Life & Style

The Hellfire Club: Six facts about the spooky Dublin sect known for devil worship, black magic and blasphemy

THE NOTORIOUS Hellfire Club of the Dublin Mountains is a name shrouded in mystery.

South of Dublin atop Montpelier Hill, a hunting lodge built in 1725 which once served the shadowy sect today lies abandoned.

Now, a team of archaeologists are excavating the site to learn more about the prehistoric pagan tombs which line the foundations of the house.

Spooky enough?

Here are six scary facts about Ireland's Hellfire Club...

1. Many of its members were politicians

The first ‘Hellfire Club’ was founded in London in 1718 by Philip, Duke of Wharton – a decade or so before the sect would establish their base in Dublin.

The clubs were said to be exclusive to “persons of quality”, who wished to take part in socially reprehensible acts.

Most members were active in the politics of the day, though their specific activities while part of the group a hard to ascertain thanks to their secrecy.

Irish politician William Connolly died soon after founding the lodge [Picture: Wikipedia Commons]

Irish politician William Connolly died soon after founding the lodge (Image: Wikimedia)

2. Their lodge desecrated an ancient site

The old hunting lodge on Montpelier Hill was built for Irish Parliamentary Speaker William Connolly in 1725.

Connolly’s workmen used stones from the old passage tombs underneath the structure to build the lodge – marking the beginning of the site’s association with the supernatural.

According to local legend, Satan was not happy with the desecration and blew the lodge’s roof off in a rage.

The lodge at Montpelier Hill as it appears today (Image: iStock)

3. The house became associated with dark deeds

Following the roof collapse, the lodge on Montpelier Hill became known by locals as a ‘place of evil’.

After Connolly’s death, his widow leased the lodge out to the Earl of Rosse, Richard Parsons in 1735 – a leading member of the Hellfire Club.

The club were keen to get their hands on the lodge due to being excited by its already sinister reputation.

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— SavetheHellfire (@SavetheHellfire) February 26, 2019

4. They idolised Satan

The president of the Hellfire Club in Dublin was dubbed the ‘King of Hell’, and dressed like Satan – with horns, hooves and wings to boot.

Richard Parsons himself was said to receive guests to the lodge nude – many of them said to be prominent members of the Church.

The lodge quickly became associated with sex, blasphemy and the worship of Satan.

The Hellfire Club of Dublin [Picture: Heritage ie]

An illustration of Dublin's Hellfire Club (Image: Heritage Ireland)

5. They got away with murder

One of the club’s younger members, Henry, fourth Baron Barry of Santry, took things even further.

The often drunken Lord Santry is said to have murdered an ill and bedridden servant in the lodge by burning him alive.

Santry escaped punishment by buying the silence of witnesses to the depraved act.

The kitchen of the lodge today [Picture: Wikipedia Commons]

Dark ruin: The kitchen of the lodge today (Image: Wikimedia)

6. The lodge was abandoned after a mysterious fire

There are several stories connected with the fire which ultimately spelt an end to the Hellfire Club’s stay at Montpelier Hill.

One holds that its members deliberately set fire to the club after their lease was not renewed, while another says that the fire stemmed directly from Lord Santry burning a servant alive.

The club moved out following the fire and the lodge soon fell into disrepair, earning a new reputation for being haunted.

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— SavetheHellfire (@SavetheHellfire) February 27, 2019