Historedia
EuropeEvent

Bridget Cleary killed in County Tipperary

When
1895
Where
Ballyvadlea; Shallow grave site; Court; Cleary household
Episodes
4

Bridget Cleary, an Irish woman from County Tipperary, was murdered by her husband Michael in March 1895. Michael believed Bridget had been abducted by fairies and replaced by a changeling, leading to her death during attempts to 'restore' her. He was convicted of manslaughter, with the trial highlighting rural superstition and press interest.

Episodes

  1. 1895 · CourtManslaughter Conviction

    Michael Cleary was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to twenty years, serving fifteen. The trial highlighted beliefs in fairy possession.

  2. March 1895 · Cleary householdFairy Accusation Incident

    During the illness, Bridget told Michael that his mother had gone off with the fairies, reinforcing the belief that Bridget was a changeling.

  3. 13-15 March 1895 · BallyvadleaIllness and Fairy Accusations

    Bridget fell ill in March 1895. Family members, including her father and husband, accused her of being a fairy changeling, leading to home remedies and rituals.

  4. 22 March 1895 · Shallow grave siteDiscovery of Body

    Bridget's burnt corpse was found in a shallow grave on 22 March 1895, leading to charges against nine people, including her husband.

Background and detail

Background. Bridget Cleary, born in Ballyvadlea, County Tipperary, lived with her parents after marrying Michael, a cooper in Clonmel. During her illness in March 1895, family members accused her of being a fairy changeling. This belief motivated the fatal assault, framed as an attempt to restore her true self rather than intentional murder.

Trial and Verdict. Michael Cleary was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to twenty years, serving fifteen. The trial attracted significant press coverage in Ireland, reflecting debates on rural superstition. Scholars like Benson commented on the case before the trial, noting the open door and lack of secrecy as evidence against premeditated murder.

Cultural Context. The case was popularly described as the last witch burned in Ireland, though Bridget was accused of being a fairy changeling, not a witch. The incident sparked scholarly commentary, contextualizing the murder within Irish fairy beliefs. Benson's analysis emphasized the genuine belief in possession and the lack of intent to kill.

People involved

Sources

  1. Murder of Bridget Cleary Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.