The tragic story of Bridget Cleary, remembered as Ireland’s last victim of the historical “witch” burnings, is set to be brought to the big screen in Dungarvan next week.
A special screening of the feature film exploring Bridget’s life and death will take place on Thursday, September 10th, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
Who was Bridget Cleary?
Bridget Cleary was murdered in 1895 by her husband, Michael Cleary, in a case that shocked Ireland and attracted international attention.
At the time, Michael claimed that his wife had been taken by the fairies and that the woman in their home was a changeling.
The film explores the reality behind that claim, portraying Bridget as a successful and independent woman whose husband was violent and controlling.
She was beaten and ultimately burned to death before her body was buried in secret, in an unmarked grave away from her home.
The Team Behind the Screen
The film has been written by Cloneen, County Tipperary natives Anne Williamson and Brian Clancy, and has already enjoyed considerable success on the international film festival circuit.
Anne Williamson was named Best First-Time Female Director at the Indie X Film Festival in Los Angeles.
The film has also been screened in Rhode Island and is due to be shown in London, alongside screenings at venues across Ireland.
The upcoming Dungarvan screening will give audiences an opportunity to explore one of the most disturbing and enduring stories in Irish history, while also hearing directly from those behind the film.
The special screening takes place in Dungarvan on Thursday, September 10th, with a Q&A afterwards.
Tickets and information are available here
Listeners can also play back the full interview with Anne Williamson, as she discusses the making of the film, Bridget Cleary’s tragic story, and the reaction to the film in Cloneen more than a century after Bridget’s death.
