On November 3rd 1324 in Kilkenny City, Petronilla of Meath became the first woman to be burned at the stake for witchcraft in the British Isles. As maid to Dame Alice Kyteler, she was found guilty of heretical sorcery, having been tortured to illicit a confession.

We can be thankful that the murmurs of witchcraft accusations have long faded from the streets of Kilkenny. The experiences of Kilkenny women in recent decades are far removed from the challenges faced by women of the 14th century. It’s time to give the women of Kilkenny the voice that Petronilla of Meath was not afforded.

In episode one, we delve into the childhood experiences of women across the county. While nowadays, parents are likely to bring their children to the local playground or park, in times gone by, children created their own playgrounds, finding adventure in their surroundings, be it swimming in the river Nore in Thomastown, playing jackstones with friends in Graiguenamanagh or even getting up to mischief at Ballyhale train station.

This collaboration is kindly funded by Commemorative Initiatives under the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. To find out more, visit https://helenabyrne.com/