Biddy Early

Biddy Early died in Feakle, County Clare, in 1874 after living as a herbalist and seer who refused payment from neighbours but accepted whiskey and cards in return. She married four men, including her own stepson, and kept a cottage so full of visitors that it became a local drinking hall. When landlords and priests feared her independence, they called her a witch, yet she continued helping people with remedies learned from her mother.