Mayobridge's Mystery Midnight Marauder

I had a couple of happy research accidents this week. 

While thumbing through a recently purchased second-hand copy of The Roswell Incident, I found a mint green envelope that the previous owner had been using as a bookmark. And inside the envelope was a crisp Bank of England £1 note (these notes have been out of circulation since 1988). Even though it’s probably only worth about £2 now, it was a nice find.

And later, while sorting through a mess of random notes, I found a scribbled reminder to myself. “Look into the Mayobridge Mystery Man – 1969,” it instructed. 

So I did - and this is what I found. It appeared in the Belfast Telegraph of 12 December 1969.

Mayobridge Search for a Midnight Marauder

Despite several midnight hunts by police and local farmers, a mystery figure who had been frightening residents in Mayobridge, near Newry, is still at large. With rumours of ghosts, spirits and weird creatures circulating throughout the area several people have refused to go outside their houses at night.

One of them is Mrs. Mary McManus of Benagh, Mayobridge, whose son, Seamus, first saw the figure two weeks ago. Now she won’t even open the front door at night.

Since then police and neighbours have made several searches in an area called “The Rocks” where the figure has been seen on a number of occasions.

The figure, described as being six feet tall, who sometimes wears a carnival mask always seems to give them the slip.

It was on a Sunday evening that 21-year-old Seamus, who has just left college, saw the figure while out for a walk.

Chest in Field

“The following night,” said Seamus, “we went out to see if we could see anything and I found that a chest which should have been in the garden was lying in the field.

“When I got near it, a figure wearing what looked like a skeleton mask jumped up and ran away.”

Someone else who has seen the figure is 18-year-old barman Patsy Rooney, from School Road, Rathfriland.

“On the second evening that the figure appeared I went out with Seamus to see if we could find anything. We split up, and I hadn’t gone far when I heard Seamus calling me to come quickly. As I made my way over to where he was I saw a figure running towards some trees,” said Patsy.

“On Tuesday evening a big search was organised and the police sent a sergeant and two constables to see if the figure could be found. There were also several men armed with sticks.

“The figure was spotted and appeared to pull off his mask before he vanished. Another search was made on Wednesday evening but although he was again spotted he gave us the slip.

“Whoever he is,” said Patsy, “he is very agile for he keeps giving us the slip.”

Jumped wall

Also concerned about the figure is Mrs. Bridie Sands, who lives at Ryan, Mayobridge, who said: “I haven’t seen the figure, but my daughter saw a strange man walking along the road with a suitcase. When he saw her coming he jumped over a wall and ran towards ‘The Rocks’ where the figure has been seen at night.

“I am rather concerned about my daughter walking home from school when there is someone like this about.”

Mrs. Sands’ son Thomas (23), is one of the many neighbours who have been out on patrol and he said: “I went first of all because I was interested in folklore, but there is no doubt that this figure is real enough.

“The night I joined the hunt I stayed with a policeman to guard the McManus house while the ground round the farm was searched. This is the first time that anything like this has happened in the area.”

It was thought that the figure was hiding out in a disused house in the area but when this was surrounded there was no one there.

A police spokesman at Newry said: “We have been out at night on several occasions searching but have been unable to find anyone. We believe that it is probably the work of a practical joker and we shall be keeping a look out.”

The spokesman added: “As soon as the dark nights come we quite often get a ‘wag’ somewhere in the area.”

Source:

Belfast Telegraph, 12 December 1969