1 00:00:00,060 --> 00:00:07,070 Mark Colvin, thank you very much. OK, thank you very much for inviting me. 2 00:00:07,070 --> 00:00:13,830 Tonight for the their last hurrah before faded eight. 3 00:00:13,830 --> 00:00:20,500 So we talked today. But a muggy, wet cheese project, a 1711. 4 00:00:20,500 --> 00:00:27,020 I've done it for a number of years, has three parts. The first part is an academic history of the trial. 5 00:00:27,020 --> 00:00:35,770 The second part explore how it was remembered and commemorated and islands and some from 1711 to 2015. 6 00:00:35,770 --> 00:00:40,940 And I think the final part was public history and heritage activities. 7 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:47,190 And I'll talk about these today and the challenges posed by this part in particular. 8 00:00:47,190 --> 00:00:52,470 I'll talk, first of all, about this trial. Just give you an overview in case you don't know about it. 9 00:00:52,470 --> 00:00:58,410 OK. The trial started to fair bit he something. 10 00:00:58,410 --> 00:01:06,390 Eleven men and elderly. And how did she died? Suddenly. And people were seen in witchcraft and she died and no her toes. 11 00:01:06,390 --> 00:01:13,320 And Ayla McGee. Ayla McGee as an eight male long financial on East Course, the county, Angelman Northern Ireland, 12 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:20,220 which has no accounting at a time around three hundred Presbyterians of Scots descent. 13 00:01:20,220 --> 00:01:30,450 So after this woman died, a young, educated 18 year old girl, Mary Dunbar, arrived in the house and she immediately at a cone. 14 00:01:30,450 --> 00:01:33,550 Are the symptoms of demonic possession, the classic ones, 15 00:01:33,550 --> 00:01:41,360 the horror movie ones and Jurden Mark 1711 Dunbar accused a Presbyterian woman of using witchcraft, 16 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,960 dispatched Julia Tucker in spirit form and possess her body. 17 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:53,160 The women, the eight women were eventually tried and the 30 forced to march some D11 and the spring session of Katic Therapist, 18 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:59,540 Assizes and CONI until they were all convicted. They pleaded not guilty under the puffiness. 19 00:01:59,540 --> 00:02:09,870 Sex, age, witchcraft, that. Common sense to one year's imprisonment and forced stance and apology on Market Day went to the act. 20 00:02:09,870 --> 00:02:19,110 But unlike most Demjanjuk's or demonic with Pierce people, the incarceration of the woman didn't improve, made it on by herself. 21 00:02:19,110 --> 00:02:26,700 She now claimed that William Saylor, the hard drinking husband and father to two of the convicted women, was no attack. 22 00:02:26,700 --> 00:02:35,190 William was convicted at the next Assizes and September 1711, but merely Dunbar and then to Vinland period had died. 23 00:02:35,190 --> 00:02:40,710 And so has the original offence turned into a capital offence and he was probably 24 00:02:40,710 --> 00:02:47,490 executed is probably one of possibly two Irish witches who are executed, 25 00:02:47,490 --> 00:02:54,240 along with Florence Newton, 60 61. But that's disputed by some historians. 26 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,000 The first part of the project is complete. 27 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:06,000 I published a monograph on it, which I think you saw on it wisely, which I explained in terms of demonic possession, gender and social conflict, 28 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:15,280 as well as wider political and religious connotations of Orlistat at that time, but inspired by the work of people in this conference. 29 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:26,560 And when Ronald and Diane and I also wanted to look at how the 1711 trial was, a member team represented a local and national level, 30 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:36,870 have argued that the collective social mammone of the trial was transmitted and Almadi Miggy for centuries afterwards via oral tradition of folklore, 31 00:03:36,870 --> 00:03:44,370 particularly within families. The descendants of the accusers and accused lived in the area for centuries afterwards. 32 00:03:44,370 --> 00:03:51,280 But the events were also further remembered through informal, dark heritage. 33 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:59,560 They were commemorated in this way by local people from the 19th century, probably earlier, but no record of a razor in their present. 34 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:07,700 They do this through storytelling and by avoidance of seats associated with they only give. 35 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:14,820 This is included the heart Chitose, which I've showed you there on the left hand seat, at the right hand seat, 36 00:04:14,820 --> 00:04:21,970 and the old rocking stone where the spirits of the eight on Miggy Witches were meant to dance at night. 37 00:04:21,970 --> 00:04:34,760 It was also where one of their convicted women, Kathryn McComb, and left claw marks when she was dragged off to court a court for Lord Internation. 38 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:39,230 Cultural memory of a child was also created by non-fiction and clear writers. 39 00:04:39,230 --> 00:04:47,790 And then 19th and 20th century historians. John was SAVARY has maintained an accepted part, Jackel standards of womanhood. 40 00:04:47,790 --> 00:04:55,330 But pitchin the EHL McGee, what she's in a particular way as pliant, as pious, as gentle. 41 00:04:55,330 --> 00:05:02,930 And women who lacked agency and reality resisted in every part of the prosecution process. 42 00:05:02,930 --> 00:05:07,300 They give her everything you know, and their families helped. 43 00:05:07,300 --> 00:05:14,840 And they were accused precisely because this child was meal standards of beauty, behaviour and language. 44 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:22,730 There's gender portrayal was often bolstered by the exclusion of William Saylor's from the NRA. 45 00:05:22,730 --> 00:05:29,840 And the maths was included that one of the women lost an eye and the polity pelted cabbage stocks. 46 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:36,500 This is a story that is reproduced almost verbatim by William Butler Yeats and Eating the air. 47 00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:43,180 And this book that you can see on Lane. I actually think. 48 00:05:43,180 --> 00:05:48,000 And you can see the poetry there. And their poetry has, you know, as recreated. 49 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:54,650 But as you mentioned, they own the which is a lot of what Lisa was saying is resonating here. 50 00:05:54,650 --> 00:05:57,770 But such a codes often used rationalists and ledman rhetoric, 51 00:05:57,770 --> 00:06:05,720 condemn belief in witchcraft as superstitious and bigoted and extorted to distance Ireland from Europe's west, 52 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:14,480 which on past things that are and or in daviss ring, especially in America. 53 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:20,990 So for the forthcoming book, I examine her novelist point simply. 54 00:06:20,990 --> 00:06:27,560 Elites handled the 1711 trial from the early 17th century onwards. 55 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:35,140 This includes all gaffield and little known airplay from 1948 and Adrian Racist Pawling from 1880. 56 00:06:35,140 --> 00:06:40,450 Cleo RAYOS often explained that the trial in terms of a true and called a criminal 57 00:06:40,450 --> 00:06:45,210 and justice system or the other less of that weirdness of the Asian people, 58 00:06:45,210 --> 00:06:49,160 white people in Northern Ireland was don't talk about the weirdness of being on Miggy. 59 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:54,860 But Fieldings played prefigures Arthur Mathers Crucible by a couple of years. 60 00:06:54,860 --> 00:06:59,120 But it portrays the roots of Dunbar's accusation in terms of a love triangle. 61 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:07,670 Between that she was involved and really the influence of early on non-fiction accounts are palpable. 62 00:07:07,670 --> 00:07:16,140 And these fact of works the lost a myth is given Robbins' Williams salary is excluded. 63 00:07:16,140 --> 00:07:25,220 The agency and resistance of Neyland Megi woman has passed over their innocence and their vulnerability as shown through it. 64 00:07:25,220 --> 00:07:33,260 So just to come to that final part of the project then, and this is Public Heritage and Heshy forecast. 65 00:07:33,260 --> 00:07:39,130 It struck me that if not for a release for most of university in twenty eleven. 66 00:07:39,130 --> 00:07:49,010 In a press release to commemorate the 300 year anniversary, they and a Key West child that nothing would have been said about it may have passed by. 67 00:07:49,010 --> 00:07:58,160 There was a flood of middle activity because of a contest with a year later and the Pendle, which is exactly what Lisa was talking about. 68 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:08,060 And you can see the difference there. And this is island's important trial, you know, along with the fortunes, of course. 69 00:08:08,060 --> 00:08:17,780 But in the last nine years, I think things have changed, has been widespread media interest and the case ah novel has come out by Martina Devons, 70 00:08:17,780 --> 00:08:25,190 children's books, several players and a massive theor event or dedicated to this trial or based on his trial. 71 00:08:25,190 --> 00:08:30,530 I like to play a part in this rediscovery of the invention by talking about it with community groups and 72 00:08:30,530 --> 00:08:38,660 libraries and art venues also engaged with women's groups using the trial to discuss issues such as equality, 73 00:08:38,660 --> 00:08:43,520 naming tolerance and gender more reactively. 74 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:51,170 To be honest, community that are proactive proactively are what we're radio and TV and film production companies to work in patches. 75 00:08:51,170 --> 00:09:02,300 I know Maggie watches or on treatments that actually went forward and some of these are I did some are coming out, but this wasn't done before. 76 00:09:02,300 --> 00:09:10,100 And so it's a welcome, you know, celebration of Ailin, Miggy and the witch craft area. 77 00:09:10,100 --> 00:09:14,600 But not all the engagement of this trial has been positive. 78 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:24,640 And twenty fifteen we've made we spread media coverage and the Guardian and the BBC was given to objection's by a Land Council act, 79 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:30,870 a proposal by martinets Martina Devlin to erect a small memorial. 80 00:09:30,870 --> 00:09:39,020 And they all Miggy to the. She's the proposal from the part of a wake up call by Martina to have the what she's just a woman 81 00:09:39,020 --> 00:09:46,910 at which posthumously pardon the objection to these plans were made on the grounds at a court. 82 00:09:46,910 --> 00:09:51,110 There were anti gods or support of of devil worship. 83 00:09:51,110 --> 00:09:56,340 Now that she's between 19 and why an act of public commemoration should provoke. 84 00:09:56,340 --> 00:10:01,450 Controversially, this is difficult to explain. But if you look towards the. 85 00:10:01,450 --> 00:10:04,730 I don't think so Mindstorms comment. 86 00:10:04,730 --> 00:10:14,150 Certainly secular remembrance and commemoration, often underpinned by competing religiously and politically and foreign views in the past, 87 00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:20,230 remains controversial and post-conflict, but still divided Northern Ireland. 88 00:10:20,230 --> 00:10:26,460 It could be also traced to radical Protestant evangelicalism and the fact that they are. 89 00:10:26,460 --> 00:10:36,820 Magee's trial was linked in the early 1970s to Satanism and modern Satanic worship because of its historical association with witchcraft. 90 00:10:36,820 --> 00:10:41,600 Ala McGee was chosen in 1972 by Oprah. 91 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:48,200 And the Royal Alstott Constabularies special Brandts to be one of the seats of black magic 92 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:56,360 that they staged to keep kids away from ed seats of strategic importance and off the street. 93 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,770 This episode is Scrape Brilliantly and a book by Richard Jenkins. 94 00:11:00,770 --> 00:11:01,730 I'm nearly finished. 95 00:11:01,730 --> 00:11:14,780 And so lately Lunn's counsels replacement made an East and some borough council have recognised the potential of the Almadi trial. 96 00:11:14,780 --> 00:11:20,860 They've included a section on the website that celebrates the history and heritage of the area 97 00:11:20,860 --> 00:11:26,180 and along with colleagues and I have engaged in a number of funding beds for exhibitions, 98 00:11:26,180 --> 00:11:32,090 landscape markers and interactive media projects awaiting today on Ligi case. 99 00:11:32,090 --> 00:11:38,240 I haven't had much, you know, lock stock bomb threat, but I'm trying. 100 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,650 So just finally, to conclude that the project. 101 00:11:42,650 --> 00:11:47,060 The final part of this project has proven hardest to realise in an environment of strained 102 00:11:47,060 --> 00:11:51,950 budgets and other country where witchcraft has been long Retin-A of social history. 103 00:11:51,950 --> 00:11:59,780 Just like Lisa said in relation to Wales and the word itself carries negative connotations that has so much potential here. 104 00:11:59,780 --> 00:12:03,170 Tied the child to the landscape and the history of the region. 105 00:12:03,170 --> 00:12:09,230 After all, it has been informally commemorated for centuries and in conversations with locals, 106 00:12:09,230 --> 00:12:14,990 they seem keen to have it formally commemorated, celebrated, Irda says. 107 00:12:14,990 --> 00:12:22,760 As I said, I think it's really important belief in the supernatural as a shared part of Irish history, 108 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:28,550 as a tie that binds not Davina's people of older voters and political backgrounds. 109 00:12:28,550 --> 00:12:35,390 Just a hundred people in Northern Ireland from a variety of backgrounds to talk about Gorst charms and jiggers, 110 00:12:35,390 --> 00:12:40,160 and you'll get an immediate sense of the sheer culture that's often overlooked. 111 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,585 Thank you very much.