Witchcraft, Women & Power: The untold story of Irish magic

About this event

Curse an enemy, cure a child or appease the fairies? Discover the magic woven through Irish history. Followed by Q&A. Tickets for iOS (Apple) App users - It is not possible to purchase online event tickets through the Eventbrite app, please open this page on a computer or mobile browser (safari or Google Chrome etc). To do this click the three buttons at the top right of the page, click share then copy the link to your browser. Magic wasn't rare in Ireland, and it wasn't hidden. It lived in the dairy and at the holy well, in the words a wise woman muttered over a cure and the ones a poet used to ruin a man's name. This workshop follows magic across nearly two thousand years, from the practitioners the early law took seriously enough to legislate against to the fairy doctors and charmers people still trusted within living memory. We'll meet the butter-stealing witch and the neighbour whose envious eye could sicken a calf. We'll explore love magic meant to bind a heart, and curses meant to break one. And we'll delve into the careful business of staying on good terms with the Good People, because offending them was a risk nobody sensible took. Workshop Highlights Discover the hidden history of Irish magic across centuries Understand the risks and beliefs surrounding the Good People Gain insight into the power, practice and perception of witchcraft Learn about the spells, charms and practices that shaped everyday life for centuries Dr Gillian Kenny is a historian of medieval and early modern Ireland whose work focuses on women, magic, and folklore. She is Adjunct Associate Professor in the UCD School of History and Visiting Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin. She has taught widely on Irish folklore and the supernatural, including the Banshee, witches and witch-hunting in Ireland, the Irish art of cursing, and the long history of magic and the women who practised it across Irish history. She has appeared on The Rest Is History and You're Dead to Me, along with numerous other podcasts and television programmes discussing Irish history. This talk is 16+ ⭐ Seed Talks have done an incredible job at making insanely cool topics easily digestible and enjoyable to learn about for ones self improvement. It's like Ted Talks, but cooler? And more accessible! - Eva W ⭐ I've attended a few of your talks over the past few months and have absolutely loved them so first of all thank you so much for bringing joy and understanding to the world of neuroscience. - Joe F