The Legend of the Irish Castle (7 page)

T
he children ran toward Declan’s car just as
he was opening the driver’s side door to get
back inside. Tully ran with them, howling.

“Declan!” Violet called. “Wait!”

He paused and stood back up, closing the
door. Tully approached Declan and nuzzled
his hands with her nose. “Tully!” Declan said,
rubbing her ears. “It has been a long time, girl.”

“We’re the Aldens,” Benny said.

Henry explained. “We’re staying at the
hotel, and we know your sister.”

Declan winced. He sighed as if he were
thinking hard. “Funny you should mention
Erin,” he said. “That’s who I was coming
to see. But now I’m not sure it was such a
good idea.”

Fergus and Mrs. McCarron caught up with
the group. Fergus was a little out of breath.
“Declan,” he said, panting. “It’s so good to
see you.”

“Fergus!” Declan stepped over to his friend
and gave him a long hug. “I wondered if you
would still be here.”

“Your sister never stopped thinking about
you, never stopped hoping you would come
back,” Fergus said.

“Do you really think so?” Declan asked.
“I had a feeling lately that I should try to
apologize, but I never could seem to get myself
to pick up the phone. Then, this morning, I
just got in the car and started driving. But
now that I’m here I feel a little silly.”

“Don’t feel silly,” Violet insisted. “Erin will
be so glad you are here!”

As if to prove that Violet was right, at that
moment Erin came running out the front
door of the castle, waving her arms. “Declan!”
she yelled.

When she reached her brother, she gave
him a big hug. “I can’t believe it’s really you.
I’ve been so worried.”

“Worried? Why?” Declan asked.

“Because these children saw a banshee the
other night, and I knew it could mean that
something bad was going to happen to you.”

“Erin, there’s something we need to tell
you,” Jessie said. “And someone you should
meet. This is Maeve Rowe McCarron.”

Mrs. McCarron stepped forward and shook
Erin’s hand. “Very pleased to meet you, dear.”

Erin’s eyes went wide. “Mrs. McCarron,
the author? What in the world are you doing
here?”

“Fergus is an old friend. He’s been letting
me stay in his cottage so that I could work
without being disturbed.”

“Oh, how wonderful!” Erin said. “We are
so lucky to have you. But I promise to keep all
this a secret. You will be our most important,
most invisible guest!”

“Mrs. McCarron takes walks late at night,”
Benny said. “And Tully wails and howls
sometimes.”

Jessie put her hand on Erin’s arm. “What
Benny means is that what we thought was
a banshee was really just Mrs. McCarron.
There was no banshee, Erin. And no bad luck
for Declan.”

Erin winced. “I guess I did let myself get
carried away believing in that superstition.
Well, that is great news for Declan and for
me, but maybe bad news for the hotel. I think
haunted castles get more reservations!”

Mrs. McCarron smiled. “Well, perhaps it
wouldn’t hurt to let them go on thinking you
have a banshee. Tully does have a convincing
wail!”

The group walked up the lane and went
inside the castle.

In the front hall, Declan gazed around in
wonder. “I don’t think those theatrics will
be necessary, Erin. The hotel looks more
beautiful than ever, and you are doing a
wonderful job running it. Much better than I
ever could have done. Dad was right to leave
the business to you.”

“Well,” Erin said, “there’s always a job here
if you want one. I think we would make a
pretty great team.”

“I will think about it, sis,” Declan said.

Grandfather came down the stairs and the
children filled him in on all that they had
discovered. Then they introduced him to
Mrs. McCarron, and Violet scrolled through
the pictures she had taken to show him the
one of Fergus’s cottage.

“You have four kind and very bright
grandchildren here,” Mrs. McCarron said to
Grandfather.

He nodded proudly. “I don’t think they’ve
ever met a mystery they couldn’t solve.”

“I’d say this calls for a celebration dinner,”
Erin said. “And I have an idea for the perfect
food. But I gave the chef the night off, so I’m
going to need your help.”

Benny furrowed his brow. “More black
pudding?” he asked nervously.

Erin shook her head. “No—how about
pizza? Irish people love pizza.”

“I love pizza too!” Benny said, and everyone
laughed.

“I think everyone loves pizza,” Declan said.
“And we’ll help you make it.”

The Aldens and Declan went into the
kitchen and helped Erin mix up dough
and roll it out. Violet spread on the tomato
sauce and Benny sprinkled on the cheese,
then Declan slid the pizzas into the oven.
In the dining room, Mrs. McCarron and
Fergus set the table, and then Fergus went
upstairs to invite the other guests to join in
the celebration.

Once the hot pizzas were sliced and placed
in the middle of the table, everyone gathered
together.

Erin raised her glass. “Thank you all for
being here. First, I want to welcome home
my dear brother Declan!”

Everyone cheered. Fergus clapped Declan
on the back and shook his hand. Tully barked
with excitement.

“And I would like to thank Henry, Jessie,
Violet, and Benny. Your investigation brought
us back together again, and proved that the
only real bad omen in life is letting anger
keep you away from the people you love.”

“To forgiveness,” Declan said, and raised
his glass. “And to the Aldens!”

“Here, here,” said Fergus, then set down
his glass and pulled a large book called
Irish
Traditions
from a drawer on the buffet table.
“Perhaps Mrs. McCarron can give a blessing
before the meal.”

With the book resting in her arms Mrs.
McCarron called the Aldens over to the head
of the table. “I know you children can help
me choose just the one,” she said. Violet and
Jessie stood on one side of her, and Henry and
Benny on the other. Jessie scanned the page
with her finger and pointed to a blessing she
thought captured the spirit of Ireland. Mrs.
McCarron grinned and nodded, then took a
deep breath and read aloud to all the friends
gathered in the dining room.

“
May brooks and trees and singing hills join in
the chorus too, and every gentle wind that blows
send happiness to you
.”

“And now, let’s eat!” Erin said.

Everyone dug into their food and shared
stories of the trip. Violet showed her pictures
to Mrs. McCarron, and the author told the
children more about the history of the places
they had visited.

When the meal was finished, Fergus took a
fiddle from a cabinet and Declan brought out
a special drum called a bodhrán. Together
they played a joyful dance song, and Erin and
Mrs. McCarron sang lyrics in Irish.

“I think this is my favorite trip yet!” Benny
said when the song ended.

“I liked the gardens best,” Violet said.

“I liked the library,” said Henry.

“Solving the mystery was my favorite part,”
Jessie said. “And meeting Tully.” She rubbed
the wolfhound’s ears. “Maybe we can come
back next year,” she said to Grandfather.

Erin smiled. “The Aldens are welcome at
Duncarraig Castle anytime!”

Ireland is one of the British Isles, located
off the continent of Europe. It consists of
Northern Ireland, a region to the northeast
that’s part of the United Kingdom, and
the Republic of Ireland, the country that
occupies most of the island. When the
Aldens visit the Republic of Ireland they fly
into Dublin, the capital and largest city.

Quick Facts

• Population: 6,378,000 people (entire island)

• Size: 32,595 square miles (entire island)

• Currency: Euro

The first official language of Ireland is
Irish, sometimes known as Irish Gaelic.
However, English is the most commonly
spoken language.

More about Ireland

Irish authors have written some of the most
famous stories in the world, including
Dracula
by Bram Stoker,
Gulliver’s Travels
by Jonathan
Swift, and
Artemis Fowl
by Eoin Colfer.

Ireland is full of ancient places. The town of
Ballyshannon has signs of Neolithic settlements
that go back to 4000 BCE! Other
towns, such as Waterford, were founded by
Vikings in the 10th Century.

There are some
very
long place names in
Ireland! Can you say
Knockavanniamountain
?
What about
Crockballaghnagrooma
or
Muckanaghederdauhaulia
? These names are
written as multiple words in the Irish
language, but their English versions appear
as single long words.

You may have heard the old
legend that Saint Patrick
drove the snakes out of
Ireland. The truth, however,
is that snakes aren’t native to
Ireland—you won’t find them in the wild!
Some large islands, including New Zealand,
Iceland, and Greenland, have colder climates
and isolated geography like Ireland that have
kept snakes from establishing populations
in those places.