The Haunted Orphanage

[PPI Tim]

From the book of 666 absolutely true stories...

There is an interesting tale of a Orphanage that closed in 1970.

Holy Family Orphanage in Belfast, Northern Ireland was a massive stone building and for 30 years stood abandoned. The local city council finally decided to demolish the site and build an apartment complex where the Orphanage once stood.

From the day the demolition crews arrived, it had one peculiar experience after another. Wrecking cranes would not operate.Tools vanished and could not be found again. Piping hot cups of tea from the workmen's Thermoses turned icy cold in an instant. In the large room that had once been the nursery, the workmen heard babies crying. In the cellar where the morgue had been, the sound of children wailing echoed down the long, dark corridors.

As the story of the haunted orphanage spread throught Belfast, a local news station sent a camera crew to the site to do a story on the eerie events. A cameraman was filming in the dormitory when a small boy approached him.

"Excuse me, sir," the boy said. " Would you tell my sister, Mary Maguire, that I'm alright, and that I'll wait for her here."

The cameraman was surprised. Mary Maguire was the manager of the station's evening news program. How could a woman over 60 years old have a brother who could not be more that 7 or 8? But before the cameraman could say a word, the boy ran down the hallway and disappeared among the shadows.

Preplexed, the cameraman called the office on his cell phone.

"Mary, I'm at Holy Family Orphanage and the oddest thing just happened. A little boy who claims he's your brother asked me to tell you he was fine and that he would wait for you here. Any idea what that's about?"

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then Mary Maguire spoke.

"That was my brother Declan," she said. "He died in the orphanage 53 years ago." :o

[PPI Jason]

Really interesting story. It's these kinds of claims that just beg to be investigated, in my opinion. How much would some tickets to Belfast cost anyway?

[Brian Johnson]

American Airlines doesn't fly into Belfast directly but, they do fly into Dublin. The cheapest flight I found leaves Monday May4th, and returns on the 17th for only $218.00, how about that. We would have to stop in Chicago 1st. (this info is just for 1 passenger FYI)

[PPI Jason]

That sounds great.

One airline ticket to Dublin.....$218.00
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches for a week..... $40
Cool new pictures for the PPI International Website....Priceless.

[ldwalkup]

Don't forget to stop at the Blarney Castle to kiss the stone for the "gift of gab".  You have to walk up 400 narrow, winding stairs.  But, it's worth it.  It's a beautiful location.
Stop at a pub for a pint of Guiness too.

[PPI Jason]

Yeah, I don't think you have to remind Brian about Guiness. Actually, Brian has made it his personal quest to make sure that Guiness does not suffer at all during this time of economic crisis. In fact, I think Brian should be referred to as "The Guiness Stimulus Package." 

[Brian Johnson]

It is times like this when Guinness is needed the most, my friends!

[PPI Tim]

Don't forget to stop at the Blarney Castle to kiss the stone for the "gift of gab".  You have to walk up 400 narrow, winding stairs.  But, it's worth it.  It's a beautiful location.
Stop at a pub for a pint of Guiness too.

It is a beautiful location but if you kiss the "Blarney Stone" you might regret that choice.
I know a tale about the stone. And I did not believe it until I personally looked into the eyes of those who work in the hamlet of Blarney.
You see every year at the end of the tourist season in the little hamlet of Blarney, the locals go to their pub and drink very large amounts of Guiness and other fine Irish Beers. When they have had their fill, they all march up the 400 narrow winding steps to the stone where they all take turns.....
PEEING ON THE STONE!

If you did kiss the stone, you take the taste of Ireland with you....and all those who work around Blarney Castle.

I bet you are not feeling so glib now.

[ldwalkup]

No, I did not kiss the stone.  You had to get on your knees and do a back bend to kiss it.  Besides, it looked nasty.  I had also heard the story about locals peeing on the stone.  I wasn't going to take the chance of taking the taste of Ireland with me.  But, I'm glad I walked up all those steps to take a look at it.  It was a beautiful view from the top of the castle.

[PPI Tim]

You are a wise person.
I didn't kiss the stone as well. And even if you don't believe in the tale, when I was at Blarney Castle there was I figured about 100 people from all parts of the world waiting in line to kiss the stone. You don't what health conditions these people might have. Gross. :o

[ldwalkup]

So true.  So true.

[PPI Jason]

Yeah, but what you guys don't know is that the Blarney Stone doesn't bestow the gift of gab. Oh no my friends. What many people don't realize is that it's actually the urine from the local Irish that provides the coveted talent. The stone merely provides a more palatable way to adhere the urine to the appropriate orifice.

[PPI Tim]

You might be right Jason. I think you get the gift of gab if you actually pee on the stone.

[Brian Johnson]

I tell you its the Guinness!

[ldwalkup]

Thank God I didn't kiss the stone.  So what if I don't have the gift.  I can feel my lips rotting off by just thinking about it.

[bertalikewhoa]

My best friend lives in Dublin...

Brian, how did you find such a cheap flight? I need to get me a passport, post haste.

[Brian Johnson]

American airlines, I guess I was just lucky.