help move him over
to the next world.

Martha!

You must keep your eyes closed,
must all of you.

You must concentrate.
You must focus.

Continue focusing
on this baby.

That's right.
That's good.

And I want you
to picture this baby

Surrounded
by a golden light.

See him.

See him begin to rise.

He's rising.

Rising.

Visualize the baby
rising right up

Out of the house...

Michael: I seen this baby
in a white cloth

Going up into the light.

...into the hands
of his loved ones.

Crossing over
into the next world.

That's right.

[ Chuckles ] yes.

I felt it,
and I could see it.

It was like this beautiful baby

Just rising up
into the sun.

It was amazing.
[ Chuckles ]

The house was warm.
There was a warm feeling.

Everybody was laughing.

Narrator: jackie and esther
noticed the difference

The moment they returned.

It's gone, isn't it?

Aye. You can tell,
can't you?

Just felt like a holiday
in a hot country.

You felt that warm air,
the sunshine on you,

And it felt fantastic.

I feel like I've got
my home again!

It was just like heaven,

Just, "we have the house
our own again,

And peaceful and quiet."

I'm just so glad to have
my house back again.

I believe we were
specially picked

To send this baby
up into the light

To rest us and have peace.

Join us for dinner.

Thank you, esther.
I'd love to.

Jackie: of all the badness
I had in my house,

Something good came out of it.

Narrator: today the faheys
continue to live in their home,

Which is known across ireland

As the house
of the galway ghost.

Jackie: we know it's gone,

And we know
it will never come back.

But a little voice in the back
of your head says, "okay.

Will it come back again?"

[ Baby crying ]