The Legend of Margorie McCall: Lived Once, Buried Twice

Background

In the early 18th century, Margorie McCall lived in Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, with her husband, John McCall, a local doctor. Their home was on Church Place, and they were a respectable but not particularly wealthy family. The story of Margorie McCall, known as the “Lady with the Ring,” centers on a chilling tale of premature burial that has become a cornerstone of local folklore, though its historical accuracy remains debated.

The First Burial

Around 1705, Margorie fell gravely ill with a fever, a common and feared ailment during a time of famine and limited medical knowledge. Believing her to be dead, her family and community acted swiftly to bury her in Shankill Graveyard, about 300 yards from Lurgan, to prevent the spread of disease. Margorie was laid to rest wearing a valuable ring—described in some accounts as a red ruby—which her family tried but failed to remove due to swelling in her finger. This ring would set the stage for the extraordinary events that followed.

The Grave Robbers

The night after her burial, grave robbers, known as “resurrectionists,” targeted Margorie’s grave, lured by rumors of her valuable ring. Such robbers were common in the era, often stealing corpses for anatomy schools or valuables from the deceased. Unable to slide the ring off her finger, the robbers decided to cut it off. As they began to slice her finger, Margorie awoke—likely from a fever-induced coma rather than death—sitting up in her coffin and terrifying the robbers. Some versions claim the robbers fled in panic, while others suggest they dropped dead from fright. Scratch marks found inside the coffin later indicated Margorie had tried to escape her premature burial.

The Return Home

Margorie, still in her burial clothes and with blood dripping from her nearly severed finger, climbed out of her grave and made her way home. When she knocked on her door, her husband, John, was with their children, mourning her loss. According to legend, John remarked, “If your mother were still alive, I’d swear that was her knock,” before opening the door. Upon seeing Margorie, he was so shocked that he either fainted, had his hair turn white overnight, or, in some accounts, dropped dead on the spot. Despite the trauma, Margorie survived the ordeal and returned to her life.

Life After “Death”

The legend claims Margorie went on to remarry after her husband’s possible death and had several children, though some versions suggest she remained with John and bore more children with him. When she eventually died of old age, she was buried again in the same plot at Shankill Graveyard. Her gravestone, erected later, bears the inscription: “Margorie McCall – Lived Once, Buried Twice,” a testament to her remarkable story. The original stone, which reportedly included dates of both burials, was damaged, and the current marker is simpler.

Historical Context and Skepticism

The story of Margorie McCall is a variation of the European folklore tale “The Lady with the Ring,” popular from the 14th to 19th centuries, which often involved premature burial and grave robbery. Local historian Jim Conway, who has researched the tale, believes it to be true, citing parish records showing nine Margorie McCalls in Lurgan, three married to a John McCall. However, no specific record ties a Margorie McCall to John McCall in 1705, and many records were lost during the Great Hunger. Skeptics, like museum worker David Weir, argue the gravestone, erected in the 1860s by a stonemason named Harkin, was a tourist attraction capitalizing on the legend’s popularity. The absence of precise records and the story’s alignment with widespread folklore fuel doubts about its authenticity.

Legacy

Margorie’s grave in Shankill Graveyard remains a point of fascination, drawing visitors who marvel at the eerie inscription. The tale has inspired local storytelling, with plans by Dark Forest Theatre in 2024 to stage a play, Margorie’s Dead, at Lurgan Town Hall and possibly the graveyard itself. Some accounts even claim Margorie’s spirit wanders the cemetery, seeking those who wronged her. Whether fact or folklore, the story underscores historical fears of premature burial, a real concern in an era when medical diagnostics were rudimentary. Margorie McCall’s legend endures as a haunting reminder of life, death, and the thin line between them.