‘Away with the Fairies or A Cure for the Lockdown’

Newport Historical and Archaeological Society will include a lecture entitled ‘Away with the Fairies or A Cure for the Lockdown’ for their March meeting taking place at O'Sullivan's Lounge, Newport, on Tuesday next, March 15, commencing at 8pm.

As the society resumes its activities after the Covid pandemic, they will look at some aspects of belief in the supernatural. There was in Ireland a widespread culture of the sí (loosely translated as the ‘fairies’ or the ‘good people’), who were strongly associated with thousands of archaeological monuments and natural places in the landscape.

Archaeological artefacts were used in popular religious practices, folk medicine and magic, most frequently to invoke cures for farm animals, but also to protect the homestead.

The discussion for this meeting arises from an increased awareness in recent years of the importance of these folk beliefs and practices, and about the information we can gain from recognising how and why Irish people used them in their daily lives.

The lecture will be presented by Patrick J Ryan, Chairman, Newport Historical and Archaeological Society.