Portlaw Tannery makes a good setting for a ghost story, but there have not been reported any supernatural appearances. Yet. As you already know from my previous Halloween post, another building in the premises isn’t exactly ghost-free. I could go there again and perhaps get some material for another story, but… my instincts tell me to stay away from the Mayfield House and explore the factory buildings instead. As there are no known ghosts, I have to make up a ghost story myself.
Early in the morning I walked around the factory looking for inspiration.
Many things seemed suspicious there, including a tailless pheasant. Even the horse found him strange. Was he a pheasant at all? I started getting nervous.
I entered the ground floor and found a burned car. It made more sense than the tailless pheasant. Portlaw Tannery is a favorite place for drifting.
I kept walking. This derelict building reminded me of something long forgotten…
When I walked out of the building on the other side, I saw THIS, and everything clicked – a whole building, its empty windows, repetitive architectural elements, holes, shadows and reflections – everything reminded me of Atari Breakout in black & white: the ghosts of Space Invaders have stolen all the colors!
I decided to walk to the top floor. May be I can find more evidence there.
The top floor on my side of the factory has no roof anymore, and it looks like a forest. The other side still has a roof which makes it more dangerous as the roof can collapse at any moment.
The floors are covered with the THINGS that fell down from the ceilings and walls. The weeds are creeping in from outside.
Found some evidence of the stolen red and orange color…
… and some yellow too!
Found an evil face. This could be a ghost that escaped from Pac Man…
I could use an elevator, but the shaft is empty all the way down.
These used to be the elevator cabin doors.
I press the shutter and hurry away. This picture looks somewhat disturbing… like a Bosch painting rather than computer game…
The walls are tagged by artistically inclined Zombies.
THINGS keep falling from the ceiling and the above floors. Dripping water is making sad ghostly sounds.
Because of that, I am afraid to walk across the open space, and prefer to stay near the wall. I can see some photographs on the green board on the other side, but no way I would walk across.
All of a sudden, a piece of styrofoam insulation fell down from the ceiling, but remained in the air…
Another hanging piece of armature began rotating…
I hurried down the stairs only to face a black Pac Man ghost and many other strange faces staring at me from the walls.
Another floor. Is it a Star Raiders ship up there, collided with the wall?
Finally I am on the ground floor, but on the wrong side.
I am trying to get out, but all the exits are overgrown with weeds. I think I have found an abandoned Death Race car there…
I finally see the light.
Have to get out before the Space Invaders regroup and attack me in this real life game field.
Found a black angel feather… Well, may be not…
The drifting is on. Sometimes the tires blow up, and the ‘feather’ is probably just a part of the tire. Nothing to worry about.
In the cloud of smoke, a passenger is taking selfies on the go. No one has noticed the drama unfolding in the factory building.
Galaxian ship has been taken down…
A veteran PC didn’t have a chance…
And what about the cunning Space Invaders? They changed identity and went underground. Literally.
Thank you for visiting scary places and reading my 70’s video games inspired story 🙂
Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Making memories 
Wonderful pictures!!
Thank you, Leyla!
Great Halloween story, Inese 🙂
Such places are both attractive and scaring in same time. I see, why we shouldn’t walk there alone.
I didn’t play computer that time and don’t know those games.
First computer in my house came in 1994, a gift for my daughter back then.
This is how people played these video games 🙂 The sets and design were changing over the years.
The place looks quite scary from outside and inside. I am sure this is the place no one wants to be near when it is dark or when light is dim. I find the picture of a horse and a tailless pheasant a bit funny. It looks like the pheasant is hurrying to go some where and appears to forget every thing else which makes the horse look at it in a curious way.
Please have a happy Halloween!
Thank you! Yes, the place is not cozy, but I was curious. There was another horse too, but the bird just walked past them. He had no tail, could not fly obviously 🙂
Exquisite photography. You have quite a gift!
Thank you Ursula. It was just a walk through an abandoned factory. Took the snaps of what I saw and run out 🙂
Good for you, Inese! Not my kinda place to explore, at least not alone. It has a foreboding atmosphere.
Thank you! It used to be a lively place.
Wow this location and your photos just gave me tons of inspiration, I have dreamed place like that forever!!!
Yes, great place, very atmospheric. I have only touched the surface. There are rooms with more stuff, but it is dangerous to be there on your own in case something falls on your head 🙂
Abandoned buildings are very cool in a strange sort of way. Loved your ’70s ghost story 🙂
Thank you! I hope you have heard of all those old computer games 🙂
Of course. Played most of them down the arcade wiv me mates 🙂
Good ol’ days 🙂
You have no idea how I adore abandoned places and I love the way you have done this post. The photographs are stunning. Now I just need my beating heart to calm…
Thank you! The Space Invaders always in my heart 😉
I can tell x
Glad to see you survived this adventure. The dangers surrounded you at every step. Thanks for the tour. WOW! g
Thank you! Those old computer games were tough 🙂
Oh what fun!
Have you ever played those old video games?
Used to be an Atari Pro!
Oh, so you know what this all was about 🙂
I try not to assume that I know everything 😉
Haha, you are wise.
I’d say you’ve captured the end of time, Inese. Presently I am writing a book about that very subject and these photographs are part what has been on my mind throughout the process. Have ‘they’ made any films using this venue? It is tailor made for cinema. Super stuff. The horse and pheasant (sounds like the name of a pub) particularly surreal.
Mike, it is a dangerous place because of the stuff still falling through all the holes. You hear a splash and first you think that someone is following you, but it is just a piece of insulation detached off the wall, or a part of some old pipe. The ground floor is clean because the guys are racing there 🙂
I guess you didn’t recognize the computer games mentioned in the story… You probably never played them in the 1970s…
Photos of abandoned places always get my creative juices flowing. I spotted a body, wrapped in canvas underneath that car.
I too, but I pretended that it was something else. These old computer games are still powerful…
Hello Inese,
What a story and what an experience. I felt goosebumps until the very end – and a tail-less pheasant on top of it all!
I loved your 70’s references, and how you wove all images together is wonderful. Wishing you a lovely weekend❤️
Thank you so much, Takami! 🙂 Those old computer games were wonderful. They actually provided a lot of ideas for creating of a computer we know. I just thought it would be a good idea to pay a tribute 🙂
So brave and so whimsical. Great idea and great post!
Thank you! 🙂
I’m thinking zombies. I thought that from the first shot, Inese. Great read and pics ~ George
It is because you are young, George 🙂 My generation would recognize the other characters from the old computer games 🙂 We didn’t know much about zombies back in our time 🙂
So you wouldn’t have heard of a zombie infection? I used to have nightmares about them as a kid ~ George
Nah. We played Atari games, it was so cool 😉
I am a dedicated gamer. The only issue is the money I spend on it. Not good ~ George
Yes, not really good. Have to make some rules for spending and stick to them. When I play, I only spend as much as I would pay for a cinema ticket ( it happens very seldom). I ‘watch the show’ and go home 🙂
This is incredibly clever, and very suspenseful, Inese. Your words and imaginative ghostly activity were perfectly matched with these creepy scenes in the old tannery. Fantastic Halloween post!
Thank you so much, Jet. The Space Invader graffiti inspired me to write this post 🙂 The last photo is a couple of decades old. I posted it on Panoramio and challenged the other photographers to guess what it was. One photographer immediately posted his reply: a space invader! i knew they existed! 🙂
Seeing these photos I thought about how much light and life once took place in there. I bet it was a vibrate almost living organism. Inspiring post.
Thank you. Hope you remember the characters of the story 🙂
This is what it brings to mind.
“Is there anybody there said the traveller
As he knocked on the moon lit door
While his horse in the silence
Cropped the grasses
Of the forest’s ferney floor”
Thank you Brian. Have you been there recently?
No. I live in the last port of call of Titanic. Regret unable to visit my home town Clonmel, the Suir valley and the Comeraghs. As a Prince of the Deise I commend and admire your work.
Ah, you are living in Cobh! Beautiful gem of a town. I might write about Suir soon. There is a Blue Way connecting Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. A 22 km walk, you should try it 🙂
What a great collection of photographs. I love the lift shaft one, that’s a long way down. Happy Halloween.
Thank you. Happy Halloween!
Abandoned places are highly interesting. It makes you wonder why they were left behind in the first place. This also makes for a creepy Halloween situation.
Thank you Tony. I hope you are familiar with the characters in the story 🙂