The birth of a child is among the most important moments in the life of the individual, and of the community of which they are a broader part. Small wonder then, that there should exist so large a body of folk belief and custom regarding the protection of infants and the unborn. A darker body of tradition concerns those children who fail to thrive, who are sickly, and who appear wizened or otherwise deformed. In such instances, it was often believed by our forebears that the fairies - the supernatural race who exist unseen alongside us - had taken the healthy child and replaced it with a wizened and decrepit creature which was in fact one of their own. This creature was known as the changeling, and many drastic (and often violent) steps were taken in order to cast out and banish such creatures. Join hosts Claire Doohan and Jonny Dillon for this month's edition of Blúiríní Béaloidis as they explore a body of lore and custom borne out of deformations and disorders, in which the supernatural permeates and punctures the ordered safety and shelter of the family unit, and in which drastic steps are taken to restore order in the home.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related