Belfast Live
·24 Aug 2026
Martin Kemp opens up on eerie experience staying at Ballygally Castle Hotel
Martin Kemp and his son Roman stayed at Ballygally Castle in Northern Ireland during the final episode of their Channel 4 travel programme, Martin & Roman's Irish Road Trip. The hotel is associated with the legend of Lady Isabella Shaw, who supposedly died while trying to escape confinement in its tower. Although Roman experienced nothing unusual and slept with the lights on, Martin said he was awakened by a strong, sweet oil-like smell that seemed to move around his room. Both men described the hotel as unsettling, while Martin stopped short of attributing the experience to a ghost.