As a beacon to information ships safely to Drogheda port, the Maiden Tower at Mornington Seashore bears its personal histories. It’s stated that after a girl threw herself from the tower when she thought that her lover had died within the conflict.
Perched upon the southern financial institution on the River Boyne’s mouth in Eire, two outdated constructions stand sentinel over the waters—an eerie duo that has borne witness to centuries of maritime historical past. The Maiden Tower, the 60 ft tower on Mornington Seashore. The Tower dates all the way in which again to the sixteenth century, through the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The Woman’s Finger is a solitary stone pillar.
Learn Extra: Try all the ghost tales from Eire
These two maritime markers served as very important navigational aids for ships venturing into the River Boyne previous to the development in 1765. The mariners of yore relied on the sight of those constructions to soundly navigate the river’s winding course.

The Ready Maiden
Amidst the tower’s historical stones, echoes of folklore and legend resound. One story tells of a trustworthy girl who, eagerly awaiting her husband’s return from the conflict. Earlier than leaving, the girl made her lover promise he would return on a ship with white sails if he lived, and if he didn’t, the ship would have black sails.
When he lastly returned, the sails have been black and the girl thought he was lifeless. Overwhelmed with grief tragically plunged from the tower.Turned out although, that the black sail was both a mistake, or her man had used it to shock her in a twist.
When he noticed what had occurred, he too jumped from the tower to hitch her within the afterlife.
It’s stated that ever after, individuals have seen the ghost of the maiden, standing on the prime of the tower, nonetheless ready for the ship to inform that her lover actually did survive.
The Woman’s Finger, a 13ft excessive obelisk, was stated to have been erected within the reminiscence of the tragic maiden that threw herself from the tower. Reportedly the time period “Woman’s Finger” was given and the maiden by no means acquired a marriage ring.
The Spinning Woman within the Maiden Tower
However amidst the historic accounts and maritime tales, one enigmatic determine stays—a mysterious outdated lady who, in 1819, took up residence atop the tower. On a Spring morning in 1819 the fishing neighborhood of the little village have been shocked to see smoke rising from the highest of the tower and located the outdated hermit lady within the tower.
Spinning yarn underneath a makeshift sail roof, she wove herself into the tapestry of native folklore, incomes the moniker ‘the girl of the tower.’ The villagers gave her meals every day and checked out her like a holy lady.
Because the extreme winter of 1821 gripped the land, she left the tower’s solitude to a medical establishment, passing away shortly thereafter. She was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave and nobody discovered who she was.
The Enduring Thriller of the Maiden Tower
Public entry to the tower persevered till the mid-Nineteen Nineties, when a metallic grill sealed the raised doorway, safeguarding it from vandalism. In 2003, the metallic grill was eliminated, and the tower suffered desecration. To thwart additional intrusions, a strong metallic door was erected, barring entry.
The Maiden Tower and the Woman’s Finger, steadfast guardians of the River Boyne, proceed to forged their spectral presence over the waters, bearing witness to centuries of maritime historical past and enigmatic tales that linger on the whispering winds of time.
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References:
Mornington, County Meath – Wikipedia
Maydenhayes Inspiration | The Maiden Tower & The Woman’s Finger