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IRISH WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY

by

ST. JOHN D. SEYMOUR, B.D.

Author of "The Diocese of Emly," etc.







Dublin
Hodges, Figgis & Co. Ltd.
104 Grafton Street
London
Humphrey Milford
Amen Corner, E.C.
1913




CONTENTS


                                                                      PAGE

  CHAPTER I

    SOME REMARKS ON WITCHCRAFT IN IRELAND                                1

  CHAPTER II

  A.D. 1324

    DAME ALICE KYTELER, THE SORCERESS OF KILKENNY                       25

  CHAPTER III

  A.D. 1223-1583

    THE KYTELER CASE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS OF SORCERY AND
    HERESY--MICHAEL SCOT--THE FOURTH EARL OF DESMOND--JAMES I
    AND THE IRISH PROPHETESS--A SORCERY ACCUSATION OF 1447--
    WITCHCRAFT TRIALS IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY--STATUTES
    DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT--EYE-BITERS--THE ENCHANTED EARL
    OF DESMOND                                                          46

  CHAPTER IV

  A.D. 1606-1656

    A CLERICAL WIZARD--WITCHCRAFT CURED BY A RELIC--RAISING
    THE DEVIL IN IRELAND--HOW HE WAS CHEATED BY A DOCTOR OF
    DIVINITY--STEWART AND THE FAIRIES--REV. ROBERT BLAIR AND
    THE MAN POSSESSED WITH A DEVIL--STRANGE OCCURRENCES NEAR
    LIMERICK--APPARITIONS OF MURDERED PEOPLE AT PORTADOWN--
    CHARMED LIVES--VISIONS AND PORTENTS--PETITION OF A
    BEWITCHED ANTRIM MAN IN ENGLAND--ARCHBISHOP USSHER'S
    PROPHECIES--MR. BROWNE AND THE LOCKED CHEST                         77

  CHAPTER V

  A.D. 1661

    FLORENCE NEWTON, THE WITCH OF YOUGHAL                              105

  CHAPTER VI

  A.D. 1662-1686

    THE DEVIL AT DAMERVILLE--AND AT BALLINAGARDE--TAVERNER
    AND HADDOCK'S GHOST--HUNTER AND THE GHOSTLY OLD WOMAN--A
    WITCH RESCUED BY THE DEVIL--DR. WILLIAMS AND THE HAUNTED
    HOUSE IN DUBLIN--APPARITIONS SEEN IN THE AIR IN CO.
    TIPPERARY--A CLERGYMAN AND HIS WIFE BEWITCHED TO DEATH--
    BEWITCHING OF MR. MOOR--THE FAIRY-POSSESSED BUTLER--A
    GHOST INSTIGATES A PROSECUTION--SUPPOSED WITCHCRAFT IN
    CO. CORK--THE DEVIL AMONG THE QUAKERS                              132

  CHAPTER VII

  A.D. 1688

    AN IRISH-AMERICAN WITCH                                            176

  CHAPTER VIII

  A.D. 1689-1720

    PORTENT ON ENTRY OF JAMES II--WITCHCRAFT IN CO. ANTRIM--
    TRADITIONAL VERSION OF SAME--EVENTS PRECEDING THE
    ISLAND-MAGEE WITCH-TRIAL--THE TRIAL ITSELF--DR. FRANCIS
    HUTCHINSON                                                         194

  CHAPTER IX

  A.D. 1807 TO PRESENT DAY

    MARY BUTTERS, THE CARNMONEY WITCH--BALLAD ON HER--THE
    HAND OF GLORY--A JOURNEY THROUGH THE AIR--A "WITCH" IN
    1911--SOME MODERN ILLUSTRATIONS OF CATTLE- AND
    MILK-MAGIC--TRANSFERENCE OF DISEASE BY A _cailleach_--
    BURYING THE SHEAF--J.P.'S COMMISSION--CONCLUSION                   224




IRISH WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY




CHAPTER I

    SOME REMARKS ON WITCHCRAFT IN IRELAND


It is said, though we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statement, that
in a certain book on the natural history of Ireland there occurs a
remarkable and oft-quoted chapter on Snakes--the said chapter consisting
of the words, "There are no snakes in Ireland." In the opinion of most
people at the present