The Last Witch Bridget Cleary Podcast

After the six episodes- I have a conversation with Ann Williamson, Barry John Kinsella and Professor Stiofáin Ó Cadhla about the infamous case, folklore and their experience making the podcast. I really enjoyed this recap as it gave me a chance to re-connect with the three of them and gave them a chance to meet and share their experiences, knowledge and opinions.

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The shocking evidence begins to emerge.

In this dramatic re-enactment, we return to the pre-trial proceedings following the murder of Bridget Cleary in Ballyvadlea in 1895. Drawing on newspaper reports that recorded the evidence day by day, we hear the testimony of Michael Cleary, her cousins, her father and her aunt.

What did they say happened to Bridget? What had been happening inside the Cleary household? And how did a case that began with a woman being declared a witch become one of the most notorious murder cases in Irish history?

Content note: This episode contains references to domestic abuse and descriptions relating to Bridget Cleary’s death.

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This week I'm joined by poet Milena Williamson, author of Into the Night That Flies So Fast. We discuss the Bridget Cleary case, the inspiration behind her poetry, and she reads a selection from the collection. I also visit the stone shed where Bridget's autopsy took place.

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This week I'm taking a whistle-stop history tour of Fethard, the town that Michael Cleary went to fetch the doctor for his sick wife.

I also take to Fin Dwyer, presenter of The Irish History Podcast, and we discuss the impact that the famine had on the population of Ballyvadlea.

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This week, I'm talking to award-winning director Anne Williamson. Anne is from Cloneen and grew up hearing stories about Bridget Cleary. She wrote and directed the award-winning independent short film Bridget.

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I visit the site of Kylenagranagh Fairy Fort, where Michael Cleary went on the night he murdered his wife. He claimed that he would see his wife—the real Bridget—riding by, and that he would pull her down from her horse and bring her home. I also speak with Professor of Folklore Stiofán Ó Cadhla. Together, we discuss changelings, folklore, and the beliefs surrounding the Sí.

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Before she became known as Ireland's "last witch", Bridget Cleary was a daughter, a wife, a dressmaker and a young woman with ambitions of her own. In this episode, we explore her life, her background and the events of that tragic night in March 1895.

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A preview of The Last Witch Bridget Cleary Podcast, a documentary podcast exploring the life, death and legacy of Bridget Cleary through expert interviews, historical research and dramatic reconstruction.

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