31/10/2026
Bean an tsolais ghlais
Lady of the blue light
(Lady and the lamp)
There are many ghost stories whispered throughout the Mourne Mountains, but few seem to have attracted as many accounts and sightings over the years as the mysterious spirit said to wander the slopes of Slieve Binnian and around the Annalong Valley.
Some local stories suggest that this is one of the oldest and most frequently reported ghostly encounters in the Mournes.
It is said that people have witnessed a strange blue glow moving across the mountainside, sometimes visible from as far away as Newcastle and Annalong. A faint, eerie blue glowing light against the darkness, appearing where no ordinary light should be.
But who, or what, is behind it?
According to local tales and old books, the apparition is believed to be a woman, whose spirit has somehow remained connected to these mountains. I was even told her name at one time, along with details of where she was supposed to have lived. However, I cannot say with any certainty how historically accurate those details are.
Her name was siad to be Brónach, (Bronagh) which in Irish is a traditional feminine Irish given name derived from the Gaelic word brón, meaning "sorrow," "sadness," or "grief which fits the story and would mean it was a very long time ago for people to be speaking Irish around Binnian.
Sadly, many of the people who may have known the true story have long since passed away, taking their knowledge and perhaps some of the answers with them.
What makes this particular haunting even more intriguing is the vast number of accounts associated with the area.
Over the years, people have spoken of seeing a mysterious female figure roaming around Slieve Binnian and throughout the Annalong Valley. Others have described an unexplained misty blue light drifting across the dark mountainside, seemingly moving with purpose before disappearing into the darkness.
Perhaps most unsettling of all are the accounts from people who claim to have heard a woman calling their name.
Imagine walking alone along a remote Mourne mountainside, surrounded by darkness and silence, when suddenly you hear someone call you. Not a distant shout or an indistinct sound carried on the wind, but your own name, spoken clearly.
You turn around, expecting to see someone nearby, only to find yourself completely alone.
Some believe the blue light is connected to the woman herself, a lingering presence that continues to roam the mountains long after her earthly life has ended.
Whether these experiences are the result of imagination, strange natural phenomena, or something that cannot easily be explained, the stories have continued to circulate through generations and even myself and a group of friends seen the mysterious light moving across the mountains from the Carrick lane.
And perhaps that is what makes this particular tale so fascinating. Unlike many ghost stories that disappear with time, the Blue Lady of the Mournes seems to have left a lasting impression on those who claim to have encountered her, an unforgettable experience.
So, who was she?
The accounts tell a tragic story of a woman who fell to her death from the top of Binnian while out trying to help her husband bring sheep down from Binnian during a bad storm.
Why does her spirit supposedly remain stuck on Binnian and the Annalong Valley? And what is the strange blue light that people claim to have seen from miles away?
Perhaps somewhere among the older families and forgotten stories of the Mournes, the truth is still waiting to be discovered.
And if you ever find yourself on the slopes of Slieve Binnian after dark, remember this...
If you hear a woman calling your name, make sure you know who it is before you answer.!!!
