This book had its origin on this wise. In my Irish Witchcraft and Demonology, published in October 1913, I inserted a couple of famous 17th century ghost stories which described how lawsuits were set on foot at the instigation of most importunate spirits. It then occurred to me that as far as I knew there was no
such thing in existence as a book of Irish ghost stories. Books on Irish fairy and folk-lore there were in abundance some of which could easily be spared but there was no book of ghosts. And so I determined to supply this sad omission.