The History of Witchcraft & Women In Ireland

Explore witchcraft and women in Ireland through rare trials and folklore, uncovering gender, class and belief. Followed by Q&A.

In Irish history, the figure of the witch sits in stark contrast to how it is often imagined in Britain. While Scotland executed over a thousand accused witches and England around half that number, Ireland recorded only four official witch trials. 

In this talk, Dr Robyn Atcheson explores those rare cases to ask why the witch-hunting craze largely bypassed Ireland, and what they reveal about Irish society at the time. We’ll look at folk medicine and healing traditions, the roles older women help within their communities, and the tension between everyday belief in the supernatural and the teachings of the Church. Through the four Irish cases, we follow stories of a servant girl accused of killing her mistress’s wealthy husbands, a case of demonic possession, and Ireland’s last witch trial in the 1800s where nine people were convicted of bewitching. Throughout, we’ll explore how gender, class and disability shaped who was accused – any why.

Doors open at 5pm, talk starts at 5:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

Follow us on IG @seedtalks

Speaker Bio:

Dr Robyn Atcheson is a history communicator and social historian living and working in Belfast. Robyn teaches and writes on social history, the social history of medicine and women’s history in Ireland and Britain from the early modern period to the nineteenth century.

Robyn holds a PhD from Queen’s University, Belfast where she teaches, and is a winner of the Kirkpatrick History of Medicine Research Award from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. She has over a decade of experience in teaching, lecturing and public speaking. In recognition of her academic work and works as a public historian Robyn was elected an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2025. 

This talk is 16+ 

Testimonials from our guests

⭐ Truly riveting talks, always enjoy these - a great way to spend an evening with some pals. Already looking forward to the next one. - Alexander P 

⭐ Expertly run, talks are always super informative and a lot of fun! Couldn’t recommend these enough! 5 star. - Owen S

⭐ Been to a few talks and all have been super interesting. An enjoyable evening to go to either alone or with friends. The talks make for stimulating conversation. Highly recommend! - Daisy J