Beyond Belief: Feakle and the legend of Biddy Early

Science and logic have provided us with explanations for many things, but there remains at the core of human beings a love of and a need for mystery, magic and myth.
This video explores the nature of belief and traditional storytelling in rural Ireland through the eyes of the inhabitants of Feakle, Co. Clare, a town still feeling the lingering influence of their famous 'wise-woman', Biddy Early (1798-1874).
This video was produced by Patrick Gormley, Fionnuala Holohan, Andy Nally and Sarah Reilly.
*Note: If you have any problems with the audio on this video, please go to • Beyond Belief: Feakle... to view a copy of the video that has better audio. Many thanks to Martyn Randles who kindly updated the video to correct the audio mix.*

[@pillardelaney4726]

Irland, is a magical place, Regards and Respect, from Queensland..

[@artslife3876]

The ould stock are nearly all gone. The country is destroyed for the want of some Irishness. Breaks my heart. Yes! Our heritage is nearly lost to mere memory, and my heart will never lose the scar it carries, more and more each day. Thank you for the reminder, even if I'm having a cry, x

[@deanfletcher4962]

"old"

[@Alpinewild444]

Dean Fletcher don’t be disrespectful, ould is irish.

[@dnr2089]

Dean Fletcher Ould is how old is pronounced by the Irish and the Manx

[@artslife3876]

I am Irish

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

Write down all that you know. Even the bits. I'd collect them.

[@Discover-Ireland]

True word that Eddie saying at the end. Old Eires lost her ways

[@jimburke3801]

very interesting I have been in Biddy's house and Feakle graveyard. Yes she is the mammy of all the magic women of Ireland.

[@mikekavanagh8952]

Very fortunate and honored to have visited the cottage of this great spiritual healer in 94, having done enormous research and the fact that she was condemned from the Altar as a witch which was untrue,her healing powers were known far and wide throughout Ireland, Ironically when she did pass away no fewer that 7 priests served at her last mass even though years previously they condemned her.

[@mikekavanagh8952]

Thanks Fionnuala.

[@wilbewley2838]

thank you.

[@TravelGayle]

She should be St. Biddy

[@dolorespurdue2613]

Many thanks for a great story, these are all part of our history and heritage and should be taught at school as well as other native storie. If your into stories, I highly recommend, "I MET AN OLD IRISH CRONE.

[@danielalexandermclachlanga3781]

glad to see/watch a describing & telling about biddy early bless the cailleach, the grandmother, the moma healer divine

[@Irishlassie]

I love hearing the fairy stories. I follow that path and also work with herbs. Recently I found out that my Boland family are from Feakle..

[@suzannemilligan1094]

I love Kieran's use of the word 'cuter.'

[@ArchangelAva]

The man with the beard and glasses sounds so interesting, would love to chat him! Great video, thanks a mil x

[@fholohan]

He's Eddie Lenihan Anna, an amazing man who has collected so much folklore and goes around schools sharing it with children. It was tremendous meeting him

[@cigh7445]

He is interesting. He came around to the schools when we were children and told us stories. I met him in Colbert Station there in Limerick a few years ago and we had a chat.

[@stephenpoole7828]

Eddie lenihan has a podcast called tell me a story..on spotify ...id recommend it

[@squeek5810]

Regards and respect to you all from Australia.

[@lizispagan]

Fantastic stuff

[@seannolan5751]

Biddy early the wise old woman of feakle.

[@jencooper2233]

Please somebody translate the ten second story told at 5:00 mins?!

[@fholohan]

Here you go Jen, as told by Pat: "She turned one husband into a hare. (He) went out the door anyway and 8 or 9 beagles followed him; came back 2 hours later, jumped in by the door again by the fire, and all the back of his trousers were all torn"

[@DIFFIEH]

my right ear liked this

[@fholohan]

Lol! Check out the description; there's a link to a copy that may fix your issue.

[@artslife3876]

She was no placebo...

[@dolorespurdue2613]

Famous Quote, There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio than there are drempt of in your philosophy. Hamlet. How many people realy know about the world they live in, Time travel is real but not many people believe this because they don't bother to do the research, they prefere to believe everything their told on main stream media.

[@returnofthegmac9203]

The Clergy saying "You should not believe in such things but they believe in god Hmm come on

[@jimmccormack7507]

The Irish will adapt to the old ways.😊

[@jimmccormack7507]

Back from the dead.

[@jeffwells8086]

Too quiet to hear, sadly.

[@fholohan]

Hey Jeff have a look at the description there's a link to a version that addresses the volume issues some people have - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGO6cmuim56JnNE

[@davidchristopher5539]

Why isn't there any sound to the video. What's the point of posting one if you can't hear it. VERY VERY ANNOYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@patrickgormley354]

+David Christopher, Im having no problem with the sound. Great little doc!!!

[@richH1625]

I'm on an android tablet. I can just hear it if I put my ear right on the loudspeaker.

[@fholohan]

Rich H Yes I noticed recently that it was barely audible on the tablet I had. Sound is fine on my phone and desktop. Will see if we can do anything about it

[@martynrandles]

@@fholohan I've just watched this very interesting & enjoyable video with my headphones on & noticed these comments. I can say that for me, the dialogue from those talking is coming through the Right channel (ear piece) only, & the soundtrack (background music, environmental noises, flowing water etc.) is coming through the left channel (ear piece) only. Therefore, as some tablets & mobile phones etc. only have mono speakers you'd not be able to hear one of the channels. This can also be down to broken headphones or faulty speakers, but, I can confirm this is the case for me. It's an easy fix, I'm not trying to teach you how to boil an egg, but if you're having trouble sorting it out I am more than happy to fix it for you as I really enjoyed this video & would wish that future generations may too. Feel free to contact me if you need any help via email or these comments, or google my name, it's my real name & I use the same old picture of me on a few of my other profile pages. My 94 year old Donegal Nanna is still alive & well, & as a boy I didn't feel like I fitted in totally here in my native England, until I met more & more of my Irish family & realised, you can take a boy out of Ireland, but you'll never take the Irish out of that boy. Happy to help, kind regards, Martyn (martynrandlesATgmailDOTcom)

[@fholohan]

Hi David, Martyn Randles in the thread below kindly fixed the problem that some users were having with the video, and you can see it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGO6cmuim56JnNE. I hope it sorts the problem for you. All the best.

[@jimmccormack7507]

The real wrong story.