Kilkenny woman, Claire Nolan published a book in 2008 on the life of the notorious noble woman who disappeared without trace in 1324. She was thought to have supernatural powers and to have poisoned several men, including three of her husbands.
Three thousand miles away in the US mid-west, back in 2003, an artist painted a portrait of Dame Alice because he liked her story, having come across it in on the internet. Paddy Shaw had never heard of Claire Nolan or her book called The Stone - he couldn't have because it wasn't written until five years later.
Earlier this year, Paddy was clearing out his studio and decided it was time to send Dame Alice home. He gave the painting, without charge, to Nicky Flynn of Kyteler's Inn, St Kieran Street, on the provision she give her a good home. Incidentally, Nicky is a great- granddaughter of English novelist Charles Dickens.
A few weeks ago, the painting was bought to the attention of Claire's father, well-known genealogist and former Bord Fáilte manager in the city, Pat Nolan.
"I have to say I was flabbergasted when I saw it. The resemblance is un-canny and I almost fell over with shock" he said.
He rang Claire who came down that weekend to see the image and was "physically shocked" when she first saw the work. "It was looking at myself in the mirror - the eyes, face, posture, body shape, everything was like me, except for the malevolent look on Alice's face," she said.
It gets even more creepy. The dress in the painting is almost identical to the one that Claire wears when she is reading excerpts from the book.
Asked if it was the work of Dame Alice up to her old tricks, Claire said it was definitely very strange and could not really be ex-plained on the basis of fact.
"I was prepared for the generic Irish look, but not for the attention to detail - everyone thinks it's me," she added.
Interest in Dame Alice's extraordinary life story is increasing with the passage of time and plans are well advanced to make a major film of her life. Hollywood actress Ashley Judd has bought the rights to another book on Dame Alice and a screenplay has been written for the feature. It is understood that financiers working for Ms Judd, famous for her roles in the dramas, Double Jeopardy and Twisted are at an advanced stage in securing funding for the project.
Mayor Malcolm Noonan has welcomed the development and will be urging Ms Judd to shoot the film in Kilkenny city to lend it an air of authenticity.
"It's been a while since we had a film here and it would be a great boost for the local economy while proving us with much needed international publicity as well," he said.