Kilkenny reflects on legacy of Ledrede, Alice Kyteler, and the witchcraft trial

One of the most famous chapters in Kilkenny’s storied past was celebrated at the weekend, with a series of events to mark the 700th anniversary of the public execution by burning at the stake of Petronella de Meath, handmaid to Alice Kyteler.

Kilkenny’s newest festival, The Toil and Trouble Festival, focused on the events around that first witch trial, the main players, and the wider historical context. A number of events were held around Kilkenny curated by Tim Butler and Regina Fitzpatrick of Kilkenny County Council to mark the occasion.

Festival director Pat Nolan and daughter Claire Nolan, author of The Stone, curated the festival programme for the John Bradley Talks along with the Kilkenny Archaeological Society.

Turtle Bunbury opened the John Bradley Conference with the Toil and Trouble Festival at Kyteler’s Inn with his talk on The Knights Templar. Mr Bunbury highlighted how important the Knights Templar were to merchant life and banking in medieval times.

As the former home of Alice Kyteler, the venue was a fitting location to host a number of talks by experts in their fields around witches, folklore, the Knights Templar and the first witch trial.
The conference finished with a sip of whiskey created by Kilkenny Whiskey Guild and Bernard Walsh of Walsh Distillery.

This was sparked by the page in the Red Book of Ossory, now on display in St Canice’s Cathedral, highlighting the genesis and first mention of whiskey distillation in Ireland, pre-dating the Scottish.
The cathedral was the setting for the inaugural festival dinner. Bishop Ledrede’s final resting place was a fitting location to end the Saturday evening.

Patrons and attendees from far and wide with an interest in all things Alice Kyteler, Bishop Ledrede and Petronella de Meathe enjoyed a medieval dinner provided by Langton’s House Hotel. The dinner brought to a close a wonderful day of sharing knowledge around the Kyteler Affair and the first witch burning in Ireland.

On Sunday morning, a remembrance Service of Atonement took place for Petronilla de Meath, wrongfully condemned seven centuries ago. The service took place in St Canice’s Cathedral, celebrated by Rev Stephen Farrell, Dean of Ossory.