The Witch Trials of Kilkenny: Unpacking a 700-Year-Old Miscarriage of Justice
When you think of witch trials, what pops into your head? Scary, cackling women hovering over cauldrons or somber villagers with pitchforks? If you’re picturing something out of a Salem nightmare circa the 16th century, you might need to recalibrate your mental calendar. This week, Kilkenny—a charming Irish town with a grand history—remembers Petronella de Meath, the first woman believed to be executed for witchcraft in Ireland. She met her fiery fate 700 years ago, and it appears her story is far from burned out.
The Witch Hunt of 1324
Let’s set the scene: It’s 1324, and Kilkenny is bustling. We’ve got a maidservant named Petronella who works for a woman named Alice Kyteler. Kyteler, a wealthy moneylender (obviously not someone you’d want to mess with), had the unfortunate luck of having four husbands drop dead one after another. Naturally, what else would the locals do but accuse her of witchcraft? And when things start getting hot, poor Petronella gets dragged into the brew, accused of being in cahoots with Kyteler. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!
Dean Stephen Farrell of St. Canice’s Cathedral called the events a “miscarriage of justice.” He firmly points out that Petronella was “without guilt, but without influence”—certainly not the status you want when you’re facing the gallows!
History Rhymes (But Not in a Good Way)
Those interested in the sordid details might be intrigued to learn that both women were found guilty of witchcraft, but Kyteler managed to escape. Poof! Just like that. Left to face the flames was our unfortunate Petronella, who likely confessed under brutal torture. This story echoes throughout history, setting a precedent that tragically influenced the witch hunts that would claim countless lives over the centuries. Oh, what a lovely legacy!
Fast forward to today, Kilkenny is not just sweeping this grim slice of history under the rug. The town is hosting commemorative events, including talks and educational workshops, to cast a light on Petronella’s fate. It’s like a bizarre reunion with history—“Let’s see how far we’ve come… but also how far we’ve failed.”
Atonement Service and Civic Reckoning
On November 3, 1324, Petronella was burnt at the stake, a fact that opened the floodgates to hundreds of years of tragedy. To remember this dark chapter, Kilkenny is running a service of atonement, with community leaders—all still alive and thankfully not wielding torches—coming together to pay respects. Talk about twisted irony: the very people who witness the hapless woman’s death now unite to acknowledge the wrong that was done.
Regina Fitzpatrick, Kilkenny County Council’s heritage officer, noted that this isn’t about “righting a wrong”, but about “casting a light on something that was wrong.” It’s an effort to engage the community in recognizing how society’s past missteps inform the present. Because let’s face it, history tends to repeat itself while we’re busy ignoring all the ghastly things lurking in our closets.
A Future Generations’ Tale
The story of Alice Kyteler and Petronella de Meath has lived on, mostly shaped by the voices of the men recording history. But here’s the kicker: this time around, women of Kilkenny will share their own stories as part of the commemoration—”it’s about time”, one might say! What does that look like, you ask? Workshops galore, engaging youth and educating them on their heritage—and hopefully, steering clear of old dusty stereotypes about women lurking in the shadows.
The Lesson Goes On
As the dust settles on the medieval witch hunts, we gaze back with a mixture of horror and a touch of incredulity. What’s stirring beneath our modern, civilized façade? What injustices linger that we’ve chosen to overlook? The Dean’s pointed observations serve as a trenchant reminder: let’s not become those people telling future generations, “Thank God we aren’t them.”
Kilkenny demonstrates how a community can assemble to not only reconcile with its past but also actively reshape perceptions for the future—a future where stories like Petronella’s are not simply read in history books but lived, learned, and perhaps, wisely guarded against repetition.
So, gather round, folks. The next ghost story isn’t about ghouls and goblins; it’s about reckoning with the past, developing a keen understanding of injustices, and ensuring that every old tale, no matter how chilling, serves not only as a cautionary note but as an opportunity to enlighten.
Kilkenny County CouncilBut this week, one town is remembering the woman believed to have been the first in Ireland to be executed for witchcraft 700 years ago.
Kilkenny will host historians and archaeologists, run a service of atonement and an oral history project, and ensure that every school receives an educational resource pack about the events of 1324.
It is all to remember the “utter miscarriage of justice” and attempt to “make amends” – so says the dean of the cathedral where the service of atonement will take place.
‘Without guilt, but without influence’
Petronella de Meath was a maidservant to a wealthy woman in Kilkenny when it was a young and small bustling Norman town.
She had the misfortune to get caught up in events when accusing fingers were pointed at her employer, Alice Kyteler.
After Kyteler’s four husbands died one after the other, she was accused of witchcraft used to poison them, dragging de Meath into the scandal as one of her co-conspirators.
It is believed that de Meath confessed after enduring heinous torture.
Witchcraft had been treated as a misdemeanour up until shortly before this pivotal moment.
However, the publication of a Papal Bull by Pope John XXII denouncing witchcraft as heresy ushered in a new era of severe punishment.
Although both women were found guilty of witchcraft, Kyteler managed to escape, and only de Meath faced execution, being burnt at the stake on 3 November 1324.
Kyteler, a wealthy moneylender who even lent money to the English king, had powerful allies, but de Meath had no such influential connections.
Historians are still largely in the dark about her life.
Handout“She was a servant girl from Meath which is not far away,” Dean Stephen Farrell of St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, told BBC News NI.
“700 years ago she was far from home. She didn’t have powerful relatives protecting her. She was without guilt, but without influence.”
“What happened to her was an utter miscarriage of justice. It is indefensible. It is the abuse of power.”
Some of the Kyteler family are buried in the cathedral, as is Bishop Richard LeDrede who led the charge against the accused women.
But de Meath had no tomb or memorial – and so, the idea of an atonement service began to take shape.
‘Template for what happened after’
“But it’s casting a light on something that was wrong. In terms of women’s history, it’s a really important story.”
It’s a history that may seem long gone, but the trial and its outcome set a precedent around witch hunts several hundred years later, when about 50,000 people were executed for witchcraft, 80% of them women.
It was the “template for what happened after”, Ms Fitzpatrick stated.
Kilkenny is not the only place reckoning with its dark past regarding historical witch trials. In 2022, then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued a formal apology to those accused of witchcraft in Scotland, and in Connecticut, USA, 12 people were exonerated last year.
But in Kilkenny, organisers are unsure about whom to approach for an apology. The Pope? King Charles? Instead, they decided to hold a joint civic service.
Kilkenny’s mayor will speak, and the night before, invited guests will gather for a dinner in the cathedral for a send-off they believe de Meath was denied so many years ago.
For Dean Farrell, the story serves as a cautionary reminder for Christians today.
“How do we not be glib about this?” he asks.
“What will people in 700 years time look back at us and say, goodness, how on Earth was this not in their consciousness?”
‘Reframe it for future generations’
The story of Alice Kyteler and Petronella de Meath has transcended time as a folk tale in and around Kilkenny, yet it was documented mainly by men – a monk, the bishop.
Ms Fitzpatrick is eager about another part of the commemorations – oral histories collected from women living in Kilkenny today, allowing their stories to be told by their own voices.
Handout“Our library service has collaborated in developing a strong children’s programme through history workshops and art workshops and herbalist workshops.
“Events to commemorate the first witch trial in Ireland are taking place in Kilkenny between 28 October and 3 November.
