Burning a Paralytic Fairy Child (Co Tipperary)

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fire

Ellen Cushion [spelt also as Cummins] and Anastatia [spelt also as Anna, Anactatix, ] Rourkes were arrested at Clonmel, on Saturday, charged with cruelly ill-treating a child, three years old, named Philip Dillon. The prisoners were taken before the Mayor, when evidence was given showing an extraordinary survival of superstitious belief. It appeared that the neighbours fancied that the child, which had not the use of its limbs, was a changeling left by the fairies in exchange for the original child. While the mother was absent the prisoners entered her house, and placed the child naked on a hot shovel, under the impression that this would break the charm. The poor little thing was severely burnt, and is in a precarious condition. Prisoners, who were hooted by an indignant crowd, were remanded.’ The piece in the Liverpool Echo records that Rourke [sic] was sentenced to only a week as she had already been a month in prison. Anon, ‘Extraordinary Superstition’, Birmingham Daily Post (19 May 1884), 8

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