Cailleach - Biddy Early

transcribed at

Cailleach - Biddy Early  [duchas:4869826]

Cailleach- Biddy Early
Once upon a time there lived in East Clare a woman by the name of Biddy Early. She lived in a very lonely place, miles from the road, by the side of a lofty mountain and so this made it almost impossible for anybody to find her out.
She was looked upon as a witch, but some people say that it was only she stole a chalice from the church, and through it she could foretell. People thronged to her from all parts of the country to try and gain some knowledge which she was sure to tell them. Most of the people went to her for curses. On one occasion a man by the name of Dan bluinn R.I.P went to her for a curse , as all his cattle were dying. After a long search he found her out and explained his case to her. She gave him a bottle with a prescription. She told him if it was brought home safely and one dose of it given to the calves, that no more of them would get sick or die. But if the bottle got broken on his way home, the cure was a failure. At all events, he chanced

Cailleach - Biddy Early  [duchas:4869827]

to bring it home safely and the cure was a success. When people went to her, she could tell them their friends and enemies , people that even did anything to them either by cheating or theft. She could tell them what was instore for them in their future life. The most peculiar thing she refered to was; if by any chance they had a broken glass in their windows, to go at once and put it in, as it was only making room for the"Good People" to pass through. The priests heard of her doings and threatened death to anybody who knew where she lived and directed any stranger to her. She lived to be a  very old withered woman and the best of my belief is that she died at the age of 90 years.
Told by:- Mrs Mary Reidy
                Brisla East.
                Cooraclare P.U.
                (48 yrs)
Written by:- Annie Reidy
                     Tullycrine N.S.
                     ENNIS.