Halloween Queen's ghoulish garden display turning skulls in Kentstown

A HALLOWEEN mad mum’s spooky front garden set up in Kentstown has been bringing traffic to a halt with stunned passersby stopping to get a glimpse of the deadly display.

Halloween queen Deirdre Preston Byrne has staged an elaborate life size Halloween scene aptly titled 'The Evil B Boo Q’ in the garden of her home that has been getting a lot of attention from locals and visitors alike.

Deirdre (50), married to Liam and mum to daughters Amber (18) and Ruby (16) transforms this space into a Halloween neighbourhood hotspot every October but this year she has well and truly out done herself by creating an exhibit with a truly terrifyingly twisted theme… Donald Trump!

As a nod to his recent outlandish claim during a 10th September televised debate that immigrants in an Ohio city were eating people’s pets, the Kentstown woman combined cat and dog skeleton props placed on top of an unused barbecue together with some chew toys to keep them company, oh and not forgetting the skeleton chef!

Deirdre says crowds often form in her garden to get an eyeful and read the huge sign she has placed in front that reads: “They’re eating the dogs, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets in Kentstown!

The ghoulish garden scene has over one hundred paranormal props centred around her Evil B Boo Q consisting of the “newly dead” skeletons, creepy clowns, flying bats, an area where ‘bones are brains’ are for sale, an inflatable grim reaper and a host of other demonic décor.

The Halloween queen which she has been dubbed in the area says she stages these terrifying takeovers to bring a little community ‘spirit’ to the community.

“I have always loved Halloween, I’ve always loved dressing up and a bit of messing,” said Deirdre.

"I always try to make a big deal out of it every year and create these little shows outside the house,” she added.

“This year, Trump’s wild accusations put that idea in my head and I suppose it is a dig at his ridiculous comments.

"I had the skeleton dogs and I put up a post on a local page a couple of weeks go asking if anyone had a barbecue they no longer used and we went from there. Everyone is stopping to read the sign and is having a bit of a giggle. There are even people stopping their cars to come over and take photographs."

Deirdre's spine-chilling spectacle began a few years ago with the unlikely love story between two lonely skeletons but like in all good romantic tales the course of true love didn’t run smoothly according to Deirdre who said:

“The two skeletons seem to always be the main focus of the scene and each year for the last few years there has been a theme.

“The first year it was their wedding and they were sitting at their wedding breakfast at the table.

“The next year she murdered him and he was dead at the table but then the following year it was ok because he was obviously resurrected because he was fishing with with little evil ducks in the pond.

"The marriage didn't start off too well but they were still together sitting together with their Covid masks during the pandemic! Who knows what they will do next year!

For Deirdre, Halloween is all about nostalgia and creating memories as she explains:

"It stems from when I was younger, Halloween was always about friends and family, bobbing for apples ducking for the 50 pence piece, fruit, monkey nuts and some sweets if you were lucky.

"There was always a party in one of the family houses and fun with cousins. My uncles, Gerry and Dessie were always ready with a good ghost story leaving you terrified to walk home.

"I wanted to recreate these moments for my own children and love nothing more than a good Halloween party.

I started decorating my own garden for the children and it grew from there. I would love to be in America for Halloween one year just to collect some decorations."

True to Deirdre’s claim of loving to dress up she will be looking the part delighting crowds on the streets of Drogheda with the Boyne Valley Vikings who are attending the Lu Festival of Light event over the Halloween break.