An Irish couple have fled a haunted house in Cork saying they will never return there even though they face foreclosure as a result.

Laura Burke, her partner Ritchie, and their son, Kyle (4),say a bizzarre series of events forced them to leave the home on the Northside of Cork.

The family moved in in August 2009, but now will not return.

"I really can't [go back]. We don't want to go near the place," Laura said.

Laura told the Sunday Independent newspaper that holy pictures on the wall were flung to the ground, that screaming was heard late at night, that their son was flung from his bed and chairs and tables were rearranged in empty rooms.

The family said "glowing orbs" appeared in mid-air in rooms in the house. and their son said he could see 'eyes' following him.

"It's an evil spirit -- I just get the feeling that it is something evil. Whatever it is, I don't believe it means us well," Laura said.

Clairvoyant John O'Reilly was invited to inspected the house and said he said he immediately detected "a presence".

"There is someone here. I am getting [a feeling] of a younger man who would have hung himself," he said.

Prayers were said at the house to rid the place of  the spirit earlier this year, and a 'New Age' shaman  performed a 'cleansing' exorcism there. However, the family say it didn’t work.