Bridget Cleary
Encyclopedia
Bridget Cleary was an Irish woman killed by her husband in 1895. Her death is notable for several peculiarities: the stated motive for the crime was her husband's belief that she had been abducted by fairies with a changeling
left in her place; he claimed to have slain only the changeling. The gruesome nature of the case—Cleary was immolated
, either causing or immediately following her death—prompted extensive press coverage, at a time when her country's prospects for self-government were being hotly contested, and in a period in which folklore (such as fairies) had become a focus of Irish nationalists such as WB Yeats.
The trial was closely followed by newspapers in both Ireland and England. As one reviewer commented, nobody, with the possible exception of the presiding judge, thought it was an ordinary murder case.
, Ireland
. She married Michael Cleary in August 1887. The couple met in Clonmel
in August 1887, where Michael was working as a cooper
and Bridget was serving as a dressmaker's apprentice.
Bridget married unusually young for the period; many Irish women married later due to the growing influence of the Catholic Church at this time. After the marriage, Bridget returned to her hometown of Ballyvadlea to live with her parents, while Michael continued to work as a cooper in Clonmel. During this period of living apart, Bridget's independence grew, with her keeping her own flock of chickens and selling the eggs to neighbours. Somewhat unusually for the era and location, she was also a professional woman. She obtained a Singer sewing machine, state of the art at the time, and was variously described as a dressmaker and a milliner.
Despite their eight years of marriage, the couple had had no children by the time of Bridget's death.
Following the death of Bridget's mother, the Clearys found themselves responsible for Bridget's elderly father, Patrick Boland. His residence with the couple enabled them to secure a house reserved for labourers. Neither Bridget nor Michael was entitled to this cottage, but as Patrick had been a labourer in his youth, they were able to acquire the best house in the village. However, there was no widespread interest in the house, as it was built on the site of a supposed fairy ringfort.
By 16 March, rumors were beginning to circulate that Bridget was missing, and the local police began searching for her. Michael was quoted as claiming that his wife had been taken by fairies, and he appeared to be holding a vigil. Witness statements were gathered over the ensuing week, and by the time Bridget Cleary's burnt corpse was found in a shallow grave on 22 March, nine people had been charged in her disappearance, including her husband. A coroner's inquest the next day returned a verdict of death by burning.
indicted five of the defendants for murder
, including Michael. All nine were indicted for "wounding." The case proceeded on to trial.
The evidence showed that on 15 March, Michael summoned the priest, Father Ryan, back to the Cleary household. Ryan found Bridget alive but agitated. Michael told Ryan that he had not been giving his wife the medicine prescribed by the doctor, because he had no faith in it. According to Ryan, "Cleary then said, 'People may have some remedy of their own that might do more good than doctor's medicine,' or something to that effect." Bridget was given communion, and Ryan departed. Later that night, neighbors and relatives returned to the Cleary house. An argument ensued, again tinged with fairy mythology. At some point, Bridget told Michael that the only person who'd gone off with the fairies had been his mother. Michael attempted to force-feed his wife, throwing her down on the ground before the kitchen fireplace and menacing her with a burning piece of wood. Bridget's chemise caught fire, and Michael then threw lamp oil on Bridget. The witnesses were unclear as to whether she was already dead by this point. Michael kept the others back from her body as it burned, insisting that she was a changeling and had been for a week previously, and that he would get his wife back from the fairies.
Michael Cleary was found guilty of manslaughter
, and spent 15 years in prison. Micheal Cleary was released from Maryborough prison on April 28,1910 and went to Liverpool. On October 14, 1910,a black bordered letter was sent from the office of the Secretary of State, Home Department, Whitehall, to the undersecretary, Dublin Castle stating that Michael Cleary emigrated from Liverpool to Montreal on June 30th. Charges against some of his co-defendants were dropped, but four were convicted of "wounding".
Her death is also notable in more serious historical contexts: She is popularly described as "the last witch burned in Ireland," or as the subject of the last of the witchcraft trials, although it has been noted that Bridget was never actually described as having consorted with the devil, which is customary with accused witches. Instead, she was thought to have been replaced by a fairy changeling.
Bridget's death and the publicity surrounding the trial were regarded as being politically significant at the time. Irish home rule was an active political issue in England
; William Ewart Gladstone
's Liberal Party
had come to power on a Home Rule platform, but had relatively recently lost its latest Irish Government Bill
in the House of Lords
. The press coverage of the Cleary murder trial occurred in an atmosphere of debate over the Irish people's ability to govern themselves, and worries were expressed about the credulity and superstition of many rural voters, who tended to vote for the Home Rule parties. The coroner who examined Bridget's corpse claimed that "amongst Hottentots one would not expect to hear of such an occurrence."
Even the New York Times covered the story in April and again in July 1895.
The writer E. F. Benson took a considerable interest in the case, publishing a scholarly commentary on it, "The Recent 'Witch-Burning at Clonmel'", in the influential periodical The Nineteenth Century
in June 1895, before the trial itself began. It accepts the defence argument that those involved with Bridget Cleary's death acted out of a genuine belief that she had been possessed by a spirit, had no intention of murder, and were attempting to restore her to her rightful self. Benson cites a pattern of similar beliefs in "savage tribes", with examples from various societies, and talks of "the enormous force which such beliefs exercise on untutored minds". He also points out that the door of the Cleary house was left open and no attempts were made to keep the assaults on Bridget secret. "It is inconceivable that, if they had wished to kill her, they would have left the door open, that they should have allowed their shouts to attract the neighbours, or that ten persons should have been admitted to witness the deed. Terrible and ghastly as the case is, we cannot call it wilful murder." The article ends with the statement: " ... if ... they killed, but not with intent to kill, still less should the extreme penalty be inflicted".
In 2010, "The Fairy Wife" a play by Lawrence Bullock, based on the life of Bridget Cleary, premiered in New York City, at the Producers' Club Theatre, under the auspices of Le Wilhelm and Love Creek Productions.
Cast in Order of Appearance:
Monica O'Malley (Bridget Cleary)
John Borras (Michael Cleary)
Maureen O'Boyle (Johanna Burke)
Henry Wright (Jack Dunne)
Dora Sacer (Moirna McCarthy)
Douglas Rossi (William Simpson / Father Ryan) The director was AC Jermyn.
Changeling
A changeling is a creature found in Western European folklore and folk religion. It is typically described as being the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. Sometimes the term is also used to refer to the child who...
left in her place; he claimed to have slain only the changeling. The gruesome nature of the case—Cleary was immolated
Immolation
Immolation, from Latin immolare, "to sacrifice", originally "to sprinkle with sacrificial meal" , in modern English since the 16th century may refer to:* Fire sacrifice** Holocaust * Cremation...
, either causing or immediately following her death—prompted extensive press coverage, at a time when her country's prospects for self-government were being hotly contested, and in a period in which folklore (such as fairies) had become a focus of Irish nationalists such as WB Yeats.
The trial was closely followed by newspapers in both Ireland and England. As one reviewer commented, nobody, with the possible exception of the presiding judge, thought it was an ordinary murder case.
Early life
Cleary was born Bridget Boland around 1870 in Ballyvadlea, near ClonmelClonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. She married Michael Cleary in August 1887. The couple met in Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
in August 1887, where Michael was working as a cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
and Bridget was serving as a dressmaker's apprentice.
Bridget married unusually young for the period; many Irish women married later due to the growing influence of the Catholic Church at this time. After the marriage, Bridget returned to her hometown of Ballyvadlea to live with her parents, while Michael continued to work as a cooper in Clonmel. During this period of living apart, Bridget's independence grew, with her keeping her own flock of chickens and selling the eggs to neighbours. Somewhat unusually for the era and location, she was also a professional woman. She obtained a Singer sewing machine, state of the art at the time, and was variously described as a dressmaker and a milliner.
Despite their eight years of marriage, the couple had had no children by the time of Bridget's death.
Following the death of Bridget's mother, the Clearys found themselves responsible for Bridget's elderly father, Patrick Boland. His residence with the couple enabled them to secure a house reserved for labourers. Neither Bridget nor Michael was entitled to this cottage, but as Patrick had been a labourer in his youth, they were able to acquire the best house in the village. However, there was no widespread interest in the house, as it was built on the site of a supposed fairy ringfort.
"Disappearance"
Bridget was reported missing in March 1895. She evidently had been ill for several days, although her specific diagnosis is unknown. More than a week into her illness, on 13 March 1895, a physician visited her at her home; her condition was considered sufficiently grave that a priest soon followed, to administer last rites. Several of her friends and family members attended her over the next two days, and a number of home remedies were administered, including one ritual that anticipated her later demise: Patrick and Michael accused her of being a fairy sent to take Bridget's place, and so urine was thrown on her, and she was carried before the fireplace to cast the fairy out.By 16 March, rumors were beginning to circulate that Bridget was missing, and the local police began searching for her. Michael was quoted as claiming that his wife had been taken by fairies, and he appeared to be holding a vigil. Witness statements were gathered over the ensuing week, and by the time Bridget Cleary's burnt corpse was found in a shallow grave on 22 March, nine people had been charged in her disappearance, including her husband. A coroner's inquest the next day returned a verdict of death by burning.
Trial
Legal hearings ran from 1 April through 6 April 1895. A tenth person had been charged, and one of the original nine was discharged at this stage, leaving nine defendants bound over for trial. The court session began on 3 July, and the grand juryGrand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
indicted five of the defendants for murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, including Michael. All nine were indicted for "wounding." The case proceeded on to trial.
The evidence showed that on 15 March, Michael summoned the priest, Father Ryan, back to the Cleary household. Ryan found Bridget alive but agitated. Michael told Ryan that he had not been giving his wife the medicine prescribed by the doctor, because he had no faith in it. According to Ryan, "Cleary then said, 'People may have some remedy of their own that might do more good than doctor's medicine,' or something to that effect." Bridget was given communion, and Ryan departed. Later that night, neighbors and relatives returned to the Cleary house. An argument ensued, again tinged with fairy mythology. At some point, Bridget told Michael that the only person who'd gone off with the fairies had been his mother. Michael attempted to force-feed his wife, throwing her down on the ground before the kitchen fireplace and menacing her with a burning piece of wood. Bridget's chemise caught fire, and Michael then threw lamp oil on Bridget. The witnesses were unclear as to whether she was already dead by this point. Michael kept the others back from her body as it burned, insisting that she was a changeling and had been for a week previously, and that he would get his wife back from the fairies.
Michael Cleary was found guilty of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
, and spent 15 years in prison. Micheal Cleary was released from Maryborough prison on April 28,1910 and went to Liverpool. On October 14, 1910,a black bordered letter was sent from the office of the Secretary of State, Home Department, Whitehall, to the undersecretary, Dublin Castle stating that Michael Cleary emigrated from Liverpool to Montreal on June 30th. Charges against some of his co-defendants were dropped, but four were convicted of "wounding".
Public reaction and aftermath
Bridget Cleary's death has remained famous in popular culture. An Irish nursery rhyme reads,Are you a witch, or are you a fairy,/Or are you the wife of Michael Cleary?
Her death is also notable in more serious historical contexts: She is popularly described as "the last witch burned in Ireland," or as the subject of the last of the witchcraft trials, although it has been noted that Bridget was never actually described as having consorted with the devil, which is customary with accused witches. Instead, she was thought to have been replaced by a fairy changeling.
Bridget's death and the publicity surrounding the trial were regarded as being politically significant at the time. Irish home rule was an active political issue in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
had come to power on a Home Rule platform, but had relatively recently lost its latest Irish Government Bill
Irish Government Bill 1893
The Government of Ireland Bill 1893 was the second attempt made by William Ewart Gladstone, as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to enact a system of home rule for Ireland...
in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. The press coverage of the Cleary murder trial occurred in an atmosphere of debate over the Irish people's ability to govern themselves, and worries were expressed about the credulity and superstition of many rural voters, who tended to vote for the Home Rule parties. The coroner who examined Bridget's corpse claimed that "amongst Hottentots one would not expect to hear of such an occurrence."
Even the New York Times covered the story in April and again in July 1895.
The writer E. F. Benson took a considerable interest in the case, publishing a scholarly commentary on it, "The Recent 'Witch-Burning at Clonmel'", in the influential periodical The Nineteenth Century
Nineteenth Century (periodical)
The Nineteenth Century was a British monthly literary magazine founded in 1877 by Sir James Knowles. Many of the early contributors to The Nineteenth Century were members of the Metaphysical Society. The journal was intended to publish debate by leading intellectuals.In 1900, the title was changed...
in June 1895, before the trial itself began. It accepts the defence argument that those involved with Bridget Cleary's death acted out of a genuine belief that she had been possessed by a spirit, had no intention of murder, and were attempting to restore her to her rightful self. Benson cites a pattern of similar beliefs in "savage tribes", with examples from various societies, and talks of "the enormous force which such beliefs exercise on untutored minds". He also points out that the door of the Cleary house was left open and no attempts were made to keep the assaults on Bridget secret. "It is inconceivable that, if they had wished to kill her, they would have left the door open, that they should have allowed their shouts to attract the neighbours, or that ten persons should have been admitted to witness the deed. Terrible and ghastly as the case is, we cannot call it wilful murder." The article ends with the statement: " ... if ... they killed, but not with intent to kill, still less should the extreme penalty be inflicted".
In 2010, "The Fairy Wife" a play by Lawrence Bullock, based on the life of Bridget Cleary, premiered in New York City, at the Producers' Club Theatre, under the auspices of Le Wilhelm and Love Creek Productions.
Cast in Order of Appearance:
Monica O'Malley (Bridget Cleary)
John Borras (Michael Cleary)
Maureen O'Boyle (Johanna Burke)
Henry Wright (Jack Dunne)
Dora Sacer (Moirna McCarthy)
Douglas Rossi (William Simpson / Father Ryan) The director was AC Jermyn.
See also
- http://www.thehistorychannel.co.uk/site/tv_guide/full_details/People/programme_3129.php
Sources
- Bourke, Angela, The Burning of Bridget Cleary. New York: Penguin, 1999.
- Hoff, Joan and Yeates, Marian, The Cooper's Wife Is Missing: The Trials of Bridget Cleary. New York: Basic Books, 2000 (original), 2006 (paperback reprint).