Hell Fire Club on Montpelier Hill

Perched atop various grassy knolls near Dublin, Ireland is Montpelier Hill. The hunting lodge atop the hill was originally built by William Conolly, the speaker of the Irish House of Commons, sometime around 1725.

During the construction, workers came across an ancient grave passage and cairn, which would aid substantially in Mount Pelier’s construction–and to some, contribute to its demise. Stones from the cairn were taken and used in the construction of the lodge. Shortly after completion, a storm blew the roof off. Some speculate that the devil, incensed at Conolly and co’s actions, tore it off in a moment of pure rage. Much to the devil’s chagrin–should you believe that narrative–Conolly had the roof rebuilt with arched stones, again using ones from the ancient cairn.

William Conolly died in 1729, and in the coming years his family would lend the lodge for use to the Hell Fire Club. With roots in the 18th century, the Hell Fire Club consisted of and was founded by self-described “persons of quality”, many of whom were involved with politics or high culture. Feeling safe and sound among other so-called sophisticates, rumor has it that it was here where Ireland’s elites gathered to engage in some of the most immoral and degenerative acts known to man.

It is not clear to what extent, if any, the Hell Fire Club made use of the building. However, numerous (and very doubtful) stories surrounding the building have become part of local folklore. One of the best known stories tells of a stranger who arrived at the club on a stormy night. Invited in, he joined the members in a card game. One player dropped his card on the floor and when he bent under the table to retrieve it noticed that the stranger had a cloven hoof. At this point the visitor disappeared in a ball of flame. Other tales recount numerous drinking sessions and black masses at which animal sacrifices, and on one occasion the sacrifice of a dwarf, took place.

At some point during this period, the building was damaged by fire. There are several stories connected with this incident, one of these involving a man being set on fire with brandy. The fire spread around the building and killed many members.

Following the fire, the club relocated and the building fell into disrepair. Today, the building is maintained by Coillte, a commercial company, who manage the forestry plantations on Montpelier’s slopes, and have installed concrete stairs and iron safety rails across the upper windows.

From the hilltop one has a breathtaking view of Dublin, especially spectacular at dusk and after dark.