Dublin has more than a thousand years of history, and some of it refuses to stay buried. Halloween traces its roots back to Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival, and Dublin has been adding to the spooky story ever since. The city even gave the world Bram Stoker, the man behind Dracula. So it’s little surprise there are so many haunted places in Dublin to explore.
This guide works year-round, but it's especially handy in the run-up to Halloween. Inside: the city’s most haunted places, Bram Stoker's Dublin, two free ghost walks, Halloween events and the nearest Aircoach stop for each. You brave the ghosts. We'll bring the coach home.
The most haunted places in Dublin
From crypts to grand hotels, these are Dublin's spookiest places.
St Michan's Church: Dublin's crypt mummies
Tucked away on Church Street in Dublin 7, St Michan's was founded in 1095, making it one of the city's oldest churches. Its limestone vaults naturally preserved bodies from the 17th and 18th centuries, making the crypts one of Dublin's eeriest attractions.
The vaults also hold the coffins of Henry and John Sheares, leaders of the 1798 Rebellion. Bram Stoker is said to have visited the crypts, and legend says their unearthly atmosphere helped inspire Dracula.
Good to know: a 2024 fire damaged several mummies, including the famous Crusader, which is no longer on display. Check opening and tour times before you visit.
Nearest Aircoach stop: O'Connell Bridge (700/700X), roughly a 15-minute walk west along the quays.
Marsh's Library: the archbishop who still searches the shelves
Beside St Patrick's Cathedral on St Patrick's Close, Marsh's Library opened in 1707 as Ireland's first public library. Its original dark oak bookcases are still in use.
Founder Archbishop Narcissus Marsh is said to search the shelves at midnight for a note his niece Grace hid in a book before eloping with a sea captain. He's still looking.
Stoker read here as a Trinity student, and his signature is said to be in the visitor book.
- Open: Tuesday to Friday 9.30am–5pm, Saturday 10am–5pm (closed Sundays and bank holidays)
- Entry: €8 adults, €6 students and seniors
- Nearest Aircoach stop: St Stephen's Green / Kildare Street, roughly a 15-minute walk
The Shelbourne Hotel's resident ghost
Overlooking St Stephen's Green, The Shelbourne is said to be home to Mary Masters, a seven-year-old girl who died of cholera. Guests have reported taps and showers switching on by themselves, and actress Lily Collins said she sensed a giggling ghost while staying there.
Not staying over? Pop in for afternoon tea or a drink and see what you can feel from the spot.
Nearest Aircoach stop: Kildare Street / St Stephen's Green, just a couple of minutes' walk.
More haunted Dublin spots to add to your list
- Kilmainham Gaol: listen out for phantom footsteps and flickering chapel lights.
- The Brazen Head: often called Dublin's oldest pub, said to be haunted by Robert Emmet.
- Glasnevin Cemetery & John Kavanagh's (“The Gravediggers”): the favoured locations for a loyal ghost dog and a tweed-suited phantom drinker.
- Trinity College: the ghost of lecturer Edward Ford, shot by students in 1734.
- Malahide Castle: home to several ghosts, including Puck the court jester and the White Lady.
- The Hellfire Club: a ruined hunting lodge in the Dublin Mountains with a dark reputation.
Bram Stoker's Dublin: where Dracula began
Long before Dracula, Bram Stoker was a Dublin boy. He was born in 1847 at 15 Marino Crescent in Clontarf (now a private home) and spent much of his early childhood too ill to leave his bed. His mother is said to have filled those long days with Irish folklore and grim tales of cholera, planting the seeds of his love for the Gothic.
Those stories followed him to Trinity College, where he spent hours among the shelves of Marsh’s Library. After graduating, he worked as a civil servant at Dublin Castle, but the theatre was his real passion, and he reviewed plays in his spare time. One glowing review of actor Henry Irving grew into a friendship that took Stoker to London in 1878. Before he left, he married Florence Balcombe, Oscar Wilde’s former sweetheart, at St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street.
Dublin never quite let him go, though. The city runs all through Dracula, from the legend of the St Michan’s crypts to the folklore of his childhood and Sheridan Le Fanu’s vampire novella Carmilla.
Today, Dublin returns the favour with the Bram Stoker Festival, a gothic celebration held every year over the October bank holiday weekend, complete with free family events and the Macnas parade.
Want to follow in his footsteps? Walk 1 below starts at our Kildare Street stop, right in the heart of Stoker’s Dublin.
Two free self-guided haunted walks in Dublin
No tour needed. These two free walks link up the spots in this guide, and both start and finish at an Aircoach stop.
Walk 1: Bram Stoker & the Southside spirits (approx. 3km, 1–1.5 hours)
Start: Kildare Street / St Stephen's Green Aircoach stop. Go Tuesday to Saturday during the day, so Marsh's Library is open.
- 30 Kildare Street: Stoker's later home (private, outside only).
- The Shelbourne, St Stephen's Green: keep an eye (and ear) out for little Mary Masters.
- St Ann's Church, Dawson Street: where Stoker married Florence Balcombe in 1878.
- Trinity College, Front Square: Stoker's old college, said to be haunted by Edward Ford.
- Dublin Castle: where Stoker worked as a civil servant.
- Marsh's Library: finish with the restless archbishop, then walk 15 minutes back to St Stephen's Green.
Walk 2: Medieval Dublin, mummies & the quays (approx. 3.5km, 1.5 hours)
Start and finish: O'Connell Bridge / O'Connell Street Aircoach stops. Check St Michan's tour times before you set off.
- Fishamble Street: head west along the south quays to Darkey Kelly's pub, named after the 18th-century brothel keeper said to have been burned as a witch.
- Christ Church Cathedral: pass Dublin's medieval cathedral on your way up the hill.
- St Audoen's Church, High Street: one of Dublin's oldest churches, said to be haunted by the Green Lady.
- The Brazen Head, Bridge Street: Robert Emmet's ghost is said to sit in his corner until closing time.
- St Michan's Church, Church Street: cross the Liffey for the crypt.
- Back to the coach: stroll east along the north quays to O'Connell Street.
What spooky events are happening in Dublin for Halloween?
Dublin's biggest Halloween event is the Bram Stoker Festival over the October bank holiday weekend, with free family events and the Macnas parade. You'll also find pumpkin trails, a Samhain festival and spooky workshops across the city. Here's what's on for 2026.
Family picks
- Pumpkins After Dark, Newbridge House, Donabate: 2–31 October, evenings.
- The Haunted Trail: Malahide Samhain Festival, Malahide Castle: 17–31 October, with a woodland trail and Celtic Samhain village.
Spooky culture
- Darkland, National Leprechaun Museum: dark Irish folklore storytelling, strictly 18+.
- Halloween at Dublinia: spell jar and wand-making workshops, 27–30 October.
- Bog bodies, National Museum of Ireland: a free, year-round spooky extra on Kildare Street, beside our Kildare Street stop.
Fancy exploring further afield this Halloween? Head north for Europe’s biggest Halloween celebration with our guide to the Derry Halloween festival. Our 705X will get you there.
Getting to Dublin's haunted spots with Aircoach
Our 700 and 700X run 24/7 between Dublin Airport and the city centre, as often as every 15 minutes, with fares from €9 one way or €12 return when you book online. Find out more about our Dublin Airport to City Centre service, or read our guide on how to get from Dublin Airport to the city centre.
City-bound coaches stop at O'Connell Street and O'Connell Bridge, and the 700 also stops at Kildare Street. On the return, we pick you up at St Stephen's Green, Westmoreland Street, or O'Connell Street.
| Haunted Spot | Area | Nearest Aircoach Stop | Approx. Walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Audoen's Church & the Brazen Head | High Street / Bridge Street | O'Connell Bridge | 15–20 mins |
| St Michan's Church | Church Street, Dublin 7 | O'Connell Bridge | 15 mins |
| Trinity College | College Green | Westmoreland Street | 2–3 mins |
| The Shelbourne | St Stephen's Green | Kildare Street / St Stephen's Green | 2 mins |
| 30 Kildare Street & St Ann's Church (Stoker) | Kildare Street / Dawson Street | Kildare Street | 2–5 mins |
| National Museum (bog bodies) | Kildare Street | Kildare Street | 2 mins |
| Marsh's Library | St Patrick's Close | St Stephen's Green / Kildare Street | 15 mins |
*Walking times are approximate.
Save more for the good stuff with our Aircoach discounts:
- 50% off with a Student or Young Adult Leap Card
- 10% off for families of 2 adults and 2 children booking online
Coming from further afield? Our 705X connects Belfast and Derry with Dublin, and our 704X links Cork.
Tips for exploring haunted Dublin
- Plan your day. Plan churches and libraries for the day and pubs (the Brazen Head, Darkey Kelly's) for the night.
- Check opening times as some sites close on Sundays and bank holidays.
- Book ahead: festival events and The Shelbourne's afternoon tea can book up fast.
- Wrap up for the weather. Irish October means layers, a waterproof and comfy shoes.
- Travelling with kids? Both walks are family-friendly in daylight. Check pub age rules for evenings.
Plan your haunted Dublin adventure
From crypt mummies and a midnight archbishop to Stoker's old haunts, the haunted places in Dublin make a brilliant day out at Halloween or any time of year. We'll handle the journey. You handle the ghost stories.
Book your Aircoach to Dublin online, and the only scares on your trip will be the ones you planned.