Florence Newton - the woman at the centre of one of Ireland’s greatest witch trials

In 1661, Florence Newton fell foul of the febrile imagination of a Cork community living in fear and riven with superstitious beliefs, writes Billy O’Riordan

The story began with an old woman begging on Christmas day and it ended with one of Ireland’s greatest witch trials.

The setting was Youghal; the year 1661. A cold winter’s night saw Florence Newton beg at the home of John Pyne for a piece of bread from the powdering tub. The housemaid, Mary Longdon, refused Newton’s hungry pleas and sent her on her way. A time later, Longdon was going to the stream with a pail of clothes when Newton emerged, threw the pail from her head, and violently kissed Longdon, exclaiming: “Mary, I pray thee, let thee and I be friends; for I bear thee no ill will.”