GHOST encounters of the absurd kind will fuel terror tales at an upcoming convention on the paranormal. The first ever Ghost Convention will take place against the eerie backdrop of the former Cork City Gaol.
Organiser Richard T Cooke, a well-known author and historian, said he got the idea for the gathering last Hallowe'en.
"I was down in Cobh for a reading of the book, 'The Ghosts of Cork,' by Pauline Jackson. When I got off the train, I spotted a huge big moon overhead and I thought all that was missing was a witch on a broom. I decided I'd do something that would allow people talk about their own personal ghostly experiences."
The convention will include a look at the philosophy of ghosts; the paranormal; the differences between fantasy, perception and belief and ghosts in Irish folklore.
International clairvoyant and clinical hypnotherapist Stan Philips will give a talk called The Truth of Ghost. Helen Barrett, the White Witch of Cobh, will also be there to cast her spell on the proceedings.
Members of the audience with paranormal experiences can also speak.
"There are a lot of people out there who have experienced unexplained psychic phenomena. This convention will give them an opportunity to elaborate on personal experiences without being laughed at," Mr Cooke said.
Tickets are available from Irish Millennium Publications at 021-4318894. Proceedings start at 8pm next Thursday in Cork City Gaol.