Step back in time to 1324 and uncover the chilling tale of Ireland’s first Witchcraft Trial during Kilkenny’s newest festival, running from October 28th to November 3rd, 2024.
Discover the spells cast on society as we delve into the infamous Kilkenny Witch Trials. Learn about the powerful and wealthy Alice Kyteler, accused of witchcraft and heresy by the Bishop of Ossory, Richard Ledrede. Alongside Alice’s story, explore the tragic fate of Petronella de Meath, the first person in Ireland to be executed for witchcraft.
Join us in commemorating the 700th anniversary of these dark events. Through this festival, we will explore the societal fears, power struggles, and personal stories that shaped this notorious trial.
Illustration created by Cartoon Saloon
The Red Book of Ossory Exhibition
Discover the remarkable Red Book of Ossory. Created almost 700 years ago, it is on public display at St Canice's Cathedral for the first time. From medieval distillation to a bishop’s poetry, its pages reach into the past and show us, through scribed words, aspects of Kilkenny life previously obscured by centuries.
July - December at St Canice's Cathedral
An evening lecture by Maeve Brigid Callan
'The Life of Richard Ledrede, Bishop of Ossory and Ireland's Would-Be Inquisitor: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.'
An evening lecture by Maeve Brigid Callan, author of The 'Templars, The Witch, and The Wild Irish: Vengeance and Heresy in Medieval Ireland.' This lecture is part of The Red Book of Ossory Lecture Series.
6:30pm, Thursday, 31st October at St Canice's Cathedral
The John Bradley Memorial Conference: The Kyteler Affair
A weekend of talks and events run by Kilkenny Archaeological Society | Friday November 1st to Sunday November 3rd 2024
Friday 1st November
Registration as well as opening reception and lecture followed by dinner.
Saturday 2nd November
A series of lectures throughout the day run by Kilkenny Archaeological Society followed by a whiskey tasting in collaboration with like-minded spirits at Kilkenny Whiskey Guild. Ending in a dinner at Saint Canice’s Cathedral.
Sunday 3rd November
Remembrance Service of atonement for Petronilla de Meath in Saint Canice’s followed by a musical concert of 'music in medieval Kilkenny' in Rothe House. There will also be a range of public fringe and free street events throughout the city.
Workshops
Children's Art Workshop
These workshops will be delivered by Rachel Burke, a Fine Artist based in Kilkenny. An experienced facilitator of children’s art workshops, Rachel will work with children to use collage and make puppets to tell the story of the Kilkenny Witch Trials. The workshops are aimed at children aged 8+ years and will be delivered in 6 library branches across the county.
Candle Making Workshop
Create your own bespoke soy wax candle with a unique blend of aromatherapy, crystals and dried flowers. Delivered by Essie May, a Kilkenny based aromatherapist and candle maker, this workshop is for teenagers.
Plant Lore Workshop
Monica Fleming will deliver Dame Alice Kyteler poisonous plant sessions at library branches throughout the county.
This workshop will pick up on the theme of herbalism and remedies in nature which was a feature of the Alice Kyteler story. It will be aimed at adults and facilitated by Monica Fleming, a gardener and a tutor with Kilkenny community education, teaching horticulture as well as crafts using natural materials. The workshop will explore the medicinal qualities and folklore of native plants.
Primary School History Workshops
The Witch Trial of 1324 is a key event in the history of Kilkenny. To mark the septcentennial of the event, historian Fin Dwyer will deliver a series of workshops aimed at primary school children aged 10-12. The workshop will explore the story of the trial in an engaging but light-hearted fashion.
What's Happening Around Kilkenny
Toil & Troublesome events occurring over the next few months around the City
The Red Book of Ossory Lecture Series
27th September: A lecture by Dr Adrian Empey, Medieval Irish Historian and is the foremost expert on the contents of the Red Book of Ossory, now on display in St. Canice’s Cathedral for the first time ever. He is currently editing a translation of the Red Book for the Irish Manuscripts Commission.
17th October: Lecture on the Codicology of the Red Book of Ossory by Dr. John Gillis, Interim Head of Preservation and Conservation, Trinity College Library. Dr. Gillis is an expert manuscript conservator who has worked with priceless Medieval Irish manuscripts including the Book of Kells and the Red Book of Ossory. He will be speaking about the Red Book of Ossory from a codicology (“archaeology of the book”) perspective.
31st October: An evening lecture by Maeve Brigid Callan, author of The Templars, The Witch, and The Wild Irish: Vengeance and Heresy in Medieval Ireland.
6:30pm, 27th Setember; 17th October; 31st October at St Canice's Cathedral
"Alice Kyteler: Witch, Victim, or Feminist Icon" by Fin Dwyer
Alice Kyteler remains the most well-known but mysterious woman in the history of Kilkenny. Seven hundred years have passed since she disappeared at the height of the Kilkenny Witchcraft Trial, but she remains an intriguing figure.
In this presentation, historian and host of the Irish History Podcast, Fin Dwyer, explores the woman at the centre of the Kilkenny Witchcraft Trial. Considered a heretic by her contemporaries, views of her have changed over the centuries. To some, she was a victim; to others, she is a feminist icon. In this talk, Fin Dwyer explores who Alice Kyteler really was.
Friday 20th of September 2024 at Kilkenny Castle
"Alice Kyteler: the Witch Story of Kilkenny" a theatrical tour
Embark on a journey through history as we unravel secrets of medieval Kilkenny and the enigmatic figures who shaped it. Join us on the "Alice Kyteler: the Witch Story of Kilkenny” a theatrical tour. Led by costumed guides, this experience delves into the lives, trials and tribulations of Dame Alice Kyteler, Petronella de Meath and other characters entwined in the fabric of 14th-century Kilkenny…an unforgettable exploration of intrigue, injustice and the enduring spirit of those who dared to challenge the norms of their time.
Friday, 1st November, Meet at The Medieval Mile Museum | Tours taking place throughout October & November
'The Dawn of the Devil Worshipping Witch' A Lecture by Professor Maeve Callan
Join Professor Maeve Callan author of 'The Templars, The Witch, and The Wild Irish' (2015) to hear about her in-depth research into the Kilkenny Witch Trials in a talk titled: The Dawn of the Devil Worshipping Witch.
6:30pm, Tuesday 2nd July at Mayfair Library
Witch Trial
Join us for an immersive theatre event depicting the Kilkenny Witch Trials produced and performed by Core Theatre Collective
Wednesday 6th & Friday 8th November 8pm at Hole in the Wall. Tickets are €5.
Alice Kyteler Exhibition
We invite you to explore Kilkenny's Medieval past with an exhibition incorporating maps, stories and medieval memorabilia.
1st-15th November at Mayfair Library
Bishop Ledrede and Other Prisoners of Kilkenny's Medieval Castle Talk
The talk and tour will be given by archaeologist and historian, Ben Murtagh, who has spent many years excavating and working on Kilkenny Castle. As a chief centre of the medieval lordships of Leinster and Kilkenny, he will describe and discuss during his tour the use of the castle as a seat of the local feudal court, where justice was dispensed. For this and other purposes it was also used as a gaol, where prisoners were held, including the famous Bishop Ledrede when he dared to prosecute Dame Alice Kyteler in 1324.
Saturday 30th of November 2024 at Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Witch Trials Walking Tour
This tour will take paricipants around the sites associated with the Kilkenny Witch Trials. Starting with a book trip to explore Kells Priory where are key chapter of the story takes place, the tour will then return to the city to wind through medieval Kilkenny, pausing at various buildings from the medieval period, including St. Francis’ Priory and Kyteler’s Inn. At these stops, the tour will explore what life in Kilkenny was like in the 14th century and how this contributed to the trial. The tour will conclude at Kilkenny Castle, another location heavily associated with the trial, as Richard Ledrede was imprisoned here by Arnold le Poer. Lunch included.
9:30am-4pm; Meet at Mayfair Library. Friday 5th July; Satuday, 17th July
Additional Resources
Listen, learn and explore more about the Kilkenny Witch Trials around the City
1324: Ireland's First Witchcraft Trial (Podcast)
Step back to 1324 and listen to the chilling story of Ireland’s first Witchcraft Trial in my latest episode. In 1324, the Bishop of Ossory, Richard Ledrede, accused Alice Kyteler, a wealthy and influential woman, of witchcraft and heresy. Alongside Alice's story, we explore the tragic fate of Petronilla de Meath, the first person in Ireland to be executed for witchcraft. Marking the 700th anniversary of these dark events, we delve into the societal fears, power struggles, and personal stories that shaped this infamous trial. Join me for a gripping journey through medieval Ireland.
Mná Feasa/Wise Women Project
Mná Feasa/Wise Women is an inter-generational women's storytelling project faciltiated by Storyteller Helena Byrne. Inspired by the absense of women's voices in the surviving accounts of the Kilkenny Witch Trials 700 years ago, this project aims to give voice to the experiences of women in Kilkenny in the 20th and early 21st Centuries through recording oral histories and training transition year students to record the stories of their elderly relatives.
Video Shorts of the Story of the Kilkenny Witch Trials
This series of short videos will present the story of the Kilkenny Witch Trials in 10 x 60 second films aimed and teenagers and anyone who would like to sample the story in short snaps!
Kilkenny Witch Trials Educational Resource Pack for Primary School Children
This resource pack will be aimed at primary school children and distributed to every primary school in Co. Kilkenny. The purpose of the resource pack is to engage children in heritage, history and creativity through the story of the Kilkenny Witch Trial. The pack will be available to download on the Kilkenny Library website
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